Hubby's New Book

Last year, I erased most of the posts that obviously revealed my identity. While I was everywhere for 2 years because of my flourishing business, I decided to hibernate and stay away from all the attention I was getting. No to media features. Even my Facebook is not searchable.

It will be one year this month since my name was replaced to "Philippines" when I competed in the Women in Business competition in the Netherlands. Pregnant at 4 months. I erased that popular post. Only later to disappoint my country by dropping my creation-- my life's meaning-- and go back to the more familiar life in the corporate world. I sold my rights of Ecobloks to my co-founder. That decision was quite discreet.

To those who have been following my story, I lost my second daughter last year so she can save me. She was born prematurely at 22 weeks and lived only for 8 hours. She could have been 24 weeks when my appendix ruptured. By then, she could have survived the outside world with her more developed organs. But she came out first. She may have known that I would have chosen her before my own life.

Ecobloks was a constant reminder of Lira.

Since last week, God has been leading me to roads towards my healing.

Today, my husband told me that he has a new book out.



"Ang Lumang Kumot ni Lola," I believe is the first published work of my husband before he has gone mainstream. It first came out in Junior Inquirer about 10 years ago and was illustrated by May Tobias-Papa, who became my online friend because our kids are both gifted visual artists.

And what has "Ang Lumang Kumot ni Lola" something to do with my healing and anonymity?

I realized that there's nothing to be ashamed of because of our disappointments. Maybe an affirmation of my husband who never stopped trying to share his talents. That's why books, even of early works, continue to come out because of his positive disposition.

Time and again, God will find a way to tell us that everything will be alright. Though I am back to corporate life, God is telling me that maybe this uncharted territory after Ecobloks will lead me to something better. This is where my talent is needed. Maybe not in Ecobloks anymore.

I love my country and I know he loves me back. DId I disappoint him? Maybe yes because I stopped trying to make him proud because of my one track mind.

On to my next chapter.

When God Closes a Door, Somewhere He Opens a Window

Hubby always tells me -- Let go! Snap out of it!

It's been 8 months since I lost Lira, my 2nd daughter. And 8 months since I neglected my flourishing business. In my mind, they were born together. It was last February 2010 when I learned that I will be flying to the Netherlands to be a part of BiD Networks Women in Business competition, a vision that I have been eyeing after Rags2Riches won the grand prize of the BiD Challenge in 2009. By end February, I got pregnant. Last July 17, Lira died at 22 weeks of my pregnancy. My business died with her.

Today, my major retailer decided to pull out my product from their store because of its poor performance. I know why. I stopped marketing it. I stopped being aggressive in making it a global brand. But also today, I got an email from BiD, my sponsor in the Netherlands. My business has been upgraded for matchmaking to investors. One very high end resort also just sent me info on their order of the product. I have a mix of emotions now.

When God Closes a Door, Somewhere He Opens a Window.



Lira, my angel, tell me where to go. I want to snap out of this loss and move on.

On Social Entrepreneurship and Going Back to Work

Starting tomorrow, I'm going back to the corporate world. Was it out of need? A career decision? An escape?

Yes to the first two questions. A big resounding no to the last.

Even here at home and with my little girl, I'm avoiding the usual seremonyas (rituals) of goodbyes to being a housewife. With my online colleagues and my sponsors-- to my role as a social entrepreneur. Yes I will miss my girl, I will miss the usual guerilla feeling of saving the earth.

Below is the video posted in my profile at one of the organizations that supported my cause. Watching it again after several months of not doing anything related to business, somehow I felt that everything still has a purpose.



Last May 2009 at the Netherlands, I met 3 smart Filipinos, my co-delegates at the BiD Challenge finals. With them, we met almost 40 other entrepreneurs whom I think in my lifetime are the most brilliant minds that I have encountered. Us 4 Pinoys came from diverse backgrounds, even from competing schools, but we all have the same vision to provide support to the environment and our fellowmen.

Unfortunately, one of the ladies sold her share of the business and pursued a career in finance, I fought for my life hence decided to lie low a bit, and the only gentleman from the group had an untimely death. It was not a curse of our victories but so much happened within 6 months in our personal and professional lives. The only entrepreneur at the competition who remained standing still was the one who brought home a major award, and I'm very proud of her that she won.

Despite my low spirits, it was these same people who reminded me that I should not stop, even the one who is no longer with us now. Strangely, my boss is a close friend of this gentleman. The Philippine Business for Social Progress is still supporting us. And yes, slowly, I WILL MAKE THAT COMEBACK.

On going back to work, it was out of need. Except for one of the Pinoy entrepreneurs who competed in Netherlands, we kept other jobs. I considered my being a homemaker as a major job. Tomorrow, my other job will be to continue where I stopped 3 years ago. At my age, I think I still have the thirst to share to companies what I can contribute. Ecobloks will remain. I just made a career decision. It's now or never. Marketing guys like me rot. Our ideas rust.

It is not an escape but my healing. As the hours approached my first day at work, my self esteem goes even higher. I'm excited. My mind is spinning with ideas. I'm ready to face the challenge. I'm not thinking short term work here. It's a long term career decision. I have prayed for this and I think it's an answered prayer.

Tomorrow, I'll do the first day high!