About

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57 thoughts on “About”

  1. hi sir jim!

    this is janie octia of inquirer.net, i hope you remember me, i interviewed you in UCC tomas morato some time last year.

    we at inquirer.net are planning to do a summary video of all that transpired during president aquino’s wake and use “Handog” as our background music. i believe you know who should we ask permission from and the permits that we need to acquire to use it? thanks sir! hope to hear from you soon!

    sincerely,

    janie octia
    janie.octia@gmail.com
    +639178715100

  2. Dear sir Jim:

    As one of the most active entertainers of Edsa 001 , I wish to be voluntarily be of help in contributing effort if we are one in Supporting the Candidacu of Sen. Noynoy Aquino for President. I want to share my part and even form a group that will help in this presidential campaign. I am a former student leader during my time when i was still a College Student 10 years ago. I have seen and fully aware of our glorious history.The 1983 assaination of ninoy aquino was the start of my awareness in philippine politics. I believe that President Aquino had been the Most Sincere and Best President if it was fully supported and was not undermine by her critics and the Military Rebel. I believe its time for Change. And its is the Yellow Movement who can best do so. Please count me in. I have numerous ideas to share to help the modern youth realize the need to unite and Support Sen. Noynoy. Here is my Cp number. (0909)5601550 or email marlon20maranon17@yahoo.com yahoo messenger add: marlon20maranon17.

    Note:

    Formerly I founded the Serve the Filipino Movement,Inc. when I was in my youth days, now I am 33. I wish to revive this organization if its possible to be part of the Coalition to Support Noynoy. salaamat po.

  3. Nabasa ko yung comments daw ni richard gomez na gusto niya ang APO maliban sa kanilang inconsistent political insights. I beg to disagree. APO has been very consistent with their political stands at never naging balimbing unlike richard gomez himself.

  4. Dear Mr. Paredes

    How is everything sir? I have to be honest, I’ve heard so much about your blog but have never really had the chance to enjoy it as I have not really had the time to do so.

    It was perfect timing that we, here at Sofitel Philippine Plaza, conceptualized a new promo & contest that will be running soon. Basically what we want to achieve with the promo is to get internet savvies to promote our hotel, specifically focusing on our 7Pecados By the Bay, to the best of their abilities using the internet as a medium. Whether they choose to blog about it, do a vlog about it, or maybe do a photo slideshow, it’s all up to them. In line with this promo, we also want to invite certain internet icons / celebrities, such as yourself to also partake in this promo and to visit our hotel and enjoy our 7Pecados outlet so that you may also blog about it on your site. Like I said earlier, it was perfect timing because this gave me the ample time I needed and wanted to be able to really enjoy your blog site to the fullest. Though I have not seen and read every post you’ve made but so far, I am really enjoying reading some of your posts, in fact, I find them very informative and amusing.

    With that said, I would like to invite you, maybe over a sumptuous lunch or merienda in our hotel to further discuss with you, in detail, the mechanics and background of our promo. Anytime this week that you’re available I would love to sit down and maybe pick your brain a little, and of course hopefully come up with an arrangement with you to help make this promo a success. Please do get back to me so we may schedule a meeting, my contact details are below.

    I look forward to hearing from you and finally getting to meet you in person.

    Should you have any other questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me anytime.

    Sincerely yours,

    JM Zozobrado
    Sales Executive
    DL: 832-6950
    Cel: 0918-9304393
    E-mail: salesexec@sofitelmanila.com

  5. Hi! I saw your blog through the Philippine Blog Awards link. I’m also a blogger but just an amateur one. I was inspired to improve more my bog site when I saw yours. I owned a Blogger, but I wasn’t able to update it. I used to update my Friendster’s Blog but I can’t put my personal choice to it because of my lack of knowledge on using the technology. Just wanted to be your friend Mr. Jim.. 🙂 Btw, here’s my email add if you want to reply to my comment. christian_nueve09@yahoo.com THANK YOU and GOD BLESS!!

  6. Dear Mr. Jim Paredes,

    I am Ms. Mabelle Aban a health professional and a research assistant. I’ve been working on a project basis for a Malaysian healthcare company.

