In the light of all the name calling of people reacting to early election results (with Grace Poe and Nancy Binay in top 12), I’d like to share how I’ve learned to use the word “bobo”.

We’ve heard the word “bobo” since we were kids, maybe some of us even heard it from our parents or teachers. It probably dates back to the time of our conquistadors, calling us “bobo” or “indio” to keep us subordinate and make us feel unworthy.

I’ve learned a powerful reframe of “bobo”. Let me share this story.

Walang bobo

I was fitting my barong at SM Makati a week before my wedding. Right outside the cubicle was a seamstress and her friend.

I overheared the seamstress telling her friend with much conviction: “Bobo kasi ako, eh.”

I don’t know really what they were talking about. But after she repeated her “Bobo” declaration, I just couldn’t resist, I blurted out from the anonymity of my cubicle: “Sino’ng bobo? Sino ang nagsabi?”

They ladies laughed when they realized somebody could hear their conversation. When I came out of the cubicle, and in my dashing barong tagalog too, I looked at the seamstress straight in the eye and asked her: “Sino’ng bobo?”

She replied with a confident smile and with conviction: “Ako po.”

I told her in a reassuring voice: “Hindi ka bobo. Iba lang ang iyong talino.”

I continued: “Kaya ka nagta-trabaho dito dahil mayroon kang angking talino. Tulad ng pag-gamit ng sewing machine, ako hindi ako marunong niyan, ikaw matalino ka diyan. At may halaga ang ginagawa mo, kaya ka binibigyan ng sahod dahil sa talino mo sa sewing machine.”

The seamstress was a bit embarrassed with my correction, but she flashed a glowing smile and told her friend: “Oo nga, ‘no? Si sir talaga.” (I almost heard her say “Si Ser Chief talaga!”)

A few days later, I returned to the same fitting room and there she was again, the seamstress. When she saw me, she greeted me with a smile and told me: “Sir! Hindi po ako bobo! Iba lang ang aking talino!”

Walang bobo. Iba lang ang kanilang talino. “In Smokey Mountain, Tondo, a man uses a refrigerator door as his boat and pieces of plywood as his oars to gather plastic on a fetid river, which he would later sell to junk shops.” Photo via: www.bulatlat.com

Stop calling people “bobo”.
Have enough self-respect to respect other people’s innate talent, intelligence and worth.

Walang bobo. Iba lang ang kanilang talino. ;-)
For this powerful reframe, I’d like to thank my friend and mentor, Carelle Mangaliag. 

1-2-3 clap! “At your service!”

edWIN

Photo credit: Garbage Collector via www.bulatlat.com

Thanks for sharing!

I’m browsing through the social networks, and reading how some respectable friends are bashing Nancy Binay, Grace Poe or any other candidate who they feel do not deserve to win.

My friends, that’s how a democracy works. If some candidates you abhor are winning, that just means other Filipinos voted for the candidate. That’s all. Let’s respect that.

I feel bad because people I respect have allowed the bashing, have become part of the bullying. I see the insults and jokes spreading through tweets, fb, photos, memes.

Yes, maybe some are funny — I was laughing out loud at some memes. LOL! And when I think about the memes, I realize it’s actually MEAN. I decided to stop and call it FOUL! It’s cyber-bullying. FOUL! I’m calling it FOUL!

People don’t even realize how disrespectful it is. When we lash out insults at people, we actually reflect our own humane-ness or lack of it.

• Each time we call Nancy “negra”, we allow racism to spread within our very own race. Imagine how all dark-colored Filipinos are feeling when they see how Nancy is being ridiculed for her complexion. 
• Each time we call other fellow-Filipinos “bobo”, we are labeling our own countrymen, forgetting that we are one and the same people. Ang tatalino natin sa facebook, pero ganun ba talaga ka-baba ang tingin natin sa kapwa Pilipino?
• Each time we accuse others blindly of “mandaraya!”, we wash our hands and deny ourselves the role of keeping the elections clean. I’m placing my bets, I’d like to believe this election is the cleanest elections we’ve had in our history.
• When our kids hear us treat other people with disrespect, our kids will think it’s okay to call their playmates: “negra” or “bobo” or “mandaraya”.

