Christmas Season is over and done with again, and thanks God it is back to the normal holiday as we knew it, before the pandemic intervened.
It was a horrible three years of Covid 19, messing up our daily lives. Although more is known about it now, what is unsettling is the surprises it may spring on us up ahead in our journey.
Naturally, people are anxious to resume their normal lives, to go out and socialize again. As the events calendar fills up for Balita in the coming year, we cannot help but feel cheerful, and hopeful, along with our friends and supporters, as we look forward to celebrating and enjoying ourselves with them.
In Balita, due to uncertainties brought about by Covid restrictions, we were unable to publish for two months. Soon as our footing stabilized and we resumed printing, it was a nice surprise to see our advertisers and supporters warmly welcome us back.
We did not realize till then that by circulating again we were reassuring our readers that Covid will be held at bay and things will improve for the better as before. To many who depended on us for information, we brought them light and positive vibes.
Our staff also gained new blood and muscle, with famed Columnists, including Edwin de Leon, Rey Moreno, Edwin Esteba, Butch Galicia, Dexter Garcia, Tess Taylor, Willie Jose and Baby Jimenez.
While our regular favorites Nap Alip and Perry Diaz are both on medical leave, the new penners will keep the sails going. We are happy that Nick Kossovan is also now a consistent Contributor.
The newly minted honoree of the UPAAT (University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Toronto) with the 2022 “Distinguished Alumni Award” Mogi Mogado remains our Associate Editor, an able co-pilot in our journey, despite his busy art and sculpting avocations.
Although many fellow Filipino community publications in Toronto have folded, partly due to hardships imposed by the pandemic, the few of us who are surviving have pledged together to continue serving our people’s growing media needs.
Bonded by that common goal, our friendships and partnerships held sacred before the pandemic, continue to be strong and dynamic, moving forward. Note that it is mutual respect and caring for each other, as well as our craft, that keeps us going as a group, and it is all for a better deal for our community.
Again for Balita, I am glad that we are in tune as ever in fulfilling our sacred goal of looking after the interest, welfare and good image of our community.
Historically, we have been exposing the scammers and exploiters of our vulnerable sector unrelentingly, and like no other, sometimes to our own sacrifice.
We are the go-to in the Filipino community if you know of any wrongdoing that our kababayans should be warned about. Share us in confidence and we will follow up on it, and the community will thank you.
It is public knowledge that we have persisted in the war against evildoers in our community, that we have lost a few battles, but in the end, some of them are gone, and here we are still waging war and will not just give up.
Some tell us that good karma is on our side because of the nobility of our purpose, for which I am so thankful.
So let it be known that we will always fight and advocate for you, our compatriots, for what is right for us, as kababayans and as a nation. Therefore, we are here. There is nothing more fulfilling to us than unmasking the culprits, so that you can avoid and defeat their evil deeds.
On a personal note, I am thankful that my family had a Christmas blessed as can be, amidst the improving conditions of the pandemic. It is nice to see my children and grandchildren celebrating happily together, especially the little ones opening their surprises and goodies from generous grandma.
It is again a joyful culmination of a difficult but fruitful and healthy year for everyone, and of course my prayer is for this to continue in 2023.
I keep my home Christmas decor in much the same traditional way, with all the festive lights and ornaments as in past years, because maybe it gives me the feeling of security as I enjoy the sights and sounds of my immediate complete family, or what it has become at this time.
With modern technologies it is quite a bonus that we can also connect with family back home in real time. Indeed, how lucky we are to be joining their celebrations and are all happening in our family home and garden.
With my growing family, blessed with five grandchildren, they are the gifts that now occupy my time. Like the many typical Filipina grandmas here in Canada, I have been designated and promoted as the occasional babysitter.
In my private moments I marvel at how lucky I am to have reached this stage in life, feeling fulfilled and blessed. I continue to enjoy the fruits of my hard labor, traveling with friends to the far corners of the world that remains to be explored, or just the nearby places around us that needs to be visited.
I joined cruises, group tours, pilgrimages, and cultural trips with the Fiesta Filipina Dance Troupe and the Markham Federation of Filipino Canadians. I foresee more of the same in the coming year.
At home, it is very comforting to just sit in front of the TV watching movies after movies, till I fall asleep.
I also love to join the group of senior friends travelling around by driving, we stay a week here and there trying to enjoy historical churches and famous places that we have not been to. I also joined sponsored seniors’ trips in and around town.
The latest I have was revisiting the Pioneer Village, a day of going back in time trying to feel how those people in medieval times lived and survived, and set us up for progress in the unfolding civilizations.
I sincerely appreciate the good things that have come my way, making insignificant the heartbreaking experiences that I went through. Everyone knows that I was made a scapegoat and victimized by devil advocates in our community to keep their bad deeds from being talked about.
Today, am more confident and hopeful that there are more surprises in the journey ahead. I know that God is consistent with me in his blessings and for that I am very, very thankful.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE.*****