First Couple to be?

Yes. It seems that is where this romantic episode leads to.

Two of the country’s most eligible bachelors, Sen. Mar Roxas and TV anchor Korina Sanchez admitted on national television (at the noontime show “Wowowee”) that they are engaged and are very much in love with each other. And how could that be better said and proven when the man asked, “Honey, will you marry me?” And the woman replied, “ I am yours yesterday, today and tomorrow.”

Roxas popped up the classic love question while they were together on a secluded beach resort in Bacolod sometime in the first week of this month (April 2009) and Sanchez said she could not say no to the man of her dreams and her “prince charming.” She did not expect the marriage proposal, though, to come that soon, but she never doubted the sincerity of her man.

During the show, Roxas stopped short of declaring his presidential bid for 2010, but vowed to fight poverty and provide opportunity for all should he become the country's 15th chief executive on June 30, 2010.

At one point, Revillame asked Roxas to comment on insinuations that Sanchez would be the one running the country if he ran and won the presidency. “I love Korina. I really, really love her. She’s irreplaceable, but I will be the one making decisions. My dream is just like your dream, our dream -- that we can have a country that will provide equal opportunity to ordinary Filipinos. Equality for all,” said Roxas.

As to when the couple will be tying the knot, there was no mention about it, but there are speculations that it will be held in October of this year. Was it designed to be barely a month before the filing of candidacy to give a big bang for a Roxas presidential campaign? Maybe yes, but whatever that is, I just love talking about people who sincerely love and value each other for life.

I join Willie Revillame in saying “Mabuhay” to the first couple-to-be.

A Striking Similarity

Look more closely at Ms. Mary Jean Lacaba at left, the latest kidnap victim of the dreaded Abu Sayyaf, and Ms. Judy Lardizabal at right, the latest lady topnotcher of the Philippine Bar Exam. Now, you will confirm with me the striking similarity between the two faces both exuding calmness, inner confidence, and above all, COURAGE, i.e. the Filipina of today.

Both had been peppered with the anxiety of waiting - one from 75 days of captivity and the other from 175 days of suspended animation since taking the bar exam in September 2008.

Ms. Lacaba told us all the hardships that they went through in the hands of the Abu Sayyaf such as suffering from diarrhea for lack of potable water, poor food ration, constantly moving from one place to another even in the middle of the night to elude pursuing government troops, hogtied sometimes, and worst of all - the threat of being beheaded anytime. That was simply horrible, but what raw courage was there that we saw from the two other kidnap victims and Ms. Lacaba.

Ms. Lardizabal, on the other hand, told us about the anxiety of waiting for the result of the bar exam. But that was not simple case of waiting for a result. Consider the pressure that she went through becasue her classmates and professors did not just expect her to pass but to top the bar exam. There were earlier indications when she used to top her class examinations by getting perfect or almost perfect scores in all of her exams since her third year at the San Sebastian College of Law. For simple Judy, she was just praying to pass the bar exam. Then, the result came and she even refused to watch TV or read the news for fear that she might have failed and frustrated a lot of people. But alas, her classmates' and professors' expectations came. She did not only pass the bar exam but came out to the top among more than 6,000 examinees from more than 100 law schools in the country.

The nature of pain and anxiety experienced by both women may not be the same but they give us some clear lessons and insights: 1) the Filipina has gone far way ahead outside of just being the mother at home (both have families of their own, by the way); 2) it showed that the empowered Filipina can rise to our expectations and prove their worth when given equal opportunity with their male counterparts; 3) Prayer and unwavering faith in God spell the difference.

Mary Jean and Judy: your stories may be retold several times and regardless of how they will be portrayed in the angle and preferrence of the writer, they will serve to inspire us no end. I know you will reach far greater heights of achievement, and maybe fame too, but I still wish you good luck, God bless you.

A Bad April Fool's Day Joke

How bad can an April Fool’s day joke go? When it threats your computer online security, it is very bad. This is what I’ve read at a CNN report about a virus that is set to wreck havoc on April 1. As of the moment a cat and mouse chase is ongoing on net, with experts trying to track down a worm called Conficker C and prevent it from damaging millions of computers on April Fool’s Day.

These computer experts turned bounty hunters are not just after the bounty money offered by Microsoft to the tune of $250,000, but the satisfaction and fulfillment of tracking down of what seems to be the biggest online chase thus far.

Alvin Estevez, CEO of Enigma Software Group, which is one of the many companies trying to crack Conficker said “we love catching bad guys. We’re like former hackers who like to catch other hackers. To us, we get almost a feather in our cap to be able to knock out that worm. We slap each other five when we’re killing those infections.”

