Ang Lolo … Bow!

Writing as Gabi (gabimercado.multiply.com)

Si Lolo Pete ay tunay na napakabait

Kahit ako minsan ay super duper kulit.

Mahal na mahal ako ni Lolo, ito ay totoo

Kahit ako ay pilyo at laging paroko-roko.

Buntong hininga niya'y lagi kong ginagaya

Tuloy si Maman at Wowa, tawa na lang nang tawa.

Itong maginoong ‘to na mula pa sa Malolos

Tahimik, simple at tunay na nagmamahal sa Diyos.

Payo niya parati ay “huwag padalos dalos”

Lahat ng mga problema namin kanyang laging tinutubos.

Maraming salamat, Lolo Pete, sa tuloy na patnubay

Idolo kita sa tamang pamumuhay.

Malugod na pagbati sa inyong kaarawan

Nawa’y manahin ko sa ‘yo ang mga bukod tangi mong katangian.

Lolo Pete is Jose R. Tengco, Jr., Gabi's maternal great grandfather. He celebrated his 78th birthday last 29 December 2007.

Tengco ... Tengco ... Ang Babait Ninyo. Tengco!

Writing as Gabi (gabimercado.multiply.com)

We had Christmas day lunch in Lolo Pete and Maman Zeny's house in New Manila.

For the first time in two years, everyone was present!

Wowa Corina, Mommy Patty, Nanang Paola, Tito Anton and Tito Miguel and Papa were present.

Wowa is the Ate of the family and Lolo Pete's trusted lieutenant. She takes care of everything! From Max's to Legacy to Villa Desta and more. Even to maintaining the houses in New Manila, Tagaytay, Rada and Malolos.

Wowa and Papa have similar jobs. Both are COOs of their respective families. COOs? Not Chief Operating Officer … Child of Owner!

Both are prone to stress. Both worry themselves silly. Both pressure themselves needlessly.

And like I always tell my Papa when he comes home ranting to Mommy about work-related problems ... "Relax, Wowa. Relax!"

Wowa's siblings and their families were present too.

Tita Mia was present!

My Tita Mia is cool. My Mommy says that she is a celebrity, lead singer of hit band Wake Up Your Seatmate. And she's a friend of my Tito Baba Gabe. So I guess she's famous too.

But to me, she'll always be Cuddles' Mommy.

I never got to meet Tita Mia's dad, Lolo Monching, the Kuya of the family. But from all the stories I hear, surely he must have been just as smart and just as cool as Tita Mia.

Lolo Tony, Diko to his siblings, was present too!

Lolo Tony is a health buff. He is always on the thread mill. He is always on a diet and he always tries out the latest weight loss fad. He even convinced Wowa and Mommy to try Xenical! You should try Lolo Tony's regimen, Papa! Might do you good.

Tito Jay, Tita Joanne and Cousin Dani were present too!

Cousin Dani and I are the only two great grandchildren of Lolo and Maman. We are the favorites! That's why we get to sit in front and on their laps too for the traditional picture taking.

Beat that, sipsip Papa!

Lolo Al was present too!

Lolo Al has always been Santa Claus to me. All year round! And to the whole family as well. He is very generous not only with his gifts (which I always look forward to!) but more so with his time and advice, especially to the many who continue to seek his help.

Lola Carla, Tita Amanda, Tito Sandro and my favorite Tito Xabi were present too!

Tito Xabi is my favorite Tito. It certainly helps that he's only a few years older than me. No generation gap between uncle and nephew here. Just as there is no generation gap between Lolo Al and my Papa. My Papa already knew of Lolo Al’s reputation as a funny man in college, as one half of the “Al and Ernest” tandem.

Papa thinks he’s as funny as Lolo Al. Now that’s funny, Papa!

Lolo Louie was present too!

“Louie” and “Lolo” don’t seem to fit. That’s because Lolo Louie is fun! He is the biggest kid I know and I like playing with him. But not with toy guns please! Or at least not when Papa's around. He doesn't want me playing with guns. “Only water guns,” he says... Papa's weird!

Lola Maite, Tita Cara and Tita "Nees-Nees" were present too!

