BUDHI FESTIVAL: CELEBRATING OUR TRUE IDENTITY POSTER OCT 22-26 2013

BUDHI FESTIVAL ON OCT. 22-26,2013 AT FO GUANG SHAN MABUHAY TEMPLE, MANILA

BUDHI FESTIVAL: CELEBRATING OUR TRUE IDENTITY!

In these very challenging times where disasters and tragedies both human-made and natural keep pummeling us from all directions – it becomes more important that we know what it means to be HUMAN. Amidst glaring narratives of corruption, armed conflict and survival in the grueling day-to-day life, when we truly understand our core or budhi, recognize a deeper connection to Spirit and practice a way of life that honors and celebrates humanity, and then we can create new communities of love, peace, hope, trust and respect.

Buddhism and Indigenous Filipino Culture offer perspectives, lifestyles, and practices that can be a source for SOCIAL and PERSONAL RENEWAL, founded on: Alignment with the higher source/self and interconnectedness of life; The knowledge and traditions that help manifest this philosophy, and the Emphasis on Sangha or COMMUNITY. It is through this lens that Fo Guang Shan Mabuhay Temple and Conscious Heart Creations have organized a much-needed space for people to step back, re-frame, re-new their view of themselves, others and society and most definitely, to have fun through BUDHI: Celebrating Humanity in Everyday Life happening on October 22-26, 2013 at the Fo Guang Shan Mabuhay Temple, Manila, Philippines.

BUDHI: Celebrating Humanity in Everyday Life is  the merging together of two events namely the “2^nd FGS Mabuhay Temple Conference on Humanistic Buddhism and Cultural Pluralism—with the theme on BEAUTY AND THE BUDDHA: Multidisciplinary Research on Aesthetics and the Arts of Life”  and the first “BAYANIHAN FESTIVAL: Reclaiming Indigenous Culture to Create Evolving Communities.”

The joint Conference-Festival aims to make the FGS Mabuhay Temple an alternative venue for educators, students, religious practitioners, artists in the different and related disciplines and interest to share their ideas, scholarly and creative works on intercultural understanding.  This year’s FGS conference highlights the various discourses in Aesthetics and the Bayanihan Festival presents the indigenous perspective on 1) Healing, 2) Education, 3) Film and media, 4) Fashion and crafts, and 5) Food and farming.

Plenary Speakers, Workshop Facilitators, Performances and Exhibits to watch out for

Participants may welcome interactions with fellow students, artists, scholars, cultural creatives, development workers, and other backgrounds from places around the Philippines and abroad.

Special guests, speakers and facilitators include: Venerable Masters of Fo Guang Shan, Kataastaasang Babaylan Reyna Yolanda Liban Manalo, Celyo Rizal, Joey Ayala, Bonifacio Comandante, Dr. Glecy Atienza, Pamela Fernandez, SANGHABI, GINHAWA and many more.

Plus, enjoy theater performances in the evening by the Performance Research Network, which includes Destiyero Theater Commune, Kolab Co., Transitopia Contemporary Dance Commune, and Sipat Lawin Ensemble.

Join the celebration! Register now at http://consciousheartcreations.com/events/ongoing/budhi/ or contact us at consciousheartcreations@gmail.com or (+63) 906-586-8638 ; (+63) 998-459-0579 ; (+63) 44-896-1318.

