Sampaguita, our National Flower

Go ahead use it for your report. just include my url
and note those are the jagged leaves of the Hydrangea

  My Sampaguita, pretending to be a Hydrangea (Milflores).

  Dear Sampaguita, you smell so sweet, can be made into ice cream, worn as a garland, offered to saints and superstars, blended into perfumes.

     Why try to be what you are not? Ah, are you merely stretching your branches, curling them around your neighbor...she blooms as much, is pretty in her pink blush, but shares no fragrance.

     This is Santa Rosa, Laguna, you blossomed in fields in San Pedro, Laguna. In fact there is a coffee table book on Laguna...with you on the cover. Inside, however, too much reference to its politicians.  I wonder about those fields in San Pedro. I would like to see them someday.

   Harvesting sampaguita daily has my home and my head happily intoxicated with its scent.  The joy is momentary. I saw the small boy with his bunch of garlands, the same boy who sold at the church on Easter, selling by the highway this evening. It hurts to wave him away, I do not buy this time.  I can justify buying again, what's ten, twenty pesos...the poor kid has to go home...at least he's selling something not begging, my not buying will not make this business cease. Many easy reasons to just buy.

   I must stand firm, buying will just keep them around. I didn't buy, but others will, and the boys parents will continue to take them here, from San Pedro, to sell.  Outside church he had sat on the arm rest of the bench we were on. He had a bedside manner and we had a chat.  I suggested that that pitiful look and begging people to buy was..."old". That that "style" puts people off. Actually he finished my sentence for me, and seemed to know exactly what I was saying. He looked 7 but is probably a malnourished 10.  He spoke of his mother making him sell.  He knew the ''script", actually, so street-wise. It is sad how hardened they sometimes are. I encouraged him to continue schooling, no matter how hard things may seem. People like me do naively talk to them this way.

   I hate the bittersweet feeling I have, of enjoying the flowers in my garden, yet thinking about the child vendors.  My child, she is keenly aware of them. I just don't know to what extent she is innocent of their business.  I hope she simply enjoys the flowers the way she does, forever.

    

   The gardener who pruned trees would pause, smile at the plant, and say, proudly, "Our National Flower!". In English, he would say this.  As if reciting in a classroom.  I remember thinking, well, what does that really mean for the sampaguita?  This or other varieties, or jasmine, is used by other cultures, strung into even more beautiful and thicker leis than ours.  I don't know if they have the vendors we do.  National flower, national pride...national symbol. A poignant symbol it has become.

   This is terrible, starting out with the pretty picture and ending again with pessimism.  To think I tire of all the focus on poverty in the media--in Indie films, in published works. And I have not written eloquently nor expounded on my thoughts. Pesky.

   

The only clear shot. But with a fly.

The Other Blog

     As I have not posted much nor have I posted anything really new, exciting, interesting or informative about "Santa Rosa, Laguna",  I may focus on the other blog for the meantime. That is the mother blog.

     More and more the area from Bgy. Don Jose to Sto. Domingo is "developing" rapidly. (Sorry how redundant). Good for residents who feel they need "everything" to be here. Good for tourism.  Bad, say most of my friends. Things are going to go bad from here on in, said a foreign friend.  We cannot stop this "progress", there are more people, what can we do.  We can take the opportunities to get in on the action and profit from it. Or we can continue to miserably think about how to move further south to the boondocks.

      Remembering I had registered to vote in Santa Rosa City, I checked the list of candidates. I don't even know them. How will I decide.  So for mayor there is the incumbent, and the other, a name so familiar, and no wonder. I had seen the name on the uniforms of maintenance men and seen their vehicles.  I saw the same name on a cosmetic and toiletries shop at the mall.  A general services company. Both women.  Who do I choose? I have to learn more.

     All I know is in this area at least (not the old one) there are no lamp posts with the mayor's initials.  The area is clean.  And cleanliness is an impression a lot of people have of it. But then again, that may be because this area is mostly private, owned by large developers.

          

Fields of Angels

   I had noticed the bamboo lined entrance years ago, just past Mr. Moo along the highway in Silang.  Eventually I noticed a small wooden sign "Angelfields".    Each time we drove by I wondered...to where did the path lead.  

   I was feeling out of sorts...terribly out of sorts.  In my head echoed "you need to find your center. You are out of balance".  Things came to a head when the kid would not take an afternoon siesta again, had been waking up for midnight snacks.  After weeks of "good" sleep on her part, and enough shuteye for myself as well, that routine broke down inexplicably and so did I. This is just a long-winded way of saying, I was tired.  So this day, I just demanded that we "go, go on a drive!".  He needed to have a destination...he grumbled about possible notorious Saturday afternoon traffic at the direction I pointed--South.  South is THIS way, the kid said. Haha, not the supermarket today, dear.  South toward the ridge but not all the way. 

    A destination, he demanded. "Angelfields", the head whispered...I want to finally check out that angel fields.  I love bamboo.

    The guardian at the gate, sorry...the man at the entrance was very friendly saying it is a wedding/events place. Ohhh. Just go down the road and follow the right side, he directed.  Voila, down there, more bamboo. I love bamboo. And bamboo led me to this sanctuary.

The bamboos creaked as they swayed, their leaves rustled. Instantly I was healed and that's just the entrance.  Sounds of nature--birds, wind, trees. That's all.

      This being a quick, sudden drive out, I forgot to bring a proper camera.  

