(1649) MUSIC AND ME (Nov. 01, 2018) Pastor Susan and Pastor Liza Bregana--Converts of Presbyter Gali Concepcion in Hong Kong

PASTOR SUSAN LOPEZ,

PASTOR LIZA BREGANA--

Converts of Presbyter Gali

Concepcion in Hong Kong

 Pastor Susan Lopez pioneered the Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch) in Palau in early 2005. In December of that year, they do caroling at Rose Garden Resort where I play keyboard music every night.

Right from that moment, a connection has started with me playing along with them with Bro. Rolly Adducul playing the guitar.

On Christmas Day 2005, my co-employee at Rose Garden Resort, Sis. Luz Sembrano, invited us to attend the PMCC Christmas service at the rented building in the 2nd floor behind Palasia Hotel.

Since they know that I am a musician, they let play the keyboard all through the end of the service as if I know all the songs that we playing.

Me and my wife Flor were baptized on that Christmas Day 2005 so it very easy to remember the date of our salvation.

Since then, I never missed a Sunday service even if I go to Russia in 2010, Turkey in 2012, Norway in 2014, Azerbaijan in 2016 and lately in 2018 in Batumi, Georgia for the World Chess Olympiads held every 2 years although I am doing the communion by myself.

Pastor Susan Lopez' husband Bro. Fred Lopez, always ask me to bring his wife some soap, chocolates and other stuff whenever I am having a vacation in Philippines because he knows that I am attending the services of Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch) in Halang, Hagonoy, Bulacan Locale where Pastor Susan is now the head pastor.

 Before and after the 2016 World Chess Olympiad in Baku, Azerbaijan, I always attend the midweek and Sunday service at PMCC in Halang Hagonoy, Bulacan Philippines, where Pastor Susan Lopez is now the Head Pastor.

Later, Pastor Susan were joined there by former staff of PMCC Palau Locale Sis. Malou Paster and Bro. Ruel Luis with his kids studying there.

The PMCC in Halang, Hagonoy, Bulacan is now very progressive and they have bought a 2-hectare land being used as fish pond for 2 million Philippine pesos.






 I donated a keyboard to the PMCC church and before coming back to Palau after participating in the 2016 WCO, I bought 2 kilos of shrimp and 5 kilos of milk fish and gave it to Pastor Susan together with my grand son Zach and Wilhem, the husband of my sister-in-law Vilma, riding a tricycle.

 We took about 8 photos with Pastor Susan and Zach.

The Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch) Palau Locale celebrated its Annual Thanksgiving in March 31, 2019 at VIP Conference Room with Pastor Liza Bregana as our Guest Speaker from Macau.

It happens during her message that she knows Pastor Susan since their days in Hong Kong in 1982.
     Pastor Liza can play guitar. In the Evangelistic Night on March 31, she rendered a song (her favorite) using acoustic guitar. In the morning devotion in March 29, I am late because I slept with my wife Flor and she is playing the guitar. She said she used to play the guitar during morning devotion and midweek services of PMCC in Macau because the brethren there have few musicians.
    She encourages the Palau brethren to let their talents in music/preaching be used for the service to God instead of the world.

After the service and lunch at 1:30 pm, me and Jeffrey Penoliar, middle-in black polo shirt, proceed to Palau Royal Resort and took the chess materials for the Awarding of the Top 3 finishers in the 2019 Palau Rapid Chess Championship. Prior to the awarding, a mini blitz chess contest was held among 12 players --(The final standings-----1. Bobot Tan -7 points 2. Manuel Mahor, Jr. (5) 3. Roberto Hernandez (5) 4. Angelo Salvadora (4) 5. Joel Manalo (PRR) 3.5 6. Khol Sugiyama (3.5) 7. Angelil Sisior (3) 8. Angelito Mintar, Jr. (3) 9. Angelica Parrado (3) 10. Rustum Cabuso (2.5) 11. Jeffrey Penoliar (2.5) and 12. Dave Cristobal (0). 
     Nobu Yano left before the contest started.
     There's a $1.00 registration fee that serves as cash prize for Bobot (champion) $6.00, Jun Mahor ($4.00) and me pocketing $2.00.
     Bobot is suggesting to have this event a weekly fun blitz chess games/socializing.
    Janela Reyes, another new employee of PRR serves as our photographer with her taking the photos before each round in this 7-round Swiss system event and a time control of 5 min. and 3 seconds increment. 


Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               December 29, 2002 -- March 31, 2019

               Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
               The Beginning of Chess in Palau
               By Roberto Hernandez
               Soon to be published as a book

               Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013
               http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
               April 25, 2013 -- March 31, 2019

               The History of Chess in Palau
               By Roberto Hernandez
               June 09, 2002 -- March 31, 2019

(1514) MUSIC AND ME (March 15, 2018) 35th CIVIL WEDDING ANNIVERSARY OF ROBERTO-FLOR ON MARCH 11, 2018

 35th CIVIL WEDDING ANNIVERSARY
                   OF ROBERTO-FLOR
                   ON MARCH 11, 2018

In this photo, I didn't know that I have this photo until I saw the scrap book that was displayed by my sister-in-law Vilma Miranda Belgar near the dining table where I also put on display at the shelf the big chess pieces that I made using guava wood and carved it manually using a saw, knife, sand
paper and lots of patience. There are bishops, king, queen and rook but no knight because it's very hard to carve. 
    I remember making my first chess set where I used the wood called "tuwi", which is very light and easy to break. When I finished all the pieces (king, queen, bishop, rook and pawns), my last piece is the knight. 
   I don't have something to copy on, just what I imagine in my mind. When it's finished, it looks like a dog!
   I borrowed a knight piece from the founder of Hagonoy Chess Club Miling Crisostomo, who is my practice partner after the 7-year-old boy (his nephew) that taught me how to play chess, could not beat me anymore.
   When me and my wife had a vacation in May 28, 2004 to send our daughter Karen to college for Nursing studies, Miling invited me to participate in the Baliwag Mayor's Cup Rapid Chess Tournament held every year at the Mayor's residence with cash prizes offered as well as free food and drinks.
   Miling asked me if I would like to drive but I refuse because I am not familiar with the place and the jeep that we are using is manual drive and I am using in Palau automatic car made in Japan (right wheel drive).


During our vacation last year (July 21-Aug. 11, 2017), I asked Vilma to take out those photos and I will scan it for better results.

That civil wedding photo was held in Makati, Metro Manila on March 11, 1983, 6 months after I have come back from Japan (April 04-Sept. 28, 1982) with the First Quarter Band composing of Toto (drummer), Matt (bass guitar), Jane Ramas (lady singer) and Frankie Ganalon (lead guitar), whom had me having communication with him through Facebook. We have no news/info from the other members.

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/01/music-and-me-nov-27-2014-funny-memories.html

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2015/05/music-and-me-april-30-2015-heart-beat.html

http://palau-chess.blogspot.com/2019/12/1760-music-and-me-aug-22-2019-frank.html

In September 25, 1983, we were married in the Sta. Ana church in Hagonoy, Bulacan.

My younger brother Jerry Angeles Hernandez and my co-employee/friend at The Plaza Restaurant Fernando Vergara, my 2 cousins from Manila, my sister-in-law Ma. Victoria (aka Baby) were secondary sponsors.

Fernando Vergara, middle, was the veil and cord secondary sponsor with a childhood friend.




HAPPY 35th CIVIL WEDDING ANNIVERSARY TO MY WIFE Flor Miranda-Hernandez on this day March 11, 2018...



 We're still going strong, blessed with a daughter Karen Cando and 2 grand kids Zachery Hernandez-Gregorio and Luan Tiffany Cando.


 We have $1,111.11 savings for our vacation in Sept.2018. Just in time for the 35th Church Wedding Anniversary on Sept. 25. 


Those 6 number ones have magical meaning to us as it is the numbers where my life is revolving now....Number 1 -- is my service to God through the Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ (4th Watch) Palau Locale; 

Number 2 is you; 

Number 3 is Karen, Zach and Tiffany; 


Number 4 is music;

 Number 5 is chess and

 Number 6 is Palau Royal Resort. 


THAT'S WHERE MY LIFE IS REVOLVING NOW --- GOD, YOU, KAREN-ZACH-TIFFANY, MUSIC, CHESS AND PRR! 


So, if they see me in Iyebukel, Airai, Ngerbeched and downtown Koror, I am teaching chess, ukulele, piano/keyboard, guitar.


 If they saw me in Australia, Russia, Turkey, Norway and Azerbaijan, I'm playing chess there representing Palau. 


