Because This Deserves a Post

One year and eight months is no joke.

The endless hell weeks, the sleepless nights. The shet-grand-reveal-na-bukas moments. Missing interventions, hosts' schedules, lack of sponsors, shortage of crew. The weather, deadlines, and early as hell call times- things we deal with on a daily basis like taking a bath and logging on to Facebook.

The things I'll truly miss. :)

And it will always be fun to look back. I guess along the way we all learned a skill or two.

Me learns to (pretend to) handle the Ikegami. || Alcala, Pangasinan, July 2012. Photo by Jaymen Amihan. 

Julius learns a new mode of transportation. || Siniloan, Laguna. February 2011.

Karen learns to cook fish embutido. || Navotas, October 2011. 

Pochoy learns to do some woodworks. || Navotas City. October 2011.

And they learn to eat bananas. Uh-huh.  || AAS Christmas Party. December 2011. 

Skills were learned just as along the way, there were lives changed.

Avila couple got the wedding they've always dream of making their 11 kids now legit. ||
Siniloan, Laguna. March 2011.

Teacher Arnel now have his bangkarunugan that sails to different islands to teach impoverished kids. || Olongapo City, April 2012. Photo from Ako Ang Simula.

Kids were all smiles as they enter their new day care center. || Baras, Rizal. Photo from Ako Ang Simula.

Bro. Jo Dean. || Quezon City. May 2012. Photo from Ako Ang Simula. 

And love, found.

A preso wedding. || Quezon City. March 2012. Photo from Ako Ang Simula

Ali and Olivia. || Quezon City. August 2012.

Juliebabes and Randyboy. || Camiling, Tarlac. December 2011.

Joseph and Mrs. Maliwat. || Camiling, Tarlac. December 2011. 

Runaway bride? Jerome and Rosalie. || Mandaluyong City. October 2011. 

John Rey (close? haha) and Mitch. || Navotas City. Novermber 2011. 

And I say we wouldn't have pulled everything off without some camwhoring on the side.

Georgina and Michelle (with Engineer on the side). || Siniloan, Laguna. May 2011.

Pogi, self-indulging in his yummy-ness.. || AAS cube. Some random day in the office. 

A little drinking.

Eric, Miss M, Adi and Mau on the eve of grand reveal. Hihi. || Siniloan, Laguna. May 2011.

Cheers! The boys with the Beauty Queen. || AAS Christmas Party 2011. 

Some swimming.

AAS team in the ma-linta river of Macatad. || Siniloan, Laguna. May 2011.

Pochoy taking a bath with Josue. || Siniloan, Laguna. March 2011. 

Mitch. 

Gerome. 

Bryan.

And sleeping.

LOTS of sleeping.

L-R. Raj, Tatay Ben, Jaymen in the editing bay.

Playing dead. Tay Ben's own version of planking.

L-R. Mitch and Menard during different meetings. Gerome, rise and shining in the AAS cube.. 

Clockwise from left: Julie, Bryan, Rose and Mitch snoozing on the infamous sofa. 

Para-paraan at its finest.

Kidding aside, I guess it's difficult for other people to understand our love-hate relationship with this job. Even my family and friends outside the industry sometimes don't understand it. We lose sleep, we waive our weekends, we spends days freezing in the editing bay or assigned in some far flung province to build health centers, classrooms or what have you's.

But we know why we do it.

Because at the end of the day, it's the smiles on the faces of people we’ve helped, their genuine heart-felt thank you’s that makes everything worth it. It all boils down to knowing that somehow, some way, we have sparked change.

Pamilya pipi't bingi in Splash Island. || Laguna. March 2012.

Mangyan kids. || Bulalacao, Mindoro Occidental. January 2012. 

Brgy. Bilad students and volunteers. || Camiling, Tarlac. Decmeber 2011.

At dahil feel kong Fum-ilipino one last time, gusto kong i-give yung best sa closing.

Ito ang programang nagturo sakin hindi lang maging manunulat at producer kundi pati maging social worker, health worker, community developer, yaya, teacher, cook, event organizer, IT at kargador.

Ito ang programang nagbigay sakin ng mas malawak na pag-unawa at appreciation sa industriyang ginagalawan ko. Na lahat ng ginagawa natin sa industriyang ito, ay serbisyo sa kapwa natin Pilipino. Maaring solusyon, aksyon, impormasyon o lantarang tulong ang ibinibigay natin--- lahat ito ay SERBISYO.

Ito ang programang nagpabaon sakin ng isang aral, na kahit mapadpad man tayo sa ibang industriya, sa iba’t-iba nating karera, sa sari-sarili nating paraan, lahat tayo- cliché man as it may sound- pwedeng maging simula ng pagbabago.

Sa lahat ng nakasama ko dito- nagturo, tinuruan, nakaaway, naka-inlaban, naka-yosi, naka-inuman, nakatulong at tinulungan- maraming salamat. :) Hanggang sa muli. :)

Roanni