The past year was full of ups and downs, and inspiration was very much welcome every step of the way. I share with you my annual list of people who have made a significant impact on my life. Here are the People Of My Year 2012.
1. Maria Ressa
I don't know if I am more in awe of her barrier-breaking resume, her vision for the world of journalism, her set-on-stone value system, or her being so sincere, accommodating, and down to earth. Just her mere existence is inspiring. I was a fan before, I became an even bigger fan when I got to interview her, and now that I can actually call her a friend. Surreal. Maria's kind must multiply.
2. The Kramers
A beautiful family, no doubt. Doug, Cheska, Kendra, Scarlett, and newly born Gavin. I used to see them from afar just as acquaintances, but since my boyfriend JC and Doug are best friends, over the past months I've gotten to know their family more. Always so warm, ready to help, never selfish, with their doors wide open. Truly a model family for every young couple!
3. Karen Davila
I am so fortunate to have been given the chance to work with Karen on my first job ever on ABS-CBN over seven years ago. There I was, fresh out of college, knew nothing about hosting, and Karen was so supportive and helpful to newbie me. Fast forward to today, I am so fortunate to be able to call this super woman an "ate". I look forward to learning so much more from her these coming years.
4. Lynn Pinugu
The way Lynn dreams of doing good and actually makes it happen is so inspiring. She traveled and discovered a school that provides quality education to underprivileged kids, dared to make it happen in Manila, put up the school, found a way to sustain it, and help the parents too. (Mano Amiga, look it up!) Her heart to serve is contagious!
5. Chely Esguerra
You know the road less traveled? That's the road Chely took. She has the ability to balance doing a hundred things at the same time, all with heart. More than her advocacies for health and communication, its her dedication to her husband Bong and son Adi that is even more inspiring. She proves you can balance career, family, and advocacy.
6. Pie Alvarez
Many things have been written about Pie: youngest mayor at 21, most fasyon mayor, jetset from New York to San Vicente, Palawan to finish her midterms and run for office, and many more. Behind all the fluffy articles and glamorous photos, its is Pie's fight for good governance that stands out. A lot of us complain about a corrupt government, she actually ran for office to fight it.
7. Anna Oposa
How many people do you know would leave their comfortable home to live on an island to build a shark sanctuary? Anna, the daughter of an environmental lawyer, grew up to make her own name in the fight to protect the environment. Her dedication and breakthrough work is awe inspiring, and you'll love her even more when you discover how funny she is!
8. Anthony Taberna
I worked with Tunying over six years ago when he was plucked out of his radio show and put on a morning TV show. Today, we work together again and I have become an even bigger fan. His passion to use his work to help others, and the way he communicates so effectively with his audience is something that I am inspired by and that I aspire to be like.
9. Boy Abunda
I had a couple of rough patches throughout 2012, and Tito Boy is the man who largely helped me get through it. During times that I was worried about my personal or professional life, he talked me through it, shared wisdom, and made me feel all will be well. And all was well. His heart is so big, he is so giving, so generous, which is why he is so abundantly blessed as well.
10. Virgie Dawal
I was only 10 years old when Virgie came to be our househelp. I am now 29, and she is still with us. She's no longer different from us, she is our family. Nanay Virgie had a tough 2012, dealing with single mom issues with her son, but stood strong and held her head high. How she has shared her life with us is something I will forever be thankful for.
Of course, every year, my family makes a gigantic impact on my life, and this year is no different. My mom Ofel, my brother JC, and my sister Aissa are part of the Hall Of Fame of my People Of My Year (naturally!) and every day I thank God for their existence. I wish to be as loving as my mom, as strong as my brother, and as kind as my sister. They inspire me everyday, and when I'm stuck in a rut, I think to myself, what would they do if they were in my position?
Who are the people that inspired you in 2012?
We all won't be where we are and we all won't have what we have if it weren't for the wonderful, inspiring people around us.
29 comments:
Been waiting for this!!! This has to be one of my favorites in your blog. It's so positive and inspiring. If I am to make my people of the year, you'll be part of it (every single year) because your outlook in life is truly admirable. You will always be an inspiration and I wish to work with you one day in one of your advocacy in life.
great choices
Not only did i enjoy reading this, but i also got inspired. This inspired me to look back at year 2012 ans be thankful for the people who helped me through the past year and taught me more about life.
This is awesome Bianca. I have my list too but I didn't put in into my blog.
Instead, I have this new segment in my blog called "Inspiring People Of My 2013". In there, I will be featuring ordinary people yet living a life worthy of emulation.
Thanks for this inspiring post! I am a fan since I meet you in Octoberfest in SM Southmall some 5 or 6 years ago.
And by the way, you are a great host - very light and entertaining.
Cheers to more blogging this 2013. I hope despite your busy schedule you can still find time to write.
super inspiring. kind of teary eyed but i'm at the office so i'm not allowed. lol i hope you can write more inspiring post despite your busy schedule. keep inspiring other people :)
Aww, Virgie. I've always seen her as a strong woman. She's one tough cookie.
so inspiring, ms. bianca!
