KNIGHTS TEMPLARS

I guess I would always be fond of conspiracy theories...and probably the greatest historical conspiracy ever contrived involved the Roman Catholic Church and this colorful "fraternity of monk-warriors" called the KNIGHTS TEMPLAR.

If you've seen the Orlando Bloom starrer "Kingdom of Heaven" (released months ago), you'd appreciate that chivalric legends had some basis on historical figures and events.

The Poor Fellow-Soldiers of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon (Latin: Pauperes commilitones Christi Templique Solomonici), popularly known as the Knights Templar or the Order of the Temple, were among the most famous of the Christian military orders.

The organization existed for approximately two centuries in the Middle Ages. It was created in the aftermath of the First Crusade of 1096, to ensure the safety of the large numbers of European pilgrims who flowed toward Jerusalem after its conquest.

Officially endorsed by the church in 1129, the Order became a favored charity across Europe. It grew rapidly in membership and power. Templar knights, easily recognisable in their white mantle with a distinct red cross, made some of the best equipped, trained, and disciplined fighting units of the Crusades.

Non-warrior members of the Order managed a large economic infrastructure throughout Christendom, innovating many financial techniques that were an early form of banking, and building numerous fortifications across Europe and the Holy Land.

The Templars' success was tied closely to the success of the Crusades. When the Holy Land was lost and the Templars suffered crushing defeats, support for the Order's existence faded. Rumors about the Templars' secret initiation ceremony created mistrust, and King Philip IV of France, deeply in debt to the Order, began pressuring Pope Clement V to take action. On Friday, October 13, 1307, King Philip had many of the Order's members in France arrested, tortured into "confessions", and burned at the stake.

In 1312, Pope Clement, under continuing pressure from King Philip, forcibly disbanded the entire Order. The sudden disappearance of a major part of the European infrastructure gave rise to speculation and legends, which have kept the name "Templar" alive in modern fiction.

NEXT...The RISE & FALL of the TEMPLARs

An Interview with God

I received this from a friend and liked the message very much and am posting and sharing this with everyone.

I dreamed I had an interview with God.

"Come in," God said to me, "So, you would like to interview Me?"

"If you have the time," I said.

God smiled and said: "My time is called eternity and is enough to do everything; what questions do you have in mind to ask me?"

"None that are new to you. What's the one thing that surprises you most about mankind?"

God answered:

"That they get bored of being children, are in a rush to grow up, and then long to be children again.

That they lose theirhealth to make money and then lose their money to restore their health.

That by thinking anxiously about the future, they forget the present, such that they live neither for the present nor the future.

That they live as if they will never die, and they die as if they had never lived..."

God's hands took mine and we were silent.

After a long period, I said, "May I ask you another question?"

"As a Parent, what would you ask your children to do?"

God replied with a smile:

"To learn that they cannot make anyone love them.

What they can do is to let themselves be loved.

To learn that it takes years to build trust, and a few seconds to destroy it.

To learn that what is most valuable is not what they have in theirlives, but who they have in their lives.

To learn that it is not good to compare themselves to others.

There will be others better or worse than they are.

To learn that a rich person is not one who has the most, but is one who needs the least.

To learn that they should control their attitudes, otherwise their attitudes will control them.

To learn that it only takes a few seconds to open profound wounds in persons we love, and that it takes many years to heal them.

To learn to forgive by practicing forgiveness.

To learn that there are persons that love them dearly, but simply

do not know how to show their feelings.

To learn that money can buy everything but happiness.

To learn that while at times they may be entitled to be upset, that does not give them the right to upset those around them.

To learn that great dreams do not require great wings, but a landing gear to achieve.

To learn that true friends are scarce, he/she who has found one has found a true treasure.

To learn that it is not always enough that they be forgiven byothers, but that they forgive themselves.

To learn that they are masters of what they keep to themselves and slaves of what they say.

To learn that they shall reap what they plant; if they plant gossip they will harvest intrigues, if they plant love they will harvest happiness.

To learn that true happiness is not to achieve their goals but to learn to be satisfied with what they already achieved.

To learn that happiness is a decision.

They decide to be happy with what they are and have, or die from envy and jealousy of what they lack.

To learn that two people can look at the same thing and see something totally different.

To learn that those who are honest with themselves without considering the consequences go far in life.

To learn that even though they may think they have nothing to give, when a friend cries with them, they find the strength to appease the pain.

To learn that by trying to hold on to loved ones, they very quickly push them away; and by letting go of those they love, they will be sideby side forever.