    With the recent communication with one of my bosses there, I learned that he is currently intrested to explore the niche in the music industry. He has always been a music lover but just a passive listener. In fact, he loves OPM very much.

    He asked me if there is any music conference/ conventions where he can get an overview of the music industry.

    Since there is none or maybe a few, I was thinking of scheduling an meeting with the authorities in music instead. Would it is possible to schedule an appointment with you next year when he visits manila? You were actually one of the first people who crossed my mind, being a well-known OPM artist, good song-writer and writer (I think I can come up with a long list), but I do not know how to get in touch.

    Thank you and hoping for your favorable response.

    Sincerely,

    Mabelle

  7. Good day Sir:
    I am Karen Apostol from UP Diliman. I’m a senior student and I am doing a thesis on blogging and blog ads. May I ask if you would like to participate in my thesis as a key respondent?

    If yes, may i ask your email add so i can send the formal letter of intent and the questions? Should you have any questions, you may contact me at 09276995262.

    Your participation will be of great help. Thank you very much and more power.

    Truly yours,

    Karen Apostol
    BA Broadcast Communication
    UP Diliman

  8. Hi Mr. Paredes,

    I really wonder why in supporting someone, you really have to justify and put down or demonized on another…. It is like you know you don’t like Villar ergo you support Noynoy. Which was very much like a replay of Cory vs Marcos, and you know what happen to that “movie” (Did that movie show a happy ending of a progressive Philippines? Did it show more Filipinos getting out of poverty and being more educated?, so what made you think this time around will result to REAL CHANGE?)

    Don’t get me wrong, I love Tita Cory and thought her legacy of bringing down a dictator was one single reason we have to thank and honor her, endlessly. But as you can see Honesty alone did not address the endemic problems of corruption… The problems of the Philippines is more complicated than that….The poor are getting poorer, the middle class had dwindled from 28% to 16% in the last 2 decades (and are now productive citizens of their adoptive countries).. The oligarch families in the past 80 years never had it so good and majority of which supports your candidate (bakit kaya?, kasi they yearn for CHANGE? c’mon you can do better than that?).

    To me it’s all about track record… the credibility, that rhetoric should be supported by past performance and achievements. I am disappointed that educated and influential folks like yourself will not see that an anti-GMA stance alone while valid, is short-sighted..

    Btw, I am for Gordon… he is the only one with proven track record of achievements we were proud of – Subic as a showcase during APEC meeting, WOW Philippines Tourism campaign amidst local kidnappings … He is the only one who was consistent and unforgiving with the Erap episode. He is the only one who clearly advocates meritocracy, hard work and of gaining skills (Walang Tamad, Walang Tanga)…which are the basics in fixing a society that is mired with mendicancy and doleouts… With political will and is forthright, not afraid to say that he is funding the P40K teacher salaries and Kindle, with taxing the texts.

    While most of our Asian counterparts have progressed and leapfrogged us….our society remains to be polarized, politics remain to be mired with Cory vs Marcos, People vs GMA, now Noynoy vs Villar….when can we truly unite a country and work with one vision??

    By 2016, we would still have corruption (Canada still has corruption to this very day), the richer families remained richer, the middle class will have dwindled further (yes more pinoys in Sydney), and the poor may remain poor, and government services remained lackluster because of a President that is uninspiring, incompetent and simply that…”all honesty”….

    And by that time, we would call Gordon, the best president we could never had….

    Peace,
    Jet Pampolina
    jet_pampolina@yahoo.com.ph

    PS. Btw im a big fan of APO 🙂

    1. I am not demonizing Villar. He has done that to himself.

      Gordon is a reformer but at this point in time, there is no way he will win. A vote for him will not stop Villar. The practical solution right now is Noy. I totally get you that we will need to so much much more than just winning the elections. For a start, we can support the candidate with the winningest chance. The surveys will tell you it’s Noy. If you don’t believe in surveys, wala na tayong pag-uusapan. I do.. I have seen it predict with great accuracy..

      I have my own issues with Gordon whom I know personally. I think he is close to being a megalomaniac but i can accept that if he has a chance at winning. Right now, it’s not gonna happen. Not in this election.