Lakbayani at Bacolod and Talisay Cities Negros Occ August 26-30 2013

Team Lakbayani: Cecille Ferrer of Mission Manila, Cosette Ferrer-Romero, Au Hugo and Enrique Cañizares of Mission Iloilo were in Bacolod and Talisay Cities Negros Occ to facilitate Vision Cafe and Workshop Courage in Negros Occ High School in Bacolod City on Aug 27 and Inocencio V.Ferrer Memorial School of Fisheries in Talisay on Aug. 29 and 30, 2013. Cecille joined 35 boyscouts and 15 CAT officers from IVFMSF in planting bakhaw seedings on 500 sq.meters of mangrove at Brgy. Catablay, Talisay and coastal clean-up on Aug. 27 organized by Lakbayani members Adorni Sanchez and Romeo Sanchez of Talisay City, followed by Vision Cafe with 63 fourth year special science section students of NOHS. On Aug. 29, Cosette Romero gave the inspirational talk at IVFMSF. Together with Cecille, Cosette delivered books donated by Coleta Pefianco-Ferrer of the Inocencio V.Ferrer and Coleta P. Ferrer family foundation to the school. Au Hugo, Enrique and Cecille co-facilitated Vision Cafe for 119 students of IVFMSF and Au gave a special workshop on financial stewardship in the the afternoon of Founder's Day. On Aug. 30, Au, Enrique and Cecille co-facilitated  Workshop Courage for 100 students of IVFMSF. Visits were made to the Earth Chapel at UNO-R  and May's Organic Garden in Bacolod City as part of the mapping activities of Lakbayani of Initiatives of Light that light up the Philippines, making a difference in societal transformation for a sustainable life and environment. Special thanks to: Lakbayani members in Talisay Adorni and Romeo Sanchez of IVFMSF, Jen Hinlo of Bacolod and our angels Jen, Danny Romero and Junjun Hinlo and the Alberto Pefianco family of Countrymart esp. Sonny, Jun, Inday, Justine and Santino and driver Eddie. They are all our heroes!

Photo Diary:

 

August 27,2013 Holding up the bakhaw seedlings for mangrove planting.

                               Mangrove planting at Brgy Catablay Talisay Negros Occ.

                               Mangrove Planting with 35 boy scouts and 15 CAT officers of IVFMSF

 Coastal clean up Aug 27,2013

                                    Vision Cafe with 63 seniors of NOHS  Bacolod City Aug 27,2013

                            Vegetable  garden of IVFMSF Boy Scouts w/ Scout Master/Teacher Jun

                                              Lakbayani Team: Au, Cecille, Cosette, Enrique

                                                          Au Hugo of Iloilo and Cecille
                                    
119 participants of Financial Stewarship and Vision Cafe from IVFMSF w/ Au,Cecille & Adorni Sanchez

    100 participants of workshop courage from IVFMSF on Aug. 30, 2013 w/ Teacher Jun & Adorni

LAKBAYANI GOES TO DUMAGUETE AND BAYAWAN NEGROS OR. JULY 12-16 2013

Lakbayani goes to Dumaguete and Bayawan, Negros Oriental from July 12-16,2013. Lakbayani will be participating in one of the initiatives of Bayawan through Atilano Jude Silorio Cabangal

at the Reforestation - Milagrosa Woodland
Description of the Site:

1) The Atilano Buyco-Cabangal Memorial High, Barangay Nangka, Bayawan was established in the year 2011 and at present has 189 students with three (3) Regular Teachers and one (1) Teacher Aid;
2) Adjacent to the school is a farmlot owned by the Cabangal family with a potential site for an Arboretum (a collection of some 20 native and endemic forest tree species.)
3) DCCCO Multi-purpose Cooperative planned to adopt the school.



Expected Outcomes:

1) Establishment of a Nursery for native and indigenous species of trees, tropical fruits and bamboo species in partnership with DepEd; LGU-Bayawan/CF! Bayawanihan/City Agri Office/CENRO; DCCCO Multi-purpose Cooperative; Barangay; students and parents;
2) Integration of rainforestation and bamboo industry in the (Technology and Livelihood Education) TLE curriculum;
3) Establish eco-educational tour package (equipped with facilities) with the students as guide-advocates; and
4) Establish an income-generating mechanism that would support the students financially.

