Dennis Sun

DAISUKI!
By Dennis Sun

More Fun In Da Pilipins


Last week of May, I went home to the Philippines. It was my only chance. Kasi starting June, magiging very busy na ang schedule ko at maraming mga events ang magaganap all over Japan.

Isa sa pinakamadugong parte ng pag-uwi ay ang airplane ticket fare. Hindi naman peak season ang end of May. Nagtanong ako at naghanap sa internet. Gusto ko man piliin ang “our very own” Philippine Airlines pero nasa mahigit na 6 na lapad na ang presyo nito. Mura nga ang Cebu Pacific pero madadale naman ako sa Shinkansen. Mahal pa yata ang Shinkansen fare from Tokyo to Osaka compared to Cebu Pacific fare from Osaka to Manila. Swerte talaga ng mga taga-Kansai. Kapag na miss ang pamilya back home, basta fly agad with CEB promos. A few years back, I was able to get a CEB promo, 99 yen lang from Osaka to Manila! Bili agad ako at napauwi bigla sa Pinas ng hindi oras. Although meron na ring budget airline from Tokyo to Manila with Jetstar, if you add all the expenses for additional kilos for baggages, food, etc. pareho rin ang gastos with the other airlines.

I always like traveling to the Philippines on a non-direct flight. I always choose to transfer either in Taipei via China Airlines or Hong Kong via Cathay Pacific. Usually, meron pa akong isang oras para magliwaliw, mag shopping and mag-stretching sa mga airport doon. In Hong Kong, na mi-meet ko ang maraming domestic helpers natin. Sa Taipei naman, karamihan sa kanila ay mga factory workers. Sabi ng kaibigan ko sa airport in Manila, kung magandang Pinay daw, siguradong galing sa Japan yan! Well, hinigpitan na kasi ang entertainer visa kaya kumokonte na lang ang mga magagandang Pinay dito. Siempre, kayo na lang ang natitira!  I remember, more than 10 years, ang daming mga Ms. Philippines beauty contests all over Japan. Ngayon, kung meron man, mga Mrs. o Ginang Philippines na lang, o kaya’y yung mga anak nila, Little Ms. Philippines-Japan na!

Ano nga ba ang ginawa ko sa Pinas? I was invited by my friends, Les and Dina Reyes, owners of Reyes Haircutters. Super bait nila talaga! Sabi ko, takot akong mag-taxi from the airport to their place. Hayan, dito na nagsisimula ang “more fun in the Philippines”  kaya pinasundo nila ako. Dahil feeling nila na scared ako sa mga roads and highways ng Pilipins, binigyan nila ako ng personal car complete with driver and body guard! Nabulabog ang mga friendship ko sa Pinas. “ Tama. Hindi naman ako witness sa impeachment ni Corona.

More fun talaga. If you like driving and cruising, Manila is the best place to go.  Imagine, it took us more than 3 hours to travel from the airport to Quezon City where my friends live. Buti na lang, naka-ON ang radyo about the impeachment trial. Nagsasalita ang mga senators about their verdict. Kaloka talaga ang Miriam! More fun in the traffic! I have never enjoyed being trapped in a traffic hi-way. Kahit sampal ng init pag labas mo ng airport, air conditioned naman sa loob ng car. So kahit isang araw pa akong nakikinig sa impeachment trial, go, go, go! Huwag na lang tumawag ang call of nature! Pero hindi na kaya ng bladder kaya break time muna sa nearest gasoline station!

More fun pa! Usually, when I go home sa Pinas, I never travel far away. Derecho lang sa bahay namin sa Angeles City.  Yung mga pamangkin ko ang gumagawa ng itinerary ko. Isa lang yun! Shopping sa SM Clark. Akala ng mga pamangkin ko, mayaman ang tito nila. Sige, tig iisang shopping cart sila. Eh, ilang dosenang mga bata yon!  Tumataas ang blood pressure ko habang nakikita kong gabundok ang mga shopping carts nila. Basta ako, idala lang sa spa at bigyan ng relaxing massage, OK na. Kaya doon nila ako dinadala after shopping. Afraid sila at baka nga matuluyan na tito nila! Pwes, kung ganoon, it’s good-bye shopping for them!