Tita “Nees-Nees” I like. She’s my favorite Tita. Both Papa and I like making her inis. Miss Photogenic, she surely is!

Lola Rosanna was present too!

Lola Rosanna I only get to see once every blue moon. That’s because she and her family live in London. I must admit I did not recognize her when she first arrived a few weeks ago. It was Roger’s and Hammerstein’s “getting to know you” all over again!

But it was certainly worth all the effort. Now I know both sides of Lola Rosanna’s coin: as the soft-spoken pastor's wife and as the Papa-nominated fiercest Tengco woman shopping warrior.

Lola Rene, Tita Hannah, Tita Sarah and Tito David were present too!

Tito David I do remember! He who played football with Papa in the beach. He can probably run rings around Papa now that he’s all grown up.

Just stick to Wii, Papa. Pick your battles. Discretion is the better part of valor. You stand a better chance of beating Tito David in a video tennis court than in a real soccer pitch.

Christmas day lunch was so much fun! Not only because everyone was present but more so because I got plenty, plenty presents!

Thank you, Lolo Pete! Thank you, Maman Zeny! Thank you for the everlasting present of such a wonderful family.

Papa, Mommy and I will always treasure your God-inspired presence.

Affairs as they should be

I claimed my third Starbucks planner two days before Christmas and I'm already half way through my fourth redemption card! By the time this promo's over, I'll probably get two more!

And to think this promo has not necessarily made me increase my Starbucks intake. I have very little practical use for the planner. Not that I am not enamored by the planner's sleek and simple design, mind you. I just prefer planners with no dates and no lines, blank white sheets really and nothing more.

So the planners end up with loved loves who love them but who are not exactly coffee lovers like me. A nice Christmas gift idea indeed.

Having these three planners just makes me realize how much of a Starbucks lover I've become and still am.

I had my first taste of Starbucks in 1995, a red pack of ground coffee sent to me by a North America-based friend. Not love at first sight. The coffee was good, granted. But it was no different I thought from the other imported ground coffee I could get from Rustan's back then.

I had my first Starbucks experience on Robson' in Vancouver in late 1996. I was puzzled at why there were two branches on the same street and almost directly facing each other, intimidated by the baristas shouting out names for unclaimed cups and hypnotized by the smell of freshly brewed coffee.

That was it. I was smitten. The love affair began.

I was there when she first opened in6750 ten years ago. The encounter was just as good as the first time we met more than a year previous. No, it was better. Much better. Having to wait patiently in line behind other ardent suitors makes the pursuit of a love object all the more satisfying.

I followed Starbucks wherever she went. It was my obsession to be among the first to welcome her in her new homes. To Rockwell, to Tomas Morato, to Filinvest Alabang. I was a certified stalker.

And as she became an instant celebrity, her allure more universal, like a wise --- and tired! --- lover, I stepped aside to give way to other more fervent pursuers. The lines became longer. The crowd a lot younger and rowdier.

Now ours is a long distance affair. I still have at least two tall cafe mochas a day which the messenger buys for me from the Starbucks across my office, one in the morning and again when I get back from lunch. I still date her at least once a week, in the Shell station on SLEX, on my way to Forest Club.

And I get to take her home too: a pack of espresso ground House Blend weekly for my early breakfast and late night fix.

And remember that first Starbucks on Tomas Morato? The one that used to be across Alba's and Annabelle's and beside BPI? The one that closed after a few years to give way to the present one just across the street? I now hold office in that same old building. Nostalgic it is to now stay in the same place where we had our early dates.

The love affair continues, albeit at a slower but more satisfying way. It's a match made in caffeine heaven.

Another shot of espresso for me, my dear?

At ARM's length, no more

He was my role model, my demanding boss, my harshest critic, my most patient mentor, my most ardent supporter, my fellow rabid sports fan and in the last years of his life, truly my best friend.

December 27 is my father's birthday. He would have been 74 this year.