July 12, 2013


Ø Arrival of Learning Facilitators and Volunteers

Ø Briefing/Meeting


· Levelling-off of flow and purpose

· Review preparations and logistics

July 13, 2013


Ø Bird-watching and Bio-diversity Observation

Ø Refresher on Rainforestation

Ø Tagging and Inventory of Trees


· Commitment from students, school administration and parents association

· Profiling and mapping of the area

July 14, 2013


Ø Ligiron Clinic and Exhibition

Ø Collection of wildlings

Ø Nursery Establishment


· Appreciation of “ligiron” as sustainable pinoy transport

· Establishment of a Nursery with native and indigenous species of trees, tropical fruits and bamboo species

July 15, 2013


Ø Presentation during Monday Morning Convocation

Ø Vision Café (20 ABCMHS Selected Student Leaders)

Ø After lunch – to Dumaguete


· Presentation of the initiative to the LGU;

· Meeting with the mayor to discuss details of the partnership

· Vision café conducted to youth leaders of the school

PARTNERSHIP SCHEME
Bayaw-ANI


ABCMHS/Dep-ED


LGU-Bayawan (Character 1st! Bayawanihan, City ENRO, City Agri)


Barangay

§ Coordination in the over-all conduct of the activity

§ Accommodation, food and honorarium of resource persons and volunteers

§ Materials for the nursery (bamboo, nylon)

§ Transport support within Bayawan


Ø Area for Nursery

Ø Allow 20 students to take part in the establishment of nursery and attendance during workshops and other related activities

Ø Make the initiative part of the program of the school


§ Transportation support

§ Technical/Monitoring support and provision of seedling bags

§ Happy soil and fertilizer for the potting medium

§ Workshop Facilitator

§ Provision of IT equipment

§ Tokens


§ Manpower support in the establishment of the nursery



** Students will provide their own lunch and bring notebook and ball pen.

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Save 651 Trees in Naga City Petition: Nuture nature and nature nurtures in return

Lakbayani is helping Mission Naga petition DPWH and DENR to save 651 trees from being cut for road widening by sharing this initiative in emails, blogs, twitter and Facebook. This is an initiative of Mission Naga.


Nurture Nature and Nature nurtures in return. Save the trees.

Please sign this petition and share on FB, blogs, twitter and other social media.

https://www.change.org/petitions/dpwh-and-denr-save-651-trees-from-being-cut-for-road-widening?utm_campaign=friend_inviter_chat&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=permissions_dialog_false

651 Trees on Naga City Thoroughfare Road Block to Proposed Widening
by MISSION Naga

The Department of Public Works and Highways in Bicol has lined up a road widening project which will pass by the city of Naga encompassing the national road that traverses the barangays of Concepcion Pequeña, Concepcion Grande, Del Rosario and Mabulo, which streets hosts 651 old and big trees now considered the road block to the widening project.

The DPWH-V under Director Danilo Dequito has made it clear the need to turn identified road sections into four lanes, citing the volume of vehicles passing the area daily.

One of the staunch proponent, Arnel Rodriguez, Camarines Sur Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office chief, said his office will issue the corresponding permit to cut, adding he sees nothing wrong with with the condemnation of the trees to give way to the widening.

please click link for the complete news article: http://cbanga360.net/2013/06/24/651-trees-on-naga-city-main-thoroughfare-presents-road-block-to-proposed-widening/

651 Trees on Naga Main Thoroughfare Road Block to Proposed Widening
by MISSION Naga

http://cbanga360.net/2013/06/24/651-trees-on-naga-city-main-thoroughfare-presents-road-block-to-proposed-widening/

Happy Jin Day 3013

Jin Akanishi my all  time favorite Japanese artiste and entertainer was born on July 4 1984. He is 29 years old today, now a father  to baby Theia born Sept. 23,1912 and husband to japanese singer and actress Meisa Kuroki. Fans of Jin known as Loyal subjects, worldwide are tweeting about his birthday with the hashtag #HappyJinDay3013. The King is back!
Last two weeks of June, the was news from Warner Music Japan that Jin will be releasing a self composed song in japanese, a new single on Aug. 7, Hey, What's Up which will come in four editions with DVD, bonus song and a 24 page photobook. You bet I got one of the editions. I want to plaster my room with Jin's photos! Can't wait for the worldwide release of Jin's first Hollywood movie 47 Rounin as Chikara Ooshi the youngest ronin, in December 2013. Jin, so happy for your return. Love you always. Thank you for brightening up my life with your music.

Happy Mother's Day

A Love Letter to Filipinos from an American Expat

Love letter to Filipinos

11:39 pm | Sunday, February 17th, 2013.