      Look, there is no perfect candidate. We have to support the one who has the best chance to deliver what we want. And the first requirement is, he’s gotta be honest with a real chance at wining.

      That’s whY I am for Noy.

      1. Thanks Jim,\n\nTo me REAL CHANGE begins in ourselves, in our core being…in this coming elections REAL CHANGE to me is believing that there is no vote wasted if it was a principled one… I am VOTING not BETTING (my kids’ future)on simple winnability …\n\nI also believe that if Gordon wins he will really work his ass off to effect REAL CHANGES….while I think Winnable Noynoy will just coast along, and let his set of advisers with their own set of agenda and business interests (of oligarchs and Manila’s old rich) will drive the Philippines further to nowhere land…

  9. Hi Jim,

    Just to prove that I am more for results than mere rethorics (solutions than just talk), here’s my response to Francis Dee’s answer to my questions on how to address corruption.

    “Leadership by example” to address corruption is probably the First Big Step, but its not an end-all be-all. You also need to support it with detailed, workeable and sustainable plans, both at the national, department and bureau levels…examples of which I am proposing below: (reprinted from my comments from a different topic)

    1) Elect an Ombudsman (accountability to people than to the appointive power, proposed by Gordon);
    2) Update and revise the old 1960’s Anti-Graft and Corrupts Law, by making it more comprehensive, setting standards, citing specific violations and corresponding fines and penalties, etc.
    3) Strengthen the coverage and power of the Commission On Audit (COA), reestablish the pre-audit of projects and its funding, rather than just auditing post activities (away from just auditing expense liquidations). The audit should ask e.g. why do we need to borrow $20M to finance a national road construction?
    4) Create Special Courts just to work on these cases (with judges selected by the JBC-like group);
    5) Simplify procedures in government bureaucracies with service level measures (e.g. passports will all be processed in 24 hours; LTO registrations will be highly computerized, and can be obtained within 6 hours of application);
    6) Require all pork barrel accounting to be publicized in each lawmaker’s mandated websites. Itemized funding and project details (location, project start date) to allow scrutiny by constituents.
    7) Improve existing pay-scales at BIR and Customs (with a variable component based on collections). Reengineer existing procedures at BIR and Customs that would allow more frequent rotations of bureau chiefs, forced vacations, but with stretch collection targets.
    Open a Nationwide Whistleblower Line (and a nationwide campaign that would encourage and welcome calls on potential graft and corruption).
    9) Mandate local professional audit firms to conduct audits of GOCCs, both operational and fraud/corruption audits.
    10) Allow certain NGOs to shadow government procurement and capital expenditures (example, an NGO can replicate the construction of schools and compare the same with the DECs’)
    11) Create a national campaign for the citizenry to admire honesty and modesty living. For example – require all cabinet members to drive basic Toyota Innova only.

  10. Dear Jim Paredes,

    I’ve been trying to research on your personal biography, but to no success because there’s so little writen details about your personal life. The very reason I’m doing this because I’ve been going through my late Grandfathers belongings(or at least what’s left of it). And I happen to see some design works of stained glass designs and it is signed with the initials of G.M. Paredes 1927. So I’m trying to find out if this G.M. Paredes is related to you or happen to be one of your close relatives. To give you a brief background, my grandfather is Aurelio Alvero which owns a stained glass design business during his early years, and her late mother was the Rosa Sevilla Alvero. You can search their biographies through the net as well, because they are also famous people during their years and made a good contribution to this country in the field of literature and arts. I thinking, maybe G.M.Paredes was employed by him to do design works for his business. Your earnest reply would highly be appreciated. Or better yet, you can text or call me thru 0927-7733233.

    God Speed!

    Carlo Dimayuga

  11. Dear Admin,

    Hi! I’m from http://mypinoy.tv. Were currently launching a photo contest entitled “Ka-Picture Ko, Sikat!” that targets Filipinoes posing with any celebrity! Were hoping we can discuss on how we can place a link for our promo to your website.

    Please Reply to this email if interested. Thanks and God Bless!

    mypinoy.tv is a web-based licensed video streaming site made for Filipinos to bring the finest in Philippine entertainment when you want it, and how you want it.

