Are you ‘de buena familia’–or ‘binuenas na familia’?

MANTRA for the week: “My talents and abilities are my gifts to the world.”

Today is Father’s Day, and if I were a father, I would tell my children to carry these ideas with them throughout their lives.

1. That God is within them.

Although God is everywhere, the most important thing for them to remember is that the God within responds not only to what they say and do but also to their every thought and feeling, whether negative or positive.

2. That they were made in

the image and likeness of God

or goodness itself. The image and likeness of God does not refer to his looks; rather it refers to his radiance and vibration.

3. Love yourself. This simply means treating yourself kindly so you can be kind to others as well.

4. Intuition is your sixth sense.

This they should constantly be aware of so they may be divinely guided in all that they do.

5. That God within them is infinite.

Therefore, they, too, have unlimited potential.

6. They must find ways of bringing a blessing to the world and humanity.

This they can achieve through their talents and abilities.

7. That they should really know themselves.

This means discovering that they are God as themselves.

8. God’s nature is to render their thoughts and feelings into their experiences.

Thus they must be watchful of how they use their “I Am” in whatever person —the first, second or the third, as in English grammar.

9. That they can overcome all challenges through prayer and meditation.

10. That when money passes through their hands, they must learn how to tithe.

11. And finally, that they must examine and reexamine all their beliefs.

When they have accomplished all of the above, they would be at peace and, therefore, would have brought heaven on earth because heaven is your mind at peace.

The new society

Manila society has really evolved into a fusion of “de buena familia” (DBF) and the “binuenas na familia” (BNF). However, it is clear that those of DBF are now rarely seen in social circles, preferring to keep a low profile and socialize in privacy among people of their milieu.

If society pages are now dominated by BNFs, it’s not only because of their expanding affluence through their respective businesses. BNFs also use their imagination, industry and intelligence to contribute to culture and the arts, as well as help the less fortunate through their financial contributions and charity work.

The BNF has expanded further through inter-marriages between members of the DBF.

I gather that the message of the BNF to the DBF is simple: they should stop rubbing in that they are manor-born because the truth is they say, “Di na sila uso.” I guess, they must be right because the only maze garden in the country is located in Batangas and as the old deodorant ad asks, “Is that ‘Tiu’ (you) they are talking about?”

The president’s cabinet

Today, our highest government officials are from the BNF and are proud of it. The rest of the cabinet members are new names that you will soon see socializing in high society.

We have the new Presidential Communications Operation Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar, the youngest of the group so far. His background is impressive, having graduated from well-known universities like Harvard, Georgetown and other institutions in Singapore and Australia. TV 5’s loss is the Duterte administration’s gain.

The incoming president also named Wanda Corazon Teo, sister of my co-PDI columnist and friend Ramon Tulfo, as the next tourism secretary. And to assure the public that there will be no conflict of interest, she is divesting herself of all participation in her business, Mt. Apo Travel and Tours. She is bent on continuing the successful programs of Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez.

I am so happy that Dr. Judy Taguiwalo has been appointed as secretary of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Dr. Taguiwalo earned her master’s degree in public administration from Carleton University of Ontario, Canada, then finished her doctorate in Philippine studies at University of the Philippines Diliman. And just like me, she was imprisoned when she opposed the Marcos dictatorship. After she received her appointment she said, “That an incoming president of the Philippines is extending his hand to the Left and inviting the latter to be part of government is a historic act.”

No language necessary

Meanwhile, back at the Right, from the 58th floor of the Discovery Primea building, one is bound to see forever on a clear day or night. Such is how I would describe this mansion (a 470-square meter condo) in the sky where Tess Schoefer resides. This lady whose body needs no language exudes such sex appeal from every pore without even trying and is bereft of all pretensions of being anything else but rich and beautiful.

Good friend and constant escort, international musical theater actor Leo Valdez, attests to this. “She was a schoolmate of mine at the University of Santo Tomas and was enrolled in the College of Fine Arts, major in Interior Design.”

Many still remember her as Tess Galang, the model, but she is truly more than that. Today, Tess is into real estate, both in Hong Kong and in the Philippines, and on the side, she accepts interior design projects. Reminds me of how a celebrity Scorpion funnily described herself and other Scorpions like Tess, “You know us, you can never can tell.”