My appeal: Let’s stop the bashing. Let’s stop the prejudice. Let’s stop the cyber-bullying. 

Let’s show our children what it means to be respectful of our democracy, respectful of Filipinos, respectful of ourselves.

What we need is RESPECT.
Respect for our democracy.
Respect for our process.
Respect for the candidates, both winning and losing.
Respect for the Filipinos, even if the majority’s voice is different from ours.

This is our collective voice struggling to be heard.
Let’s allow it to speak, and let’s respect it.

#RespetoLangPo #RespetoJuan #RespetoPilipino

Ka Edong
Filipino

p.s. Here’s a powerful video that shows how our actions impact the world-view of our children.

Photo credits: Mommysaurus75

Thanks for sharing!

I dedicate this article to my mom, Flordeliz “Flor” Sabolboro-Soriano. Known as “Baby” or “Babes” to her friends and relatives, known as “mom” or “ma” or “mother” to me and my siblings.

I first met my mom when I was born ;-) . She was 34 when she gave birth to me. I was the youngest of 4 siblings.

I was very close to my mom. I remember many childhood days when it was only me and mom at home while my siblings were at school and dad was at the clinic. Those were fun times for me just being with mom, helping her with house chores, cooking, sweeping the floors.

I remember helping her in the kitchen as she baked some of our favorite banana cakes or fruitcakes. I remember looking forward to licking the batter from the baking utensils. (Ooops, that might have been a secret between mom and I — otherwise, dad might say: “That’s unsanitary!”)

Let me share some things I learned from my mom as I was growing up.

No matter how messy it gets,
We can make it good, better or best. 

I remember coming back from a family trip to Batangas when I was around 6 years old. Passing through Tagaytay, we dropped by the fruit stands where mom negotiated her way into the best discounts that the vendors could give. We went home with oh so many fruits that mom looooved. We had bananas, mangoes, papaya, and what fruit is this, langka! It could have been my first time to see what a langka fruit looked like. It was huge, bigger than any of the fruits I knew of before.

So one afternoon at our home in Baguio, while everybody was taking their afternoon siesta, I decided to get further acquainted with the langka fruit. It was huge! It must have been as big as a bedroom pillow. It was sitting in our kitchen counter, cut in half revealing its sweet yellow juicy meat, and some of the white and brown seeds amidst the mesh of stringy white pulp.

My curiosity got the better of me and I started playing with this gooey stuff from the langka fruit.

My small dainty hands gravitated towards the fruit. And then I learned how sticky the sap of langka could get. My curiosity got the better of me and I started playing with this gooey stuff from the langka fruit. Before I knew it, both my hands were engulfed with the sticky sap. When I clasped my hands, they’d get stuck together.

I didn’t know what to do, my curiosity and playfullness turned into an escalating panic as I knew that it was just a matter of time that my mom would wake up and discover what I had done! (cue: suspense-thriller music).

When finally my mom discovered what I had done, she got a piece of cotton and some baby oil. I watched as she started melting away the gooey stuff with oil on cotton. With her gentle hands clasping mine, she rubbed away the sap from my hands.

No matter how messy it gets,
we can make it good, better or best.

And then something happened. I had so much sap in my hands. We were barely half way with cleaning my hands when our bottle of baby oil went dry! hahahaha!

What did mom do? Like McGyver, she improvised! She went to her sewing machine, opened the tool box and got the machine oil! And then she continued cleaning my hands with the sewing machine oil.

My mom showed me that in life, I could make a mess of myself, I could make mistakes (and we will make mistakes). I just need to remember that I can make things better, one way or another. With baby oil, or machine oil, or kahit ano pa mang klaseng oil — anything and everything, oil things end well when we focus on doing good, making things better.

She cleaned up the rest of the sap from my hands with the sewing machine oil. Then topped it off by washing my hands gently with soap and water from a tabo. Without saying a word, my mom showed me how much she loved me despite the mess I make.

I realize now that I started to learn forgiveness from my mom. Oh forgiveness. So many things to write about forgiveness. I’ll reserve that for another article.

