...Post Wedding Review Part 3: RP Weddings and Filterpan...

Che and I have been together for the past ten years when I proposed to her, and I kept telling people that she’s been waiting for me to pop the question for several years already, it just so happened that her hunch was right in 2014. Our wedding planning actually started barely an hour after my actual proposal – only because the video I made for the event was about 35 minutes long, we needed to gather for about 10 minutes so that we can take photos to share, and about 15 minutes to order food.

We agreed that our wedding should be about us, and we get to have the final say on everything. We understand that too many times, people intervene and cause unnecessary stress. We set a budget, and agreed that we will handle it ourselves (to be clear, that conversation ended with Che saying “ako na bahala”) so that we can firmly decide on the wedding details ourselves without anyone else dictating their opinions.

After being together for so long, we have already figured out each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Since Che wouldn’t be in the Philippines to be hands-on with the wedding preparations, we decided to get a wedding planner. We had one name in mind – Pam Manansala of RP Events/RP Weddings. Che didn’t want to get all buddy-buddy with some stranger, and we needed someone we could trust. We didn’t even ask for her rates, we just knew she was our girl. Thankfully, she accepted.

Next on our list was our photo and video team. Despite the many weddings we’ve been to and the excellent coverage we saw from those, we also had one name in mind for our own wedding – Filterpan. The team is led by RJ and Patty Ranieses, Che’s batchmates from college (as was Pam). We were never close in college; I knew RJ because Che briefly worked with him in the Communication Arts Students’ Association, and I knew Patty because of her eccentric fashion in college that later turned into an online business – The Ukay Queen, which Che was secretly (at least from me) a loyal patron of. That was about all the interaction I had with them. However, as Facebook friends, Che and I were able to follow the couple’s story through good and bad times .We saw how strong Pat and RJ are as Christians, and we were constantly inspired by their stories of faith in the face of adversity and gratitude in whatever blessing or challenge that they receive. We wanted to be comfortable with our photo and video team, so though we weren’t that close, we knew that they were the right team for us.

RP Weddings

Pam was with us from Day One. Right after we came from our anniversary trip, Che and I decided to scout Makati and Taguig for Churches. Pam was right there with us. When we decided to have the wedding at Fernbrook, Pam was right there with us. When Che left for Singapore and I needed to attend wedding fairs, Pam went with me in place of Che to speak with suppliers to find ways to bring costs down.

Speaking of details, Pam kept a tracker from the first month of the wedding to make sure that we don’t forget anything. We received an email every month from her, detailing payments to be made, payments already made, and stuff we still need to take care of. She introduced us to our designer, Geoffrey Zordilla, our Hair and Make Up artist, Kristine Ramos, and our band, Next of Kin.

Pam documented the preparations as much as she can. Here we are, choosing color swatches for everyone, with Pam taking notes and this picture. 

As Che was kept in the loop at all times, through various messaging apps and video conferences when time allows it. With Pam being with me every step of the way in the Philippines and with all the updates, it’s as if Che never left the Philippines.

As the wedding day drew near, Pam and I braved Divisoria for some of the wedding details before I flew out to Singapore before the wedding. She even prepared a checklist of the stuff we need to get, and agreed on the things that will be prepared near the wedding day. When Che and I got back in Manila a couple of weeks before the wedding, Pam was with us for final meetings with our suppliers.

Considering our friendship, I can’t say without bias that getting RP Weddings for your own wedding will give you the same attention that she gave us, but one thing’s for sure, the girl knows what she’s doing and you won’t have to worry too much in preparation for your wedding. She probably won’t walk with you in Divisoria, but if time allows, I’m sure she’d find a way to help you out.

Pam was in the same hotel that we were the day before the wedding to get stuff ready. Her team was ready when called, and even helped organize Che’s mini-Bachelorette party on the eve of the wedding. Her team was on call even after midnight, when stuff we prepared for the wedding were brought to the hotel by Pao (Che’s brother) and Jon (my cousin).