To learn that even though the word "love" has many different meanings, it loses its value when it is overstated.

CJ's email yesterday "Me Twenty Years From Now Dad".

My kid CJ sends me occasional emails (we created an account in Gmail before I left for Dubai)...and below is one of them. Don't ask me about what "MUFTI" means...it probably is an abbreviation for a Grade Schools Activity Day like a "Show and Tell" where the kids talk in front of the class about what they want to be when they grow up.

CJ managed to "discover" my old Intel Corporation hard hat and safety goggles...that probably saved her mom some money for buying any other "costume" for their Show and Tell.

Lastly, pardon if there are some grammatical errors...jeez...the Kid's just 8 years old...

DAD,

YESTERDAY , WE HAVE OUR MUFTI DAY .

THE STUDENTS MAY WEAR THE ATTIRE OF THEIR CHOSEN PROFESSION,
AND YOU KNOW WHAT DAD, I TOLD MOM THAT TWENTY YEARS FROM NOW
I'M ALREADY AN ENGINEER JUST LIKE YOU AND A BUSINESSMAN, I WILL BUILT
ROADS, BRIDGES, HOUSES AND BUILDINGS NOT ONLY HERE IN THE PHILS.
BUT ALL OVER THE WORLD.

AS A BUSINESSMAN, I WILL BUILT MY OWN COMPANY
AND A SCHOOL FOR THE POOR CHILDREN, THAT DOESN'T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO PAY TUITIONS.

AM I GOOD DAD? THAT'S MY ATTIRE YESTERDAY. DO I LOOK GOOD?

Shoutout from Dubai

I started on my new job April 10 this year. Have accepted this job/role as a Senior QS for Dubai Festival City LLC Commercial Management Services. I hope my previous job as Project Controls Manager (Intel Corp) and the experience/learnings I got from that, would help me perform satisfactorily here. My role would be heavily engaged in contracts administration/management and blended with the construction finance/project controls element of managing projects for the Owner.

DFC is part of the Al Futtaim Group of Companies...who's into property, construction, retail brands, etc.

I am part of the Commercial Team (Hospitality) where our small group of 3 Sr. QS and 1 Portfolio Commercial Manager (PCM) will manage the ongoing and proposed Hotel developments; its a multi-cultural team of Pinoy (me), the other Sr. QSs are a Briton and a Malaysian, and the boss PCM is Australian.

Great hotel brand names like the completed Crowne Plaza, ongoing Intercon and upcoming W Hotel and the Four Seasons. I would be involved with the Four Seasons Hotel and Residential Towers Development (ballpark half-million $ in Total Cash Development Budget). See artist's perspective above.

As a first timer Pinoy Expat/OFW, I would consider myself blessed (thank you Lord God - the Ultimate Master Project Planner of our lives) or fortunate because the package was above industry.

I've spoken to some of our Consultants here and it is still the industry rule of thumb -- if you haven't been to the Middle East or haven't got the international exposure, you're considered normally "zero" work experience. But again there can be exceptions -- me and my "batchmates" were all 1st timers OFWs -- but we got a little bit better packages than average, I believe.

I do know some other friends or former colleagues who got even better packages -- mostly those involved in Oil and Gas industry or lucky enough to land jobs with big name firms like Shell, Qatar Petroleum, etc. Their family status benefits for example provide for free schooling for the Expat's children in international schools. In my case, the kid's school fees would come out from my salary and not as a "top-off" benefit.

I guess that would do for starters. As I said, I consider myself lucky enough as it is.

The only other tough part of being away -- is being AWAY!

Homesickness can be pretty hard to dispel...and as we changed plans for the timing of my wife/kid's transfer here (we decided for CJ to complete the schoolyear in Phils until April next year). When I take my annual vacation, I'd be coming back to Dubai around May 08 with family in tow...and then Dubai school year starts off in September 08. I may get them to visit around December this year (nice time of the year in Dubai...cool weather then, and many promotional sales for shopping).

Some pics from CJ's shool recognition...he placed top # 1 across 300 grade 1 students...wow, parang "300" the movie, CJ is Little Leonidus...but the battle is in the form of the pencil (academics)...these pictures and great news truly quell homesickness pang (or perhaps makes it worst and makes me want to go home now?)

(L-R) Cousin Tin-Tin, Lola Inah (Baby's mother), CJ, Baby, and Lola Cris (my mom)

Next time...I'd post some pics from Dubai, our office, and the site...

