Welcome and Mabuhay

If you love Marinduque and want to contribute articles to this site, please do so. My contact information is in my profile. The above photo was taken from the balcony of The Chateau Du Mer Beach House, Boac, Marindque, Philippines. I love sunsets. How about you? Some of the photos and videos on this site, I do not own. However, I have no intention on infringing your copyrights. Thank you and Cheers!

Tres Reyes Island view of the Marinduque Mainland

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Enrique Iglesias-A Success Story



Enrique Iglesias is a Spanish singer, songwriter and occasional actor of Spanish and Filipino descent, popular in both the Latin market and the Hispanic American market in the United States. He was born on May 8, 1975. He is the son of the famous Spanish singer Julio Iglesias and Isabel Prysler-a Filipina beauty . Within five years of beginning his musical career in the 1990s, he became the biggest seller of Spanish-language albums of that decade. He made his crossover into the mainstream English language market before the turn of the millennium, signing a multi-album deal with Universal Music Group for an unprecedented US $50,000,000 with Universal Music Latino to release his Spanish albums and Interscope to release English albums. In 2010, he parted with Interscope and signed with another Universal Music Group label, Universal Republic.

Iglesias has sold over 100 million records worldwide(over 70 million albums), making him one of the best selling Spanish language artists of all time. He has had five Billboard Hot 100 top five singles, including two number-ones, and holds the record for producing 22 number-one Spanish-language singles on the Billboard's Hot Latin Tracks. He has also had ten number-one songs on Billboard's Dance charts, more than any other single male artist. Altogether, Iglesias has amassed 68 number-one rankings on the various Billboard charts. Billboard has called him The King of Latin Pop and The King of Dance. Billboard also named Enrique the number two Latin artist of the years 1986–2011 (Luis Miguel taking the first spot). Note: This is my No.7 of a series of articles on famous Filipino-Americans in the field of entertainment, sports, medicine, and philanthropy.

José Protacio Mercado Alonzo y Realonda Rizal was born on June 19, 1861 and died on December 30, 1896. He was a Chinese Filipino polymath, patriot and the most prominent advocate for reform in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. He is regarded as the foremost Filipino patriot and is listed as one of the national heroes of the Philippines by the National Heroes Committee. His execution day in 1896, now known as Rizal Day, is a national holiday in the Philippines.

He was born to a rich family in Calamba, Laguna and was the seventh of eleven children. He attended the Ateneo Municipal de Manila, earning a Bachelor of Arts, and enrolled in medicine at the University of Santo Tomas. He continued his studies at the Universidad Central de Madrid in Madrid, Spain, earning the degree of Licentiate in Medicine. He also attended the University of Paris and earned a second doctorate at the University of Heidelberg.

Rizal was a polyglot, conversant in twenty-two languages. He was a prolific poet, essayist, diarist, correspondent, and novelist whose most famous works were his two novels, Noli me Tangere and El filibusterismo. These social commentaries on Spanish rule formed the nucleus of literature that inspired peaceful reformists and armed revolutionaries alike.

As a political figure, José Rizal was the founder of La Liga Filipina, a civic organization that subsequently gave birth to the Katipunan led by Andrés Bonifacio, which would start the Philippine Revolution against Spain, leading to the foundation of the First Philippine Republic under Emilio Aguinaldo. He was a proponent of achieving Philippine self-government peacefully through institutional reform rather than through violent revolution, although he would support "violent means" as a last resort. Rizal believed that the only justification for national liberation and self-government is the restoration of the dignity of the people, saying "Why independence, if the slaves of today will be the tyrants of tomorrow?" The general consensus among Rizal scholars is that his execution by the Spanish government ignited the Philippine Revolution. Source: Wikipedia

Note: This is number 6 on my series of articles on famous Fil1pinos, pure or with mixed ancestry, living or dead in the field of entertainment, science, sports, politics or philanthropy. I hope you are proud of their accomplishments whether you have Filipino ancestry or not.



Emmanuel "Manny" Dapidran Pacquiao, was born on December 17, 1978. He is a Filipino professional boxer and politician. He is the first eight-division world champion, in which he has won ten world titles, as well as the first to win the Lineal Championship in four different weight classes.