    Our objective is to make Filipinos overseas, feel at home or even just closer to home.

  12. Hi, Mr. Paredes!

    I was channel surfing the other night and came across Star Power on ABS-CBN (Nov 7). I took notice because it was showing a segment of you giving the show’s candidates 21 rules/tips on professionalism.

    If possible, I would like to obtain a copy of those 21 points you shared. I do not know if it might be due to my aging, but I feel that a growing percentage of today’s youth seriously lack any sense of professionalism and responsibility. Lectures like the one you shared with those candidates should be given to more children and more often.

    Thank you.

  13. Sir/Ma’am:

    Greetings!

    Can I interest you to watch and critic a theater production of Reginald Rose’s classic “12 Angry Men” on its opening night, November 30, 7:30PM?

    The play is by ViARE, a student theater organization of the University of Asia and the Pacific. We are opening the show free for bloggers, writers and critics as guests of the organization. You may also invite a fellow writer with you on the date.

    Please update me on your status on or before November 28, 2010.

    Thank you and God Bless.

    My best,
    Roma Pilar
    Project Coordinator

    For more information about the production please visit http://www.clickthecity.com/events/details.php?id=9717.

  14. Hi,
    I am webmaster of a travel website, I liked this website and want my link to be on any place in this website .
    I dont find any webmaster mail id here so please mail me your webmaster mail id or let me know how to get my link placed on this website .
    Thanks

  15. Hello, Mr. Paredes!

    Maryse Here of Kraft Foods Philippines. May we invite you to give a talk/workshop in our company? I am finding best way to contact you. Thanks and Good Day!

  16. Hi Sir, we are doing an website video for a brand and we are planning to use your song American Junk as music peg, we will tweak some of the notes and come up with our own lyrics. I inquired from Filscap regarding the copyright but according to them we should directly coordinate with you on this. Sorry to be posting the request thru your site, may we know how to go about with it?

  17. Hello Mr. Paredes,

    I would like to send you material about Marcos’ war record… that would be very interesting in light of the recent moves to bury him in the Libingan ng mga Bayani. Would this be of interest to you, and if so, where may I send it?

    Thank you.

  18. Sir Jim, I am one of your fans both as an APO Hiking Society and as a blogger/twitter. I know you are very patriotic also. Filipinos are starting a global blog event this May 2 called World Bloggers’ Day and even Australia is participating with the help of blogger Glen Frost. Check the website at http://www.worldbloggersday.org/
    We are asking Filipino bloggers to blog or tweet about this online event and be proud of it being initiated by Filipinos. We are also inviting bloggers including you to celebrate World Bloggers’ Day on May 2. With your many followers, is it ok if we ask your help online even with a tweet regarding World Bloggers’ day just to spread the word? Thanks a lot.

  19. Jim,

    Very cool site you have. I run a local company that teaches people to race gokarts, cars, drifting, etc.

    We have been running the race school for about 12 years now and get both local and foreign drivers on a monthly basis. We are looking for new ways to promote our company and would like to possibly invite you to the track to experience what we do. We are also about to launch the most expensive local race simulator (it costs about 15K USD) and is available for your guys to try. Let me know if you are interested to discuss. Thanks!

    BTW here is a very cool video we made to give people an idea of what we do. Feel free to post it if you can!

    Proudly Pinoy Made! First in the World diesel powered championship winning drift 4×4 pick up!

    http://www.youtube.com/user/TuasonracingTV#p/a/u/0/Tb8zSJI6hlI

    JP Tuason
    0918 9297859

  20. Hi Sir Jim! I’m Earvs! I’m currently doing my MA Thesis at UP Open University. My thesis will focus on the impact blogging among Filipinos. Having said this, I would like to invite you to be one of my respondents. Should you be available and interested in this benchmark research, please email me at ecabalquinto@gmail.com. I will email the questionnaires as soon as my professor approves it. Thank you very much.