I am an expatriate worker. I refer to myself as an OAW, an overseas American worker, as a bad joke. The work I do involves a lot of traveling and changing locations, and I do it alone, without family. I have been in 21 countries now, not including my own. It was fun at first.  Now, many years later, I am getting tired. The Philippines remains my favorite country of all, though, and I’d like to tell you why before I have to go away again. I have lived for short periods here, traveled here, and have family and friends here. My own family of origin in the United States is like that of many Americans—not much of a family. Americans do not stay very close to their families, geographically or emotionally, and that is a major mistake. I have long been looking for a home and a family, and the Philippines is the only place I have lived where people honestly seem to understand how important their families are.

I am American and hard-headed. I am a teacher, but it takes me a long time to learn some things. But I’ve been trying, and your culture has been patient in trying to teach me.

In the countries where I’ve lived and worked, all over the Middle East and Asia, it is Filipinos who do all the work and make everything happen. When I am working in a new company abroad, I seek out the Filipino staff when I need help getting something done, and done right. Your international reputation as employees is that you work hard, don’t complain, and are very capable. If all the Filipinos were to go home from the Middle East, the world would stop. Oil is the lifeblood of the world, but without Filipinos, the oil will not come from the ground, it will not be loaded onto the ships, and the ships will not sail.  The offices that make the deals and collect the payments will not even open in the morning. The schools will not have teachers, and, of course, the hospitals will have no staff.

What I have seen, that many of you have not seen, is how your family members, the ones who are overseas Filipino workers, do not tell you much about how hard their lives actually are. OFWs are very often mistreated in other countries, at work and in their personal lives. You probably have not heard much about how they do all the work but are severely underpaid, because they know that the money they are earning must be sent home to you, who depend on them.  The OFWs are very strong people, perhaps the strongest I have ever seen. They have their pictures taken in front of nice shops and locations to post on Facebook so that you won’t worry about them. But every Pinoy I have ever met abroad misses his/her family very, very much.

I often pity those of you who go to America. You see pictures of their houses and cars, but not what it took to get those things. We have nice things, too many things, in America, but we take on an incredible debt to get them, and the debt is lifelong.  America’s economy is based on debt. Very rarely is a house, car, nice piece of clothing, electronic appliance, and often even food, paid for.  We get them with credit, and this debt will take all of our lifetime to pay. That burden is true for anyone in America—the OFWs, those who are married to Americans, and the Americans themselves.

Most of us allow the American Dream to become the American Trap. Some of you who go there make it back home, but you give up most of your lives before you do. Some of you who go there learn the very bad American habits of wanting too many things in your hands, and the result is that you live only to work, instead of working only to live. The things we own actually own us. That is the great mistake we Americans make in our lives. We live only to work, and we work only to buy more things that we don’t need.  We lose our lives in the process.

I have sometimes tried to explain it like this: In America, our hands are full, but our hearts are empty.

You have many problems here, I understand that. Americans worry about having new cars, Filipinos worry about having enough food to eat. That’s an enormous difference. But do not envy us, because we should learn something from you. What I see is that even when your hands are empty, your hearts remain full.

I have many privileges in the countries where I work, because I am an expat. I do not deserve these things, but I have them. However, in every country I visit, I see that you are there also, taking care of your families, friends, bosses, and coworkers first, and yourselves last. And you have always taken care of me, in this country and in every other place where I have been.

These are places where I have been very alone, very tired, very hungry, and very worried, but there have always been Filipinos in my offices, in the shops, in the restaurants, in the hospitals, everywhere, who smile at and take good care of me. I always try to let you know that I have lived and traveled in the Philippines and how much I like your country. I know that behind those smiles of yours, here and abroad, are many worries and problems.

Please know that at least one of us expats has seen what you do for others and understands that you have a story behind your smiles. Know that at least one of us admires you, respects you, and thanks you for your sacrifices. Salamat po. Ingat lagi. Mahal ko kayong lahat.

David H. Harwell, PhD, is a former professor and assistant dean in the United States who now travels and works abroad designing language training programs. He is a published author and a son of a retired news editor.