He was named "Fighter of the Decade" for the 2000s (decade) by the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA), World Boxing Council (WBC) and World Boxing Organization (WBO). He is also a three-time The Ring and BWAA "Fighter of the Year," winning the award in 2006, 2008 and 2009, and the Best Fighter ESPY Award in 2009 and 2011.

He was long rated as the best pound for pound boxer in the world by some sporting news and boxing websites, including ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Sporting Life, Yahoo! Sports, About.com, BoxRec and The Ring. On April 2012, Pacquiao dropped to number two in the rankings, behind Floyd Mayweather, Jr. However on May 7, 2012, The Ring declared the top position vacant and jointly ranked Pacquiao and Mayweather in the number two spot.

Aside from boxing, Pacquiao has participated in acting, music recording and politics. In May 2010, Pacquiao was elected to the House of Representatives in the 15th Congress of the Philippines, representing the province of Sarangani. Source: Wikipedia

Note: This is Number 5 on my series of article on famous Filipinos, pure or with mixed ancestry, living or dead in the field of entertainment, science, sports, politics, medicine or philanthropy. I hope you are proud of their accomplishments whether you have Filipino ancestry or not.



Here's another version - The background in the video reminds me of our 12 years in Maryland during the Fall Season, the Longwood Gardens in Kenneth Square, Pennsylvania and the Butchart Gardens in Victoria, B.C. during the heights of the autumn season. Both gardens is must visit during the Fall season of you love Gardens. Enjoy!

Lea Salonga-Chien is a soprano singer and actress from the Philippines well known for originating the lead role of Kim in the musical Miss Saigon, for which she won the Olivier, Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics and Theatre World awards.

She was the first Asian to play the roles of Éponine and Fantine in the musical Les Misérables on Broadway. She also provided the singing voice of two official Disney Princesses: Jasmine in Aladdin (1992), and Fa Mulan in Mulan (1998) and Mulan II (2004). Salonga was named a Disney Legend in 2011 for her work with the company. Source: Wikipedia

Note: This is No 4 of my series of articles on famous Filipinos, pure or with mixed ancestry, living or dead in the field of entertainment, science, sports, politics or philanthropy. I hope you are proud of their accomplishment whether you have Filipino ancestry or not.



Do you know that everyday more than 20 earthquakes is occurring all over the world? An example of this is detailed below. See earthquakes.usgs.gov/earthquakes/map: See example of listing as follows for September 9. There was a 5.3 earthquake near Shemya Island in Alaska at 19:23:52PM and a 6.0 in Russia at Severo at 9:36:40 AM for September 9, 2012. There were a total of 23 earthquakes for 9/9/12. These quakes were not news, because it occurred in remote areas with low population density and no loss of lives or property damage.

Magnitude Location Date and Time

1.5.3 60km E of Shemya Island, Alaska 2012-09-09 19:23:52 52.758°N 175.009°E 117.0

2.4.7 26km SSW of Santiago Pinotepa Nacional, Mexico 2012-09-09 18:59:39 16.095°N 98.097°W 15.2

3.2.8 66km ENE of Old Iliamna, Alaska 2012-09-09 18:36:22 59.917°N 153.782°W 136.1

4.4.7 54km WNW of Nabire, Indonesia 2012-09-09 16:49:20 3.167°S 135.036°E 49.5

5.4.3 162km N of Calama, Chile 2012-09-09 15:56:56 21.004°S 68.763°W 119.7

6.4.1 23km NW of `Alaqahdari-ye Kiran wa Munjan, Afghanistan 2012-09-09 15:21:22 36.197°N 70.611°E 109.9

7.5.0 123km S of Raoul Island, New Zealand 2012-09-09 14:36:36 30.378°S 177.959°W 56.9

8.2.6 6km E of Orange Cove, California 2012-09-09 13:27:29 36.616°N 119.242°W 25.2

9.4.5 55km NE of Angoram, Papua New Guinea 2012-09-09 11:27:28 3.652°S 144.354°E 37.1

10.4.5 87km SSW of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador 2012-09-09 11:08:43 12.560°N 88.868°W 35.0