  21. Hi Mr. Paredes!

    I am holding an event for Discovery Channel and SM Supermalls on July 30 this year, and it has something to do with the launch of the official Philippine Standard Time, with an advocacy to end “Filipino Time”. My client, Discovery Channel, seems interested to know if you could host this rare event. Sorry to rush you, but I hope I can get a reply from you asap. We are hoping to get President Aquino as our guest of honor and to launch the grand clock and official time for this event.

    Please email me: jamesmamaril.creativepro@yahoo.com

    Thank you!

    JAMES ROY ARROYO MAMARIL
    Business Unit Director
    CreativePro Integrated Marketing, Inc.
    15 San Martin Street, Barangay Kapitolyo,
    Pasig City

  22. Good day!

    Together with Toblerone Duty Free, the Commission on Filipino Overseas, we are working on a campaign called the “Thank You, Global Pinoy!” We are in search of outstanding Global Pinoys from all over the world and in this light, would like to ask your help in increasing awareness for this campaign by means of announcing on your blog. Nomination and votation can be done in http://www.thankyouglobalpinoy.com

    Thank you and we hope you can help us in this meaningful endeavor.

  23. 16-February-2012

    Hello Sir Jim Paredes!

    Great Rainy Thursday Sir! Wow! I am glad to found by chance your blog site. I am also a great fan of your APO Hiking Society and your column on Philippine Star.

    Even if I also like to try photography as of now I cannot afford to have it to be a good professional one.

    I just want to say you keep me on hopeful spirits each time I read your articles Sir!

    Now I am currently just started our Social Business and advocacy adventure and learning my way to make use of blog and twitter to reach a great audience to SUPPORT, PATRONIZE and SHARE our advocacy and SUMILAO CORN COFFEE!

    Yes these are the same Sumilao farmers who marched from Bukidnon to Manila.

    I am a Registered Nutritionist Dietitian by profession but I am currently a social entrepreneur and my advocacy is to SUPPORT, PATRONIZE and PROMOTE Filipino FARMERS PRODUCED!

    Thank you for your time Sir!
    I hope you will support our Sumilao Corn Coffee!

    Malou P. Sabandal
    WISE HABITS ENTERPRISE
    0929.773.9988
    0933.555.3674
    0926.760.2913
    E-mail: malousabandal@yahoo.com
    http://wisehabitsenterprise.wordpress.com (English)
    http://wisehabitsenterprisepinoy.wordpress.com (Tagalog)
    http://twitter.com/LourdsPSabandal

  24. Sir Jim,
    I’ve often written that sometimes sublime experiences are wordless…

    I maybe guilty of reading your blogs too late, but you see, I am one of those who for a time being in their life tried to turn their back to that little voice inside, thinking it would never satiate the physical hunger of material poverty. Thinking that the voice was just my imagination and I have to go to work, find “real” skills to earn bread to eat and roof to shelter.

    After a long period of time, I suppose the real skills somehow satisfied enough, but the voice was still there. Giving in, and among my many other just recent pursuits of trying to find out what that pesky miniature but definitely vexatious little voice wanted, I stumbled upon your blogs, and all I can say is….

    “Thank You”
    for the inspiration, the uplift… etc etc blah blah blah… well you know what I mean 🙂

    P.S.
    Nope. Please do not mistake my voices as psychotic, and my sublime experiences results of drug addiction 🙂 i do not have tendencies of tying you up and kill you because of fan affection. I am just lost for words to realize that, coming from you, creativity has a thousand different names, one of which is being likened to bowel releases in the can.:)

  25. Hi sir Jim 🙂

    First of all let me tell you something about me. I’m Elo Cruz, graduated from the ateneo in 2000. I have a case of dwarfism so I’m not very tall. (Haha actually I’m really short) But despite this I’m blessed enough to be able to find someone who’s willing to share the rest of her life with me. 🙂

    Her name is mara angelique and we are getting married on November 28, 2012 in makati. 🙂

    The thing is we really like your music and It would really make our wedding more magical if you could grace us with your presence and sing even a single song?

    I know I’m probably shooting for the stars with this email but I’m giving it a shot.

    Hope to hear back from you sir. 🙂

    God Bless.