I missed your posts! You're back at last! This may sound overused, but from the bottom of my heart, you are my inspiration, and every year your name is on my people of my year list. Keep blogging, keep inspiring us B. I hope you never stop. :)
Been following your blog. You really inspire people. Keep inspiring us.
TO: Bianca
THIS is a chance that all positivism and God could have talked about, maybe. I am a public schoolteacher here in Cagayan de Oro (if u r in doubt, i have my FB and PRC license and all)...pls help me to find generous people for my OPLAN: PROJECTOR because I wanna help my Grade 7 public school studemts to get lessons and knowledge in a fast and efficient way...I have 60 (average) students per section in the Grade 7 and i think they deserve to be exposed to what private schools experiencing, with a respectable technology inside the classroom...
Congrats SUPER GIRL. So love reading ur posts and thats why I love you. KEEP ON SHARING.
Hillary Clinton once wrote a book, It Takes a Village, which bottom lines the fact that it takes a village to raise a child, or, as in this case, it takes a community to empower each other. Meaningful collaborative/cooperative efforts/mentoring strengthens everyone, which translates into a strong community. Great to read/learn that crab mentality is NOT exemplified in this case: for the strength of any group, or lack thereof, is dependent upon its weakest link. Keep coming up with proactive/positive blogs that can "seep through" the mindset of your readers.
You recently tweeted, to summarize briefly, how do you solve a corrupt system? No voice is too small, no effort too little, everyone has a hand in the change. Persistent/relentless/disciplined/determined proactivity and the will and collaborative effort of every freedom loving Filipino are needed to bring bout the much-desired change. Operative words: relentless, collaborative, proactive, patience. Necessary effective systems should be in place to combat corruptions. Set aside personal agendas, be willing to sacrifice and be flexible/open to change. The need for a strong, courageous, visionary, inspired, principled leadership that sees the big picture and puts the country's need first, is an important ingredient to institute changes. Everyone's participation is needed, no exception.
Responding to one of your past tweet re: eliminating corruption: simple but easier said than done requiring great sacrifice and collaborative/cooperative effort among the country's citizenry and its leaders. Singapore did it/made it possible under the leadership of the great Lee Kuan Yu, why not follow Singapore's model of change/success. Start with a great will to make the country great by totally eradicating self-serving interests among its leaders and put their constituents ahead of their "egos", getting rid of sabotaging systemic red tapes/graft, instituting effective systems in carrying out beneficial rules/laws. Carrying out change is possible/works both ways with collaborative (key word: collaborate/cooperate)efforts both from its leaders and it's citizens. Without the cooperative support of one or the other, effective, sustainable change is not possible. These said, bottom line, put the country first. Disciplined adherence to rules and regulation is a must. No short cuts!
An effective global educational curriculum alongside great inspiring educators who love and see the big picture of their jobs make for a progressive community. May you, strive to keep on advocating for changes, and be the voice of the voiceless, using your celebrity in promulgating the desired change for the country. The sphere of influence of celebrities, like yourself and another celebrity of substance, KC Concepcion, have more than enough impact to streamline changes for the elevation of standards in the "village", that is the Philippines. Personal integrity, honesty, collaborative/cooperative efforts, persistence are important ingredients in building trust and respect, to combat crab mentality pervasive in the culture. The Philippines is in the crux of change and seeking its place in global influence. The Filipinos are a talented bunch, and when the right environment and opportunities are set, do quite well. In the West, where it is populated by different Asian communities, those that do well are those communities where "bayanihan spirit" predominates. Hopefully, the Filipinos can only reinforce this trait under a leadership replete with vision, integrity, will and, which puts the good of its citizens ahead of personal benefits.
Since this reader does not own any Facebook nor twitter account, I find your forum a great channel to express/voice suggestions/recommendations as any caring citizen should. In the West, specifically, the US, part of the educational curriculum, (more prominent in private schools) requires parental involvement/volunteerism in their children's schools. Parental involvement may take place in the classroom (e.g. helping out in the classroom tutorials or productions), or in the school organizations, like the Parent Teacher's Association (PTA), yearly fund raisings, for example, in the form of silent auctiosuffix which stuffs auctioned come from parental donations/solicitations from local businesses, (who in turn get tax write offs for their donations). Then, funds raised are used for student projects, like dramatic productions written and directed by students, or used for book purchases for the school library or classroom needs. Another form of fund raising involving both parents and students is through designated weekend CAR WASH. In this case, parents or relatives bring their cars and the school children do each car washing for a fee. Also, part of the curriculum is, school children are encouraged/required to do certain hours of community service, e.g., helping homeless shelters, tutoring at risk youth, etc. This type of system in place in the school curriculum not only instills cooperation/collaborative effort but teaches self-reliance among school children and community/school spirit among school children and parents that they can take pride in, which translates into everyone's involvement in the community as the children become adults. Teaching children from the start about school community involvement instills self-reliance/independent, engaged/involved people who value community and civic service. School fund raising teaches parents and children community spirit, innovative/creative involvement in helping the community. When we raise kids at an early age to be involved in their communities, they become self-reliant, responsible, involved/engaged problem solvers as adults, eliminating feelings of systemic self-entitlements.