11.4.3 189km WSW of Yanbu` al Bahr, Saudi Arabia 2012-09-09 10:02:08 23.371°N 36.375°E 10.0

12.4.2 69km S of Puerto El Triunfo, El Salvador 2012-09-09 09:50:02 12.652°N 88.512°W 35.3

13.4.8 250km S of Sidorukun, Indonesia 2012-09-09 09:39:15 10.839°S 113.817°E 6.3

14.5.1 270km E of Kuril'sk, Russia 2012-09-09 09:36:40 45.281°N 151.328°E 30.8

15.3.1 92km NNE of Road Town, British Virgin Islands 2012-09-09 09:10:42 19.175°N 64.251°W 26.0

16.4.3 14km N of Adamas, Greece 2012-09-09 07:26:06 36.862°N 24.422°E 120.3

17.6.0 145km SSW of Severo-Kuril'sk, Russia 2012-09-09 05:39:20 49.429°N 155.537°E 58.7

18.2.5 57km ESE of Whittier, Alaska 2012-09-09 05:33:23 60.625°N 147.676°W 13.9
,br /> 19.4.7 21km WSW of Santiago Pinotepa Nacional, Mexico 2012-09-09 05:14:52 16.230°N 98.198°W 11.9
20.4.4 238km S of Sidorukun, Indonesia 2012-09-09 03:30:27 10.749°S 114.053°E 22.2

21.3.0 17km N of Arecibo, Puerto Rico 2012-09-09 02:08:59 18.629°N 66.737°W 27.0

22.3.4 13km SSW of Boley, Oklahoma 2012-09-09 01:58:52 35.379°N 96.543°W 4.9

23.4.9 187km NE of Raoul Island, New Zealand 2012-09-09 00:13:50 28.087°S 176.526°W 9.9

Scary indeed, but just Be Prepared!



Fe del Mundo,was born on November 27, 1911 and died on August 6, 2011. She was a Filipina pediatrician. The first woman admitted as a student of the Harvard Medical School, she founded the first pediatric hospital in the Philippines. Her pioneering work in pediatrics in the Philippines in an active medical practice that spanned 8 decades] won her international recognition, including the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service in 1977. In 1980, she was conferred the rank and title of National Scientist of the Philippines while in 2010, she was conferred the Order of Lakandula.

Del Mundo was noted for her pioneering work on infectious diseases in Philippine communities. Undeterred by the lack of well-equipped laboratories in post-war Philippines, she would not hesitate to send specimens or blood samples for analysis abroad. In the 1950s, she pursued studies on dengue fever, a common malady in the Philippines of which little was then yet known. Her clinical observations on dengue, and the findings of research she later undertook on the disease are said to "have led to a fuller understanding of dengue fever as it afflicts the young". She authored over a hundred articles, reviews and reports in medical journals on such diseases as dengue, polio and measles. She also authored "Textbook of Pediatrics", a fundamental medical text used in Philippine medical schools.

Del Mundo was active in the field of public health, with special concerns towards rural communities. She organized rural extension teams to advise mothers on breastfeeding and child care. and promoted the idea of linking hospitals to the community through the public immersion of physicians and other medical personnel to allow for greater coordination among health workers and the public for common health programs such as immunization and nutrition. She called for the greater integration of midwives into the medical community, considering their more visible presence within rural communities. Notwithstanding her own devout Catholicism, she is an advocate of family planning and population control.

Del Mundo was also known for having devised an incubator made out of bamboo, designed for use in rural communities without electrical power. In 1980, President Ferdinand Marcos named del Mundo as a National Scientist of the Philippines, the first Filipino woman to be so-named.

Among the international honors bestowed on del Mundo was the Elizabeth Blackwell Award for Outstanding Service to Mankind, handed in 1966 by Hobart and William Smith Colleges, and the citation as Outstanding Pediatrician and Humanitarian by the International Pediatric Association in 1977. Also in 1977, del Mundo was awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Public Service. On April 22, 2010, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo awarded del Mundo the Order of Lakandula with the rank of Bayani at the Malacañan Palace. Source: Wikipedia

Note: This No.3 of my series of articles on famous Filipinos, pure or with mixed ancestry, living or dead in the field of science, medicine, entertainment, sports, politics or philanthropy. I hope you are proud of their accomplishments whether you have Philippine ancestry or not.