On the actual wedding day, Pam coordinated the food for people, and had one of her staff, Nikki, attend to me for anything I need. She was our go-to person during the preparations. Even as I broke my phone, I had Nikki to relay my concerns to her if I had any.

When I got to Fernbrook/Palazzo Verde, I only saw Pam prior to the start of 

the ceremony, as I understand she was busy attending to other concerns on the day. We trusted Pam to be the host of our guests, since we couldn’t attend to everyone on our wedding day. Our trust was rewarded with a nicely-coordinated wedding from start to finish.

Here’s a summary of some pros and cons with RP Weddings:

Pros:

• Details, details – You won’t lose track of your progress with Pam. Of course, you need your own checklist to support her reports, as you may have some other details you need.

• No loss of connections – Pam has been mounting events for quite a while now, and she has worked with various suppliers over the years. If you need someone for something, she might know how to connect you with them.

• A calm third voice – Planning your wedding could lead to arguments between you and your partner. Pam has this stoic personality that provides you a sense of calm when making decisions, and she’s always neutral on just about any of these decisions. The bride isn’t always right for her, especially if the groom is firm with his opinion.

Cons:

• Sharing another passion – apart from RP Weddings, Pam is also operating a really nice steakhouse near FEU Fern (near Ever Commonwealth) called Steak It Out. They have student-friendly pricing but with food that’s a hit for any taste bud. Be careful bringing more than 300 pesos in your wallet when you go there especially if you’re watching weight. That said, don’t expect Pam to answer your concerns within three seconds of when you sent your message.

Barely 30 minutes in Steak It Out, and our plates are already empty. Yours would be too if you tried their food. 

• On the day mishaps – Prior to the wedding, we hashed out details to entertain people in between the wedding rites and the reception. In particular we spoke about the games we wanted our guests to play while they waited. When I unpacked my things in Singapore, I saw one of the games still unopened from its packaging. I guess the staff wasn’t familiar with how we wanted the games to be utilized. Also, for one of our wedding games, we needed Kapeng Barako but the staff provided 3-in-1 coffee. She also wasn’t too visible for me on the day of the wedding, and though I know some of her staff, they don’t understand what we want done as much as Pam does. These are minor details that didn’t ruin the wedding, but could have made it more fun if done right.

• Inability to keep THAT GUY in place – as mentioned a lot of times in my previous blog, THAT GUY was such an emotion killer. I’m not sure if they were limited by the parish office, but I hoped could have been more involved in the church so that I wouldn’t have met THAT GUY.  

Filterpan

Che and I didn’t have a concept for our prenup photo shoot. We wanted to ask Pat and RJ, but Che realized that she wasn’t much of an actress to project for the camera. After throwing ideas, Che had this bright idea of asking Pat and RJ to join us on our already-booked trip to Korea to do the shoot there. I was hesitant because of the expenses, but agreed thinking they were still busy with Taavi.

Surprisingly, they said yes without hesitation. Apparently, they have been praying to God to have a getaway as a couple, as they haven’t had any time for themselves since Taavi was born. We became instruments of God for this lovely couple. From a financial standpoint, I didn’t like it, but other than that, I was really happy they said yes. Besides, Che took care of the financial part.

Our concept of the prenup shoot was to be as natural as possible, because Che can’t keep a straight face for too long. We went to places we’d want to visit, ate the food we wanted (a lot of it) and even got lost by riding the wrong bus, but through it all, it didn’t feel like a shoot. It just felt like being out with a friend who likes to take photos. It helped that we were joined on our trip by Aaron and Joyce, who were contemplating on going to Japan or Korea before I insisted join us to the latter. They were mainly convinced because they learned Pat and RJ were going to be with us, which means someone could take great photos of them. Aaron and Joyce were so comfortable with the camera that Pat and RJ had to ask us to repeat their poses.

