A Breeze of Good Deeds # 25: Christmas with TamTam

My husband and I woke up at 4 in the morning to catch the last dawn mass before Christmas. I knew the night before that it was going to be a big and busy day. After hearing mass, Boyet and I grabbed some breakfast and prepped for our "project". I was in a good mood because my younger brother got out of his bed way earlier than his usual 9ish wake up time.

Since it was Christmas eve and everybody wanted to go home early, it was decided to have the call time at 7 in the morning. We arrived at Ayala at 7:03 only to find out that Kriska, who lives in Antipolo came earlier than us! But the biggest surprise was that the person who requested for the 7 a.m. call time arrived at 7:40! (Blind item: GDL :p)

I fell asleep for a few minutes and just woke up over a commotion in the car. Apparently, we’re lost! After a few calls to my cousin, we arrived at their house at 10 a.m.

We already saw TamTam while we were inside the car. Joie even said that he looked refreshed; his face is much different than what we saw in the picture that my cousin gave me. I noticed that most of my friends were stunned. I couldn’t blame them. How many people have actually seen a young man with no limbs? It was surreal. I pity him yet my admiration towards him grew stronger. I knew that my glances would probably make him feel awkward, or probably unfortunate. So I decided to go straight inside my aunt’s house and just went outside after a couple of minutes.

He started sharing bits and pieces of his twenty years of existence. Sobrang daldal nya! He told us how his parents disowned him, how his father sold him to a perya for PHP3,000, how somebody promised him a better life here in Manila, how he lives in the street and now in a house with no electricity and water supply and how people have been bullying him. Despite his misfortunes, he still took time to tell us how he fell in love with a girl and how their relationship ended. All his stories were too heavy to handle. That’s why I was so relieved when he decided to take a bath. It gave us time to recover from all his sad stories. It gave me time to realize that I am extremely blessed! Ang dami 'kong na-realize sa sobrang tagal nyang maligo! Hahaha!!!

His stories continued after he took a bath. He answered all our questions. And then we decided to give him our gifts. We brought him some grocery items, new clothes, a new baseball cap, vitamins and an old ball. He told us that he inserts half of his body to a ball which then serves as his legs and platform. We also brought him some candies, towels, handkerchiefs and other things which he could use to start up a small business. We also provided him a loading business kit.

He was sooooo appreciative! He kept on thanking us each time we hand him something. Since he told us that he is losing some of his possessions in the room he’s renting, he agreed for my aunt to take care of our gifts and just give some to him little by little.

We would have wanted to spend the whole day getting to know him. But it wasn’t possible. And before we left, he gave in to our request – Teach Me How to Dougie! Oh my! Great talent comes in small packages, literally! He grooves like there’s no tomorrow!

Photo courtesy of Hazel

You may think that we gave TamTam an unforgettable Christmas. But the truth is he was the one who gave us one. There wasn’t a single instance that he asked for help. We were always ready to assist him but he showed us how independent he is.

To tell you honestly, I was ashamed. I was sad because I didn’t have time to shop for a new pair of shoes while TamTam never experienced wearing one. It’s ironic how I whine on long walks while TamTam does it effortlessly. I complain how tiring my work is; he battles bullies everyday. I have a loving family; his turned their backs on him.

We all wish to help him more because TamTam is more than just a “Christmas Project” to us. We still want to fulfill his dream of finding a better home. We all hope to find him an affordable yet decent place to live in within Pamplona or Cavite. Let's all pray for TamTam! :(

Many thanks to Tita Flory, Hazel, Kuya Lloyd, Kuya Tatit, Kriska, Mark, Gener, Me-Anne, Joie, Jeff, Erlie, Aubrey, Chod, Rissa, Ruth, Abes and Boyet! None of these would be possible without you. :)

A Breeze of Good Deeds # 24: Christmas for a Boy with No Limbs

As early as November, my friends have started asking me if I already had plans for a Christmas project. Actually, I didn’t have a plan. That alone made me a little guilty. I was anticipating a letter from World Vision asking for my Noche Buena donation for my scholar. I thought that was already enough. But I realized that with the blessings that I am continuously getting and the number of people who needs help, my efforts will NEVER be enough. And besides, I am surrounded by compassionate friends who have the same urge to extend a helping hand to those in need. :)

I talked to some friends to check out if they are willing to join us for the same project which Boyet, Erlie and I did a couple of years ago. We were almost set for it. But just last week, I got a message from my cousin asking if we could consider helping out someone. After seeing his photo and hearing some stories from my cousin, I knew at that moment that we need to help him.