I also realize now that I got that eye for improvement from my mom. I’m the type of person that’s always looking for ways to improve myself. Likewise, I’m always in the lookout for ways to improve other things. Mahilig akong mag-suggest ng improvements, sa guard, sa bangko, sa resto, sa store. I’m the type who praises good when I see good, and I also say so when there’s something that can be improved.

Mothers know everything!

The past years, I realized also that my mother truly knows everything! I would be amazed at how much she knows about my, my health, what’s on my mind, what’s up with my aching heart. Just thinking about it now, the reason I feel as if my mom knows everything is: she knows what’s eating me and she knows what’s best for me.

My mom doesn’t really know everything. But she knows what matters. And that’s what matters.  

I know I’m in a journey. I know that day by day my good Lord is teaching me how to unleash the great person He has called me to be, to pursue the dreams He has planted in our hearts. And he gave me to my mother because the Lord knew it was my mother who can nurture me into the person I am.

We can make things better. My mom did. She wasn’t satisfied with just three kids. So she had me, and life was bliss! hahaha! :D

Here’s my mom, making my bouttoniere better, so that I’m a more gwapo groom. :-)

To my mother, Flordeliz Flor Sabolboro Soriano ,
my first teacher, the one who showed me what LOVE is;
I thank the Lord for choosing me to be my mother’s son!
I love you mom!

Love,
EdWIN

Photo credits: 

• Langka: Domestic Urbanite
• Hands: Visualphotos.com
• Mother and Groom: photo by Bob Guerrero

Thanks for sharing!

Ever since I married Rezza, the girl of my dreams, our friends started asking us a new set of common questions.

I just love telling people how things are with me and Rezza. I enjoy sharing the blessing of marriage, the joy of marriage.

So here it is, my answers to three of the most frequently asked questions as newly weds.

Frequently Asked Question #1: How’s married life?

Wonderful! I feel we’re just getting all warmed up for a wonderful lifetime journey. We haven’t really had our honeymoon. I’m really looking forward to our trip to Cambodia. That’s the time we’ll be able to just get lost and be only with each other, discovering the place and discovering each other.

I always tell friends that it’s totally wonderful being with a partner who is heading in the same direction in life. Both Rezza and I are teachers at heart. We both want to influence people through teaching/training. It’s wonderful just really being aligned with where we want to go. Even if we’re different people with different ways, we both know that we’re going in the same direction.

God’s Love is new every morning.
My Love for God and my Love for Rezza is new every morning.

Oh we do have our disagreements. What is totally helping me is accepting that we will always have differences. It always boils down to this: If it’s very important to Rezza, I give in. There are very few things that I would insist on doing things my way. Right now, I can’t think of anything.

Sometimes Rezza still gets annoyed with how I drive. That’s fine, I tell her. We are two different drivers and we drive differently and that all good. We’re heading to the same place, anyway. Many ways to get there. What matters is we get to our destination, whole and still very much in love.

Frequently Asked Question #2: Is it any different?

Yes, it honestly is very different. Rezza and I have spent a whole lot of time together the past two years. Whooooole loooot of time together. So what’s different after the wedding?

For me, what was different was having the blessing of God, our parents, our family and our friends at our wedding.

When I was at the altar during our wedding, and with Rezza on my left side, both of us kneeling on the pew, I looked up and saw a painting of Jesus on the ceiling of the beautiful church. And I felt how blessed I was to have Rezza beside me, taking this vow of lifetime partnership.

I was reminded of what we learned from our Ninong Jun and Ninang Liza. Our relationship is like a triangle with God on the top corner and each spouse on the lower corners of the triangle. As I draw closer to God, and as Rezza draws closer to God, we (Rezza and I) get closer to each other.

Blessed Love Triangle: The Lord above, Edwin and Rezza alongside each other. When Rezza and I grow closer to God, we grow closer to to one another. Yey! (photo by: bff Jorey Guzman)

I had that image in mind when I was at the altar. And I could totally feel God’s love for me as He gave me the gift that was my wife, Rezza. Gift of wife, gift of life! :-)

It is different now because I feel how blessed Rezza and I are by our family and friends. It was like sealing the deal.

Actually, I feel Rezza and I got married na way back in October 2010 when we chose to be a couple. I feel we got married na after I proposed. I feel that we had given ourselves to each other as lifetime partners. And anything else that we were building the past two years and the past months since our engagement — I feel this was just reconfirming our commitment to each other. I feel this was sharing our bond with our God, with our families and our friends.