Team Korea enjoying the almost-melting snow

 We rode the wrong bus and got lost, went to Myeongdong to eat street food, ate a lot of those triangular rice cakes, went to Everland, went up to Namsan Tower, rode a bus that took us to where there’s still snow, and got left by the bus that had us scrambling to find a ride back to the metro because Pat and RJ had to fly back that night. Too bad that they weren’t able to join us in Nami Island, I believe they would have taken incredible shots there.

We were happy with the first batch of photos that came out, and I was too excited when I saw the teaser video. I was too happy with the prenup video that I already showed it to some close friends  even before I was allowed to share it on my newsfeed.

During our last meeting before the wedding, we plotted out the schedule by which everyone will be shot by their team. On the day of the wedding, that schedule wasn’t followed to the letter, but they got the job done nonetheless.

The Filterpan team was so fun to work with, I almost feel like I already knew them for a long time already. I was so comfortable with them that I wasn’t able to cry while I was reading Che’s gift for me. I didn’t know their names, but I loved them instantly. They asked me to do a lot of stuff, and they shot in multiple angles of me doing the same thing – kind of like those that you see in Korean dramas. Che said they asked her to do a lot as well. They have creative shots even for video that I was excited to see how they treat later for the SDE.

When the SDE was played, everyone told us they loved it. Che and I were happy, but we agreed that we thought there could have been more. Maybe it was all those shots that they took that made us want to see more, but overall, they did a pretty good job capturing the day’s events.

They also gave us a coffee table book of our prenup shoot that I think is awesome. It’s now displayed on our flat’s living room.

Right beside our mini-Christmas tree laden with Polaroids. 

We’re still waiting on other photos of the wedding and the full wedding video, but I have no doubt that it will turn out amazing. I’ll update this blog once we get them though.

Here’s a summary of my review for Filterpan:

Pros:

• Feel love in the air – As if you’re not already in love with your partner, Filterpan will inspire you to love even more. It could be Pat and RJ’s infectious love for each other, or their team’s light-hearted nature. Either way, your photos and videos will look amazing because they will capture that intensified love you have for each other. You can choose to have a concept where you have to act out scenes, but I think they work best in capturing natural, candid moments of you.

• Ease of Negotiation – As I mentioned, we weren’t really close with Pat and RJ through college. However, since getting them for our wedding, we talked as comfortable as friends who see each other regularly. I’m sure you’ll feel the same way.

• Creative executions – I’m sure Filterpan isn’t the only one who could offer creative executions, but their unique way of telling your story through their coverage is what really drove us to pick them as our photo and video team.

Cons:

• Photo booth date was wrong – There were 92 photos on their photo booth’s Facebook page that was uploaded right after the wedding displaying the wrong date. It means that 92 printed copies had the wrong date on it. They managed to fix the issue, but we can’t get back the printed copies from our guests. Anyway, what matters is that our guests were at the wedding, and there’s a fixed copy on Facebook.

• Patience is essential – Che and Pam kept bugging Filterpan about the release of photos and videos, but I’m not really sure when you’d need it. If only considering Che and Pam’s inquiries, I’d say Filterpan was sometimes late for their outputs. However, if you have the patience for it, I am telling you it is all worth the wait. Let Pat and RJ do their magic.

• The team needs to work on handling crowds – As much as I love the team, I thought they weren’t able to handle a larger group. They were fine shooting me and my family, but when they were organizing people for the group shots, they look flustered at times. Some of them look really young, so I guess they’ll be able to work on their confidence as time goes by. 

...Post Wedding Review Part 2 - The Palazzo Verde Experience...

After I proposed to Che, she already had a venue in mind – Enderun. However, we were penciled on the wait list of the venue for Saturday, November 28, 2015 despite inquiring on December 3^rd of 2014.The churches nearby also didn’t have an available slot for that day; Santuario De San Antonio had the rudest receptionist (she was probably having a bad day) who dismissed our inquiries (“Wala na. Wala nang schedule sa lahat ng Sabado ng 2015.”), St. Micheal the Archangel in Bayani Road had the nicest staff, but the person who went ahead of us already booked the date we wanted, and Makati was too far from the reception venue.