His name is Tommy. But most people fondly call him TamTam. I don’t know why he doesn’t have limbs but I’m assuming it’s inborn. What’s more painful than his disability is the fact that his family abandoned him. His father cold-heartedly sold him to a perya. My cousin asked if he has any relatives. He answered sadly, “Meron po pero ayaw nila akong angkinin e.” That made me think how some people can do such a horrible thing. Sorry for the lack of description pero umuurong ang jebs ko pag naiisip ko yung mga kamag-anak ni TamTam!

Anyway, my aunt and my cousin had the chance to meet him and both could attest how kind TamTam is. He does not ask for alms. He just stays in one corner and waits for people to notice him. My aunt’s co-workers and other people from the nearby establishments would sometimes give him food. And in return, he’d courteously say “Thank you po!”

For a while, he was homeless. But judging by the fact that he is paying a 600/month rent to a house with no electricity and water supply only proves that he is striving to have a normal life. And those people who have already met him know that he wants to be self-sufficient. Yesterday, my aunt asked him if he already has food. He smiled and said, “Meron na po.” It only shows that he is not abusing the kindness of the people around him.

Currently, TamTam is relying on the help of some strangers and my aunt’s co-workers who now treat him as if he’s a part of their families. Mang Nestor helps him in commuting since both of them live in Cavite. Suffice to say, he found a father in him.

My father asked me why we’re doing something as big as this for only one person. I kept quiet not because I don't have anything to say to him but because a lot of people have that kind of mentality. Everybody wants to be a superhero. Everybody wants to save the whole world. When in fact, the only way to change the world is to save one person at a time. Maybe when my friends and I become as big as Oprah, then we can do something bigger.

With our busy schedules, I honestly thought we could not be able to pull it off. It was really frustrating at first. But I must have done something really good to deserve such kindhearted friends. Boyet and I bought some groceries last weekend. Aubrey is in-charge in buying his clothes while Erlie took charge of the things that he need for a small business that he can probably start. Gener volunteered to buy our “special gift” for TamTam. Kriska promised that she’ll drive us when we meet TamTam. And my cousin Hazel visited TamTam last Saturday and took charge of buying his vitamins. Together with Me-Anne, Chod, Jeff, Joie and my brother Abes, we will rock TamTam’s Christmas! And if you want to be a part of it, you’re very much welcome!

If you just spend your day whining about how our government is not doing its job, nothing will happen. If you are always waiting to do something big, you may run out of chances. If you just believe that charity is only for the charitable institutions, you’re definitely mistaken. If you think that you cannot do something for people like TamTam, let our small group be an example that nothing is impossible.

We are hoping to transfer TamTam to a more decent and secure home. Other than the lack of electricity and water supply, he also told us that he is losing some of his possessions. We want TamTam to be as self-sufficient as possible. We want him to live a normal life. If you want to be a part of this change in TamTam’s life, come and join us! Shoot me an email (jerelltabenoja@gmail.com) or leave a comment in this post and I’ll get in touch with you. We are planning to meet him on Christmas eve. Thank you in advance! ;-)

An Early Christmas Gift

I woke up this morning feeling under the weather. I’ve been battling dizziness and headaches for weeks now. And people speculating (and most of them wishing) that I’m pregnant is not helping at all. The iron supplement prescribed to me is making me extremely sleepy even at high noon. It also stimulates my already big appetite. Having a quarter life crisis which is now ongoing for years, I’m starting to question the decisions I made and those that I’m about to make.

In the middle of all the big things happening in my life, I woke up to something great this morning. I scanned our mails and noticed a very familiar envelope. I got a mail from World Vision. My "kid" wrote a letter at the back of this cute handcrafted paper lantern.


There are times when I wish that I should be doing more for other people. There are times when I think that my efforts are not enough. But small things like this are God’s assurance that I’m on the right track.

Merry Christmas! ^_^

Supplier Review: Passion Cooks Catering

Seatmate: Nasarapan ka ba sa food noong _ _ _ _ ?
Me: Hmmm… Hindi masyado. Pero ok lang.
Seatmate: Hay naku! Mas masarap pa yung pumpkin soup noong kasal mo!
Me: Hahahahahaha!