    Elo cruz

    http://www.elocruz.com
    facebook.com/crisangelocruz

  26. Hi sir Jim!

    May I ask for your email address po? I have a few things to ask about PH indie films and I think you might help me po. Thank you very much! Hoping so much to hear from you po or for you to reply to my comment! 😀

    Alyanna Zarate
    BS-Psychology
    Ateneo de Manila University

  27. Hi Sir Jim,

    Good day!

    I am Jhoanna Paola Ballaran from The Manila Times. I’m working on a special report about the struggles of OPM industry, particularly in the market and the talent itself.

    As one of the OPM icons, it will be very great if you can contribute your thoughts on this issue. Can I interview you po about this? I can e-mail you the questions po if you don’t mind. This is set to be published on the 2nd week of August.

    Thanks Sir Jim, we’d love to here from you.

    Truly yours,

    Jhoanna Paola Ballaran
    Correspondent, The Manila Times
    Intramuros, Manila
    jpaballaran@gmail.com
    +63922 7798582

  28. In line with the University of the Philippines Manila’s aim to be socially responsible, Ugnayan ng Pahinungod Manila as the University’s official volunteer service arm is seeking for individuals and organizations who are willing to help us(either thru talent, sponsorship, in kind or cash donations) with our upcoming musical stage play entitled, “Lakan ng Bonbon” starring 35 street children from different institutions. One of its program, the Program for the Street Children will be handling the said activity. Should you be interested to help us with our endeavor, you may call us at 526-6950 to 51 or you can check us thru our FB account Ugnayan ng Pahinungod Manila (upm.pahinungod@gmail.com). Thank you and may God bless you.

  29. Hi Mr. Jim Paredes,

    I am very much honored to have found your blog and a chance to leave you a message directly without the need to “kulit” my uncle Mark Gaston. Last time he called you and I was wondering who you are. Then after the call, he told us about you being a lyricist and you’ll be going out of the country etc., etc.

    Then the next day, I saw you being interviewed on TV for A Beautiful Affair. My mom then told me that you’re one of the Apo Hiking Society as well as the cousin of my uncle Mark. Your name, from then on, was stuck in my head and every time I hear your name on TV I would think of telling my uncle I saw or heard your name on TV.

    And guess what? I found your blog and will let him know when he goes back here tomorrow to finish landscaping. I am very much impressed with the way you write so beautifully and engagingly. I remember Uncle Mark telling me about your days in Ateneo that even then you’re already excel at writing and that he could only write about his observation of nature in a very non-poetic way. This blog proved his claims about you way beyond my already high expectations.

    Anyway, this is one of the precious moments I am cherishing and I hope you can add a magic touch to it too.

    Respectfully,
    Vixie (not my real name)

    P.S. Uncle Mark also told me that before Apo there were twelve of you and that he’s the bass of the group? Correct me if I’m wrong.

  30. Hi Mr. Jim Paredes,

    I am Jean Yap from the College of Science Student Council of UP Diliman. We will be having a non-profit inter-organization choir competition this Dec. 8 (Saturday) 7pm at the Abelardo Hall, College of Music. The Carolfest theme this year is songs from APO entitled “Ang Paskong O kay saya!”. It aims to promote Filipino pride and the Christmas spirit and may benefit a chosen benefactor. It would be our great honor to have you as one of our judges.

    Jean Yap | jean_ramon@yahoo.com
    Chairperson
    CSSC 2012-2013

  31. Thanks, at least I’ve just found your blog here after searching it. I’m your new follower, an OFW in Malaysia. I did watched your interview with the cool guys of Aksyon TV “Wasak” uploaded by their director RA Rivera. You’re a man of wisdom, keep up the good work and stay healthy together your your former mates in APO like Danny and Buboy.

    More power to you and God bless!

  32. HI Jim, I really enjoy ur blog website..it just shows u r a real song writer coz u make good write ups not only the choice of ur topics, how u choose ur topics and what to put in ur blogs….i have always been a fan of ur Apo Hiking Society band, anyway..i didn’t know ur already 60 years old? wow,,it seems u were just how I saw u 3 having gigs in Manila, also..r u still residing in Australia? coz I saw a , I think 2 years ago from ur blog u mentioned there that u r now resident in Australia..
    ok..keep up with ur writing..

    cheers,

    Yvemarie

  33. Hi Sir,

    I was inspired by your different story I’m also a blogger though I blog for my personal experiences, travel and original composed poems if you have time you can visit my site http://tinskybinsky.blogspot.com/

    Blogging really inspire me specially or whenever i read a good story.

