Last Saturday, the nation was brought to a standstill. Heavy volumes of rain, normally experienced in one place for a month poured non-stop for a day and flooded even the strangest places in Metro Manila.

In another rare display of its power, Mother Nature played the great equalizer when rich and poor, young and old, men and women, suffered the same fate and were one in their struggle to simply survive.

As of this writing, some of our friends and acquaintances and their and families have yet to hear from their missing loved ones who were caught in the raging floodwaters brought about by Ondoy in Pasig, Rizal and Antipolo.

The devastating effects of typhoon Ondoy is still being felt and we share the uncontainable grief with the nation in this unspeakable tragedy. Everyone is emotional and understandably so. The horrors shown in photos we see on television and on Facebook day in and out will thaw even the hardest of hearts.

They say that a person shows the finest of his character when faced with dire circumstances. We’d like to believe that that is now. Thousands and thousands have offered help and volunteered whatever little they can in the spirit of “bayanihan.” Praise God for these people.

And while we say an endless prayer of thanksgiving for sparing our family, we praise His name for giving us discontented hearts which have been moved to help and share in whatever little way we can. Especially our children.

The Lord gives and the Lord takes away. And each time, He does this for the good of His people. We need to trust in His Sovereign Will no matter how hard it may seem.

Our prayers go to the victims and their families. May you find strength in God for in Him alone can we find rest.

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Sarah Geronimo is in no hurry to fall in love

While she had to contend with so much pressure from showbiz folks about when and with whom she will finally be romantically involved with, Sarah holds her candle and is admirably steadfast with her convictions.

At 21, most showbiz girls have actually had a string of love affairs to boot. But not Sarah. The conservative young lady says with a smile “hindi porke 21 years old na, kailangan may boyfriend na. Hindi naman batas yun di po ba?” Sarah seems to be content to wait for God’s Best Man for her.

“Hindi naman po ako pinagbabawalan ng parents ko. Siyempre naman po kung magiging inspirasyon sa akin, tingin ko hindi naman sila tutol. Naghihintay lang po ako ng tamang panahon at sa pagdating ng tamang guy for me. Siyempre po ang gusto ko, yung may takot sa Diyos. Dapat po man of God siya,” she explained.

Sarah is a born-again Christian and attends the Victory Christian Fellowship. Like most of them serious Christians in that group, Sarah does not really believe in engaging in casual relationships to determine whether that guy is the best for her or not. She is content to wait for the right one. This, to us, is a very admirable trait. We said it before and we will keep saying it. This is the kind of moral values that the youth should have for a role model. If only all of them showbiz people are like her.

Anyway, Sarah concentrates on her career now more than ever. “We have plenty of time for that. I focus on my work and give it the best of me. Like for this coming concert that I will have in Araneta Coliseum on Nov. 7 called ‘Record Breaker.’ Talaga pong pinaghahandaan namin ito kasi gusto namin na ang mapanood ng mga tao this time ay naiiba naman. Siguradong maganda po ito kaya abangan nila,” she promised.

Sarah is also neck-deep with commitments right now, that is why she cannot afford to do a teleserye for ABS-CBN. On top of her provincial concert tour “The Next One,” Sarah is also clinching two recordings – one to be released before her concert, and the other one, her Christmas recording called “Christmas Girl.” “Sobrang busy po talaga ako ngayon. Hindi na po maisisingit ang teleserye,” she said.

For her next movie, Sarah said that Viva is preparing for her team-up with Judy Ann Santos. “Excited po ako dun at saka medyo nape-pressure,” she said adding that her movie with John Lloyd Cruz and possibly with Gerald Anderson are still unclear at this time.

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‘Let’s Just Play’ to be rescheduled

Last Saturday, Nickelodeon was supposed to hold “Let’s Just Play,” a pro-social initiative dedicated to empower kids and engage them in healthy, active lifestyles at a much-awaited event at The Fort.

But because of the very bad weather, they opted to reschedule it. The kids are enjoined to wait for further announcements for the holding of “Let’s Just Play.”

The fifth anniversary celebration will encourage all kids to switch off their televisions, get out of the house, and play with friends at the appointed four-hour time.

To create a unique outdoor ambience, Nickelodeon will turn the Bonifacio Global City Open field into one big playground. Kids will have a chance to play games both onstage and on the field. There are several obstacle relays and inflatables where they can do all the running, romping, jumping, trekking, twisting, swinging, climbing, and sliding in a super active afternoon of slime and grime. A special appearance from their favorite Nicktoons will highlight the affair. This year, they will say “Hola!” to Dora the Explorer and her cousin Diego!
So kids, just wait for further announcement or you can log on to www.nicksplat.com for details.