Frat Ball Culminates Tau Alpha's 75th Year Anniversary

Resplendent in Barong Tagalog, Coat and Tie

...What a sight! Some 300+ (is the number right Brod Romy Nones?) Tau Alphans flocked to the Rockwell Tent (Makati City) on the evening of February 24, 2007 to culminate the 9-day Diamond Jubillee celebration.

Shaking hands with Brods (from Young Residents to Senior Alumni of all decades) and reuniting with Contemporaries we haven't seen in a while...I couldn't help look back to the not-so-distant 80s college years when standard or popular outfit was a White Hanes T-shirt or Frat Shirt, maong, and sockless Robertsons sneakers (one of the more affordable brands then) and a Frat Jacket. But tonight, every brod was dapper in their Barong or Coat&Tie.

(L-R) Jeff Sinco '87, Arns Jara '87, Jolly Vir Benitez '93, Gerry Bicomong '90, Boyet Damot '86

(L-R) Boyet Damot '86, Mrs. Baby Damot, Mrs. Josephine Sinco, Jeff Sinco '87

A little trivia...Josephine is Aunt to ABS-CBN's Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition Grand Winner "Kim Chui"...Jeff says Josephine bought ALL PBB text-vote pre-paid cards in a CEBU store to ensure Kim gets a good lead...seems it worked!

Tau Alphans join in song - "Tau Alpha in my Heart" composed by Herbie Rosales '61

Hey...an official CD commemorating the 75th anniversary was distributed that night which includes this song plus other tracks...Some tracks were recorded last year by the Tau Alpha Singers (Val Valiente '60, Herbie Rosales '61, Jun Mongcopa '63, Louie Tiongson '69, June Palugod '89, Ed Noveras '90, and Boyet Damot '86).

One of the opening highlights include the entry of the ARGO...

Jeff is one of the Onofre Banson Awardees...given to those brods with great achievements in the Private Sector...Jeff owns/manages one of the leading hardware/construction materials business outfits in CEBU and is the Philippine exclusive distributor of Armourwood.

Other highlights include the stand-up comedy act of Willie Nepomuceno (himself a UP Fratman - Beta Sigma) who took the audience on a comic and nostalgic trip down memory lane...and of course, doing his well known impersonation of President ERAP...as Erap's brother Brod Jessie Ejercito '57 gamely watched.

I was not able to take photo's of Willie's act...

Tau Alpha Family Picnic - Ayala Greenfield Clubhouse February 18, 2007

TAU ALPHA Welcome Banner at the Ayala Greenfield Estates Clubhouse

My family arrived around 10:30am and we're late for the Sunday Mass...a lot of brods and their families were already registered...and the Hosts (Batch 50s) were wearing fancy barbecue aprons with "Hug your Hosts!" and the frat seal printed on them...We arrived at the same time as Herbie Rosales who brought his two lovely daughters and his trusted guitar...Herbie led the brods to most of the Alphan singing that day.

Other Brods who I noticed came in even much later (but still making it to the great Pinoy Fare Lunch of Roasted Calf, Bangus, Lechon, Alimasag...) were Freddie Raymundo, Soc Verayo, Ariel Corpuz, Carlie Recio 2, Mike de Guzman, June Palugod, Lionel Leonen...the attendance level was good but too bad there are not as much 80s and 90s brods as expected...with a good number actually based outside Phils.

Mr. Boyet Damot 86a (me!) and my one and only Kumander-in-Chief, Mrs. Baby Damot.

This was the first FRAT family picnic I joined and great to see a lot of Alphan wives, kids...truly making Tau Alpha celebrations a family affair...makes it easier to convince the wife on "liberty pass" or "permits" for future Alphan gatherings (like the Monday Feb 19, 2007 Alphan Stag...har-har!)...

Introducing
Carl "Jason" (batch 2017!)

there are other Alphan kids (boys) named "Jason" (there's Soc Verayo's kid as well)...its not unlikely that the Resident Alphans circa 2015-1020 will have several "Jasons"...and hopefully more 2nd generation and third generation Alphans...





CJ Damot and Happy Jara

My son made new friends...and # 1 best friend of the day is Brod Arns Jara's daughter.

The Picnic was a hit not only to the grown-ups but also to the kids (read: sa mga bata at sa mga "isip bata"! he-he).

Seriously, more and more Alphan gatherings like this makes it more probable to have 2nd/3rd generation Alphans in the future.

