Rica and me met two years ago during Razorback’s concert in Damosa Gateway. I guess that was around Octoberfest of 2006. During that time, she was busy with her cousin and cousin-in-law organizing their Night Hunt on the succeeding week and, I was asking her magazine to be one of our sponsors on our upcoming Ultimate Frisbee Benefit Event. It was such a great night to forget – uhmmmm…. not really that romantic but definitely, I FLIRTED with her (both intoxicated on a humid October Davao night…thanks to Aris Japitaña of GSM) coz apparently she told me she was Mexican (hmmm…fetish! Hehehehe…) and a great fan of Cecile’s lug lug (not knowing a week after we were MEANT to meet again through her cousin, Eliza Magno who is apparently a good friend of mine and Cecile’s are my aunts’ bakeshop – so, our first date was in Cecile’s Malvar branch three weeks after). And to top it all of, our first meeting happened to be photographed and printed on Roger Layson’s article at the Daily Mirror in 4R (what do you think now?) hehehehe…was it all coincidence? Hmmm…I don’t think so…coz I don’t believe on that.
Honestly, looking back at it, kinikilig pa rin ako! Hehehe…
From that day on, our relationship budded to something deeper and perfectly brewed. We’ve been living together for more than a year now and good thing though; everyday was always a new day for us! “We’ve learned the art of complimenting each other”. On our first year anniversary was the time I gave Rica a 'promise ring'.
There are a lot of romantically spine-chilling ways I can think of on how to formally propose to Rica. With her audacious, strong and “hard as a rock” persona – within her is a soft and genuine heart that is worth feeling affection for. She basically described herself like that – someone who looks tough yet mushy within (reminds me of M&Ms though). In a recent survey in the US, over 80% of women (and men) who were proposed to said that the proposal was "less romantic" than they had hoped for.
Though I must admit I am a hopeless romantic. I pictured out my proposal to Rica as something you watch in chick flicks and just sweeps the girl off her feet. Only focusing on the girl and no one else. Something that would leave everyone teary eyed and just dumb founded and a very comforting sigh and heartfelt contentment. I originally intend to do it with “the works and shit I know of you know”, with flare that makes it amazingly special and a lot of vanity! (A rock and a rain of flower petals) But, I must say last Sunday caught me off guard. There are just things you don’t have control. And I should learn to accept it. I must say what happened last Sunday includes us in the 80%. It wasn’t really quite I was expecting to happen or planned initially BUT IT MUST BE DONE.
Our formal engagement announcement was a HUMBLING EXPERIENCE for me.
I am not saying that we or I was rushed to make a formal proposal to be witnessed by her family and her mom whom just had a short vacation in Davao. I am not saying I was or we were coerced but, with the limited resources I am enjoying now, vanity wasn’t my friend that night. I actually felt frustrated about it since, you guys know how “all out” and “galante” I am as a person, but what happened last Sunday just made me feel limited in proposing. I felt there should’ve been more I have done to make it more romantic. But, I can’t afford anything as of the moment. I believe that what makes the girl shut up are diamonds. Seriously, I must learn to accept and learn the value of being HUMBLED in what I have – and that is all LOVE. What my fiancé just said, “I feel that it was good to see that everyone that night was sincerely happy for us”. And it just lightens me up!
But, on that crazy day – it was all worth it. Nevertheless, now we both know that our friends and family sincerely RECOGNIZE our relationship, legitimately BLESSED by our parents and with certainty FOUNDED by the love we’re taking care of. The only missing thing is the blessing from the LORD. So, without further ado, I would like to announce as early as now and ask you guys to mark your schedules and prepare your beach wear on 2010. It’s going to be different this time. We will do everything our way.
It’s going to be one intimately rowdy beach wedding-partey yo!!! Cheers to all!
