One month na 'baby' namin

Yup...we have a new baby and she just turned one month old today.

Our new baby shares 2 letters with my initials. I'm APG, she's APV!

Yeah boy, our new baby is a Suzuki APV (All Purpose Vehicle), a mid-sized van completely built in Indonesia.

Actually, wala akong planong bumili ng sasakyan. Pero nag-offer kasi ng 40 percent off the downpayment ang Suzuki Shaw so we gave in.

Matagal ko nang gustong magkaroon ng bigger car because the kids are growing up fast, para na kaming sardinas sa Corolla. Besides, gusto ko naman maisama sa mga lakad sina Mama and Tita Moni and the rest of the household and that was not possible with the old car.

Mara and I had shortlisted the Toyota Avanza, Toyota Innova, Kia Carnival and a Kia Carens. Na-scratch off namin yung Avanza kasi parang masikip sa loob. Yung Innova, medyo mahaba at parang mahirap i-maneuver sa kalye namin sa Galas which is a typical low-middle class suburb in Quezon City. Maganda sana yung fully automated na Carnival kaso ang mahal, isang milyon na rin ang price -- same with the Innova.

We were already keen on the Carens until we saw the APV on display at SM Centerpoint (Sta Mesa), that was a Friday (Jan 11) - kagagaling lang namin ni Mara sa Bohol.

The next day, Emerson of Suzuki Shaw made arrangements for me to test drive an APV and I was satisfied with the feel and handling of the van.

Ang tipping point is that at P765,000 she can comfortably seat 8 people at may konting cargo space pa. Sing-taas rin sya ng typical na 4x4 so on the road, mataas ang vista. It has automatic transmission, driver and passenger airbags, side collision bars, power mirrors, power windows, dual A/C .... at ang killer factor -- it looks good in RED.

Value-for-money, it's the best choice for me (Wink-wink...Suzuki people, baka you need an endorser hehehe)

Here's me while driving out of Suzuki Shaw to bring our new baby home last January 16, 2008 ....


And here's my first passenger . . .That night, we brought the APV to the RVM convent and asked Sister Dodi Loquellano to bless it.

And for good measure, dinala pa namin siya sa Antipolo.. sa Shrine ng Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage ... dahil dito nga daw dinadala talaga ang mga bagong kotse for a "special blessing"



And a month after we took our baby home, Mara has finally got the guts to take it on a solo spin and the kiddos are ecstatic now that they have a new "driver".

For the old Corolla, we finally bid her adieu two weeks ago. She's now under the care of our good friend Sugar. At least we know where it went.
And as I close this entry, I salute my old silver Corolla who for close to eight years have been my travel mate, mobile office/home, school service, delivery panel, unmarked vehicle, limo, and life saver. Farewell bud!

Pahabol lang.... it was also a month ago today when I finally had the chance to join two of my closest friends for lunch, Raffy Dolor (now Department Chairman of the Philosophy Department of San Beda College) and Art Franciz Bernales (formerly Sen. Rene Saguisag's clone, Raul Roco's protege, Dante Tinga's hatchetman and Caltex Philippines' voice).

Here they tagged along JanKing, the president of the San Beda College Student Council.

To the San Beda CAS community, YES WE WERE UP TO SOMETHING...watch out.