It’s really flattering that almost six months after our wedding, our guests still say that it is one of the most memorable weddings they’ve ever attended. And yes, they still talk about the food! Next to our heartwarming yet funny speeches during the wedding reception, the next most talked-about thing about our wedding is the food.

All the food served were a product of four menu changes, three food-tasting, a lot of criticisms from my pinatasera mother, and Maja's unending patience. While we were eating, Camille of Fab Occasions approached and told us that she could hear the guests saying that they are enjoying the food. And according to Camille, every plate on every table has been wiped clean!

Being a food blogger and coming from a family of good cooks, I couldn’t afford to hear any negative comments about the food. That’s why I am more than thankful to Passion Cooks for making our guests go home with happy tummies.


Ironically, I don’t have photos of the food from our wedding reception. I didn’t have the time to take pictures of my plate! Nyaha! Fortunately, our photographers were able to take photos of our humongous cream puff tower. Other than the photobooth pictures and the bookmarks, the cream puffs were also distributed to our guests. Hitting two birds with one stone, it also served as our wedding cake. I gave a thumbs up to Maja during the cake-cutting ceremony because the cream puff is so yummy!


I immediately fell in love with the Chicken and Ham Crepe when Maja gave me some the first time we met. I was in the US during the first food-tasting so my mom suggested that we get the Cream of Pumpkin Soup and Three Mushrooms Pasta. I decided to deviate from the usual Caesar Salad so we settled for the refreshing Oriental Salad.


Maja made sure that there’s balance in our menu. When we told her that we like the Baked Prawns Thermidor and the Shepherd’s Pie, she told us that we might want to consider letting go one of the two because both have white sauce and cheese. The Grilled Pork with Herbed Cream Cheese was Maja’s suggestion as replacement for the Shepherd’s Pie. I was hesitant at first because I couldn’t imagine pork, cream cheese and apple together. But surprisingly, it’s a very good combination!

The Beef Salpicao was a last-minute choice. The very tender beef and loads of toasted garlic made this the best salpicao I’ve ever tasted. And of course, the dining experience is not complete without the desserts bar. Our contract says we’ll only have three desserts but Passion Cooks was so generous and made it four!

Other than the very delicious food, Maja also made sure to transform RMC from a simple hall that looks like a perfect setting for a graduation ceremony into a simple yet elegant venue. She discouraged me when I asked if they’ll be putting tables outside for the cocktails. She said that it gets really windy and the setup might probably get ruined. So I was very surprised when I saw tall tables with floral arrangements outside the venue. I was peeking from the bridal car and saw that our guests were having a good time.


Before the reception, I asked my maids of honor and bridesmaids how the venue looks like.

“Simple lang pero astig!”
“Ang ganda!”
“Ang galing ni Maja!”


I only told Maja that I want to see some books and flowers on the tables. All the other details are her ideas! I trusted her so much because I knew that she’d do a great job with the setup. She infused all the elements that we want for our book-themed, pink and black wedding. Paired with the equally talented Rejectkrew, our venue was awesome!




The pink, black and white drapes totally dressed up RMC’s bare ceiling. To make it more personalized, Maja hung some of my books and the pink bookmarks with our monogram. I looked at the ceiling and I realized that all the sleepless nights we spent making and cutting the bookmarks finally paid off.


The table setup was just as gorgeous. Maja requested for lots of glossy magazines. I first saw her plan during the mock setup. But it was doubly beautiful on our wedding day as it matched the drapes and the table cloths. It’s quite genius, isn’t it?

Photos courtesy of Ian Santillan Photography

You’ll probably think that my praises will stop with the good food and fabulous venue styling. But their service is just so impeccable to be ignored. The waiters are very attentive and friendly. Most importantly, Maja was there. Seeing her made us feel secure that nothing will ever go wrong. She was going around the venue. She even personally cut and distributed the cream puffs to our guests.

She told me that she wasn’t able to take some pictures of the food and the venue because RMC didn’t allow them to enter the venue earlier. She said that because of this, they finished the setup only a few minutes before the reception. Maja, the output you gave us didn’t show that you were in a hurry at all! :)

Other caterers are in the wedding industry for business. They accept tons of weddings a day making them lose the personal touch that couples need. Aside from the scrumptious food, the stunning venue styling and the perfect service, there is another thing that sets Passion Cooks apart from the other caterers in the market. Living by their name, passion is very much evident in the way they uniquely deliver every wedding reception.