Kathleen, Che's sister, suggested Fernbrook Gardens. We know of the place, and it seemed perfect – a dreamy venue, a chapel where we could get married in, the reception venue already there, and a large parking area for our guests. The only setback would be the distance from where we lived.

We took our chance, and learned that unlike some of the churches we were looking at, Fernbrook could actually hold a wedding at their chapel on Sunday afternoons. It fit in perfectly with our preference to have our wedding day on our 11^th year anniversary, and it wouldn’t be much of a hassle for everyone attending since November 30 was a National Holiday in the Philippines.

Palazzo Verde visit, December 2014

We visited the place and all we could say was “wow.”

We booked our date and decided not to take their packages since Che and Pam, our wonderful planner from RP Weddings, had excellent negotiation skills (read: lakas tumawad) they could use to get favorable rates from the accredited suppliers. As we booked the venue that day, Aljoe Mix (sound system) and Bing of Scenta (flowers) were in the office, so we were able to talk and book them immediately.

Supplier hunting with Pam, January 2015

After Che left, Pam went with me to visit a couple of wedding fairs to look for a caterer. Funny how the caterers have a set of brochures available, but if they learn that your wedding is in Fernbrook, they will get something from their files, as Fernbrook has a different rate from the rest of the inquiries. After learning that suppliers can only go down to a certain rate, we seriously considered changing venues because of the possible expenses. However, after taking a step back and considering the initial payments we already made to some of the suppliers that we can’t get back anymore, we decided to push through, since the cost difference would be minimal. Besides, if we start from scratch again, there will be additional stress to prepare and we’ll also have to take traffic into consideration for our wedding day again.

Here's what we got through email on August 8, 2015.

Almost midway through the preparations, we found Kenneth Uy (invitations) in another wedding fair. After months of debating on the design of the invite, and after a couple of mock-ups, we received an email from Fernbrook Gardens that they will be known from then on as Palazzo Verde. We were still able to change the information on our invite, but of course people still know of Fernbrook Gardens more than Palazzo Verde.

If you are looking to get married in Fernbrook/Palazzo Verde, I strongly suggest that you consider their packages. Since you wouldn’t be able to save much when you negotiate with the suppliers themselves, why not just lessen your stress levels and take their ready-made packages? Looking for suppliers is fun though, and if you and your partner can do it together, it’s a nice experience to have. Tinka Alon took care of us, and isn’t it fun to have someone with a fun name to take care of you in such a dreamy venue? Our Tinkabell was fun to talk to, and she even entertained us when we saw her in a wedding fair.

Ms Louie of the parish office was a cool mix of suplada and nice. We were never sure what she was, but overall, she got things done. She was a real sweet person trapped in a suplada body. You will love her. The parish requirements could be done separately. Take note that the marriage license should be submitted to her three months before your actual wedding, because that is how long that license is valid from your respective municipal/city halls. Typically, it takes about a couple of weeks before you get your Marriage License. You would need two copies each of your NSO certified birth certificates and Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR) – one to Ms Louie, and another to your respective municipal/city halls. Other requirements will be provided by Ms Louie, but I thought I needed to stress this because we had too many requests to the NSO due to incorrect information (e.g. wrong full name of Che’s dad, my birthplace, etc.).  

The Wedding Day

One year feels long, but when you’re three to four months away, you’d get the feeling that one year wasn’t enough time to prepare. A week before the wedding, Tinka advised that we will have Bridal Room 1 to retouch in between the wedding and the reception. She also advised that on our wedding day, the Tenko Nuptials will also be taking place. The Tenko Nuptials is a yearly event for the couple, Tinkabell said, as the groom promised his bride that he will marry her for the next ten years. They are on their seventh year this 2015.

The wedding day was amazing. Our ninangs were dressed in beautifully designed gowns, and our ninongs were dashing in their suits. Our guests looked awesome. The place was as dreamy as ever. However, when I got to the Bridal Room 1, it was already occupied by the Tenko crew. We were moved to Bridal Room 3, which smelled awful for reasons I don’t understand. I don’t know if I should blame Tinka for informing us we’ll be in Room 1, or should management be responsible for playing favorites?