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Christine Gambito-Filipino-American You-Tube Sensation

Christine Gambito of HappySlip Christine Gambito, better known by her screen name HappySlip, is an American Internet personality, actress, and comedian. She maintained one of the most-subscribed-to channels on YouTube, a popular video sharing website. On January 25, 2008, Gambito, who is of Filipino ancestry, was appointed ambassador for Philippine tourism by the Department of Tourism. Happyslip ran from 2006-2011.

In March 2007, Gambito's video Mixed Nuts was nominated for the 2006 YouTube Video Awards for Best Comedy, resulting in second place. In May of the same year, she became one of the first users accepted into YouTube's revenue sharing program.

Gambito's performances typically included comedy sketches in which she impersonates members of her family. She also sings and plays the piano and guitar. As Gambito has stated repeatedly in her videos, she is notably one of the very few top users who are acting, filming, editing and producing her shorts completely on her own. Source from Wikipedia.

Note: This is No Two of my series of articles on famous Filipino-Americans in the field of entertainment, politics, science, sports or philanthropy. The first one was on Isabel Preysler, wife of Julio Iglesias and the mother of Enrique Iglesias. Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was a Soviet Russian composer and pianist and was one of the most celebrated composers of the 20th century.

Shostakovich achieved fame in the Soviet Union under the patronage of Leon Trotsky's chief of staff Mikhail Tukhachevsky, but later had a complex and difficult relationship with the government. Nevertheless, he received accolades and state awards and served in the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR (1947–1962) and the USSR (from 1962 until death).

After a period influenced by Sergei Prokofiev and Igor Stravinsky, Shostakovich developed a hybrid style, as exemplified by Lady Macbeth of the Mtsensk District (1934). This single work juxtaposed a wide variety of trends, including the neo-classical style (showing the influence of Stravinsky) and post-Romanticism (after Gustav Mahler). Sharp contrasts and elements of the grotesque characterize much of his music.

Shostakovich's orchestral works include 15 symphonies and six concerti. Music for chamber ensembles includes 15 string quartets, a piano quintet, two pieces for a string octet, and two piano trios. His piano works include two solo sonatas, an early set of preludes, and a later set of 24 preludes and fugues. Other works include three operas, and a substantial quantity of film music.



If you love Broadway music, this is a must viewed video for you! Enjoy! María Isabel Preysler Arrastía, better known as Isabel Preysler, (born February 18, 1951) is a Filipino-Spanish journalist, socialite, and television host. Preysler was born in Manila, Philippines, the third of six children to a wealthy family. She attended a private Roman Catholic school; Her father, Carlos Preysler y Pérez de Tagle, was the executive director of Philippine Airlines and on the Board of Directors for El Banco Español de Manila (Spanish Bank of Manila), while her mother, María Beatriz Arrastia y Reynares, was the owner of a real estate company in Manila.


During her youth, Preysler was a model who participated in beauty pageants and charity events for the Sheraton Hotels and Resorts in Manila and went on to win titles in several events. At the age of 16, she migrated to Madrid in Spain to live with her uncle and aunt and to study at Mary Ward College, an Irish Catholic University in Spain, where she studied accounting.

Preysler began working as a journalist for Spanish magazine ¡Hola! in 1970, and her first interviewee was her future husband Julio Iglesias. In 1984, she hosted a Spanish lifestyle television programme, "Hoy en Casa", and has hosted and appeared in various programs since. In May 2001, she was Prince Charles' guest of honour for the opening of his Spanish Garden at the Chelsea Flower Show in England. She was his guest of honor again in 2005 at a garden party during a holiday to Spain by the Royal Crown. In 2004, Preysler became Spain's welcoming host for David and Victoria Beckham when she hosted a welcoming party at her house for the celebrity couple. She became close friends with Victoria and was often photographed shopping with her during their stay in Madrid.