    The very accommodating and cheerful guest officer who showed us around explained that the owner being "very religious, a devout Catholic", set this property up as a place for prayer.  It does make a pretty garden wedding location.  It's like having a wedding at home.  It is actually also a B&B.  With casitas named after saints, crucifixes and statues marking each, it looks like a Catholic retreat place.  It is conducive to contemplation, reflection on the faith.  The birds are cared for--the owner avoids fumigation, etc which may harm them. It is after all called a "Nature Sanctuary" and well, St. Francis, animals, you get it.  On the table as we dined was a black bug with white patterns, and a caterpillar.  Good signs, but in my humble opinion maybe they should have carabao grass and not the bermuda grass (or is it zoysia? philippine grass?) they were watering to rehabilitate. I mean the lawn is pretty, but...I don't know...maybe too high maintenance. 

     I hope their wide and deep drainage system is enough for the monsoon season. There is a creek along the property and it is currently dry, but the place looks like a catch basin. Oh what do I know, they know what they're doing. Just a word of warning I suppose, for monsoon weddings...

     A pavilion named John Paul II, a devotion to St. Francis, with his image everywhere...interestingly this was opened a year ago.  Will a Pope Francis pavilion come next?

     Oh I forgot to mention, yes there is all-day dining for walk-in guests.

     

coffee machine in every casita

There is a piano in here

It is pretty in the evening. Huge appeal for weddings

mahogany trees planted by the owner 13 years ago

   

Montecito

    I cannot relate to those preferring--primarily because of the names--real estate developments bearing names that are the same as or allude to certain old, established, Makati villages.  I can relate only to the desire for space, nature, beauty, and well-developed, sustainably-developed, efficiently managed places.  So those new developments in this area with names like those are actually beautiful in their own right.  Why can't they have more original names?  Surely buyers don't buy simply because of the name.

    If you want the real...sort of equivalent of Forbes Park in these parts, this is it.  

Good Friday

From the Korean Church of Dreams Sta. Rosa Korea-Philippines concert in February:

Efficiency? Progress?

     These are questions I asked this week after some mild frustrations with workers.  We claim to be hardworking, but really, the inefficiency is getting to me.

     I have been helped at home again recently by a part-time live-out housekeeper from Bgy. "I".  I am not out to generalize or destroy an entire barangay's reputation. I just want to issue fair warning.  Two different women in my same village cautioned me long ago about hiring help from this barangay.  They closer they are to the village, they said, the worse they seemed to behave in terms of their commitments. They will slack off, make all sorts of excuses, and generally, really leave you hanging.  I experienced this more than once. Helpers from this barangay are not easy to communicate with, and easily and often ask for 'help'. Money for a sick child is the common plea, and asked on the 2nd day of work. The barangay health center, it seems, is not help to them.  And when I tried to offer solutions, such as the parish center, they refused. This barangay is actually  in Cavite, and not Laguna. Common too, is the story that their husbands, who are not employed themselves, refuse to let them work.  I would rather not have a mother of young children leave them alone at home, but I am told that is the practice and they are used to it. I've not heard of any housekeepers coming from the barangay I'm actually in, which is interesting. I'm within the Technopark---does this mean that the jobs women in this barangay hold are also in the technopark's tenants?

     My real issue isn't so much that now my schedule and plans have again been disrupted but that the one-month old helper has not communicated this properly. Just like the rest, she will text me her dilemma, not reply, claim to not have load, not answer the phone, etc.  I wish they would just say no to the job.

     These past two weeks also, I have tried and been slightly frustrated by the "mananahi" or tailors nearby.  I tried them out, and while they do a good job, it's the scheduling and communication problem again.  Now I have to say, I have huge compassion for tailors---my grandmother was widowed early and supported her children by sewing and catering. But really, their reception person should not commit a pick-up date and should overestimate.  I did not come on the due date and even delayed it just in case.  I sympathize with the tailor who was sick, but they should really have texted (they texted when the first project was done). I told her directly that my trip to the shop was intentional and was another waste like last time.  Then she apologized and said she would just text me.

     We're slacking off, Filipinos.  I sometimes have trouble believing our labor force is as good as we claim.  There's really still this lackadaisical attitude...it's often "pasensya na", "puwede na".  Many customers and business owners are returning OFWs from Singapore---I just wonder if they are frustrated coming from the nearly uptight efficiency there, coming home to the smiley excuses here. 

Almost the Ides of March

     Wow just one post in February. My excuses are household and child-rearing priorities, a router that needs upgrading, poor time management, and well, maybe the weather?

     It was terribly hot in the daytime last week. Cool still in the night, with no need for any fan nor airconditioner.  This week, it's been cool even on sunny days.  The skies too blue and the breezes too pleasant not to spend the afternoons outdoors.

     Two years ago this month I began to blog.

     Now I get a nice invitation, to write.  With a stranger whose blog reveals so much of her personal family history and her artistic hands.  I can't help but hear an echo in my mind of "...when the student is ready, the teacher will appear".  I know, I know, being a bit dramatic, but you just might understand, if you are like-minded, why I heard that in my head if you read her blog.  You will understand my appreciation even more if you got inside my head, but I remain an anonymous blogger for now. I'm also sure to bore you with my current angst.  And what a coincidence my new friend, that you have been practicing Buddhism for a while.

     Check out http://returnedretiree.blogspot.com  , another 'new to Sta. Rosa' blogger.