Yes. It made me realize, actually, how special it is to celebrate our marriage with family and friends. I just really felt the outpour of love for Rezza and I. It’s hard to describe, really. It’s just like being embraced with a blanket of love from all who were present and even those who weren’t there and just sent their greetings and prayers and blessings. It was like one long and warm group hug. And I just totally celebrated it and received the love like a child frolicking in a sea of blessings.

Is it any different after the wedding? Absolutely! It’s like day 1 everyday. Everyday a new day to move forward on our life journey ;-) .

Frequently Asked Question #3: Baby Agad?

Yes, baby agad. Rezza and I are eager to be taking care of little ones. We both know we’re called to be parents. In God’s perfect time, we would love to be taking care of little ones. Twins even, if God wills! ;-) .

I know it’s just been over a month since our wedding. I just know how wonderful our life is and will be. And yes, I’m ready for the rough times, I know there will be some.

I just look up to the skies and know that our Good God is blessing Rezza and I with all His love.

Thank You Lord for the gift of marriage, the gift of friendship with Rezza, the gift of service with my lifetime partner.

Filled with Love,

EdWIN

Thanks for sharing!

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow, how time flies!
Rezza and I have been married for only one month and it feels like we’ve known each other for ten years ;-) .

First Monthsary

Incoming search terms:

• quotes about celebrating first monthsary (2)

Thanks for sharing!

I’m amazed at how much this facebook post was appreciated by my friends. ;-) . Sharing here …

Yesterday, I walked past a school as a school bus (jeep) was loading up school boys.

The 20-ish y.o. assistant of the school bus was making fun of passers-by, heckling, gesturing w his hands and hips, making offensive remarks toward female pedestrians passing right in front of him. He thought it was funny. Some kids laughed along.

The women pedestrians just ignored him. I, on the other hand, couldn’t take it.

I looked at the heckler straight in his eyes.
I told him: “Akala mo ba maganda ang ginagawa mo?”
(“Did you think you’re doing something nice?“)

With a smile, I addressed the kids: “Boys, respeto. Alam ninyo kung ano ang nakaka-sakit, at kung ano ang nakaka-buti.”
(“Boys, respect. You know what’s harmful, you know what’s good.”)

Then, I walked away and let go. :-)

Recalling the look in the heckler’s eyes, I got a glimpse of my self. I know what it’s like to be “funny” for the approval of peers, and at the expense of others. I was like that before.

I’m learning now that respect is a big word to live by.

Lack of respect for others is a lack of respect for our self and the God in us.

edWIN

“The Respect you give others is a dramatic reflection of the respect you give yourself.” – Robin Sharma
Photo credits: www.RobinSharma.com

Note: Originally posted on facebook on Feb 19, 2013 . 

Incoming search terms:

• lack of respect (3)

Thanks for sharing!

Re-connecting with my friend from circa 2009, I wrote:

“What I remember most, my friend is how I described how unbelievable it was for me to forgive. I described it as “Hindi pang-tao”. I realize I was resisting, denying as if I was not worthy of this blessing of forgiveness back then.

I realize now it is by God’s grace. And that He taught me how much He loves me, even when I found it hard to forgive and love myself. ”

- EdWIN Soriano

Note: This post originally published on facebook on Feb 22, 2013

Thanks for sharing!

As I walked across Makati to my next meeting, I brought along two books from my collection. I said a prayer and knew in my heart that I will meet the rightful next owner of the books.

As I walked, I imagined that the owners would be suuuuper blessed by the gift. As if I was giving hundred dollar bills :-).

No need to *ask* them if they wanted or needed A book. My heart would know who to give to.

First was a manang vendor maybe 60 years old, wrinkled face, sitting in the same place selling cigarettes. I had seen countless times, crouched on her makeshift chair, reading *English* novels. Classics, in fact. When I approached her and gave a book with a violet note saying: “A Gift for You!”, she was totally deeeelighted! Her eyes, though they seemed weak and tired, they exuded gratitude.

A simple anonymous unconditional gift from a stranger.