I went back to greet our guests, as we were scheduled to enter the air conditioned chapel at around 2:30PM because the wedding march was scheduled to start at 3PM. However, the wedding before us hasn’t cleared the chapel yet, and we were forced to wait. Che had to wait for about an hour in the car, watching the earlier wedding do their photo shoot and whatnot right outside the church door. We couldn’t start. I went to the parish office for some last minute details, and met our presiding priest, who I will name once I remember him. He seemed nice, and I felt like everything will go on smoothly. Besides, there wasn’t a wedding after us, so we could take our time.

Finally, at 3PM we were allowed to enter, with Pam organizing the entourage. I didn’t have time to take in everything, as the lector suddenly started to speak. And then the band started playing. I was told to walk already. I didn’t look at anyone else, just straight ahead, because I didn’t know what I should feel. And then, I meet “That Guy.”

THAT GUY. And our presiding priest whose name I chose to forget, much like how he chose not to let our choir sing and chose not to have a homily on our special day.

See, we were never really formally introduced, and I never knew him even before the wedding. But he was the first guy who greeted me as I arrived at the altar. He guided me to the seats in front of the groom’s entourage and asked “Best man sir?”

That guy.

They said he was the Church coordinator. He was the one “directing” everyone to where they were supposed to be. I assume he’s handled a lot of weddings already. This is my first time to get married, but I knew that the groom would be the first in line. He had to ask me. I needed to introduce myself. Emotions are replaced with frustration.

Then again, it was my wedding day. I did not want anyone to spoil it. I gathered myself and prepared to see my bride. The camera guys kept guiding me to a spot where I could narrowly see the door, but I still had a clear view of it. Finally, the door opened. Standing there behind it was my beautiful wife. Before the door fully opened for her to start her walk, THAT GUY just stood in the way of my view. He was too far for me to tap, and whatever emotions and tears that welled up suddenly went back in. THAT GUY.

Later on, I learned from Che that as she moved closer to me, THAT GUY decided to step in front of her and guided her to where she already knew she was going. 

THAT GUY.

As we were telling friends about THAT GUY days after the wedding, our Matron of Honor and Best Woman told us that THAT GUY guided them to the seats right behind us. You know, the seats reserved for our parents? My mom noticed that they were awkwardly seated in front of our godmothers, and the godmothers agreed that the parents should be the ones seated in front. Steph, one of our bridesmaids, called Pam's attention to make the switch. 

THAT GUY. 

Anyway, we chose to not get bothered by him. The mass started and we put ourselves in the presence of God. We hired a choir from UST’s College of Architecture, where Che’s sister studied – Arkipella. They dressed nice, and looked ready to sing. However, Father decided not to go with the songs. After the Holy Gospel, we were prepared to hear what our priest had to say before we got married. Father decided to skip the Homily. Apparently, he needed to hurry up because we started late. At the end of the event, a person from Palazzo Verde debated with Che, saying it was our group's fault that we didn't start on time (bridesmaids got lost), but we were both there and I personally knew what time I went inside the chapel with everyone.  I was getting married;  naturally, I was looking at my watch.

When Arkipella was able to sing, they were angelic. Just don’t ask them to sing songs not sang in masses.

Che and her two-page vow. 

Father was nice enough to have us recite our personal vows, but I realized that if we didn’t have those, our wedding would have been a really short mass with no personal touch whatsoever as there wasn’t a message from our priest during the Homily. Quick note to couples with personal vows getting married – if you want to say something, write it down. It’s difficult to have a writer’s block right before the wedding and on the day itself. Not everyone can be creative on the spot.

From Kuya Jeff's camera phone. It was an iPhone so photo is extra nice.

