alliance

I had a drinking session with friends that lasted ‘til the wee hours of the morning and I had around a couple or less hours of sleep. Unfortunately, I had a pre-scheduled travel to Bulacan for our induction into a Travel Industry Association we joined with. It was a grueling travel considering that my car isn’t exactly a very comfortable place to take a nap in… How I miss the Hyundai Grandeur’s reclining back seat. Anyway, we left the house around seven thirty, picked up my executive director in Quezon City, took the usual stop at a Starbucks and arrived in San Rafael quarter past ten… and then we waited… waited…

And we finally started the program five past one. We were inducted before three and I met a lot of interesting personalities. Bubbly and not so bubbly Account Executives, General Managers, Travel Agency owners…

And now I’m looking forward to next month’s general assembly where we can present our company profile and the show to the association members.

As the program went on, my ever enthusiastic executive director bubbled out her fascination with such associations and how individuals and businesses have benefitted from the amount of network available in such gatherings. Sad to say, I lamented, it took us a while to realize the importance of alliances and how mutual relationships might have given us stability earlier into the game before this crisis hit. I also mentioned that negative circumstances such as the situation where we are in now is but a “blessing in disguise” for us, as it will force us to rethink our position within the industry.

With that said, I am hoping that things will turn out for the better… for the sake of those who has stayed on-board in the belief that time rewards those who are loyal, patience is a virtue and hard work will earn them their benefits.

Question… are blessings always in disguise?

casie villarosa with BLACK PIPE @ the 96th Pasig Catholic College Alumni Homecoming Party

The 96th Pasig Catholic College Foundation Day and Alumni Homecoming

It was finally concluded last Saturday, the preparation that lasted for what seemed like a very long time. Batch President Vic Sanchez did a very good job as well as the most active of the lot of my batch mates like E, Froilan, Sandi, Josel, Dennis, Mon, to name a few.

Apparently, we’ve broken attendance records. A hundred cases of beer disappeared after about two hours of drinking and the stocks had to be replenished. I had a blast playing with Black Pipe onstage and we did a fairly good set except for the usual onstage “participation” of uninvited singer wannabes which really crapped us out of a decent set… but it was still fun and funny.

I screwed up on some of the lyrics mainly because I was quite distracted by what was going on around but I think no one minds.

Aside from an earlier incident where one of the bands who came late cuts in line to play the first set, everything was okay. Anyway, I had a blast screwing them up by cutting their monitors… geezz, younger people should be taught respect the traditional way. If I did not consider that I was part of the host batch, I would have bashed that faggot manager’s head with my Washburn… but then again, my Washburn guitar is of greater value than that jack ass’ head.

Anyway, the incident almost ruined my night and I’m just glad it didn’t stir up anything bad between Vic and me. I suppose that the incident actually made me perform better that night.

The best part of course was seeing your batch mates and former classmates most of whom I’ve not seen for the last 25 years. I’ll have to ask some people to send me photos of the event since my crew only recorded the gig part as we did not have any spare batteries for the cams. I suppose that arranging for a get together would be easier now given that people won’t be paranoid anymore of possible additional responsibilities.

Congratulations to Kumbento Boys Batch ’84! It was one hell of a homecoming!

stories from batch president vic sanches after the conclusion of the event


batch '84 singing to "born to be wild" with casie villarosa and Black Pipe on stage


batch picture with the stage as background


concluding prayers


laughing it up after all the stressful preparations... it's finally over


the stage being prepped earlier in the day

(pictures courtesy of Ferdie Mejia)

KB'84 Tribute to our teachers

&%!@#@+**&!!!

If I blogged what I wanted to say today... errr.... never mind.

Happy Birthday Chairman and Miro!

Yesterday, the Chairman celebrated his birthday. Today Miro, my son, celebrates his 5th birthday. Happy Birthday!

25 Years after High School

an old picture sent by email by a batch mate

Last night, I spent an evening with batch mates from High School making the final plans for the Alumni Homecoming of our school where we would be celebrating our Silver Jubilee. Opportunities such as these mini reunions is really quite a good exercises to remind ourselves of how and what we were when we were younger and a bit more stupid as we are today.

Of course, it was a relatively small group and we are really hoping that the turn out on Saturday will be a lot from our batch. My hats off to the people who really worked their asses off to make this Saturday homecoming a success… well, whatever happens, we will get through this anyway.

It is just sad that some of our more prominent batch mates were “no show” for the longest time and I did mention that they may have their reasons… whatever it may be. And I guess that that’s that.
As one of my buddy once said;

“ang taong hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan,… ay sa simbahan pa rin ang tuloy!”

SPO1 Ogie Aure
Pasay Police Precint

So the issue over a batch mate who refuses to answer calls, or has his calls screened by his wife or whatever should be a no brainer for us. He might just have simply chosen to forget the past and from where he came from. A bit sad I suppose but nevertheless he shouldn’t be judged harshly. As I said, he may have his reasons…

Video Capture Pictures

the video caps from Pasig Bistro's Jam



I like video captures since it gives me that picture that would otherwise be difficult to capture in a still camera, although the resolution sucks, well it's much like my music's resolution so everything is well matched.



long time friend and fellow musician Jun San Pedro is ageless as far as playing the guitar is concerned. He is a partner in Pasig Bistro and takes care of the band line up for the club as well as plays awesome guitar for the Black Boys.

