BICOL EXPRESS

By J. Irving I am not referring to the spicy Bicolano cuisine that most people associates the term. What I mean is the train trips, where the name was derived, that come and go to Bicol. The travel which skipped small railroad towns and stopped only at six stations in-between Legazpi and Tutuban i.e. Ligao, […]

Mapitagan Golfer a.k.a. “MG”

By J. Irving The monument you see is composed of 111 boulders, cemented together as one, representing every member of the PMA Mapitagan class of 1980 (to include graduates of US service academies), men of Courage-Integrity-Loyalty, honed, in the course of time, to be rock solid, bonding together with one another, to signify their unity. […]

High School ‘73 Golden Reunion

This was my Opening Remarks for the Golden Jubilee Reunion: Thank you Father Francis for welcoming us in this 320-year old beautiful casa de clerigos, or house of clerics! Dear guests, classmates, mga sano: marhay na banggi tabi saindo gabus! For those who do not know me, I am General Rey Lomeda, Army, Retired, a […]

The PMA Seal

The seal of the Corps reflects the psyche, the aspirations, the unit pride, the cultural dignity and the ideals of the Cadets and the Officers of PMA expressed in an artistic form called HERALDRY. A. THE HELMET The decidedly enviable position it holds certainly bespeaks of the loftly military ideals of Courage, Loyalty and Integrity […]

Lost in Translation

By J. Irving There was a not-so-old lady from Manila who arrived at the YVR-Vancouver Airport. She successfully passed the immigration already by scanning her Permanent Residency Card (PRC) at the kiosk and then, by showing her receipt at the Immigration Officer at the end of the exit line that led to the baggage carousel […]

THE BROTHER THAT I KNOW

By J. Irving “Will you make a short narrative of Bucky’s life as legacy for his son especially for his grandchildren? I saw Coco animation Mexican belief that if nobody in your family remembers you even in after death, there is a final death . . . “ From Peachy NESTOR JOSE V. LOMEDA 24 […]

GUNS GOONS GOLD, NO MORE

by J. Irving “Guns, Goons, and Gold” – these are the “3Gs” employed by politicians on gullible voters every election in the Philippines. These three are deeply rooted in the keywords: warlords, dynasties, vote-buying, flying voters, private armies, trapos (traditional politicians) and many more. The nice thing about mentioning them is that I do not […]

The Barong, as Power Dress

Mid-April of 2004, Headquarters TRADOC hosted a dinner reception for the students of the ongoing Command and Staff Course (CSC) 01-04, who were accompanied by their spouses. At this time, disappointments among students were still looming in the air. Due to urgency and time constraints, the course they are taking is condensed and shorter. It […]