*This blog serves as your invitation! Hahahahaha…(cost cutting with the invitation printing expense)
“Love is patient, kind, without envy. It is not boastful or arrogant. It is not ill mannered nor does it seek its own interest. Love withstands anger and forgets offenses. It does not take delight in wrong, but rejoices with the truth. Love excuses everything, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.”
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
After 9 years, everything happened!
Last January 2, 2008 was an intimate Christian wedding of Gil Emilio Mario ‘Gio’ Guino-o Gadi and Helen Grace Lim y Parreño at the Grand Agila Ballroom of the Waterfront Insular Hotel of Davao attended by their families and immediate relatives from Manila, Davao and Norway as well as, the couple’s good friends. The wedding ceremony was officiated by Rev. Lathur D. Badoy of the Lighthouse Christian Church where the couple belongs. Gio who was born in Manila and grandson of the former mayors of Kidapawan City, Cotabato province during the 60’s, Dr. Gil F. Gadi and Dr. Emma Gadi y Bagtas; film theatre circa tycoon of Southern Mindanao and real estate entrepreneur, Emilio Guino-o, Sr. and Lourdes Einarsen y Paredes Norwegian-Filipino Immigrant and son of businessman, Jose Manuel B. Gadi and businesswoman, Emilord Guino-o y Paredes. While Helen coming from a Chinese family, born in Davao and daughter of entrepreneur, Reynaldo B. Lim and housewife, Lilia Lim y Parreño.
Both Gio and Helen are business graduates of the Ateneo de Davao University. Gio, a marketing graduate of batch 2000 and Helen, a management graduate are now both based in Hong Kong, Republic of China. Gio is currently connected with Pacific Prospects – an integrated Asian financial publishing, conference, research and consultancy business for more than a year now and was nominated as Incisive Media’s Employee of the Year for Asia Pacific that will take place in London, England anytime this year while Helen works in Kowloon Hotel as a Club Floor purser. Their audacious love story all started when they became classmates in one of their philosophy subjects in the Canisius building of the Ateneo university grounds.
the bridesmaids are Emma Lourdes Clotilde G. Gadi – sister of the groom, Erlyn V. Uy and Leah M. Bartiquin. To light the couple’s path are Martin Bryan A. Cam and Carolyn B. Go while the pair that clothed the couple are Josue D. Tesado, Jr. and Andrea Leung. The couple who bound Gio and Helen together were Juan Manuel Tomas G. Gadi – brother of the groom and fiancée Rica Janet Villanueva y Magno. To carry the couple’s symbol of love, faith and treasure; Lathur Carlos Paul S. Badoy – son of the officiating minister was the ring bearer, Noelle P. Guino-o was the Bible bearer, the couple’s only daughter Zakiyah Gabrielle L. Gadi as the coin bearer and the groom’s young adult cousins from Norway as their flower girls namely, Mary Lou G. Scar and Mai Lisa P. Guino-o. Good friend Alexis Lumbatan hosted the Gadi-Lim nuptial.
I have observed. I have encountered. I have seen the beauty of the sport. I made new relationships – something that is of substance and not that is clinging in thin air. I know that ULTIMATE is worth playing – nothing more, nothing less. So, here I am trying to transcribe in black and white how I got in to this
interesting sport. I have been playing it for more than a year now, there have been the “dry and wet seasons”, but, one thing’s for sure, ULTIMATE is more than the sport. It is a community of people who believes in the Spirit of the Game! Thanks to my former teammate for helping me out back track the facts, Mr. Aldrin Redolme is one of the pioneers of Davao Ultimate who recently migrated to Australia and now tossin’ it off in Geelong, Victoria South of Australia. Okay ra ka dira bordz?! Hehehe….
