LIFELONG LEARNERS

by Carmelita Cochingco Ballesteros.
June 1, 2013
How can you work 21 hours a day, seven days a week? Convenience stores have three shifts of employees. No problem. What if you have only one team to do the work? Big problem. And the road ahead is muddy? And the system breaks down because of weak links? And you’re losing your focus, your strength, and your will? Huge, insurmountable problem! Wait a minute, apl.de.ap of Black-Eyed Peas says, “If you believe, say ‘Yes, I can!’ ” Continue reading →

by Carmelita Cochingco Ballesteros.
May 16, 2013
As my friend Letty and I sat in her car, waiting for the traffic lights to turn green, a tall and slim woman crossed the street. She didn’t walk; she glided like a fashion model. She didn’t half-run like the other pedestrians; she glided like a butterfly. She didn’t rush like other people; she glided gracefully like a kite on a bright and breezy day. Continue reading →

by Carmelita Cochingco Ballesteros.
April 1, 2013
Ladies and gentlemen, we are here today because we have high ambitions for our children and grandchildren. What do Japan, Taiwan, and Singapore have in common? They have a 12-year basic education curriculum. They invest heavily in educational infrastructure, instructional materials and laboratory equipment, and teacher preparation and continuing education. Continue reading →

by Carmelita Cochingco Ballesteros.
March 16, 2013
Brotherhood? Sounds like a fraternity. Why would I want to join a fraternity in my old age? Christian? I have wonderful non-Catholic friends, but I am not about to become non-Catholic. Businessmen? Sounds sexist! The answer is no. I’m not joining this sexist brotherhood. But it says ‘professionals.’ I’ve got too much on my plate right now. No, definitely no, I told myself. Continue reading →

by Carmelita Cochingco Ballesteros.
March 1, 2013
In the Gospel of Luke, the angel Gabriel appeared to Zecharias, an old priest married to Elizabeth, an old woman. Both were good persons, but they were childless. When the angel Gabriel told Zecharias that his wife Elizabeth would soon conceive, Zecharias was dumb-founded, literally. Continue reading →

by Carmelita Cochingco Ballesteros.
February 1, 2013
Everything that happens to you is your teacher. The secret is to sit at the feet of your own life and be taught by it. Everything that happens is either a blessing that is also a lesson, or a lesson that is also a blessing. (Berends, 1993)
Dear readers, Continue reading →

by Carmelita Cochingco Ballesteros.
January 1, 2013

7. RJ and Arianne David (Initiative)Initiative means inventiveness, creativity, or enterprise. It is the value by which entrepreneurs live. It is taking the first baby step, at the risk of stumbling, toward one’s ambition. Continue reading →

by Carmelita Cochingco Ballesteros.
January 1, 2013
1. Lea Salonga (Passion) “Passion for one’s craft requires commitment, discipline, and hard work,” Lea said in one interview (Matabuena,2012). Born in Angeles City on February 22, 1971, Lea started her professional singing career in a Repertory Philippines production of the musical, The King and I. She was only 7. Gifted with a crystal-clear voice and driven by her passion for singing and acting on stage, Lea appeared in one production after another such as Annie, Fiddler on the Roof, and The Sound of Music. Continue reading →

by Carmelita Cochingco Ballesteros.
December 16, 2012
What does Mangan Tamu mean? Is it a Japanese manga (comics)? Why would my friend Tish, a noncomics person, give me a manga? Well, after a closer look at the book’s cover, I realized that it’s a cook book. “Mangan” is pronounced with the Filipino /ng/ sound as in “ngayon” which means today. The sentence, “Mangan Tamu,” is the Kapampangan equivalent of “Let’s eat.” Continue reading →

by Carmelita Cochingco Ballesteros.
December 1, 2012
On November 25, my friend Letty and I of Class 68 went to Cabanatuan City to attend yet another class reunion of Nueva Ecija High School graduates. Letty used her pick-up and was at the wheels from Metro Manila to Cabanatuan City and back. It was a four-hour drive one way. Continue reading →