This suggestion is directed to you and one other celebrity of substance, the independent-minded, KC Concepcion. Maybe, you both could think of ways to collaborate on a weekend talk show, rather than the usual song and dance routines, RE: important issues of the day, a la NBC's Meet The Press, or ABC's George Stephanopoulos's panel discussions on Sundays, or, an all women panel show similar to THE VIEW, inviting intelligent/analytical/relevant/meaningful in-depth/FOCUSED/articulate discussions of important national issues/hot topics of the day, balancing the discussions with sprinkling of humor and satire, presented in a light-hearted way, inviting hosts and guests who do not take themselves too seriously, to avoid "egos" taking front and center; instead, issues should be the focus rather than personalities. Developing critical thinking is a necessary life skill/tool in dealing with everyday existence. What a better way to learn from the women of substance in the industry, the likes of Bianca Gonzalez and KC Concepcion, with high TV-Qs. It is a great way to inspire change of mindsets and to encourage intelligent, light-hearted discussions among friends over cups of coffee in an ambiance of camaraderie.
Re: your advocacy on violence against women, are you aware of the global initiative of eradicating violence against women and girls, in which 160 countries have already signed up, called One Billion Rising on February 14, 2013. Anyone willing to participate can organize its own "dancing away" simultaneous global initiative. Thought you would want to know. Chameleon foundation, which KC Concepcion supports may be interested as well.
Re: your advocacy on violence against women, are you aware of the global initiative of eradicating violence against women and girls, in which 160 countries have already signed up, called One Billion Rising on February 14, 2013. Anyone willing to participate can organize its own "dancing away" simultaneous global initiative. Thought you would want to know. Chameleon foundation, which KC Concepcion supports may be interested as well.
Not sure whether or not my comment went through, but just following up on my previous comment re: your advocacy on violence against women: a global movemen, ONE BILLION RISING, which is set on February 14, 2013, to eradicate violence against women and girls. 160 countries have signed up to participate. The movement is spearheaded by US celebrities/prominent political figures. Organizing your own dancing away violence against women and girls is another name for it. Thought you would want to know.
Hi Bianca,
Finally! I get to read a new entry on your blog. I must say I miss your entries. I hope you can go back to blogging regularly despite your busy schedule and early morning show. I bet your call time is super early. Take care always and hoping to read new interesting entries.
Keep inspiring people.
A big fan of supergirl wannabe,
Rick
Ms. Bianca, this post is very inspiring. This reminds me to always appreciate people around me. You've always been an inspiration and your sincerity, kindness and compassion are a huge impact in anyone's life. I'm trying to grow to a woman like you.
Inspired as always! Thank you for taking time to share your thoughts with us.
Hello po. Happy birthday! Mahaba po yung birthday message ko para sa'yo (at may character limit pala sa comment box) kaya inupload ko na lang po sa google docs. :) Sana po basahin mo. Hehe. I-download niyo na lang po para mas maganda. Hehe. Thank you! Happy birthday!!
here's the link:
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B9fCfyD9EmYcb2dwQWRsMF9FRFk/edit?usp=sharing
lovelovelove!
oh. Maria Ressa.
this post is truly inspiring! been hoping to see you write more, superbianca :)
I have a big crush on your bro, JC, during breakfast @ ANC time. More so, I giddy when I found out that her wife, Trina hails from Davao. She's a classmate of my cousin and her family own's Apo View..
RE: addressing the recent/intricate/riveting/intriguing pork barrel scandal taking the spotlight in the Philippine papers, is infuriating, to say the least, to any law-abiding, morally conscientious citizens. Any well-intentioned/morally responsible politician will find, from a proactive perspective, that this current turbulent time is the most opportune period for leading and coming up with permanent solutions/instituting effective systems and tools due to failure of the current political system/ ills plaguing the Philippine society.
One wonders what fiscal formula the Philippine government follows and how it allocates its budget for every government programs, e.g., education, military/national defense, infrastructure, retirement funds, national health programs, emergency funds for calamities, social benefits, etc., aside from the pork barrel funds. In the US for example, military budget takes precedence. The country recognizes the military's important role in preserving peace and liberty, by risking lives and limbs, especially during war, hence, the country recognizes the importance of providing decent wage and benefits to its men in uniform and their families. One important benefit the US provides to its military is affordable housing, non-taxed grocery, clothing, etc. (25% cheaper than non military purchases) to improve their lives and their families. Well- fed, well-clothed soldiers equal high morale and satisfied military personnel.
Clear cut ANNUAL allocation/appropriation of budget of various national programs, e.g., education, infrastructure, health, military/national defense, emergency funds for calamities, various social programs
should be instituted by the Philippine leadership for greater accountability, check and balance.
Here's hoping and praying that every Phillippine elected official should put the country first before his/her own vested interests by considering the big picture: the welfare of the whole nation by instituting effective system despite the challenges/obstacles.
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