Amongst the blooming metropolis of Davao, the hustle and
the bustle fused with the ‘laid back’ Davaoeño lifestyle, it was not that long ago when ULTIMATE started in the Land of Promise. Two disc-infected personalities felt the urge of starting the elegant sport here namely, Ms. Roxanne “Lu-an” Lu and Mr. Francis Diano. Starting it through pure enticement of common friends holding their sessions at the Matina Town Square and University of South Eastern Philippines fields for a common goal of introducing the sport and having a community of disc aficionados. It started humble. It started simple. It started with fun!
elegant at the same time, someone wh
o knows how to respect, someone who values courtesy and someone who is dedicated in spreading the LOVE! They were both successful in that endeavour. It gained popularity and reaped camaraderie amongst the pioneers. Thus, it was the birth of the first Davao team, ULTIMATE South Team Durian. Religiously, they attended the Tuesday and Thursday nights session at the AGRO Fields as well as, at the USEP field during Sunday afternoons—a “freaknic” I must say since all we do over there was to eat and bond on a Sunday. Hehehe…great memories! ULTIMATE simply fitted the Davao lifestyle.
On May 27 and 28, 2006, Francis and Lu-an hosted the 1st Summer Beach Frisbee tourney at Bago Beach Resort.
The local disc community as well as, its event sponsors’ supported this tournament. It definitely gave way to the budding disc community in Davao. It summoned to the birth of a growing disc community.
June of 2006, Francis went back to Manila to continue his studies, and left DAVAO ULTIMATE to Lu-an’s care (she left the month after). Mr. Ipe Borja and friends from other teams in Manila and of the Philippine Ultimate Association visited the Davao Ultimate
players during their practice and training. They continued to promote the love to this growing team, Ultimate STD and invited the team to participate in the Manila Spirits ’06 at the Manila Polo Club. Everyone got excited and in full swing went the extra mile in devoting time, energy and effort in learning ULTIMATE. They were all simply mesmerized in making a debut for the Davao team in an International Competition. Nothing to loose though, all for the love of the fame…esté game!
whole team, the players decided to conduct a “fund-raising” tournament in sponsoring the Ultimate STD in Manila. They conducted an election of officers to divide the responsibility to each member. There, Mr. Noel Uy became the first Davao Ultimate Association President, Mr. Mark Chua the Vice President, Ms. Bing Alcala the Secretary, Ms. Jenny Nalla as Treasurer, Mr. Michael Sibbaluca as Auditor, Mr. Aldrin Redolme as Public Relations Officer, Mr. BJ Yñiguez as Prince Charming, Ms. Mae-An Lu and Ms. Mishi Fidelino as the association’s muses. It was fun though! The association rode the same wave then. The mission: to recruit and to raise funds!
On October 20th and 21st of the same year, the Davao Ultimate Association hosted it’s 1st Halloween Ultimate Tournament at the Tionko fields entitled, “DULA ‘ta Ultimate bai!” for the benefit of BANTAY BATA DAVAO. It was parti
cipated by Iligan Red Horses as well as, local teams namely, Team Mulatto,
Team Holy Cross, Team Ateneo, Team Pakshet and Team Bullshet, three of which were composed of different members from the Ultimate STD team having their own separate independent playing team during the tournament. Having your own separate team then was ne
ver
an issue, since, the community whole-heartedly embraced it and did not want to limit the players. The event pulled off and phenomenally was a success! With our deepest gratitude to all our event sponsors namely, Ginebra San Miguel, Milo, Hype Magazine, Mulatto, Madayaw Outdoor Shop, Byteworld, Coca Cola, Holiday Spa, My Concepts, Mega Arts Design Concepts, 98.7 Home Radio, Bak-Bak Native Chicken House, Battery Doctors and the bands who played during the culmination night – our unending credit to your support.
during the remaining weeks before the Manila Spirits ’06, now at the Alabang Country Club. “One team. 
One purpose. One sport.” Was the vision of the Davao Disc Community in sending off their only team on the said event. 
The team went to Manila and got to know the bigger colony of disc maniacs—all sort of personalities, background and culture but, playing only ONE ULTIMATE SPORT. With heads held high, the Ultimate South Team Durian played and partied with everyone who shares their common interest and that is, the Spirit of the Game. With things that they did and will do are now parts of this history.