Preysler continues to be the national spokesmodel for Ferrero Rocher, Suárez jewelry, Manolo Blahnik shoes, Chrysler cars and Porcelanosa tiles, for which American Hollywood actor George Clooney recently worked with her in 2006 to represent the brand in an advertising campaign. Readers at Hola magazine have voted Preysler as the most elegant and best-dressed woman in Spain for 1991, 2002,2006 and 2007.

In 2006, Preysler was also honored along with Hillary Clinton, Shakira and Yoko Ono among others with the Women Together Award, which honors women for their philanthropical contributions to the United Nations in New York, making her the first Filipino woman in history to win the award. In 2007, she and her daughters were invited by Prince Charles to be guests of honour at his London home, Clarence House.


Preysler married the Marques de Griñón, Carlos Falcó, on March 23, 1980. The short-lived marriage resulted in the birth of a second daughter, Tamara Falcó. Her third and current marriage is to former Spanish finance minister Miguel Boyer, with whom she had another daughter, Ana Boyer.

In 1987, her two sisters immigrated to Spain with their families to be closer to Isabel. She holds dual citizenship in both the Philippines and Spain. Her father, Carlos Preysler, is deceased and her mother, Beatriz Preysler, lives in Miami with Isabel's son Enrique Iglesias. Source: Wikipedia

Please note that this is my first article on a series of articles, I am planning to write on famous Filipinos, pure or of mixed ancestry, living or dead in the field of entertainment, sports, politics, science and philanthropy. If you know of any names, please feel free to inform me.
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HERE'S ANOTHER VIDEO-Remind me of our 12 years in Maryland during the Fall Season, the Longwood Gardens in Kenneth Square, Pennsylvania and the Butchart Gardens in Victoria, B.C. during the heights of the autumn season. Both gardens is must visit during the Fall season of you love Gardens. Enjoy! Enrique Iglesias (born Enrique Miguel Iglesias Preysler; May 8, 1975) is a Spanish singer, songwriter and occasional actor, popular in both the Latin market and the Hispanic American market in the United States. He is the son of the famous Spanish singer Julio Iglesias. Within five years of beginning his musical career in the 1990s, he became the biggest seller of Spanish-language albums of that decade. He made his crossover into the mainstream English language market before the turn of the millennium, signing a multi-album deal with Universal Music Group for an unprecedented US$50,000,000 with Universal Music Latino to release his Spanish albums and Interscope to release English albums. In 2010, he parted with Interscope and signed with another Universal Music Group label, Universal Republic.

Iglesias has sold over 55 million records worldwide, making him one of the best selling Spanish language artists of all time. He has had five Billboard Hot 100 top five singles, including two number-ones, and holds the record for producing 22 number-one Spanish-language singles on the Billboard's Hot Latin Tracks. He has also had ten number-one songs on Billboard's Dance charts, more than any other single male artist. Altogether, Iglesias has amassed 68 number-one songs on the various Billboard charts. Billboard has called him The King of Latin Pop and The King of Dance. Billboard also named Enrique the number two Latin artist of the years 1986–2011 (Luis Miguel taking the first spot)



Charlie Babbitt (Tom Cruise), a Los Angeles car dealer in his mid-twenties, is in the middle of importing four grey market Lamborghinis. The deal is being threatened by the EPA, and if Charlie cannot meet its requirements he will lose a significant amount of money. After some quick subterfuge with an employee, Charlie leaves for a weekend trip to Palm Springs with his girlfriend, Susanna (Valeria Golino).

Charlie's trip is cancelled by news that his estranged father, Sanford Babbitt, has died. Charlie travels to Cincinnati, Ohio, to settle the estate, where he learns an undisclosed trustee is inheriting $3 million on behalf of an unnamed beneficiary, while all he is to receive is a classic Buick Roadmaster convertible and several prize rose bushes. Eventually he learns the money is being directed to a mental institution, which is the home of his brother with autism, Raymond (Dustin Hoffman), of whose existence Charlie was previously unaware. This leads Charlie to ask the question that permeates the movie: "Why didn't somebody tell me I had a brother?"