Passion Cooks Catering
Rating: 5+++++/5 <-- Yes! Seriously! :)

Hainanese Delights

After hearing mass with Boyet and my IPL session, I only realized that it was way past lunch time when my stomach started growling. We seriously need to transfer to another mall because we’re already running out of ideas on where to eat at Robinsons Manila. I was mentally scanning the whole mall trying to figure out where to have lunch when I suddenly remembered a restaurant that we haven’t tried yet. The place was almost empty but people started piling up after we placed our orders.

After a couple of minutes on our seats, a waitress approached us holding a thermos. I initially thought that she was serving us tea. She then placed two bowls with pieces of leeks and started pouring the hot soup. I immediately disagreed when Boyet said that the soup is salty. It actually made me feel like I'm at home. My mom usually boils leftover bones for hours which result into a mouthwatering soup.

Complimentary Soup

We would have skipped Classic Dumplings if we only knew that they serve complimentary soup. Six pieces of dumplings, lettuce, egg and toasted onion rings made an ordinary stock tastier.

Classic Dumplings PHP80

I decided to get Hainanese Delights. Bearing the restaurant’s name, I figured this must be their bestseller. I never really liked Hainanese chicken. I get this feeling that I’m like eating raw chicken if its color is not brown or red. But my misconception suddenly disappeared the moment I had my first bite. It goes very well with the mixture of chili and ginger oil.

Hainanese Delights PHP120

The aroma and taste of their rice remind me so much of our native suman. The best thing about Hainanese Delights is the unlimited rice. Yehba! :p

Boyet decided to skip chicken and had beef instead. Unfortunately, it was forgettable. Bring in the Beef was just so-so. The Hainanese chicken definitely overshadowed it.

Bring in the Beef PHP120

Hainanese Delights
Level 1 Pedro Gil Wing
Robinsons Place Manila

The Best of Me

Although Nicholas Sparks was the one responsible for transforming me from a Sweet Valley High reader to a mature bookworm, I took a very long break from reading his books. But when the news broke that he was coming to Manila, my best friend and I made sure to be there by hook or by crook. During his interview, he gave us a glimpse of what to expect in the book. That alone made more intrigued about the storyline. As soon as my husband got the book covered, I started reading and so the roller coaster of emotions began.

I had the same feeling when I met Nicholas Sparks and after reading The Best of Me. I was overwhelmed.



Dawson and Amanda were from two different ends of the world. They fell in love, the kind of love that broke all the rules, the kind of love that was meant to last forever. But because of some twists of fate, they broke apart not knowing that their unfinished businesses left their lives empty and lonely.

I loved how Sparks described their very young love - rebellious yet pure. Sparks made sure that he built all the other characters well enough since each of them played a very important part of how the story would end. While the conflict builds, I couldn’t help but feel the intensity of the characters’ emotions and the effects of the choices they’ve made along the way. I was having a hard time thinking how it would end. The ending, though not as realistic as I expected it to be, was somehow fitting. Having a quite controversial plot, it’s either you’ll love or hate this book.

You may find the use of a “ghost” irrelevant. But I realized that every person has a ghost. And unless we find the courage to face our haunting past, we cannot move forward and serve our purpose in life.

You may find the infidelity immoral. But I realized that all our actions and all our choices have consequences. All the opportunities that we missed will most likely never be offered to us again. And every chance of happiness that we let go will probably leave us wondering whether we’ll have the same chance again.

The Best of Me didn’t make me cry as much as I did with The Notebook. All the pages are still intact unlike my copy of A Walk to Remember which are almost torn out because of all the tears that it absorbed. But reading the book has left me choked up. It was as if I was battling with Amanda. It was as if I was trying to help her make the right choice. I felt the degree sadness brought by her regrets. But I was also grateful. I am thankful that I am living a life free from the “what if’s” of life.

If you’ve already read the book, I know that you’ll agree with me when I say that Chapter 15 is the most moving part of it.

“Being together isn’t about a honeymoon. It’s about the real you and me. I want to wake up with you beside me in the mornings, I want to spend my evenings looking at you across the dinner table. I want to share every mundane detail of my day with you and hear every detail of yours. I want to laugh with you and fall asleep with you in my arms. Because you aren’t just someone I loved back then. You were my best friend, my best self, and I can’t imagine giving that up again… You might not understand, but I gave you the best of me, and after you left, nothing was ever the same.”
- Dawson Cole