Patrick Tan

At this moment I'm already aboard ship from Iloilo to Manila. Right now we just stopped in Bacolod City port. I had the greatest time in Iloilo, though I didn't got the chance to see its popular sites. I so wanted to go to Miag-ao, Guimaras and Boracay, but time restrains. Nevertheless, I was able to try their famous La Paz Batchoy, city sight-seeing - there are quite a lot of old colonial houses and churches in the city. One particular structure was the Jaro Church which boasts of Baroque facade which two towering spires. It's belfry is across the street. The city is a reminiscent of Avenida and Manila itself. I'm also curious about their dialect, Ilonggo. Ilonggo are also called to its people, which in the Philippines, we dub it as the sweetest-sounding people because of their distinct, sweetly (lambing) accent.


I stayed in a guesthouse in Central Philippine University, who is celebrating their centennial this year. I slept in the guestroom of the National Youth Department. This was the greatest highlight, I mean GREATEST HIGHLIGHT, in my stay there. I am always starstrucked when I see and talk to Kuya Jerry Balbuena, our National Youth Department director. I am impressed by how he speaks, what he speaks, how he acts, how he relates. For nights I was privileged to observe, listen and interact with great leaders: Kuya Jerry, Kuya Sur (superstar), Kuya Chad, Kuya Alvin and Kuya Herman. I am driven to want to become like them, if not now, soon. I was also privileged to join them for pizza the last night. Pastors can have fun too. Kuya Jerry and Kuya Rodel contest in telling jokes.

The event was called "C.A.L.L. to Harvest - Christ Ambassadors Leading Laboring" [view album] attended by over 100 delegates, youth pastors, workers and campus people, from all over the Philippines. I got too meet inspiring leaders and be further recharged in the spirit. I am geared toward reaching the Filipino-Chinese youth in Binondo. My conversation with God the last night was 'Lord, I don't know how, I may know how, but it doesn't count, I need your constant leading and guidance. Put every piece of the puzzle in place that I may see the picture clearly on what to do."