I smiled back, asked her her name . Olivia. I acknowledged her name: “Nanay Olivia” and walked away with a smile :-).

Who’s next? 

I walked on through Salcedo Village. I wasn’t sure who would own the 2nd book. Guard, messenger, yaya, foreigner, man in coat? I just knew to follow my heart and not my brain.

After a short walk, there she was, in front of me. I could only see her back and the white phone she had in her left hand. In a pink pencil cut dress and a brown blouse, maybe 23 years old, hair dyed with a shade of red. We were waiting to cross Valero toward Ayala Triangle.

When the pedestrian light turned green, she started to cross … and started texting. I waited for her to reach the other side and complete her text.

When she was done, still walking along the pavement,
I said “Hi, this gift is for you.”

She said “Bakit po?” (Why?)
I replied with a smile: “A voice told me it’s you who will own this.”
She asked again: “Bakit?”
I said still smiling: “It’s yours, no strings attached.”

She was obviously taken aback, wondering what was up. I walked ahead of her leaving it at that, leaving her with the book. She probably realized the gift was for real, no strings attached. I heard her holler: “Ano po name niyo?” (What’s your name?)

I told her my name, she told me her name: “Ma-Faye”.
With a look of wonderment, she just said: “Thank you po talaga!”
I smiled back and said “You’re welcome!”

Some people find it hard receiving blessings. I myself am working on being a grateful receiver.

I am a generous giver!
I am a grateful receiver!

Thank You Lord!

edWIN

Note: This article was originally posted on facebook, January 29, 2013

Incoming search terms:

• generosity in the two towers (1)

Thanks for sharing!

Dear Friends,

As I look back at 2012, I feel very blessed with so much love and growth.
I thank you, my friends, for being part of my life, whether near or far.

Among my many blessings this year, hands down – being engaged to my best friend Rezza is my biggest blessings this year. ;-)
We are blessed to have family and friends who shower us with love and support for our relationship! Wahoo!

EdWIN and Rezza: Engaged in Teaching, Growing and Praising the Lord with our life

My blessings this year also includes:

• Creating memories with my family in Australia and Baguio
• Creating Kick-Ass Innovations and programs through Team Planu
• Volunteering with online rescue/relief work for Habagat and Pablo via www.RescuePH.com
• Coaching for the Starshooters program SST87
• Learning and serving some at The Feast, Easter Retreat, Light Thursdays and the Kerygma Conference
• Prospering through The Money Summit, TrulyRich Club, COL Finance, IMG, selling my Cavite house
• Speaking at various events especially SanHack Baguio and Maynilad Business Conference
• Learning and teaching through PSI, e-Learning Edge CDM, Train Station and Next Step
• Reflecting with morning pages, blogging, reading the bible
• Reconnecting with friends, making new friends

And as we’re getting ready for greater things in 2013, I want to share three gifts, things I’m learning along the way.

Respect
Respect is acknowledging that I can disagree with you and still be a friend who will never harm you.
Respect is expressing myself knowing that other people will not agree with me, and that’s okay.

Humility
Humility paves the way for growth.
By being humble enough to just listen and be open without the need to be right, I have allowed my heart and soul to grow.
I am more resilient because I take feedback not as an attack. Feedback is a lesson to learn from.
When I feel irritated by what I’m experiencing, I reflect: “What can I learn from my annoyance?”

It’s not about me / It’s not about you
It’s not about me. When I put my God in the middle of everything I do, I am God’s servant.
I praise the Lord in what I learn, what I teach, what I write, what I do.

May we rejoice in the blessings of 2012.
May the good Lord bless you and your family in 2013.
Have a meaningful Christmas!

Love,

edWIN

2012 in Photos:

The Sorianos (and Rezza) spent time with the Brillantes in Australia at the start of 2012. Precious Moments! Thanks Atchi!

Planu believes in lasting ideas that provide value and positive change.

Thanks for sharing!

Christmas na, and I’m reviewing my 2012, getting ready for bigger things in 2013!

I am blessed this year through my finances.
Rezza and I started investing in the Stock Market middle of 2012.
And we’re growing our nest fund, knowing that with enough discipline, we’ll be millionaires in due time — sooner than later!
It’s exciting to wake up in the morning and be asking myself: “What stock shall I buy today?”