Overall, Palazzo Verde was aesthetically what we hoped it would be. It didn’t matter if you had a shitty camera or not, you will get awesome pictures in the venue. Josiah’s (catering) and Scenta (flowers) did a great job at making the venue look even more dreamy as it is. The chapel was picture perfect, save for all the photos ruined by THAT GUY. The wedding experience was a bit lacking because our priest decided to forgo his homily and he didn’t allow our choir to sing. I expected tears throughout the wedding, but none fell down. I blame the emotion-killers in the chapel.

Scenta's backdrop design was great! And Josiah's was no slouch on the design part either. 

If you’re going to have your wedding at the Notre Dame De Vie, remember to get your coordinator to tie THAT GUY on a chair or something. Even if you don’t have a wedding rehearsal, your coordinator should brief everyone where they should be, so that you won’t need the presence of THAT GUY to guide you later. Do not let your priest not have a homily - make sure you or your coordinator communicates that to the parish office. Palazzo Verde can do no wrong with the reception venue, as that is all about the catering services, which I will review in my next blog.

Although we bought a lot of snacks on top of the cocktails prior to dinner, the guests still got hungry. But hey, everyone got great photos throughout the venue, so at least they were occupied with something while waiting.

Finally, if you’re reading this, you’re either a friend or someone who’s looking to get married in Fernbrook/Palazzo Verde. If you are the latter, here is a summary of pros and cons for Palazzo Verde that may help you out:

Pros:

• Picture-perfect venue – no filter, no problem. Even cheap camera phones can take great shots.

• No travel time from church to reception – you only need to give directions once for everyone.

• Ample parking space – there’s plenty for everyone.

• Air-conditioned venues – the chapel and reception hall is air-conditioned, so you can have no worries on a wedding theme with everyone wearing five-piece suits or something.

Cons:

• THAT GUY – whoever he is, he made my wedding day less emotional.

• Venue is far from the metro – it takes about 15 minutes from the nearest hotel (Alabang) to the venue.

• Expensive as hell – You pay a large sum for the venue, and can only choose from a limited number of suppliers who in turn will need to charge you extra for having your wedding there.

• Gondola is practically useless – You can choose to have photos taken on their small river while riding a gondola, but the water looks like Milo.  

  And here is a summary of on-the-day tips from my perspective:

•    Write vows early - I was a bit disappointed with how my vows went, knowing my own style of writing, and knowing I have so much to say.
• 
  
•    Eat something! - you will forget that you're hungry, but trust me, you are. Your body will agree once you get food on your mouth. Make sure your coordinator prepares food for you because you will not have time to eat at the reception.
• 
  
•    Schedule accordingly - you will not be able to hang out with everyone unless they decide to stay until way after the wedding. Best to hang out with them before your wedding day so that you and your wife/husband can have the company of each other exclusively on your wedding day. 
• 
  
•    Get your guests to bring snacks - no matter how much you buffer snacks, your guests will go hungry. We don't want our guests to go hungry. 

...Post-Wedding Review Part 1 - Thank You...

It’s been a while since I wrote for fun. I guess that happens when you earn from writing about different stuff – you choose to spend time writing a piece that could earn you money than write for the sake of writing.

Today, and probably the next few days, I will waste my time writing for the sake of writing because I’m happy. I am, after all, a married man now. In this first part of the series of blogs I am about to make, I want to express my gratitude to the people dear to me the best way that I can - through writing. Later, I’d share my wedding day experience and my reviews of our suppliers to help provide insights for those who are planning to get married. I personally relied on some reviews over the internet in preparation for our wedding, and hopefully, these reviews could help those who are almost there to prepare for their big day.

First of all, thank you to everyone’s well-wishes. It fills my heart with joy to know that we are loved by so many. As I start a new life in a new home, I leave my home country with too many people I care about. While it pains me not to be that guy you could call on anytime, I need to choose me this time. This blog is for all of you who I will dearly miss, and look forward to meeting again whenever I visit or when we decide to return home.  

