2009 UPDATE

Dear Family and Friends,

We celebrate the New Year – 2009 with much hope – despite the seeming dark clouds that pervades the sky. God’s light continues to shine even brighter and we can only imagine how He will “make all things new.”

Rejoice with our family for the year that was – 2008:

We said goodbye to Town and Country Executive Village in Antipolo which has been our home for six years, and now live in Marikina at my sister’s place since she left for New Zealand last April. My kids now enjoy their grandmother – Lola Ave – as we share the same compound. Last December though Lola Ave left to spend Christmas with Archie and Zach at New Zealand. She will be back by May. Our new address: 7 Sampaguita St., Lamuan, Marikina City.

Chi ONGKIKO is on 2^nd year at her new assignment as a junior officer with systems in Metrobank. She endures being a Commuter – leaves by 6:30am and gets home before 8pm and can still prepare most sumptuous meal whenever she can. She finds joy in Netlog community as she is able to express her thoughts through blogging and gain new friends from all over at the same time. Check her site – www.en.netlog.com/tinklingjade

Regina Mae ONGKIKO is currently 2^nd year at UPLB and taking Development Communication. She recently joined Devcomsoc and now calls her papa – Brod. She is active

in school and was elected Student Council member of College of Development Communication. Reg, as she prefers to be called, sports a shorter hairstyle – and receives much compliment for it. She is so into digital photography and has been exploring this new found digicam.

Chiara Luz ONGKIKO transferred to Christian School International (Los Banos) as a 3rd yr HS Student. She is happy to renew ties with former classmates and teachers and enjoys being a choir member. She is into various arts-stuff, likes to draw and sketch anime. Chia, as she is fondly called, seriously considers going to Japan and learning its culture. For now, her thoughts are occupied on deciding what course to take and where to study in college.

Jayjay ONGKIKO is Grade One at Marist School. He graduated class valedictorian in his preschool and continues to get high grades. He is very active physically and took up badminton lessons, and articulated his desire to take up basketball when in Grade 2. Quite the OC in the family, Jayjay unceasingly offers corrections on some “inconsistencies” like – USA should really be USOA since its meaning is United States Of America.

Bea Marie ONGKIKO followed after her papa’s footsteps, and is now in Prep at Roosevelt College Elementary Department. She enjoys immensely chatting with classmates as she walks to and from school. For the UN day parade, Bea was supposed to wear a pajama-like costume as Ms. Thailand. But Chi saw a beautiful pink Korean gown and let Bea wear it instead instructing the yaya that if they are questioned, just say that they thought it was a Thailand outfit. Bea won first runner-up in costume wearing a cute Korean outfit with a well written diagonal sash that reads – Miss Thailand. Her infectious smile has been put to the test as she recently lost her two front teeth.

Boyet Ongkiko now has the longest hair in the family. Bea and Jay say they should call him Mommy instead. He discovered the joys of sulit.com when he was able to sell our car and refrigerator through the internet site. Boyet is busy with Eklipse, IVPM and various projects where he effectively employs the Dialogue Education approach to learning. He has become a regular speaker on a Bible Study program aired over Marikina radio (DZBF 1674Khz). He is constantly on-line so he’s usually only a click away.

There you have it - all six of us. We enjoyed being together during the holidays... and just being family, something we seldom do since Reg and Chia are studying in Los Banos. Thankfully there is the internet - the wonders of technology!!!