HEART IN TWO PLACES.....AN IMMIGRANT'S JOURNEY.....

The Invitation To The Book Launch......







One of the things that I have come to appreciate about my venture into photography is that I have come to know some amazing people who share my creative pursuit of taking photographs. And one of these people I am so blessed to get to know is Lian, a preschool owner and who happens to be the only daughter of a former president of The University of the Philippines.

I have a high regard for her dad, since I used to work at The Philippine General Hospital. PGH is the teaching hospital for UP medical students and nurses. His term of being president started after Edong Angara decided to run for the presidency in the 1990s. As someone who came from the masses, he exemplified the typical UP student of yore, brave enough to stand for his beliefs and convictions no matter what he faced, possessing an analytical and brilliant mind and an idealist who loves his country.

In between breaks when Lian and I are present for a shoot or even during our travels to locations that we head for to shoot, we would chat and talk about our respective life experiences. And one story that my friend told me was about the time when her parents were both in jail during the early moments of martial law in the 70s. She told me about her Aunt Gemma, who actually took care of her and her brothers at that period. I can't remember though how long were Lian's parents were in jail, but she was grateful to her aunt, for taking up the cudgels of looking after 3 little children who were temporarily orphaned.

So when Lian sent me an invite about a cocktail party for the launching of her Aunt Gemma's book about a Filipino's point of view on living abroad, I accepted the offer, even if the event coincided with the day that our photo club went to Tagaytay for a shoot. Not to mention the health crisis that I experienced at that time too. I have always wanted to be a published writer and meeting someone like her keeps the dream alive for me.

To my amazement, as the time went by, I found myself feeling better and better. We shot some pictures of the event that turned me into an awestruck fan, ogling at the people who came. Bernardo Bernardo (who has retired from television and now lives in the US) came home just to attend the launching. Lian's aunt's friend Ceres P. Doyo of Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism and the rest of their colleagues were also present. Danny Javier of APO sang songs during the intermission. And a handsome man who caught my eye turned out to be Carlitos Siguion Reyna with his wife Bibeth Orteza. Other guests who came were Randy David, Ronald Constantino and some members of the Senate who represent the party list groups. A joke from the host saying the Nemenzos were born holding up placards in protest really elicited a laugh from the crowd.

But the day was for Lian's Aunt Gemma. And the outpouring of support from her aunt's friends and family for this latest endeavor.

I always have a soft spot for books that depict the life of a Filipino outside the Philippines, simply because I could relate to it, having been once an OFW as I worked in London. I haven't read the book yet, but Lian promised to lend me her signed copy. Who knows, when the time is right, I might start to do some writing of my own! c",)