Author Topic: Goodbye, my friend (a victim of the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy) (Read 2704 times)

benelynne · « **on:** June 27, 2008, 10:05:30 AM »

I thought I am an ocean away from the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy.

Last night, while watching TV Patrol, I saw a familiar face among the photos being flashed, but dismissed it as just a striking resemblance of a very good friend. How could it be? She lives in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. I know that she frequently travels to Cebu, because she has recently started a business there and has reportedly found a new inspiration after a string of heartaches. But she usually travels by plane.

Just a month ago, she called me to inform me about a Japanese lower court decision being overturned by an appelate court in her favor, giving her rights to the properties of her late Japanese husband, which are being claimed by her in-laws. I have interpreted and translated for her during the litigation.

Teresita "Sheilla" Okabe is one of the Filipinas who made it big in Japan through hardwork and despite overwhelming personal struggles. But her zest for life is unquenchable--she always greets you with a wide smile and dismisses every piece of bad news with hopeful anticipation of better things to come.

How can I forget her? A few years back, I inteviewed her for a newspaper with another successful Filipina entrepreneur, Rosalinda Honda, who is also a widow like her. I thought their lives had strikingly many similarities. To our amazement, we found out in a dinner I arranged for them with my wife that they were in fact cousins! And the last time they've crossed paths was when they were still very small children.

You may check out this interview at http://www.philippinestoday.net/2003/August/interview1_803.htm

This morning, her cousin Rosalinda called me up in tears. I was shaken, because I saw the same image last night but dismissed it as a remote possibility. I double-checked the MV Princess of the Stars manifest, and unmistakably, among the unrecovered victims so far is Teresita Okabe a.k.a. Sheilla.

Goodbye, my friend...

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Bambi · « **Reply #1 on:** June 27, 2008, 12:54:53 PM »

I feel sorry Sir that you knew personally one of the victims. Her name was familiar to me since I had already read this report before. Makaibog gani ang ilang life achievements. What a short life and we can't do nothing if our time will come.

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benelynne · « **Reply #2 on:** June 27, 2008, 01:40:47 PM »

I feel sorry Sir that you knew personally one of the victims. Her name was familiar to me since I had already read this report before. Makaibog gani ang ilang life achievements. What a short life and we can't do nothing if our time will come.

Nakahuna-huna baya kog lawom Bambs tungod ning panghitabo. Nakit-an man jud nako ang paningkamot ni Sheilla nga mulampos sa panginabuhi through business and court battles (she faced a string of cases both in Tokyo and Manila related to her businesses and properties and won most of them). Apan ug panahon na jud diay nimo, hukom ra jud sa Makagagahum ang matuman. Wa jud diay ta'y madala bisag usa ka daku ug tawgon na ta sa taas.

Daghan pa kaajo siyag dakong plano sa kinabuhi. Pagkadaug niya sa kaso sa Japan, giparenovate niya bag-o pa lang jud ang iyang bay sa Bulacan nga murag palasyo ug nag-expand siya sa iyang business sa Cebu.

Tinuod jud diay that there are more important things to store in life than worldly riches...

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=13614.0

grazie7y · « **Reply #3 on:** June 27, 2008, 03:18:48 PM »

For some reason, the face of Sheila Okabe is so familiar. I may have read your article before, Bene san.

My heart goes out to the families of the victims of this tragedy. I am lost for words. My friend also lost her uncle in this tragedy.

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=13614.0

Bambi · « **Reply #4 on:** June 28, 2008, 04:49:30 AM »

Nakahuna-huna baya kog lawom Bambs tungod ning panghitabo. Nakit-an man jud nako ang paningkamot ni Sheilla nga mulampos sa panginabuhi through business and court battles (she faced a string of cases both in Tokyo and Manila related to her businesses and properties and won most of them). Apan ug panahon na jud diay nimo, hukom ra jud sa Makagagahum ang matuman. Wa jud diay ta'y madala bisag usa ka daku ug tawgon na ta sa taas.

Daghan pa kaajo siyag dakong plano sa kinabuhi. Pagkadaug niya sa kaso sa Japan, giparenovate niya bag-o pa lang jud ang iyang bay sa Bulacan nga murag palasyo ug nag-expand siya sa iyang business sa Cebu.

Tinuod jud diay that there are more important things to store in life than worldly riches...

Mao ni gi-ingon nga "live life without if and buts as it would be your last"....we are only guests and in a blink of an eye...we must have to go. I related this story to Markus (your friendship with the late Ms. Shiela), your shocked, and sadness and he added: "you see, money will not raise you up from drowning". It will happen anywhere, anytime. I remembered, during my school vacation, I used to work as a salesgirl in Tagbilaran market selling dry goods, (kalaray nga tindahan ug mga manggad). Nang Feling from Baclayon was an older lady, the saleswoman of the business store of her younger sister near beside my stand. We had talked, good laughs and about noon...she had told me: Ms. Annie i will shortly take a nap and would you wake me up if customers will come along? And that's it... i strongly shaked her body but she didn't wake up anymore. It was only a matter of 10 minutes after our short chat. Sad. Many of my friends died.... at the age of 23- Ms. Yolanda Cabido, ex Miss UB Personality. Was with her at Tagb. Cathedral attending Holy Mary Mass (Wed. and she got collapsed Friday) (cancer), 24- Anton, workmate - an immigrant from Russia, greet me b4 i left from work (Friday and got his crashed sunny Sunday (motorcycle accident), 27 - Heidi, my best Fitness and Disco colleague, went with her for a dinner,agreed for a weekend outings (postponed our date for a niece b-day party where her last attended party (car accident), 48- Olivia, got a phonecall b4 i left for a 4 week rehabilitation, agreed to be together for home vacation 6 mos after), she died here and she is burried in Cebu had visited her grave a day b4 our last EB (heart attacked), 54- Siriporn a Thai lady, our hiking and vacation comrade(celebral hemorrhage) and Nang Feling (cardiac arrest) and many others... ...Mr. Death will never knock at our doors and ask how old we are!

