i got a forwarded email years ago. it asked me to name 5 notable scientists, 5 notable presidents, 5 notable athletes, and so on. at the end of the email, it asked me to name 5 people that made a mark in my life. guess which was the easiest question to answer? :) more than fame, wealth, or beauty,
what matters most in life is the impact you make on other people's lives. that idea is the inspiration for this list.
this post is dedicated to those people who made a difference in my life this year, my little way of saying thank you for all they've done, whether they know it or not. :)
mikaela lagdameo-martinez.one of my bestest friends in the world who has been like a sister to me for a decade now! mika and i met way back when, and i've seen how she has grown to be one of the most beautiful people ever made by God, an amazing mother, wife, model, businesswoman, leader, and now stockbroker! to be honest, she is the real supergirl! sometimes, even i wonder how she can do everything she does! she is extremely hands on with every role she plays, is an amazing multi-tasker, still finds time for friends and a social life, always putting family and God first, and she does it all with ease! she may be two years younger than me, but i always tell myself how i want to be like mikaela when i grow up.
liz uy.undoubtedly one of the biggest blessings of my life this year! liz and i have known each other for years now, just on a hi, hello basis, but it was in the middle of this year that our status changed from being acquaintances to boyfriend-girlfriend. hahaha! i guess we met at a time where we were both single and we both just wanted to make the most out of life, have fun, go for our dreams, make new dreams.. and we did just that! she was my rock at the lowest point of my life this year, and my confidante when the high points of my year started to kick in! liz is a force to reckon with in the years to come, not just in the fashion industry as some people might think, but as an all-around inspiring woman.
pam picazo-garcia and maui garcia.it was truly an honor for me to be the maid of honor at the wedding of my best friend pam! pam and maui have been my friends since college, and our barkada has seen them go from platonic friends, to steady boyfriend-girlfriend, we've seen them during their worst fights, their little tampuhans, and their happy, laugh out loud moments. i could not stop crying as they finally tied the knot may of this year, on the beautiful island of boracay. theirs is a love that grew more and more, apart, together, through thick and thin. pam and maui were two people i never would've thought would end up together, but now, after all these years and all they've been through, i cannot imagine the two of them apart.
pepel santos and patricia gangoso-santos.many of you who have read my blog know about the extremely inspiring love story of pel and pat. if you haven't read their fairy tale love story, you can read it
here. june of this year, after over 11 years of being together, they got married in the midst of their family and friends. aside from being one of the most gorgeous pairs ever, this couple really defied all the odds. to quote pel, they will go down in history as the coupled that proved that.. "1. you can meet the love of your life in a soiree, 2. long distance relationships DO work, and 3. with enough perseverance and determination, the nerd could end up with the hot cheerleader and live happily ever after…"
my unicef team.with God's amazing grace, one of my dreams in life came true this year. in march 2010, i was appointed to be child rights supporter by unicef philippines! in the photo are my big sisters in unicef, gina of the fundraising team, and pam of the communications team. you know how people believe in you so much and support you so much, than in turn, you end up being more inspired, more passionate? that is what gina and pam have done for me. this year alone, we have gone on visits to camarines norte, cebu, and various areas in manila, and the more we see, the more we know there is so much more to be done. if you also want to help, please check out the
unicef website.
gang badoy.gang is the one woman i have been wanting to meet for years now, and finally, on a random afternoon late this year, i met her. getting to meet and talk to gang exceeded any expectations i might've had! what an inspiring human being! and her energy is infectious! this year was a big year for gang. the end of nu107's rock ed radio, the handing over of the reigns of rock ed, the anchoring of a tv show on anc, and this year, gang received not just one, but two awards that are a testament to how amazing she is. the towns (the outstanding women in the nation's service) award and the toym (ten outstanding young men) award. aside from all these big entries she might have on her resume, the one trait that gang has that i truly admire is how genuine she is. she has a good heart and her aura exudes it!
fr. rudy malasmas, sj.abuelito, as we fondly call him, is my mom's uncle. he is an institution in the philippine jesuit community, having spent his life serving the ateneo de manila campus, and his latter years at the ateneo de davao campus. july 2010, my abuelito peacefully joined our creator in heaven. yes, i'm sure he went to heaven. he was truly, truly a man for others. he was never selfish. he was always laughing and smiling. he gave and gave, never expecting anything in return. to this day, so many random people come up to me, or tweet me, or post on my blog, about how my abuelito made a big impact in their lives. they speak about how he was so proud to be my abuelito, but i hope he knows that i am even prouder to be his apo.
president noynoy aquino.yes, my vote went to pnoy. he came at a time our country needed hope the most. he may have been the reluctant candidate, he may have won because of his mother's demise, but he gave everyone the hope that united us all. "matuwid na daan", "kayo ang boss ko", "hindi ako magnanakaw" may be all tag lines used during the campaign, but these are all lines that we filipinos acknowledge as key to our country progressing in the years to come. i don't know about you, but ever since pnoy's administration, i have felt a certain "lightness" in society, like i feel that people feel less burden on their shoulders knowing that we have a more honest government. and our positivity as a nation can certainly go a long way.
aissa gonzalez.aissa is my one and only sister who i've shared a room with since birth. september this year, my sister made the biggest move of her life. she didn't just move out of the house, she moved out of the country. she now resides in london, is studying furniture design, and shares her life with her boyfriend james. i'm so proud of my sister. not everyone can leave everything behind to move on to a new chapter in life! but she did it. they fought for love. and i cannot be any happier for her! my mom and i miss her terribly, but thanks to technology, we are constantly in touch. my sister is the kindest human being i know, and i know only good things are bound to come her way.
roco elias pamintuan gonzalez.yes, all one foot, 20 plus pounds of this one-year old baby is part of the people of my year! anyone who knows me know how i am one of roco's biggest fans. every week i boast of a different wallpaper on my cellphone, everyday i make it a point to watch a flip video emailed to me by my brother, and wow, see how my face instantly lights up when i talk about roco! roco was born november 2009 but it was only in 2010 that i met him. february when he was four months old and i came to visit him, and december when he came home for christmas. everyday there is something new with roco and everyday he inspires me and my whole family! now i know what it means when people say that the joy that a baby brings to a family is priceless!
thank you for taking time out to read about the people who made a big difference in my life! i hope that we all continue to make an impact on others' lives as well!
how about you, who are the people of your year? :)