More fun! Yes, this time, I was able to travel. Feeling tourist ako sa bansang tinubuan. My friends brought me to their vacation house in Tagaytay. Akala ko, Baguio City lang ang malamig. Pati rin pala ang Tagaytay. First time ko rin nakita ang Taal Volcano. Ganda talaga ng view! Kung nasa Manila lang kayo, visit Tagaytay. It’s just about 2 hours drive away. Sarap ng simoy ng hangin! Sarap din ng pagkain: isda at prutas! And there was a little traffic because there were Santacruzans happening here and there. It was Flores de Mayo, after all!

Fun? My friend asked me where I want to go. Simple lang ang nais ko sa buhay. I said I want to visit the healers of the Philippines.  I met one Muslim healer, Warka, in Malate. He does energy or pranic healing. He just lays his hand on your afflicted part of the body. Then, you will feel his hand getting warmer. He asked me to come back for another session so I went back the following day. There is a donation box where you can give any amount, or none if you wish. You can google or youtube his name if you want to know more about him.

More fun. Back in Angeles City, I met another healer. It’s so funny talaga kasi the healer happened to be my batch mate in elementary school. He and his wife were having a grand European tour. While having a side trip in Israel, something miraculous happened to him. Buhay nga naman. He even said that he is not the regular holy neighbor around but look what he does now. After work, he gives healing for free, no donations asked! I brought my dad on his wheel chair who is suffering from kidney disease and has been undergoing dialysis for 10 years now. When I was in his healing room, tumayo lahat ng balahibo ko. I already felt a holy presence just by being inside. Joey, my batch mate, just asks what’s wrong with you. He lays his hands and prays over. Since he is Catholic, prayers were said afterwards. But just like Warka, the Muslim healer, they both accept anyone kahit anong relihiyon mo pa.

I felt so blessed just by being there. I think it’s good to go to the hospital and trust your doctors. Then, get supplementary healing from prayers and perhaps, from our healers in the Philippines. Sikat tayo sa buong mundo with our psychic surgeons. Although we need to be very careful with them also. Some maybe are genuine. Some maybe are doing it for the money.

Family. Friends. Fellowship. Faith. Food. Fruits. Fiestas. It is, indeed, more fun in the Philippines!

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THE CHILD HAUS


During my visit to the Philippines, I had the opportunity to visit CHILD HAUS, a center for  health improvement and life development. The CHILD Haus is a temporary shelter for indigent patients from the different provinces who have cancer or other dreaded diseases and have no place to stay in Metro Manila while undergoing medical evaluation or treatment. It provides free room and board to its residents.

The CHILD Haus is run along the principles of hospice care and promotes the concept of holistic care healing through its various programs, services and activities.

Kung uuwi po kayo sa Pinas bandang Maynila, daan po kayo sa The Child Haus. Tayo pong nasa Japan ay napakapalad at nabigyan tayo ng magandang biyaya ng Diyos para magkaroon ng magandang buhay dito. Kahit magbigay lang kayo ng kahit konti, pera man o bagay, malaking tulong na po ito para sa ating mga kababayan. O kahit wala po kayong dala, bisitahin po natin sila at kumustahin natin para bigyan ng pag-asa sa buhay.

I was able to talk to their medical officer, Dr. Erwin Francisco Estimo. He said that he welcomes any kind of contributions for the children. You can even send your old clothes and toys. Instead of throwing unnecessary items away, these can be of big help to the less fortunate children. The Child Haus is located at 35 Ofelia St., Road 20, Project 8, Quezon City. Phone 632-454-8064, email: info@childhaus.org
www.childhaus.org/