Presently, it is thought that the worm have already infected 5 to 10 million computers worldwide. Although it hasn’t manifested any symptoms yet, it is expected that on April 1, a master computer will gaining control of these infected computers and turn them into zombie machines that would follow every order of the master computer. That is how Don DeBolt, director of threat research for CA, a New York-based IT and software company, reports it.

In reality though, nobody can still guess what will happen on April Fool’s day. Lots of theories surfaced – deleting all files on a person’s computer, shut down web sites, monitor a person’s keyboard strokes to collect private information, or a DeBolt said, it may try to get computer users to buy fake software or spend money on other phony products.

Of course, some refer to the April Fool’s day virus as a, well… April Fool’s day joke – a hoax. But DeBolt said, they have already found recently a piece of code in Conficker C that says the worm will become active on April 1. Previous versions of the malicious software launched on specific dates noted in the program code, so the April Fool’s day launch date is not likely to be a trick, he said.

“The best minds in the industry are working on this to protect customers,” he said. “We’re trying to reduce the impact of the April 1 date as best we can. But we know … this malware will continue to evolve.”

More Filipinas hold executive positions

Is it true that more and more Filipinas hold executive positions in the country and even abroad? The answer is a resounding YES. If this is any indication about the state of women empowerment in the country, then I am personally happy about it. I am a self-proclaimed advocate for women empowerment, you know. In fact, my post-graduate thesis is a study about Muslim women's participation in organizational decision-making which ventured to look into the factors that enable such a situation for women to be accorded the highest honor of 'calling the shots' so-to-speak.

March is the Women’s Month, and what a better way to emphasize this celebration than with the result of the research study conducted by Grant Thornton International, because in the report, Filipinas are showing the world that what men can do they can do also, and in some ways better.

The Grant Thornton research showed that women hold 47 percent of senior management positions in the Philippines, comparing the statistics worldwide, they are leading by as much as 23 percentage points. “Women in the Philippines have really broken the proverbial glass ceiling, not only in the corporate world but also in the government,” said Lily Linsangan, Punongbayan & Araullo audit partner and business risk services group head.

From the data gathered from the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), women have steadily taken over their male counterpart in the executive positions in the past several years. The year 2002 saw the ratio at 1.86 million females to 1.4 million males in the supervisory and executive positions. In 2006, this ratio has grown to 2.257 million women to 1.629 million men. This even grew to 2.281 million females to 1.677 million males in 2007.

Indeed, women are really making a big contribution in the corporate world as they occupy more managerial and executive positions.

Unfortunately, the rest of the world is not enjoying the opportunities that Filipino women are getting. There is still a large part of the world where women are having a difficult time climbing the corporate ladder. There are about a third or 34 percent of privately held businesses worldwide who do not have any women in senior management.

Some of the countries that are still not open to the idea of providing equal opportunities to women, much more give them senior management positions included Japan, Belgium, Denmark, India, and Netherlands.

Our country too, despite the data presented above, still have some sectors where discrimination among women is still prevalent. That’s why we take off our hats to those who have reached such positions because they succeeded in spite of the existence of discrimination, whether implied or expressed.

Go, go Filipina. You can. You are trailblazers soon.

Some Facts About Friday the 13th

Today is Friday, the 13th. If Friday the 13th is unlucky, then 2009 is an unusually unlucky year. This week's Friday the 13th is one of three to endure this year. The first came last month. The next is in November. Such a rare triple-threat occurs only once every 11 years.

The origin of the link between bad luck and Friday the 13th is murky. The whole thing might date to Biblical times (the 13th guest at the Last Supper betrayed Jesus). By the Middle Ages, both Friday and 13 were considered bearers of bad fortune. In modern times, the superstition permeates society and still lingers on.

But how did these superstitions about Friday the 13th came about? Here are some facts about it:

1. Fear of Friday the 13th - one of the most popular myths in science - is called paraskavedekatriaphobia as well as friggatriskaidekaphobia. Triskaidekaphobia is fear of the number 13.

2. Many hospitals have no room 13, while some tall buildings skip the 13th floor and some airline terminals omit Gate 13.

3. President Franklin D. Roosevelt would not travel on the 13th day of any month and would never host 13 guests at a meal. Napoleon and President Herbert Hoover were also triskaidekaphobic, with an abnormal fear of the number 13.

4. Mark Twain once was the 13th guest at a dinner party. A friend warned him not to go. "It was bad luck," Twain later told the friend. "They only had food for 12." Superstitious diners in Paris can hire a quatorzieme, or professional 14th guest.

5. The number 13 suffers from its position after 12, according to numerologists who consider the latter to be a complete number - 12 months in a year, 12 signs of the zodiac, 12 gods of Olympus, 12 labors of Hercules, 12 tribes of Israel, 12 apostles of Jesus, 12 days of Christmas and 12 eggs in a dozen.

