In our clan, I am perhaps the only guy who has a friend known to every Tito, Tita, and cousin.  Come to think of it, a family affair may take place and without me being around, this guy could easily take my stead.  His name is Rommel Cervantes.  Known to all as Omeng.

Omeng and I go back a looooooooong, looooooooooong way.  Twenty five years and counting.  Adventures and misadventures in high school.  Oh man, should I admit everything here?  If I were to do so reader, you would easily start thinking that my voice and point of view sounds familiar.  It sounds like,....sounds like,.... that of an older Fred Savage of the Wonder Years!

What roles have we played in the past?  Batman and Robin driving around Metro Manila with a falsified driver's license in the days of the Metrocom.  Bon vivants feasting on breadsticks and calzone at Italian Village Quezon Avenue long before Italian joints became commonplace.  Then there was this episode which reminds me of a scene from "Speed" wherein we were coasting southbound along the North Expressway and soon approaching the Balintawak tollgate.  With no loose change on hand and eagerly trying to avoid the foreboding scene of a tollbooth officer hurling expletives at us, we drove side by side a bus and handed a big bill to the conductor on the "estrebo" saying, "Boss may palit ka sa P500?".  The conductor gladly obliged and handed the change!  Eat your heart out Keanu Reeves!  No stunt double for this.

Life is always an adventure when Omeng is around.  I salute you boss!  You are really one of our heroes!

Omeng now resides in Riga, Latvia and pastors the Every Nation church there together with his wife, Ira and their three lovely kids.  Picture shows Omeng and Ira with their latest addition, Arianna.  His adventures continue having had episodes with Russian goons and long and shivering sub-zero winters.

Happy Birthday ` tol!