I met Jun SP through our Marginals keyboardist Tony Robles and he was the one who introduced me to Jun Domingo. We formed a jam group named Roadhouse, a Saturday jam and drink session group where I played drums. We eventually took to the road for a short while and eventually split up.

Jun and I played a gig with only the two of us in 2001 at the time when I was midi crazy which allowed us to experiment with computers and the advantages that the new tech allowed us. Prior to this, Jun invited me to be part of Nueve de Sais, a group managed by Heber Bartolome and was lined with some of the most talented players in the industry like the late Flor Mendoza (drummer for the Jerks), Gerry Torre, a damn good saxophonist or any instrument that runs on air for that matter, famed Nosi Balasi composer Henry Cabatingo on bass, Jun SP on guitars while I did the shouting and the lousy guitar parts.

I consider myself lucky that I've not made a career out of music, meaning that I don't rely on it for my needs. That basically means that I have more freedom to play what I want and play when I want, or when my schedule allows...

bass guitarist Ding Salvador used to play with Emil Sanglay of PENPEN fame and I met him through Jun San Pedro. On the other hand, I've known drummer Aji Adriano since the late 80's. A percussion teacher at Yamaha School of Music for twelve years and drummer for WUDS. We used to see each other when our bands would perform together at the old Club Dredd, Scout Tobias in QC formerly known as Red Rocks or at Mayric's Folk House along España Street in Manila plus some out of town gigs

another one day trip

I wasn't really that enthusiastic about this trip the Chairman scheduled for Cebu. In the first place, the root cause of the trip was the same problem I earlier blogged about that almost cost one of the managers his livelihood. And since I had marketing activities scheduled for the latter part of the week, I felt that I did not have the energy to spend a night in Cebu. But as the Chairman puts it, my presence is supposedly important to facilitate a better discussion over some issues in the branch. And for that, he made me promise to everyone that I would make myself available for a couple of days every month for a branch visit and bonding session.

I must admit that I did miss the people there since I use to spend a lot of time in the branch and i did have to explain the state of affairs of the company to the Cebu-based employees. So these days, I will be looking forward to my Cebu trips... bonding and drinking sessions with the staff and a slow re-incorporation of the branch into the mainstream corporate culture of the company.

jam night @ pasig bistro

It was a Saturday and I just came from a batch meeting, as I was heading back to the office, our old guitarist from roadhouse days Jun San Pedro calls up and tells me that there's a newly opened bar and ajmming place in Pasig. So I committed for a visit and a jam. Aji Adriano, drummer for the WUDS was there for the gig and bassist Ding Salvador of PENPEN was also there.

it was a pretty cool place with a wide LCD TV showing oldies rock and remakes and it felt a bit out of my genre but it was all together a great jam for me, having missed playing with seasoned players.

I was always introduced by Jun as "batch '84" since most of the patrons, as well as the owners were from Batch '71 to '73. What I most liked about the place was that there was no conservation in sound volume... the place was quite loud and I thought that heck, I hope that I would be as cool as these guys if ever I do reach their age.

Childhood memories

Yesterday was the feast day of Sta. Martha, my hometown’s sub-patron saint (?), since we are still called San Roque Parish. But I heard that yesterday’s celebration marked the so called changing of parish name to officially make Sta. Martha the patron saint of the town.

It is the first town fiesta since my present employment that I’ve actually stayed in town, since we do have work on Sundays and the fiesta always falls on a Sunday. This year, I simply decided to stay at home and be with my relatives and friends on this day. Seven years of absence from a family gathering is simply too long a time, so I asked my best friend and my driver to drink with us yesterday.

The previous years, we’d have to wake up early and prepare so that we can inch our way out of town before the procession starts in the morning, and made sure that we stayed out late so that the roads would have been cleared by the time we got back to town.

The day started with a late lunch at my “Ale’s” (the one person who acted as my second mother and later my mother since nanay's death in 1994) house with my favorites “calderetang itik” and “luto sa pinyang manok”. The drinking was the same simple gathering at the “dirty” kitchen area as the kids played. My son of course was the most active of the lot and it reminded me of the opposite of myself when I was his age. I was shy, I was fearful of everything and I was frail.

I guess maybe my driver having only been with me for a little over a month, was quite amazed listening to stories my cousins were telling about me in my early years and how quite unthinkable that I have become what I am today. I was admittedly quite elated and embarrassed at the same time…

I am starting to miss my town… I haven’t been “here” for the longest time as I have “lived” somewhere else making a career and a life for myself.

The devotees dance along M. Almeda Street en route to barrio Aguho for Sta Marta's festivities in July 1969.

included in the book of Regalado "Ricky" T. Jose, "SIMBAHAN", (1991) p. 16 The devotees sways the pandango, a dance of devotion to Sta Marta during her festivities in July 1969 in Barrio Aguho, Pateros, Rizal ( photo collection of the Ayala Museum)

the 2008 Town Fiesta