Pythagorean legacy

Meanwhile the belief that numbers are connected to life and physical things - called numerology - has a long history.


This can be traced all the way from the followers of Pythagoras, whose maxim to describe the universe was 'all is number("The Equation That Couldn't Be Solved"; Simon & Schuster, 2005). Thinkers who studied under the famous Greek mathematician combined numbers in different ways to explain everything about the universe..

In modern times, numerology has become a type of para-science, much like the meaningless predictions of astrology.

"People are subconsciously drawn towards specific numbers because they know that they need the experiences, attributes or lessons associated with them, that are contained within their potential," says professional numerologist Sonia Ducie. "Numerology can 'make sense' of an individual's life (health, career, relationships, situations and issues) by recognizing which number cycle they are in, and by giving them clarity."

However, mathematicians dismiss numerology because it lacks any scientific merit.

The Modern Filipina

Today, there is no longer an excuse in not looking good. The modern Filipina has far become more confident than they were years ago. She is now a picture of confidence that is ready to face the world and find her place in the sun, so-to-speak.


And because of this confidence, her beauty is even more magnified because it comes from within. Part of that confidence comes in knowing how to wear the proper clothes. The modern Filipina can carry any attire with confidence that immediately makes her presence very visible the moment she enters the room.


That confidence will be even more highlighted when she wears the Filipina modest clothing. But whether she is in a corporate environment, a casual get-together with friends or in an anything-goes sort of party, she can definitely stand out in the crowd.

In a tropical country like ours, superfine clothing materials will definitely bring her comfort, aside from the fashion statement that she can deliver. Form and function in one fashionable dress that will definitely bring her twice the confidence that she needs. But, give the Filipina anything to wear and she will carry it still with the poise and style that makes her a stand-out figure in any occasion.

The clothing style and the poise and confidence that the Filipina exudes are not the only measure of the Filipina today. She is the empowered woman that society respects and edify. The empowered Filipina, in fact, is all over the ladder of society - from the home she is still very good at, to the corporate world and the political arena.

The Philippines has greatly improved its world image in the matter of being women-friendly country. It ranks no. 6 in the latest survey beating even the US which figured in at rank no. 23. The top five countries in terms of being women-friendly are: Belgium, Finland, Switzerland, Sweden and New Zealand.

Simple yet memorable ways to express LOVE on V-day

There are usually three types of people when it comes to Valentine's Day. Those who don't celebrate it for many reasons, those who celebrate it by buying typical commercial gifts and those who relish the idea of finding great ways to express their love on Valentine's day with personal, meaningful and great memorable ways.

If you are looking for Valentine's ideas that go beyond, roses, chocolates and stuffed bears, the following testimonies from those who actually did it may give you fresh innovative ideas. Here they are:

CARVED CANDLES
One valentine’s day, I made up my mind and decided to ask her to be my Valentine. So, I went looking for a gift. After about an hour or two could have been three, it seemed to like a very long time. I found this candle that was shaped like a heart and really big. I took it home set it on the table and set down to write a poem to put with it. Half way through the poem, I thought the candle was missing something.

I stopped writing and stared at the candle for about ten minutes. I got up went to the garage and got my rotary tool. I hooked everything up and then went to work. A few hours later I stood back and was amazed at what I have done. I carved roses, stems and the leaves into the sides of the candle. On top I carved, “Lisa you are the most angelic woman I have ever met or seen! I would cherish the moment for all eternity if, you would grace me with your presences and be mine for Valentine’s! Respectfully Yours, Michael”

Valentine’s morning it snowed, I went to her house and knocked on the door. I asked if, she would take a short walk with me down to the park for a moment. There was a spot where Mother Nature created a work of art with the snow covered tress and rocks at a small park down from her house. It was like; it was made just for this reason.

I dusted off one of the large rocks and she sat down, looking up at me smiling. Without saying anything, I reached into the bag and pulled the candle out. Her eyes got big and a quit, “oh my” came from her mouth. She looked at the sides and then the top. She then looked at me and got up and kissed me ever so gently on the lips, and then she whispered in my ear, “Yes”

CHAINSAW ROMANCE
He made me a heart-shaped box out of cedar wood with a matching fitting lid. (Apparently shaping wood is really hard to do, and he did it with a chainsaw.) On the top of the box it has a heart carved into it with the words Mitch loves Calli. It was so romantic!

Now I keep little treasures from him and from things we do together in the box. I have it on my dresser to remind me every day how much he loves me.