    You inspire me a lot. God Bless!

    kristine

  34. Hi Sir,

    My name is Sophie Lizares and I’m currently an Information Design student at Ateneo de Manila University. I’m actually on my last year now and I’ve chosen OPM as my thesis topic. I’m planning on creating a crowd-sourcing website that will support local artists–but so far I’m still trying to come up with more research before my professor can finalize my proposal. Is it okay if I email you a few questions about the music industry? Please let me know by getting back to me at sophie.lizares@gmail.com. Thank you for your time and consideration!

    Sophie

  35. Hi! Mr.Jim Paredes,I’m one of the avid listener of the APO. we will having a fund raising concert this December 15, 2013 for the celebration of the 77th Founding Anniversary of Makati United Methodist Church and to refurbish the church facade and ceiling.May we request a (2) songs from you for the said event. Your confirmation is highly appreciated. Thanks and May the good lord bless you more.

    Sincerely,

    Dane Mira
    77th Church anniversary committee Chairman

    You may get in touch with me thru 09151188493 or 09234111436

  36. Hi Mr. Jim Paredes,

    We, the Ateneo Association of Communication Majors (ACOMM), would like to invite you to be a guest speaker at the Project Motion Launch–a media literacy advocacy realized through a competition for private and public metro manila high school students on Feature Writing, Poster Making, and Film-Making–on November 23, 2013 at the Ateneo de Manila University campus.

    If you have more questions, please do not hesitate to contact us through this email : acomm.projectmotion@gmail.com

    We hope for your consideration on being a part of this project. Thank you and have a good day!

    Ericka Oyales
    09063171100

  37. Dear Mr. Jim,

    I am a reader of the Philippine Star, and your column is one of the few articles that I set aside for recreational reading. I do not usually read most of the paper as I find most articles a little “waste of my time”, and that is because I do not have much time.

    I must confess, Mr. Jim, your written thoughts come to my mind. I ponder on some, ignore some, immensely agree on some, disapprove of some. I believe that you are an open-minded person, and that you speak your mind but does not impose your ideas on others. I see that you “hum in your universe” so elaborately but you leave your thoughts open for other thoughts, too.

    The most difficult to answer, amongst some,are the questions about this supreme being we usually call “God”. Yes, this is not just any god, this is The God. The creator. The Source.

    I am at lost at the moment. And though I belong to a certain religious group, I do not find myself truly living the life of a faithful follower. I can say that I am still searching, that is, searching for the right door, to this paradise, we call “heaven”. We have a lot of different churches in the world (under Christianity), a lot of different religions, a lot of different dogmas and philosophies. Think and you have it. And all these make the search even more baffling and challenging.

    With some knowledge about this God, a lot of different stories from all sorts of books and people, a great deal of experiences of my own — both good and bad, I have also come up with my own beliefs. Of course I would easily go for something that is close to what I want, I am comfortable with, I am happier with.

    With all the sufferings in the world, that most of the time I cannot accept, I ended up not trying to answer why they happen. If I am to ask WHY, then I must ask, too, why the sun and the stars were put in their respective fixed positions, why earth rotates on its axis, why we have the change of the seasons. If I begin to ask why Typhoon Yolanda hit our provinces killing people, destroying properties, bringing great suffering to even those who survived but lost lives and their comfortable lives, I must also begin to ask why the lion has to eat the poor deer that eat the poor grass that lay on the ground. And I must also begin to ask why volcanoes have the very hot magma that might be spilled over the earth. And I must certainly ask why there is a process we call evaporation, condensation and precipitation, why they are in order. And why my parents have their date of births
    and eventually their date of deaths. There are a lot of questions we can always try to answer. We can answer them with our knowledge of science, of the natural world. There are innumerable questions about this God.