Although Raymond has autism, he also has superb recall, albeit usually with little understanding of the subject matter, and extreme skill in mathematics. He is said to be a savant by some doctors. He is frightened by change and adheres to strict routines (for example, his continual repetition of the "Who's on First?" sketch). Except when he is in distress, he shows little emotional expression and avoids eye contact. Numbed by learning that he has a brother and determined to get what he believes is his fair share of the Babbitt estate, Charlie takes Raymond on what becomes a cross-country car trip (due to Raymond's fear of flying) back to Los Angeles to meet with his attorneys.

Charlie intends to start a custody battle in order to get Raymond's doctor, Dr. Gerald R. Bruner (Jerry Molen), to settle out of court for half of Sanford Babbitt's estate so that the mental institution can maintain custody of Raymond. Susanna, disgusted by Charlie's self-centeredness and his attempts at using his brother as a pawn to gain the money, leaves Charlie in Cincinnati and disappears. During the course of the journey, Charlie learns about Raymond's autism, which he initially believes is curable — resulting in his frequent frustration with his brother's antics. He also learns about how his brother came to be separated from his family, as a result of an accident when he was left alone with Charlie when Charlie was a baby.

Raymond also sings "I Saw Her Standing There" by The Beatles like he did when Charlie was young, prompting Charlie to realize that Raymond is the protective figure from his childhood, whom he falsely remembered as an imaginary friend named "Rain Man." Charlie proves to be sometimes shallow and exploitative, as when he learns that Raymond has an excellent memory and takes him to Las Vegas to win money at blackjack by counting cards. However, towards the end of their trip Charlie finds himself becoming protective of Raymond, and grows to truly love him.

Charlie finally meets with his attorney to try to get his share of his inheritance, but then decides that he no longer cares about the money and really just wants to have custody of his brother. However, at a meeting with a court-appointed psychiatrist and Dr. Bruner, Raymond is unable to decide exactly what he wants. Eventually, the psychiatrist presses Raymond to make the decision, upsetting him and leading Charlie to request that the doctor back off. Raymond is allowed to go back home to Cincinnati. Charlie, who has gained a new brother and mellowed considerably, promises Raymond as he boards an Amtrak train that he will visit in two weeks. Rain Man was the Academy Award winner movie in 1988.

I left My Heart in Marinduque

I have always wanted to write a song about Leaving my Heart in Marinduque. This song will be sang to the tune of the famous song in honor of the city by the bay ( I left My Heart in San Francisco). Here's it is: I hope you like it:

The loveliness of Fair Oaks

Seems somehow sadly gay

the glory that was Boac

Is another day!

Ive been terribly alone

and forgotten in Sacramento

I'm going home to my town by the sea.

I left my heart in Marinduque

Near by the beach it beckons me

To be where the Moriones are

Come, visit where ever you are

The morning sun rise by the sea

I don't care!

My love waits at Chateau Du Mer

Near the blue and calmy sea

When I come home to you, Marinduque

Chateau Du Mer will welcome me!


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Sunset from CDM Beach Resort

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ABOUT ME

I am a retired (Chemistry Team Leader from USFDA) Filipino-American who loves writing, gardening and photography. My wife (of 56 years) and I enjoy the snowbird lifestyle between the US and the Philippines.

We have a small but very private beach resort ( video above) in the beautiful island of Marinduque, Philippines. I have several blog sites (ten), a personal blog, blogs about Marinduque and about our beach resort and conference center-CHATEAU DU MER.

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Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort

Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort
Beach House, Boac, Marinduque,Philippines

Front Yard of Main House

Front Yard of Main House
Light Red Orchid and Bougainvillas,Chateau Du Mer

Amanah Forest Preserve

Amanah Forest Preserve
Living Room of Yong and Ivy Nieva, Cawit

Marinduque On My Mind

"Marinduque on My Mind" -has been published. The book was written through the inspiration of Yong Nieva, Macrine's first cousin on her mother side of the family.

"Marinduque is a strange illness. You come and you would go. You think you are leaving, but its the town that gets away from you. You wish you could understand, and yet you keep coming back". I realized I had a "problem" that I have to deal with; the problem of my relationships to this small island and the areas around it. I therefore decided that someday we can write a book to try to understand what was really happening, that could clarify our feelings, not by thinking descriptively,analytically or rationally.

