Happy birthday to Our Savior Jesus Christ, who was born of Mary, wife of Joseph to show God's unconditional love for us all, sinners that we are. So grateful for the gift of Christmas!
2013 is a year full of challenges and things to be grateful for.
I visited New Zealand twice, in January and in June. I also visited Angkor Wat in Siem Reap and the Kampuchean capital of Phnom Penh over the All Saints Day break.
Formally received my PhD in Urban and Regional Planning from University of the Philippines, where I got elected to serve as President of the SURP-UP Alumni Association. Was given another term as National Executive Committee Member of the National Commission for Culture and Arts' SubCommission on Culture's National Committee on Architecture and Design Environment. Plus, I was appointed by President Benigno S Aquino III as a Trustee of the Nayong Pilipino Foundation.
I continue to teach at Ateneo Loyola Schools (Management, Humanities, and Government) as well as the Development Academy of the Philippines Graduate School of Public and Development Management. I have been serving as Supervising Fellow for the graduate programs on health and development.
Our nation has been hit by the worst calamities in 2013, especially the Central Visayas Earthquake, the Yolanda Super Typhoon and the Zamboanga City Siege. Am happy that I shall be helping out in some small projects to rehabilitate the destroyed areas.
We gratefully reflect on the very basic meaning of Christmas: God so loved the world that He gave His only Son Jesus to be born of Mary, wife of Joseph, to live and teach us the Way, the Truth and the Life, and to suffer and die and be resurrected for our salvation.
Maligayang Pasko! Feliz Pascua! Blessed Christmas! Joyeaux Noel!