Antonio R. Mercado: Tony to friends, Loloy to relatives, ARM to employees and friends in the advertising world, Boss to his farm family, Dad to Mom, An & Boots, Wawel & Mila, Miguel & Aimee, Paolo & Dana, Gabe, Sam and me, and Grand Dad to Therese, Gio, Luis and Rocio.

Diego, Pepi, Beeto and Gabi never got to meet you but they've heard many stories about you and playfully greet your bust in Mom's house.

I love you, Dad. And I most certainly miss you.

I miss the chats. I miss the Circles. I miss your cool sandals. I miss your little notes and text messages. And I miss just quietly sitting beside you in the car or across you at the dinner table.

How I wish you could have met Patty. I remember you saying as you lay in the ICU how you pray that I would meet someone new. Someone younger who would take care of me. You knew I was a "softy" and needed and need to be cared for!.

I found her, Dad. You would have loved Patty!

She loves kids. And your grand kids love her, Therese and Rocio particularly.

She cooks and bakes well and works hard at running the house.

She's a very good mother and a lovely wife.

And she's my new best friend! I love talking to her, after dinner, after Gabi goes to bed. Just making kuwento about anything and everything. Making small talk about politics, life and future plans. Laughing at the corniest jokes. Making chismis about this person and that. Just like we used too! Okay, except maybe for the chismis part.

How I wish you could have met Gabi. He's super kulit but a constant source of joy and thanksgiving.

Like Paolo he's left handed but right brained too! Like Miguel, he's quite active and into sports. Like Wawel, he loves motorcyles (which doesn't please Mom at all!). Like Gabe, he is a showman and loves the attention. Like Mom and An, he loves books and enjoys reading. Like Sam, he can be maarte at times but always wears a charming smile. And like you, he likes mentoring and directing, mimicking his teachers all the time, lining up and lecturing to his toy cars about where to stand and when to sing for their Christmas pageant.

I know I may have caused you pain in the last few years of your life. I was mad, I was proud and I took it out on you. Yes, I deliberately stayed at arm's length from you.

But I will eternally be grateful to God that He gave me another chance and led me back to your warm arms' embrace.

Feliz cumpleanos, Dad. Y un fuerte abrazo de mi parte!

Happy Birthday, Bunso!

Oops, I did it again. Every year I never fail in failing to greet my brother Gabe on his birthday.

Gabe's birthday is on 24 December. And like most others born near or on Christmas itself, Gabe suffers the disadvantage of not being greeted on this birthday and of receiving just one gift --- if at all --- for both occasions.

And yes, I am the number one transgressor. And I did it again this year.

Gabe has always been our bunso. He was born on 24 December 1972, a true Martial Law baby. And for more than seventeen years, until we were gifted with Samantha in June 1990, Gabe was the nino bonito of the Mercado family.

I certainly felt that he was the favorite! Ironic it is that he grew up during the height of the Marcosian rule. I certainly feel that he and my two other younger brothers, Miguel and Paolo, enjoyed more freedoms than us three older ones. (Sorry, An and Wawel, for dragging your names into this!)

Not that I bear any grudges. (Okay, okay ... I used too. But that's normal for any sibling trying to protect his turf, right?)

I basically ignored Gabe as a child.

Miguel, I would enjoy picking on. He would seethe in anger as I constantly made him pikon. Paolo was the butt of my cruel jokes: "It's Carlos P. Romulo! Nerd!."

Gabe ... I didn't even think he was deserving of my bullying.

(Yes, Gabi. Your Papa was a bully. Not to be emulated, mind you. You're going to be a kuya soon. Please don't do onto your sibling what your father did unto his. Amen.)

And yet look at Gabe now. He is a celebrity. My, even the Igorots know him! (Private joke there. Ask Patty for details.)

He is a good and loving father. He is a caring son. And he is an ardent advocate of what remains good in the Filipino.

I am very proud of you, dear bunso. And I love you!

Can you forgive me now? You'd better! Or else ...

Merry Christmas to one and all!

Champion Shoppers, Women All!

Writing as Gabi (gabimercado.multiply.com)

Ever since the doctor asked --- nay, ordered! --- my Mommy to stay home in bed until after the holidays, Papa has had to take over a task that he had always delegated to Mommy: Christmas shopping!

