TOUGH TEN QUESTIONS

In the past few days, there were questions from many friends that somehow struck me or affected me in a way which even moved me to reflect . . . and I will be sharing to you some of those including that of my replies. . .

QUESTION:

1. May Plano ka bang mag-asawa?

REPLY:

Honestly, I intend to take a more serious path of life as a Single Person. . .I met some great people who opted to remain single but they were able to do what they usually do (like the ordinary things of life, continue working, living an ordinary life, the usual thing without leaving the things they usually do) and the best part of it, they have the time on full time basis to still work in the vineyard of the Lord! Whew! Yes!

QUESTION:

2. PYM/PYC at UCM may competition nga ba?

REPLY:

Before UCM I came from PYM, PYC na ngayon ulit, sa akin at sa amin sa UCM hindi naman inisip kahit kalian ang competition. Sa paglilingkod sa Simbahan, walang paligsahan dahil lahat ng bagay at mga pangyayari ay biyaya at grasya ng Diyos! Wala tayong magagawa na kahit ano kung hindi dahil sa Kanya. Nanggaling kasi ako sa PYM/PYC before and nasanay ang mga tao na lagi ko silang kasama and they perceived that since I now have my own group, meron ngang rivalry. . .lalo na at may mga kabataan din akong kasama sa UCM which are almost the same age as that of the PYM/PYC these days. . .

QUESTION:

3. Bakit ka nga ba nawala sa PYM/PYC?

REPLY:

Hindi naman ako nawala, the change in leadership including that of my appointment as Head of the Ushers and Collectors Ministry (UCM) was a result of the selection process of Rev. Fr. Rex De Los Angeles. Hindi lang naman kami lahat ng mga samahan sa Parokya ay nagkaroon ng mga movements. In fact, with that movement, I’m still an officer of the PYC/PYM as CRO. During the first few weeks of Jevic’s leadership I attended the meetings but for some reason or another, no invitations for any meeting/activities are extended to me, perhaps, they already perceived that they can’t make any diskarte on their own if I will still be there on their side.

QUESTION:

4. Masama ang loob mo? Galit ka ba sa kanila?

REPLY:

Kanino sa kanila? Nung una, may mga katanungan lang sa isip ko, madaming mga tanong. Hindi ako galit sa kahit sino sa kanila. There are issues and realities in life na kapag na brought up pwedeng masaling ang sensitivities ng mga tao. Nung una, I will admit, I really harbored ill feelings then during the first few weeks because of two basic issues: Respect and “Utang na Loob”. But of course, I already had the realizations then and all those ill feelings were already part of the past. I moved on already.

QUESTION:

5. Sorry to ask this question, Is it true that there were issues about funds of PYM na nawawala during your time?

REPLY:

PYM Funds? Walang pondo ang PYM during my time, ang pondo namin yung sweldo ko! He he he he, Seriously, ang pondo namin ang sweldo ko that time, from Maybank pa ata ako and early part of Asiatrust Bank. I’m just a struggling Junior Bank Officer then. Kapag may project nun ang PYM, the normal source of funds are solicitations from our regular benefactors like that of the Vasquez Family, Lola Remy Arcega and other Pioneer members of PYM who are established professionals already at that time and I’m not even the one whose getting the money to them dahil mahiyain ako! Before I left, the only money I remember that remained in my possession prior to the change of leadership was that of the P1,000.00 donation given by Lola Remy Arcega for the uniform of the PYM members who used to serve as Mass Collectors of the 9:00 a.m. Sunday Mass. Hindi na nakapagpatahi ng uniform at that time since we are still in the process of identifying the members who will be regular collectors since there were members who were given uniforms but did not use the same or has decided not to attend anymore and if it will happen again, masasayang lang ulit ang pera. To make the long story short, the same money became part of the funds that were used in the first uniforms of the newly created UCG dahil para naman talaga sa uniform ang pera na yun. Just for the record, the very first fund allotment of the new UCG then way back 2006 amounted to almost P 5,000.00 just for the uniform of the members and since then twice nang nagpalit ng uniform ang UCM.

QUESTION:

6. Saan naman galing ang pondo ng UCM?

REPLY:

Just for the purpose of discussion, for three (3) years already of existence, UCM has never asked any financial assistance from anybody. From the very first time I assumed the position as Head of the UCM, it has been my policy not to make any solicitations outside the group. God is always good to us that all our needs is being provided anytime. Kaya malakas ang loob naming na gumawa ng mga projects kahit walang pondo dahil naniniwala kami na kapag malinis ang intention ng project namin sa simula pa lamang bubuhos at bubuhos ang biyaya. And indeed it is true as always! From the very start it has been God’s providence that makes us survive!

QUESTION:

7. Bakit hindi kayo mag joint project ng PYM/PYC?

REPLY:

I already offered the same idea sa kanila, it has been a standing offer few years back pa. Maybe they have yet to come up with the idea kung anong project ang pwede naming gawin together.

QUESTION:

8. Given the chance or what if the leadership of PYM/PYC will be offered to you again, will you accept it?

REPLY:

No, when I went out of PYM almost three (3) years ago, there are lots of doors and opportunities that opened for me which I was not able to see during my stint as PYM Head. Madami pa palang dapat at mas importanteng bagay na dapat pagtuunan ng pansin, not because the youth ministry is not a good one but there will come a point in time wherein you will realize that you need to grow and mature also and take a more bolder step in terms of your service. PYM is part of the initial step on the way up and being with UCM is another step to maturity and there will be more steps to take in the years to come whether it would still be with UCM or with another Ministry hindi ko pa alam.

QUESTION:

9. Nasa harap mo ang mga PYM/PYC members ngayon, ano ang gusto mong sabihin sa kanila?

REPLY:

Hindi ako nabigyan ng opportunity na sabihin ito sa inyo, saan man tayo makarating isa sa pinakamahalagang aspeto ng pakikipagkapwa tao ang pagbibigay ng respeto sa bawat isa. Walang pinipili ang pagbibigay ng respeto kahit ano man ang nararamdaman mo, kahit galit ka or natutuwa ka pwede mo pa ring ipakita ‘to. Hindi ako perpektong lider at hindi magiging perpekto kailanman, ang isang lider ay na nagiging mahusay at magaling dahil na rin sa kanyang mga experience sa pakikisalamuha sa kanyang mga kasamahan at kung anoman ang narating ko ngayon o magandang nagagawa namin sa UCM dahil yun sa maganda at challenging experience na nakuha ko during our time together.

Madaming mga medyo sablay na desisyon ang aking nagawa nung magkakasama tayo at hinihingi ko ang inyong kapatawaran at pang-unawa sa mga pangyayaring iyun. Naging mahigpit ako, sobrang higpit at inaamin ko yun pati ng mga love life nyo pinakikialaman ko to the extent na sinuspende ko pa ang ilan sa inyo. Walang mali sa ating mga pinagsamahan noon, lahat yun ay nakatulong sa ating paglago at pagharap sa ngayon. Salamat and keep it up!

QUESTION:

10. May nakakaintrigang article sa blog site mo at Friendster Bulletin and title nun ay “Kung Matuturuan Lang Ang Puso Ko” sino ba siya?

REPLY:

Sino sya? Hanapin nyo na lang sa mga nag comments sa Friendster ko! He he he he. . .