    Why did God let all these things happen? Well, I do not know if you are a believer of the Bible, Mr. Jim. I have been reading it, as a sort of a study, not really treating it to find solace, but to search for some answers. If there would be any there sources to find some answers to why the world suffer, I hope I could find something else to give answers, aside from the Bible. Right now, it is just one of my sources to answer some of my questions, although I have read some other books of non-biblical people. It would be a pleasure if somebody could come up with more other sources. I am also reading some books, some philosophies.

    It seems that people have different things to say about these things. I, too, can think just like them, and those philosophers’ philosophies would be superior, of course, as I am not a philosopher myself and that I just simply think like any other human being, having this gift of rational thinking, though most of the time I irrationally think.

    And so, this book we call the Bible is where I found some of the answers, that I cannot easily believe in, and swallow, I admit. And that is why we have the word “faith” — There’s no firsthand experience, basically no proof, and we are compelled to believe. And I speak for myself that I do not even believe that a Plato or an Aristotle ever existed just because the great Greeks said so in their history. And so, it is not just because my dear professor who earned a PhD in Mathematics said that “a + b = c” that I should believe him. I actually just leave it to faith. And that was why I got an A in our last exam, because I had faith that “a + b = c” because he said so, and he said so that that is correct, and that would earn me a point, and that would make me pass the test. And who would believe in these algebraic nonsense? I do not. And I do not believe the greatest knowledge of it nor any other science or philosophy could prevent any superstorm. And so I “leave things to faith”, and as this book says: Have faith in the things unseen.

    And so, Mr. Jim, if we ask “Where is God” as the storm happens, this book would answer something like: Because He is God and because He can and because He knows what He is doing and not doing because we are not here to live comfortable lives and we are simply here not to make ourselves happy but live according to His rules because He is God and whether we like it or not we are born and we die and we join the dust as the vapor rise up to join the clouds for rain to occur even bring super super typhoons because that happens because His chosen people were not living comfortable lives either because that is how He loves His people a “” love with a rod” not to spoil nor to let His most loved of all creatures to enter His kingdom of heaven as simple as brushing teeth waking up eating playing and sleeping as we please because He is wise enough to create things for His own reasons that we do not comprehend most of the time because
    we should just leave it all up to Him because he is the creator and He said He is perfect not according to human terms because He is God.

    Yes, those are the answers that I have gotten so far from this book that people say are with words from the mouth of God.

    And if we speak of suffering, we can speak of Job. This Job of the Bible, that God loved and let suffer the kind of suffering that would equal or even surpass what Yolanda has caused — take note of the quality not the quantity.

    And who is this Job, anyway, I am not sure he ever existed. And I leave it up to faith.

    Yours,

    Summer

    1. The search for God is a meaningless and futile search. Why? because how can you search for something that was never lost in the first place. God has been here all along–ignored by humanity. We always expect God to appear in some expected form defined by Holy books. God is WAY BIGGER than any definition. To define God and put Her in a box is to fool ourselves. . No. God is always and already here in the form of you and I and the world as it is. God is you and me. God is both the storm and the blue sky. God saves and let’s things be.

  38. Hi Sir Jim. Just dropping by to let you know that I am enjoying your blog. My siblings and I have been Apo fans since the ’70s 🙂 Do keep on writing and singing 🙂

  39. Hi Mr. Paredes,

    May I ask where it would be best to send you something? CNN Philippines would like to send you a token.

    Thank you.

  40. Good Day!

    I am Yulia Karizza Mercader and I am a third year Political Science Major in the University of San Carlos. I am currently having my thesis together with my two partners (Aretha Geganto and Samantha Villabert).
    Our thesis is about The Innovation of Citizen Civic Engagement: Social Media as a Platform and Its Construction of a Global Citizen. While searching for information, we have come across your contribution in organizing the Million People March event. Because of this, we would like to ask you to be our key respondent. As key respondent, your answers will be of great reference for our topic.
    Would it be alright with you?

    We are hopeful for your positive reply. Your immediate response will be greatly acknowledged.

    Respectfully,
    Yulia Karizza Mercader
    AB POSC-IRFS 3

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