To Che, my lovely wife, sinabi ko naman sa ‘yo noon, na pangarap ko lang naman ay maging tatay sa magiging anak natin. Salamat, at naka-isang hakbang na tayo patungo sa direksyong iyon. I chose you because I chose me. I can let go of everyone else I love to build a new life in a new home because growing old with you is what matters to me most. I love you.

To Mama, thank you for all your support. Our wedding may not have run as smoothly without you constantly being at our side. Thank you for opening up to me, and trusting me with your burdens, as it has helped me aspire to become the kind of man who would not put those burdens on anyone else.

To Papa, thank you being our provider and our model. I would not have become the kind of man that I am today if not for the perspectives you have shared through the years. You have molded me into a balanced man – emotional, but sometimes stoic, impulsive, but always practical. I have been able to enjoy life to its fullest, because you taught me to always choose to be happy. ‘Ika mo nga, “wala namang problema sa mundo, ikaw lang ang nagbibigay ng problema.”

To Ate, thank you for always having an open ear, and for trusting me to have the same. Your little bundle of joy in Khail has been a source of happiness for all of us. I will see more of you here in Singapore.

To Job, thank you for looking up to me. You have given me reason to feel cool even though I grew up as a nerd. I sincerely hope that I turned out to be a good role model for you, and I promise to strive to be better so that I can give you more guidance as we grow older.

To Jon, my cousin, my brother from another mother, thank you for being who we turned out to be. You have helped me realize what growing up is – our early childhood rivalry became a deep friendship that spanned angry girlfriends, a car to motorcycle accident, cooking lessons and countless other memories. Kung mabibisita ko lang yung 13 at 14 years old na tayo at sinabi kong ganito tayo ngayon baka namura at nagulpi ako nung dalawang yun. If there’s anything that I regret about our relationship, it’s that we weren’t able to cultivate it early enough. Know that I will always have a bottle to share with you whenever I visit home, and I will always have one ready when you visit me here.

To the Lozada Family, thank you for being a happy bunch of people to grow up with. I have you to thank for all the friends that have grown to love me, because if not for you, I may have just been a nerd who never spoke much. You have taught me to learn how to laugh at myself, and how to appreciate people no matter where they come from. You have taught me to always see the best in people, but also helped me learn to become a good judge of character. Thank you, Lolo Upoy and Lola Nena for raising these people well. Thank you to my cousins, who gave me a colorful childhood. Thank you Tita Men, Tita Gong, and Tita Jean, for helping Lolo and Lola raise your brothers and sisters. Thank you Tita Bem and Tito Nandy, for being as strong as you are when you still lived. I know you are watching over us from the heavens. Thank you, Auntie Ne, for being a stern but loving aunt to us all from childhood until now. Thank you, Tito, for being always being available to help. Thank you, Uncle Jer, for the carefree camaraderie that made me comfortable with just about anyone. Thank you, Tito Vic, because of your calm life lessons in random drinking nights. Thank you, Uncle Owe, for both fun and serious talks, for messages of both precaution and hope. Thank you, Uncle Jun, for all the life lessons and all your efforts to bring this huge family together. Thank you, Tita Oyes, for being the most kikay balahura tita that I have. Believe me, that is a compliment. I love you all.

To the Coo family, thank you for being a welcoming bunch to be with. Thank you Amah and Ang Kong for raising your children to become the people they are now. Please don’t hurry joining Ang Kong, Amah, and just enjoy the rest of your life without stressing out about everything you don’t need to. Thank you Tito Edwin and Tita Anna, for everything you have done to help shape me to become the professional that I am now, for trusting me with everything that you did. I only hope that I was able to fill the shoes I needed to fill. Thank you, Nic, Auds, and Erika, for being my little sisters while I was working with your dad. You are awesome, and I will miss our Saturday lunches talking about random stuff. Thank you, Uncle Hero and Tita Nene, for being a constant source of inspiration. Mama shares your difficulties with me, and I am always amazed at how you both managed to overcome the challenges that came your way. To Hil and Hux, thank you for becoming as humble as you both are. It speaks of the kind of people your parents are, but not everyone can have the character to choose to become who you both are today. Thank you Tita Emy, for being someone Mama can speak to when she feels that no one understands her. I only hope that things get better for you. Thank you, Richard and Philipp, for being older brothers I could look up to when our cousins were still little, and I wasn’t used to being a kuya yet. Thank you AJ, Ate Let Let and Shobe, for keeping in touch throughout the years. Thank you Tita Evelyn, for all the patience you have given Amah. Thank you, Kuya David, for being a connection to home for Ate along with Richard here in Singapore. Thank you, Ate Dabie and Ate Daisy, for always making an effort to connect our families through momentous events of your kids.