Financial Adviser Mike Vinas of COL Finance

In a way, I feel like Warren Buffet or Donald Trump;-) .
And I’m happy I have the guidance from a person I trust, a person who aims to prosper me and help me grow – Bo Sanchez.
Through the Truly Rich Club of Bo, I get regular Stock Updates from Bo Sanchez and his team of financial advisers and stock analysts including Dean Pax Lapid (Lapid’s Chicharon), Edward Lee (COL Finance) and Mike Vinas (COL Finance). The newsletter educates me about the Stock Market and gives me advise on what stocks to buy. Saya!

It’s a wonderful growth opportunity and I want to share it with you ;-) .
Would you want to grow your finances?
Would you like to have more meaning in your financial life?
Wouldn’t it be great to be helping other people through your own finances?
Prosper yourself, so you can help others more!

Have a meaningful Christmas!

edWIN

p.s. If you haven’t done so yet, make sure you read “My Maid Invests in the Stock Market and Why you should too!”
Grab a copy now!

Edwin’s Purpose in Life:
“To help more, thus be more.”
As I help more, I become more of the person our God has created me to be.
As I become more of that person, I am able to help more of God’s people.

From Bo Sanchez:

How Much Did Your Money Grow In 2012?

If you put your money in a bank savings account, it grew by 1%. Actually, if you really want to be specific about it, it grew by 0.75% MINUS 20% withholding tax.
So you earned something next to…uh…air.
Okay, with some dust particles.
But not my 5000+ TrulyRichClub Members.

I taught them how to invest in the Stock Market. And this year, they grew their money by 20%, 30%, 40%…. (The differences largely depended on what specific Stock they bought in my list of recommended Stocks.)
They’re extremely happy. How happy? When they see me in the mall or on the road, they rush to me and hug me tight. But when they say, “Bo, I’m a TrulyRichClub Member…” I know why they’re hugging me.
Because I just made them richer in 2012.

I can’t make promises that the same thing will happen next year. Because anything can happen—a comet hitting planet earth, or World War III breaks out, or, shucks, we get an alien invasion from the next galaxy.
But this is what I will promise: I’ll be committed and strive my very best to make them richer again in 2013.

Today, I’m not writing to everybody.I’m specifically writing to people who want to grow their financial life—and who want my guidance in investing in the Stock Market.
Are you tired of being stuck in a rut in your finances?
Are you tired of your lingering debts?
Are you tired of feeling the pain of wanting to help people you love, but can’t, because you don’t have the resources?
Are you tired of your big fears and uncertainty?
Are you tired of working very hard everyday, only to realize that you don’t really have any savings for your future?
Just in case you’re that person, let me help you.

To know more about my TrulyRichClub, click the link below:
Yes Bo, teach me how to grow my money in 2013;
Tell me more about the TrulyRichClub

May your dreams come true,

Bo Sanchez
PS. By the way, the TrulyRichClub isn’t just about Stock Market investing. That’s only one part. In the TrulyRichClub, aside from teaching people how to grow in their financial life, I also teach people how to grow in their spiritual life. For what’s the use of growing in your finances if you lose your soul?
To know more about the TrulyRichClub, click the link below:
Yes Bo, teach me how to grow my money in 2013;
Tell me more about the TrulyRichClub

Incoming search terms:

• bo sanchez stock market (18)
• bo sanchez stocks update (7)
• bo sanchez stocks (6)
• edward lee col financial (5)
• colfinance (3)
• bo sanchez financial coaching (3)
• bo sanchez stocks update 2013 (3)
• bo sanchez recommended stocks 2013 (3)
• mike vinas col (2)
• bo sanchez stocks 2013 (2)
• stocks by bo sanchez (2)
• bo sanchez financial (2)
• is bo sanchez good at investing (2)
• stocks update bo sanchez (2)
• mike COL Financial (1)
• Mike Viñas (1)
• how to grow your finances by bo sanchez (1)
• investing in stocks bo sanchez (1)
• how to invest in stock market bo sanchez 2013 (1)
• which stocks to invest in 2013 manila bo sanchez (1)

Thanks for sharing!