DOG-FIGHTING
My husband has always wanted to be a fighter pilot since he was just a little boy, but decided against it because he did not want to travel as much as was required. In making the decision to be a family man, he gave up some of the excitement and adrenalin he had hoped for in a career. For Valentines Day in 2001, I flew my husband to Las Vegas (where he had never been!), and we spent four days there exploring the city. He tried Krispy Kreme for the first time, and we purchased all the items needed for an at home massage.

On the second day there, I took him to Air Combat USA, which is a company that allows civilians to be pilots in a fighter plane for a day. He spent the day there, taking lessons and learning basic skills for flying the plane. In the morning, he had a brief flight that allowed him to get the feel of the aircraft. In the afternoon, he was taken up and allowed not only to fly the plane, but "dogfight" with another pilot, complete with smoke and flashing lights. They videotaped the whole thing, and he was very proud of himself for not throwing up! When he landed that evening, we went out for a romantic dinner where I presented him with a flight suit commemorating his time as a pilot. We then went back to our hotel, where I used the massage items to rub the soreness of being at 4G's out of his shoulders and back.

He was very surprised, and was able to fulfill a dream that Valentines Day! Ever since then, our Valentines Days have been less about chocolates and roses and more about helping our partner find creative ways to reach their goals.

SAY IT IN A SONG
The most wonderful Valentine's Day present I ever received from my fiancé, was not a card, flowers, or chocolate. It was a CD. Now I know these days personal CD's are becoming a normal way to show someone you care, but this was just the perfect way for him to show me that he really loved me.
This CD contained love songs and, in the pamphlet, he wrote about a page per song telling me what each song meant to him and how much he loved me.

Every year he gives me another Valentine's CD with different love songs and his special personal messages. The best Valentine's Day present I ever received was last year, Chris gave me the CD and when I opened it there was an extra note on the back of the CD that explained how much he loved me and asked me to marry him. Then he kneeled down and handed me a ring and asked me again.

Its coming up on a year and we are still together and happy. I can't wait to get my valentine's Day CD this year, though nothing will ever beat last years present.

FISHING FOR FLOWERS
For valentine's day I got a bouquet of roses for my wife. I chopped off the buds and made "flowers" using cheap lures and hooked it on the stem. She loved it! And I filled up the bathtub with warm water and placed the cut off roses on top. "That was our most romantic valentine and I will never forget that," she said very affectionately.

ADORABLE DOZEN
our waitress came over with a dozen roses and set them on our table and told me it was from a secret admirer. I was extremely embarrassed but also thought it was unbelievably romantic. He told me to look closely at the roses. Each flower had an envelope attached to it. Each envelope was as follows:

1. The first day I met you I could tell by you're eyes I would fall in love with you
2. Every tear you cry rips out a piece of my heart
3. Whenever we kiss I can't seem to concentrate for at least 10 minutes afterward
4. Your smile is amazing, It lights up the world
5. When I touch any part of your body I am filled with more passion than I could ever imagine
6. Only you can cheer me up on a bad day
7. You are so beautiful, I feel on top of the world whenever people see us together
8. You are so considerate and selfless. It is unbelievable to see how big of a heart you have
9. If I were lucky enough to spend the rest of my life with you, I wouldn't need anything else
10. I can't believe someone like you actually wants to be with me
11. I can't keep my mind off of you for a second
12. I love you, and I always will... You are my reason to wake up in the morning

Two years and a marriage later, I can't believe I ever was unsure of his love for me.

SANDWICH AND ROSES
The most memorable Valentine gift I ever received was a sandwich.
I usually brought the same sandwich to work every day (when I didn't get fast food) - ham and cheese on white bread.

My beloved had to work the night shift on Valentines' Day, so since we couldn't be together, he left a note for me in the fridge with a red rose. There were also a couple of bread types, some different deli meats and cheeses. The note said that he wanted me to have something different for lunch the next day, and to pick one of the breads and toast it, and select whatever combination I wanted of the deli meats and cheeses. It was just so thoughtful!

I didn't realize how much of a rut I had gotten into with the sameness of a lunch, and he wanted to show me that I could have some variety that would taste good, too. It touched me because it was so thoughtful and original, and it didn't cost an arm and a leg!

THE ULTIMATE GIFT - PRAYER
I thought of writing a special prayer to read to him on Valentine's Day as one of my "gifts" to him. But as I thought about it, I've decided to carry it one step further. Yes, I still plan to share a special prayer with him, but I don't want to stop there.

The traditional gift for the first year anniversary is "paper" -- a few days ago I purchased a journal with lined pages and I plan to continue to note my prayers in the journal and then present him with it on our first anniversary. I often tell him that I pray for him a lot, and I do -- but wouldn't it be a blessing to actually see/hear the prayers coming from your partner's heart and soul asking for your own safety, health, endurance and strength?