Performance reviews are done and pay increases for our staff have been delivered.

We had finished our performance reviews last month and all the salary increases have been delivered.  It has been such a pleasure to work with our staff.  Great men and priesthood holders.

Todd Tapp- Incoming ex-pat as our replacement

In just four months we will be saying good-bye here.  I have thought that it would be very difficult as we have learned to love our staff very much and they have learned to love us. 

We had a meeting today with Brother Todd Tapp who will be our replacement in July.  Our key staff officers and ourselves helped inform Brother Tapp of our security dealings here in the Philippines.  I was relieved that we will be leaving the department in GREAT HANDS.  Its hard to go home when you feel like you are leaving home. 

I won't miss the traffic here...but I will miss my friends, the branch members that I have learned to love.  But most assuredly I will miss the men here in our staff....and I won't know what to do without them when we return to the states.  I love them very much.

I hope to get a picture of Todd and Pauline Tapp before they leave for the US on Friday.  But they will return in four months and time will fly.

March 15th, Felipe Ramos Jr. Retirement party with the Manila Security Staff.

 Philip with Wife, granddaughter and son

Paul doing a skit with agency guard

 Officer Paul expressing his love, friendship and appreciation for Philip

 Philip and wife

 Philip, his wife and granddaughter

 Philip's wife saying something about her husband

 Peter the Seagull guy on our staff relaying with emotion his appreciation for Philip

 Young Bishop Ryan Apduhan saying his parting words of friendship to Philip

 Philip saying his parting words

Security staff singing a song about friendship

On the evening of March 15th a surprise Retirement Party was hosted by his family.  We enjoyed songs and speeches and good will.  We will miss Philip (as he is known to us) and his good work ethic and his integrity and excellence in his work.  He has worked for the Security Department for 24 years and was present when the coup d etat took place.  He will be missed very much.

Philip said that he thought no one really loved him. After everyone spoke he was emotional and relayed his love and appreciation for all of us.  He is a very fine man and served well. At 55 he is still young enough to find another avenue of interest in a new business.  Good for him.

March 13, 2011, on our way to church.

We often see modes of transportation like this motorcycle that will carry a family of up to five.  A Trike with up to six.  Jeepneys....and who knows how many they can stuff into it.  Here is a picture of two on a motorcycle with a bunch of balloons....no doubt off to a birthday party.  We followed slow enough to catch this picture of it.  Thats life here in the Philippines.

Morong Sacrament meeting March 13, 2011

Every week in our assigned branch we have a few children come to sit with us.  Today one of the regulars came to sit by Elder Burningham and Elder takes the time to help her understand the hymn book and sings.  She is 10 years old and can read English pretty well. But mostly her language is Tagalog.  We have to have someone translate for us what she says. 

She comes to church with her Grandmother but prefers to sit with us if she sees us.  Usually Elder likes to show kids magic, like taking off his thumb or how he makes a coin disappear by rubbing it on his leg.  After a few moments she went back to her grandmother and grabbed a little boy who was sitting with her and took him by the hand to come sit by us.  Elder B did the thumb trick but not the coin.  He went back to his Grandmother after awhile.  I guess he thought he was too strange. I haven't seen him before so I don't know how used to going to church was for him.  He had a difficult time staying in Primary. 

March 11,2011 Tsunami Watch

Well, folks, the excitement at the moment is that there was a 8.9 earthquake and Tsunami that hit Japan. Surrounding countries including the Philippines are on watch. Watched the television CNN news here in the office and saw the devastation of water in Tokyo.  We are just watching.

Next Day, March 12.  No problem here in the Philippines.  All okay.

March 8, 2011 Staff Meeting with retiring officers.

Today was our scheduled Staff Meeting with our Manila Security Staff.  It also was our going away pizza lunch with congratulation cake for our Officer in Charge Felipe (Philip) Ramos Jr. having served 24 years here in Manila. And Felix Royo who served 14 years at the temple.  Felix turns 65 on the 10th of March and it is mandatory that when you turn 65 here in the Philippines you retire.  Philip has served 24 years here with the security staff but is only 55.  He was here when the coup d etat occured in 1989 so he remembers alot. Felix was not able to attend due to personal reasons but we made our way to his house after the meeting to present his certificate of appreciation to him along with left over pizza and cake.  His wife and kids were pleased for him.

The certificates were made here in our office by the production department.  I asked them to make a couple of certificates and I emailed the wording I wanted and then came back an amazing certificate with the temple in the background.  After they were printed we went to National Book Store and bought a couple of frames that suited the certificate perfectly.

March 5th 2011, last day in Cebu with two interviews, Temple and a good meal

Street view from the temple.
Us at the temple.

Gorgeous tree at the side of the temple

Beautiful flowers in bloom

The temple cleaning on the outside.

The Mission Presidents home and Temple Presidents home

Elder Burningham doing computer work. The monitors for the CCTV cameras are kept here.

Back of the temple patron housing. Our neighbors to the left. They are respectful of the temple and have not bothered to climb the wall.

Flowering trees on the perimeter of the temple. The fragrance of the flowers is just wonderful

These flowers are vibrant in color. So beautiful to the grounds.

Monitor room

Another view of the temple.

View of the Stake Center

On our last day here Saturday the 5th, we interviewed two candidates for Security Positions for our staff. We now have a good selection. Afterwards we went to the monitor office located in Temple Patron Housing for some work. Myself and Lot toured the temple grounds and I took some pictures. It was a beautiful day both in temperature and sunny weather.

After returning to the Marriott we packed and then walked to Ayala Mall (just steps away) and had a wonderful meal at "Carve" an Australian and Filipine owned restaurant (husband and wife). We met the owner and his wife there plus their son. We know we will return to the restaurant upon visiting Cebu again. The restaurant was suggested by another missionary couple Elder and Sister Luke serving at the ERC (Employment Resource Center)

This tree and several other old trees were on the property when it was purchased. Such magnificent trees.

Side view of Temple property with old trees and the Temple and Mission Presidents home.

March 3rd to March 5th 2011 Trip To Cebu/Staff Meeting and interviews

OIC Edwin Quiray leading the discussion in Bomb Threats

Security Manager Elder Burningham enjoying Pizza with the staff
Supervisor Lot Revilla giving instructions on handcuff restraint

Supervisor Revilla demonstrating handcuff restrain

OIC Edwin Quiray training in bomb threats and how to look for one after a call regarding a bomb placed.

OIC Quiray further instructing training to our Centurion Security guard staff at staff meeting

Handcuff demonstration

Supervisor Lot Revilla demonstrating handcuff technique

Staff Meeting with Pizza. What is a staff meeting without Pizza

On March 3rd we traveled by plane to Cebu to meet with our Security Staff there and to also conduct interviews to add an OIC to the Cebu Staff there. Our meeting was conducted by our staff OIC (Officers in Charge) and it was very well done. Edwin Quiray conducted training on bomb threats and how to find a bomb. Supervisor Lot Revilla conducted a handcuff demonstration which was also very well done.

Supervisor Lot had related an instance from his Security Guard experience where he handcuffed a suspect and then the suspect ran off along with his handcuffs. We all had a laugh over this

After almost a year of experience with the Cebu Security staff we have found a need to add one more security Officer in Charge so while we were there in Cebu we conducted eight interviews with prospective OIC's who have internet background. We have found some good candidates for the position in Cebu and also in Manila. Has been an interesting experience.

There have been two Centurion guards that have accepted the Gospel and been baptized. We have one Centurion Guard that is already a member. The rest of the Centurion guards are presently taking the missionary discussions. They all like working at the Temple complex.

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