And if they see me in Guam and Saipan, I'm there for the PMCC Pacific Area Fellowship or 2019 Oceania Zonal Chess Championship.


 PRAISE THE LORD! GOD IS GOOD! 






Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               December 29, 2002 -- April 19, 2018

               Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)
               The Beginning of Chess in Palau
               By Roberto Hernandez
               Soon to be published as a book

               Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez
               Tia Belau Newspaper
               March 25, 2012 -- April 18, 2013
               http://palau-chess.blogspot.com
               April 25, 2013 -- April 19, 2018

               The History of Chess in Palau
               By Roberto Hernandez
               June 09, 2002 -- April 19, 2018

(1418) MUSIC AND ME (June 29, 2017) JEFF RAMOS --INTERESTED IN PIANO-GUITAR LESSONS

                        JEFF RAMOS --
                       INTERESTED IN
            PIANO-GUITAR LESSONS

                  My wife Flor Miranda-Hernandez and I have a 22-day vacation from June 02-23, 2015 that we spent mostly in Hagonoy, Bulacan my home province. Flor’s cousin Tess Alvarez, also known as “Bunini” as her nickname, invited us for a reunion with their relatives in Imus, Cavite. They haven’t seen each other for more than 30 years.

                We rented a van for 3,000.00 pesos ($30.00) and we picked-up Flor’s sister Marivic and her son Harold Kyle on our way to the secured house. It looks like an ordinary house but inside one of the rooms are very expensive furniture and fixtures that almost all of us inspected the rooms and have photo session while inside.

                I and Welhem Ramos Belgar stayed in the garage where the food is prepared and we are just talking. Later after a sumptuous lunch, Jeff Ramos had a conversation with me regarding teaching him piano and guitar. I gave him my card earlier and he saw that I teach privately piano, keyboard, guitar and chess. I told him that we are just on a 22-day vacation. Because of the distance of his place and my province, it’s impractical to teach him even once a week.

                I remember teaching the 2 daughters of my cousin Celerina “Ka Rina” Dionisio Jumaquio in mid-80’s once a week, the distance is not that much because I can teach them in the same day and I can have a short 2 or 3 days visit to my parents, which reside just a few meters away from their house. At that time, Ka Rina and her husband Rading are in Japan as entertainers (duo). They’ve been there more than a dozen times in the same hotel.

                They told me once that they earned more than their salary doing extra job in the kitchen of the hotel. When I was in Japan with First Quarter Band in April 04-Sept. 28, 1982, I also earned extra by playing the Yamaha grand piano on Monday evenings, the day off of our band and the lady pianist of Celestial Bar at Hayashida Hotel in Kagoshima City, Japan. Our daily schedule there with Jane Ramas, our singer, Matt (bass guitar), Toto (drums) and Frankie Ganalon (lead guitar) is 12:00nn-12:30 (half hour break) and 1:00-1:30pm. At nighttime, it’s 7-7:30; 8-8:30 and 9-9:30.

                My schedule at the Celestial Piano Bar is the same as our evening schedule. During breaks, when my band members are having karaoke singing and drinking at bars nearby, I will go there and socialize/drink with them and go back 5 minutes before my playing time. I will stay with them after my final set. One night at Celestial, a guest requested Italian song “Volare” and put a music note of that song at the piano stand. I was not able to play it because I’m not a sight reader—or a musician that can play musical notes on the spot.

                When I was in Bahrain, that song is also popular there and I was able to get the lyrics of that song listening many times to cassette tape that I recorded in following the radio program every Friday afternoon-- “Million Sellers” where they broadcast the records (45 RPM) that made a sale of a million copies from 1920-1980. Now in Palau for 25 years, I can sing and play that song without looking at the notes.

Sources: Chess Mate by Roberto Hernandez

               Tia Belau Newspaper

               December 29, 2002 -- September 09, 2017

               Chess and Music (Perfect Combination)

               The Beginning of Chess in Palau

               By Roberto Hernandez

               Soon to be published as a book

               Music and Me by Roberto Hernandez

               Tia Belau Newspaper

               March 15, 2012 -- April 18, 2013

               http://palau-chess.blogspot.com

               April 25, 2013 -- September 09, 2017

              The History of Chess in Palau

              By Roberto Hernandez

              June 09, 2002 -- September 09, 2017