CJ says he'd want to be a Tau Alphan! Batchmate is Carli Recio III...right Brod Carli Dos?

The Clubhouse have an infinity pool and a kids pool...the kids of Carli Recio Jr and Ray Botardo were among those who had a great time with CJ and Happy at the pool (you can't stop the kids from jumping in given the hot midday sun that day)

Here's the Father-Son, Father-Daughter pic...would've been great if the other 80s brods managed to attend with their wives/kids in tow! And have pictures taken for future Alphans and Alphanettes...then blast off to 10years in the future and we'd have a great group picture of our Kids as Resident Alphans and Alphanettes (assuming we still are Phil-based and the kids are enrolled in Peyups!)

Group Pictures

(L-R) Soc Verayo (hey...he's running for Councilman in Paranaque this coming elections), Arns Jara, June Palugod, Boyet Damot

June and Me posing with other senior brods...(Roger Madrigal is on center with red shirt)...Roger was quite a storyteller and shared some funny anecdotes at our table...to the amusement of Mrs. Damot and Mrs. Leonen... the trademark Alphan humor everywhere, from Tony Marty's usual comic hosting, the brods mini-olympics, and "name that tune" contest.

More PICs - CFG Climbs TAAL Volcano Dec 15, 06

CFG Team on Taal Volcano Top

The "Horse" did not make it.

You can see the horse and understand WHY it didn't make it below in previous posting.

POCAHONTAS

Thien (CMS)

1 Hour and 30mins climb to Burn Calories

10minutes and Quarter Pounder Mcdonald's to bring it back...then wash it down with Cold Buko (Coconut) Juice straight from the coconut shell!

Evening at the Days Hotel - Tagaytay City

Who said the volcano climb will suck out our energy?

Several San Miguel Lights/Pale Pilsens later and everyone's grabbing the microphone. Hey, we got even Rebecca Cohen and Mike De Muro belting out their favorites.

Cimbing Taal Volcano, Superman, More Pics

Here's more pics from our Taal Volcano climb last Dec 15...

Beach Landing at Taal Island

(L-R) KJ Ong, Leah, Thien,Darwin, ME, Lourdes

(Behind) Mike de Muro, Emir

("Superman" is Leo) - Leo wanted to complete his outfit by donning his cape and wear his red briefs outside his pants. That would have drove all the island inhabitants out to Manila...and we swore we would end up leaving Leo on the island! :)

Midway Checkpoint: Superman Leo, Lourdes, Orly (rightmost) with MY folks

When the Going Gets Tough... Leah and Superman LEO on a rented horse. Poor Horse! This is the 2nd one as the first horse bucked Leah/Leo off...I heard Leah's facing a lawsuit for "property damage" from the Horse Owner.

View from the TOP - the top is actually the "rim" of the Volcano Crater (backdrop) with a pool of water (looks like a lake within the volcano which is within the lake!)...

The CFG Amazing Race or How We Conquered Taal Volcano

The air was crisp and cool on the morning of December 15 as spirited men (and women) of the Cavite CFG assembled for the day's Teambuilding Event.

This year's version of the CFG Christmas Party took a different turn as we decided to climb the Taal Volcano (the world's smallest, active, and in the middle of the freshwater Taal Lake - those who have visited CV and had lunch in Tagaytay are familiar with this volcano as it is a magnificant sight from any of the overlooking restos; Taal is about 2hour drive from Intel CV plus a boat ride).

Joining us on this trek are the East Asia RPC (Schaeffer, Lo, De Muro) and some Intel Malaysia visitors, KJ Ong, Clement Lee, and the other MY Interstitial Benchmarking Team members (Neoh, Muniandy, SK Lim).

First Stop was the Taal Lake Yacht Club where we hired 4 motorized bancas (as renting a Yacht was a pipe dream for our budget)...and this set the mood for ala-Amazing Race.


Our team - Me, Leah, Bong (CMS), Thien (CMS), and Darwin (CSC) took the boat "Palikero" (Pinoy term for playboy)...and true to form, our boat took the lead and we hit land first. Hey, our boat even had sirens wailing as we sped past the other boats.
















Picture right...Me, Lourdes (CSC Admin),
and Bong Briones (CMS).



Picture below...Thien, Leah, Darwin

"The Allied Forces making Beach Landing on Taal Island" - Conor, Mark, Steve, Rebecca...and TI PM Orly Longakit acting as helmsman.

Merry Christmas!

More Pics to Follow on the next Posting...!