To the American who wrote Filipinos a love letter

http://opinion.inquirer.net/47047/love-letter-to-filipinos

IGA Kendo Club recruitment poster

My Kendo Club the IGA Kendo Club home of the U.P. Kendo Club founded by Sensei Igarashi and sempai Kutch  & Loida Inting are recruiting new members for the summer. Check it out.

May you be filled with love and blessings today and always. Hugs and kisses! Love and Light!

Liwanag World Festival 2013 Davao City tracking its carbon footprints

LIWANAG WORLD FESTIVAL ON CREATIVITY AND SUSTAINABILITY

29 January – 02 February 2013, Philippine Women’s College, Davao City

  

                     Liwanag World Festival in Davao City

To Be the First

Major Event in the Philippines to be Carbon Neutral

Program Addresses the Urgent Challenge of Climate Adaptation

The Movement of Imaginals for Sustainable Societies Through Initiatives Organizing and Networking (MISSION), organizers of the Liwanag World Festival on Creativity and Sustainability, today announced in a media conference that Liwanag willbe the country’s first major gathering to be carbon neutral. Liwanag, a unique world festival and the first of its kind in the Philippines, is slated to open in a few days, starting on January 29 and ending on February 2, 2013, at the Philippine Women’s College in Davao City.

“The era of destructive extreme weather events is upon us and will escalate in the years to come”, emphasized Nicanor Perlas, Liwanag Festival Director. “We have to contribute our modest share towards addressing the challenge of climate change. And designing a major event to be carbon neutral and encouraging others to do the same, is one of them”, Perlas continued.

In addition, Liwanag organizers stressed that climate adaptation means not just to be more knowledgeable of weather and climate patterns. It also means converging this wisdom with how we structure our economy, how we govern ourselves, how we consume, and whether or not our lifestyle is climate friendly. “This is the reason why Liwanag’sProgram is designed to encourage a deeper and more systemic approach to societal challenges like climate change”, explained Shiela Castillo-Tiangco, climate change specialist with Liwanag and a climate change presenter for The Climate Reality Project of Al Gore, recipient of the Nobel Prize for Peace and former Vice-President of the United States of America.

The recent floods that have swept through Davao City, the venue of the Liwanag World Festival, underscored the urgent message of climate change adaptation advocated by the organizers of Liwanag. “Abnormal rains pounded on Davao City drowned many areas and displaced over 39,000 people”, stressed Leo Avila, former chief agriculturist of Davao City and Festival consultant. “These same torrential rains also hampered rehabilitation efforts in communities devastated by super typhoon Pablo”, lamented Avila.

Carbon emissions from technology and other human activities, including vehicles, power plants, chemical fertilizers, and industries, are among the major causes of climate change, the gradual heating up of Planet Earth. With global warming comes from extreme weather events, super typhoons, flooding and major disasters for human settlements. To be carbon neutral means to offset carbon emissions with activities that take away carbon from the air, including tree-planting efforts.

MISSION, through Leo Avila, asked Atty. Joey Felizarta, OIC, of the Davao City Environment and Natural Resources Office, to do a carbon footprint auditing of Liwanag. “According to Felizarta, Liwanag will have a total carbon footprint of 77.41 tons of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere”, reported Avila. “The CENRO official further wrote that Liwanag willhave to plant a minimum of 3,140 trees to offset the carbon emissions of the event”.

“But we will not stop at 3,140 trees. We will plant at least 6,000 trees to ensure that we do not add carbon gases that will heat up the planet”, emphasized Perlas. “In addition, we will encourage all Festival participants to do their small share of carbon saving and offsetting practices. We will track participant commitments and report it in the Liwanag website (www.liwanagworldfest.net). In this way, we will walk our talk”, concluded Perlas.

“To achieve this, we will mobilize our more than 80 volunteers as well as students from the various colleges and universities of Davao City”, explained Maya Vandenbroeck, Liwanag Head for Volunteers.

MISSION is organizing the Liwanag World Festival with the support of its major partners, Lifebank Foundation, the Government of Davao City, and ABS-CBN. World- class leaders, from abroad and the Philippines, will take a systemic look at the challenges facing humanity and the country and describe innovative practices that solve these challenges for the good of society and the ecology.