We must follow the journey to go back in time. Follow a thread, but which one?It really doesn't matter. We just let ourselves be led by an image; a word, a memory; the trails of ink left by visitors who have been won over and those that have been lost. There's so many indeed! "

Here's a short biography of Yong: He is named after his father Guillermo(Will) Sarmiento Nieva,Sr of Boac. He has grown to be known as Yong. After a short stint with Philippine Airlines, in 1980, he got married and lived in San Francisco working for Allstate Insurance for fifteen years. In 1955 he got divorced and moved back to Manila. He is now in the restaurant business. Together with his wife Ivy Syquia Almario, an interior designer, they regularly visit Cawit, Boac starting an "ecologically-correct" family retreat or sanctuary. They named it AMANAH, Nature Reserve.

Here's a summary of Yong's email to us:

Dear Manang Macrine and Manong Dave'

Greetings! It was a lazy Sunday afternoon today and looking at the photos in my e-mail of my project in Cawit " The Amanah", I was struck by the thought of what is it that really beckons me to keep going back to our beloved island, Marinduque. When I started thinking of words to describe the feeling about Marinduque, all thoughts just came in a rush. It became a virtual "collage-series" of events in my young life. How Papa made it an annual mandate that we spent two weeks of summer with Lola Elving and our aunts, uncles and cousins in Boac. Ah, days of reckless abandon-the treks to the beach, and the jam-sessions at night. How we felt so loved by each and everyone of them, which even to this day we cherish. How even our cousins friends also became our friends. And they remember!

This is not only about us-the children of Guillermo "Will" Nieva of Boac. I then thought, "What about others"? What about those, who like me lived in the States, but still carry Marinduque in their hearts. Maybe if we all share via website, the hi-tech way, to answer the question of what really beckons us to Marinduque. Then together we can solve this strange illness.

Surely, the Marinduquenos association all over the US, do not only continue to thrive because of its leaders, but also because if we really look closely, there are many reasons why its members continue to stay in touch. It is a rare gift, if I may say so!

In that Marinduquenos heart, there's still an image- a face of his/her first love, or the first kiss; an incident in his/her young life that forever changed his life; his dreams, his goals, his pains that drove him to become what he/she is now; the emotions felt of being left behind from a good bye; the sound of the rambling jeepney on its way to Balanacan; the scent of coconut oil in early morning hours as you drive the narrow roads; the fear and scampering from the town's idiot or from the town's bully, and why not? the love story of beautiful "Peace Corp" volunteer fell in love and married the handsome local swain! So many essays and narratives to start and follow the "journey".

Manong Dave, could you please design a website for this literary project and invite our fellow Marinduquenos there in US to share their thoughts, hearts and feelings in words and so we can solved (or at least understand) this "strange illness" inside each and everyone of us!

My response to Yong: I am excited of this idea. My suggestion is to create a blog site instead of a website. The blog site is easy to manage. This is where articles could be posted and edited. The blog site is free and easy. I could titled it http://marinduqueonmymind.blogspot.com. I will manage it along with my other blogs on the internet. Once we have collected a number of postings, we can published it ourselves.

I will volunteer to write an article on " I left my Heart in Marinduque ( not in San Francisco), since I did not grow up in Marinduque but married a marinduquena.


NOTE TO ALL MARINDUQUENOS WHO WANTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROJECT:
You may write your article via the comment section of this blog or sent your article to my e-mail, tagajaro@comcast.net

Heart and Eco-Tourism Capital of the Philippines

Garden Wedding Venue

Garden Wedding Venue
Chateau Du Mer House and Gardens

Dave and Macrine Katague

Dave and Macrine Katague
Our Golden Wedding Anniversary-Click on Photo to link to Marinduque Awaits You

Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort and Conference Center

Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort and Conference Center
Beach House, Boac, Marinduque

Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort and Conference Center

Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort and Conference Center
Conference and Multi-Purpose Hall

Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort and Conference Center

Chateau Du Mer Beach Resort and Conference Center
Beach House Balcony at Night