Papa faced the challenge straight on, mustering courage from unknown forces. "To Trinoma and beyond!" was his not too convincing mantra.

He brought me to Trinoma where he left me in my favorite Gymboree while he sailed off, braved the crowds and bought a number of gifts still on Mommy's unfinished Christmas list. You should have seen Papa go, Mommy! The same Papa who hates malls, the same Papa who usually brings a book to a nearby Starbucks where he waits until Mommy has satisfied her shopping itch.

Which mind you, can sometimes take two hours at least. I should know. I usually have two play time sessions in Gymboree or in nearby Kevin's before Mommy comes back to get me.

After an hour and a half, and with still two unbought items on Mommy's list, Papa stumbled back into Gymboree, ready to call it a day. But alas, I wouldn't let him off that easily. I wanted to join the art class and that meant Papa had thirty more precious minutes to spend in the mall!

Being the wise man that he is, Papa ended up in Bubba Gump. Reading a new book he had just purchased, sipping coffee and even trying the cafe's famous Mud Pie! Much to the dismay of course, of his already battered, diabetes-inflicted pancreas.

But to be fair to Mommy, she's the tamest among the Tengco shopping women!

Maman, all 79 years old, can still out pace many a novice shopper, even those a third of her age! My Nanang Paula is another certified long distance shopper. Wowa Corina always says she's not like "that" but still manages to "accompany" her mother, sister or daughters into the madding crowd.

And then there is my Lola Rosanna, who's back home from London on a short vacation. My oh so lovely, meek and mild, Lola Rosanna.

If there's an Iron Man competition for shopping longevity, I will put all my hard-earned piggy bank money on my dear Lola Rosanna. Blimey, she'd scare the socks of all comers before she's done strolling down the line of shops!

Be it in Shenzen, China, Mongkok's night market, 168 in Divisoria, the tiangges of Greenhills, the Ayala malls in Makati or the ubiquitous SM enclaves all over the metro, trust the Tengco women to be at the forefront of all shopping queues.

If only I could fill up a hundred more piggy banks I would put up a Starbucks-like cafe where all temporarily abandoned husbands and boyfriends like Lolo Pete, Wowo, Lolo Rene, Tito Raymond and Papa can just while the time, with good coffee and pleasant company, oblivious to the whereabouts of their warrior partners, unmindful of the time that quickly yet peacefully passes.

Me? I don't mind their shopping. After all, they always get something nice for me! :)

P.S. The picture was taken in Hongkong in December 2005. Notice that all the men are still smiling for the camera. Little did they know that soon after, the warrior women would troop to nearby Mongkok to invade the night market! With their unsuspecting male folk in tow to serve as carriers.

When advertising doesn't pay

On page 115 of the November - December 2007 issue of Adobo Magazine, Nielsen came out with a listing of the top 20 Philippine advertisers for the first nine months of the year.

The adspend listing was not surprising. We are all to familiar with the advertising giants whose shampoos, soaps, milks and cellular phone services dominate the media landscape: Unilever, Proctor & Gamble, Unilab, Colgate Palmolive, Nestle, Johnson & Johnson, Globe and Smart.

What caught my attention though was the identity of the advertisers ranked 11th, 12th and 19th: Office of the President, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office and Pagcor respectively.

These three government agencies have so far spent a whopping P3.25 billion pesos in media placements! All in the first nine months of the year!That's more than P360 million a month!

Can you imagine how many low cost housing units P360 million can build? How many more mouths that can feed? How many more classrooms it can construct?

(Okay, disclaimer here. I've been involved in advertising long enough to know that adspend figures are based on rate cards. To arrive at a more accurate figure, deduct anywhere from 15 to 30% to account for discounts based on volume and other financing schemes.)

Alarming too was the increase in adspend from the year previous. If my math serves me right (and it usually doesn't so please feel free to use a calculator), these three government agencies spent more than 50% more in advertising this year. The Office of the President alone has already doubled its adspend from last year!

And what results does the government have to show for all these money spent on "painting a better and fairer picture of the president's work" (Not my words, mind you. That's straight from the Office of the Press Secretary)?