To Team Flow, my brothers, thank you for welcoming me into your circle even though I spent much of my time in college with other people. I still hope that our kids grow up together, because I know my kids will grow up in great company with yours. Tian, nasabi ko na gusto ko sabihin sa yo nung gabing bago ako umalis. Benj and Carin, thank you for being an inspiration in making things and decisions work. Kali and Eekay, stay happy. Imon and Ella, choose to be happy. Jan, choose. Rey, decide. I will miss being with you all.

To the Familia – Kuya Ags, Ate Puch, Ate Len, Tring, Ate Pat, and Nico – thank you for not losing touch. To Kuya Ags and Ate Puch, thank you for believing in me since my first year in college. You have no idea how much you have built my confidence through the years. To Tring, thank you for introducing Nino. I have nothing left to say to you. Joke lang :p haha… Thank you for being the sweetest little sister in our family. To Ate Len, mamaya ka. To Ate Pat and Nico, we miss you. J

To the Happy Friends - named as such because of always being happy, and because at one point yun ang pangalan ng chat thread - thank you for the happiness. To Sof, Ernestine, and Len, thank you for being my ates when Che and I split up. Nagsarado man ang buong Ortigas Depot at ang roofdeck natin, walang makakabawi ng mga alaala natin dun. Salamat sa mga luha at tawa ni Ernestine, sa mga praktikal na bilin ni Sof, at sa kalmado at minsang supladang mga pananaw ni Len. Ang masasabi ko lang, “muwah!” Thank you, Josef, for all our isolation moments to talk about basketball even if the ates are there. Thank you Ate I for insightful perspectives and writing rakets. Thank you, Chip (kabertdey!), for being a wonderful husband that my dearest Ate Sof deserves. Thank you, Katrina, for Mark. Hahaha.. joke lang :p Thank you for being a fun loving person I pictured you to be when Sof an EJ were telling me stories about you. Thank you, peys, Perk and Ken, for always being the life of the parties. Sana makasama ako sa susunod na Christmas party.

To my SDP family, thank you for being the organization that introduced Che and I. More than that, thank you for making me feel that I mattered, for valuing me in more ways than one. For the friendship and trust, thank you to all my kuyas - Kuya Jeff, Kuya Christ, Kuya Chito, Kuya Ren, Kuya Mark, Kuya Chan – for always being there to guide me in my early years in college. To all my ates – Ate Joy, Ate Maita, Ate Jean, and many more that I may fail to remember right now – thank you for believing in me and what I could do. To SDP batch 2006, thank you for adopting me as if I was your own. To SDP batch 2007 – thank you for an unbreakable bond that has helped us remain friends to this day and beyond. To the younger batches, thank you for the respect that you honored me with.

To my basketball buddies – the guys from Solar, Papawis Weekly crew of Mack, Holiday and Random Basketball practices organized by Marlowe, Pasig Friday Basketball care of Totz, and Thursday Night Lights care of Reg – thank you for accepting me into your circle. I may not be the best ball player out there, but thank you for letting me enjoy my passion for the sport by playing my heart out with you guys. I can only hope that I meet people who are half as good as you guys here in SG.

I may have missed out on some people; I know because I met so many people along the way. I would add them later if need be, but for now, these people need to know how much I am grateful to have them in my life.

I will build new relationships here in Singapore, but know that I will always treasure you all for the rest of my life. I hope to see you all again soon!