WISH GRANTED.
There comes a time when you ask the heavens to give you a sign so you’ll know if your intentions were heard. When you have associated every single rose petal as thee sign, you’d go to bed realizing you’ve been misled. Soon after you’d start questioning your faith.
I have gone to almost every church all over the country and have whispered my intentions. I wished for more Criollo mother tree searches, and more planting materials to complete the Filipino Aromatico trademark variety mix. We needed more Trinitarios (K9, W10, and BR-25s). I was starting to ask; was I worthy of such demands?
From Quezon City, where TeamPDS declared its commitment to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on preserving the environment by planting High-value crops from open, barren lands, to residential/commercial backyards. Someone urged me to rearrange my schedule.
(L-R: Ms. Ann Wynkoop, Ms. Charo Yu (OWI), DENR Sec. Gen. Roy Cimatu, Mel Santos (PDS CEO)
3 hours and change land travel via T-PLEX Expressway, I was welcomed by SIGN #1. “Welcome to MANGALDAN, Pangasinan.”
There I met up with PDS member Conrado Soriano (cacao propagator & tablea maker ~ Federico’s Cacao Tablea) 
Mia a.k.a Ms Cacao met Cons at the Cacao Level Up Seminar in QC last February 21 and told me non-stop that she often visit Pangasinan to swim at the beach, eat at Matutina’s Restaurant, and visit to venerate Our Lady of Manaoag. She knows that part of the North with her eyes closed. She also told me that I should visit Pangasinan when I have the time since I told her that it was one of my WISHES.
I was praying to have the chance to meet someone who was dedicated to planting as I was. The 3-hectare farm tour with Cons paved the way for me to meet the Regional Focal Person for Region 1, Mr. David Rhondal DA R1 — SIGN #2.
I later on found out the Cons was able to propagate the Trinitario variety that was one of the Filipino Aromatico trademark variety mixes that would produce the best blend for the country and the world. — SIGN #3. I was happy to see a good supply of scions and budsticks that would help Plantacion de Sikwate’s benefactors.
Now that the farm tour was over, Cons drove me about 12 kilometers via Binalonan to a solemn place by majority of the Catholic religion — there I saw SIGN #4. Welcome to Manaoag. 
Ms. Cacao told me that there are times when you can vaguely see the face of the Our Lady of Manaoag. She may appear blurred to Her visitors for She knows his or her purpose of visit ~ just passing through for FB photo-ops or in need of Divine intervention.
I climbed several steps to reach the cathedral and from the doors, I clearly saw Our Lady cloaked in GOLD. Thank you for allowing me to see Your beauty today, Our Lady.
In closing, we all look for SIGNS to validate our wishes. Little do we know that what we are searching for is right before our very eyes. We become complacent when we thought we have seen the SIGNS we wished for. We forget to say thank you Our Lady or thank you Lord; so allow me to share with you with an excerpt of a prayer called DISTURB US LORD.
“Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves,
When our dreams have come true
Because we have dreamed too little, When we arrived safely
Because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly, To venture on wider seas
Where storms will show Your mastery;
Where losing sight of land,
We shall find the stars.
We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push into the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.
Thank you for giving me and Plantacion de Sikwate the strength, courage, hope, and love to continue our advocacy. Have a great weekend everyone!