In it's Fourth Quarter 2007 Social Weather Survey released last 18 December, SWS reported a sharp drop in GMA's approval rating. From a negative 4 in February to a negative 16 in December 2007.

Quitely simply: despite spending at least 50% more in 2007, the approval rating of the president plunged 400% in a period of nine months!

Clearly, in this case at least, advertising does not pay.

With due respect to the ad agencies and personalities involved in these accounts, it's not the advertising that is at fault.

Advertising is just a tool. A communication tool that when used properly can help deliver the product's promise to the right target market.

In this case, the fault clearly lies in the product itself. No matter how catchy a jingle is, no matter how well directed a TVC is, no matter how eye catching a visual is, if the product stinks, and more importantly, if the target market is already convinced that it stinks, then advertising is clearly not the answer.

Hail to Our Queen!

She is Zeny to many but simply Maman to us family

A queen she truly is, especially to Xabi, Gabi and Dani.

Clad almost always in simple yet regal white

But always adorned with jewelry, sparkling and bright!

Her New Manila palace, she rules with a strong hand

Her “Inday!” summons leaves no doubt who’s in command

She’s been a good wife to a gentle and caring man named Pete

Together raising six good children, that’s certainly a feat!

To her many grandchildren, she is the paragon of discipline

"Be sure to leave the table, your plate empty and clean!"

A thoughtful and loyal friend to her circle, she is

She bends herself backward, just to help, just to please.

Fervently devoted to the Lord ever since she was reborn

She tries to share God’s blessings with the needy and forlorn.

She is indeed a queen, and like the Old Testament’s Ruth

Her mission is to bring all of us closer to the Truth

So happy birthday, and we all love you, our dearest Maman

Our prayer is that you forever remain happy, healthy and strong.

Maman Zeny is Zenaida H. Tengco, Gabi's maternal great grandmother. She turned 79 last 23 December.

A Virgin, I am

Yup, I'm a blogger virgin. I'm all of 42 years old and a blog newbie. Took me all of two hours this morning figuring out how to configure my own blog. And as evidenced by my initial blank post, I am still getting my feet wet.

I'm not exactly new to the wired world. Far from it, in fact. I was one of the first in my country to get hold of a Mac. A Macintosh Plus, it was called back in 1989. That was soon followed by an SE, a Macintosh II and an Apple Laser Writer! And soon we set up what must have been the first Mac-based desktop publishing outfit, complete with a Linotype film printer.

It was fun back then: the pioneer years when we shrugged off the sneers and wicked smiles of our competitors who were avid users and proud advocates of DOS-based "layout" programs. It was so long ago I don't even remember what programs they were harping about.

What were they called? "Ventura Publisher", was it? This was way before Mr. Gates realized the Apple threat and came up with his own wysiwyg OS.

That was decades ago. I was in the forefront of the Mac Movement.

But soon thereafter, I just as quickly got left behind.

I designed and conducted an extensive training program for artists in the advertising agency I worked in. The goal was simple: to convert the agency's pool of mainly UST and UP Fine Arts alumni into technology savvy digital artists.

And I succeeded! Many of these artists are now creative directors in top agencies all over the world! Some in fact, are agency heads. A few others have crafted successful careers in allied fields like production, media and marketing. And a good friend actually works for Apple itself! And all of them continue to use technology as an integral part of their creativity.

And that's one reason I got left behind. (Or so I justify to myself). I was enamored with the technology itself. It was the end all and be all as far as I was concerned. But technology is not and end in itself. It is merely a tool. An important one, I grant. But just a tool nonetheless. It takes God-given talent and artistry to be able to hone this tool. It's not about theories, it's about putting it into practice. And alas, an artist I am not.

I am a teacher. And proud of it too. And so like most teachers who get "left behind" while their students go on to make their mark in the world, I remain where I was more than 20 years ago.

But I'm proud of all my students. And although I got "left behind" --- I still insist on using Pagemaker, for pete's sake, I relish the fact that hey, I think I played a little part in their success.

So to all you successful and rich former trainees of mine ... balato naman diyan!

RAMblings