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=13614.0

ms da binsi · « **Reply #5 on:** June 28, 2008, 05:30:12 AM »

Nakahuna-huna baya kog lawom Bambs tungod ning panghitabo. Nakit-an man jud nako ang paningkamot ni Sheilla nga mulampos sa panginabuhi through business and court battles (she faced a string of cases both in Tokyo and Manila related to her businesses and properties and won most of them). Apan ug panahon na jud diay nimo, hukom ra jud sa Makagagahum ang matuman. Wa jud diay ta'y madala bisag usa ka daku ug tawgon na ta sa taas.

Daghan pa kaajo siyag dakong plano sa kinabuhi. Pagkadaug niya sa kaso sa Japan, giparenovate niya bag-o pa lang jud ang iyang bay sa Bulacan nga murag palasyo ug nag-expand siya sa iyang business sa Cebu.

Tinuod jud diay that there are more important things to store in life than worldly riches...

Benne, this reminded me of the book of ECCLESIASTES...

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=13614.0

balong · « **Reply #6 on:** June 28, 2008, 06:16:47 AM »

benne, please accept my deepest sympathy. let us honor your friends memory because she has given up her spot on our world so some new born can take her place. necessary man jud nga we have to go kay kon dili, wa nay lugar ang kalibotan if we are all immortals.

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=13614.0

benelynne · « **Reply #7 on:** June 28, 2008, 06:19:39 AM »

Mao ni gi-ingon nga "live life without if and buts as it would be your last"....we are only guests and in a blink of an eye...we must have to go. I related this story to Markus (your friendship with the late Ms. Shiela), your shocked, and sadness and he added: "you see, money will not raise you up from drowning". It will happen anywhere, anytime. I remembered, during my school vacation, I used to work as a salesgirl in Tagbilaran market selling dry goods, (kalaray nga tindahan ug mga manggad). Nang Feling from Baclayon was an older lady, the saleswoman of the business store of her younger sister near beside my stand. We had talked, good laughs and about noon...she had told me: Ms. Annie i will shortly take a nap and would you wake me up if customers will come along? And that's it... i strongly shaked her body but she didn't wake up anymore. It was only a matter of 10 minutes after our short chat. Sad. Many of my friends died.... at the age of 23- Ms. Yolanda Cabido, ex Miss UB Personality. Was with her at Tagb. Cathedral attending Holy Mary Mass (Wed. and she got collapsed Friday) (cancer), 24- Anton, workmate - an immigrant from Russia, greet me b4 i left from work (Friday and got his crashed sunny Sunday (motorcycle accident), 27 - Heidi, my best Fitness and Disco colleague, went with her for a dinner,agreed for a weekend outings (postponed our date for a niece b-day party where her last attended party (car accident), 48- Olivia, got a phonecall b4 i left for a 4 week rehabilitation, agreed to be together for home vacation 6 mos after), she died here and she is burried in Cebu had visited her grave a day b4 our last EB (heart attacked), 54- Siriporn a Thai lady, our hiking and vacation comrade(celebral hemorrhage) and Nang Feling (cardiac arrest) and many others... ...Mr. Death will never knock at our doors and ask how old we are!

Yes, Bambs, only the living can learn lessons from those who have gone ahead of us. Indeed, this incident has made me think that we should live every moment as if it were our last... I don't have as long an obituary of friends and acquaintances, but every candle snuffed out before daylight always makes a corner of our hearts a little darker.

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=13614.0

pioneer · « **Reply #8 on:** June 28, 2008, 06:31:30 AM »

Ben, sorry to hear of the untimely death of your friend - Sheilla Okabe. Not only was her death untimely, it was painful, too.

May Sheilla's loved ones, relatives and friends find comfort from you and from us who are dejected over this tragedy.

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=13614.0

benelynne · « **Reply #9 on:** June 28, 2008, 06:34:32 AM »

Benne, this reminded me of the book of ECCLESIASTES...

Belle,

I also like this book written by Solomon, who has experienced the greatest luxury and honor in his golden years as king of Israel, but who nonetheless saw the absurdity of it all... Sometimes I find this book a little morbid, in fact somewhat out of synch with the Biblical theme of hope, but it speaks truthfully of the deepest angst of man--our search for meaning in life.

And although Solomon's cry, like his very own life, ended simply like an unanswered echo, this book has made me realize that we can never find meaning if we search it in our material possessions, achievements, personal relationships, etc. We can find meaning in life only in God.

Ecclesiastes 2

10I denied myself nothing my eyes desired; I refused my heart no pleasure. My heart took delight in all my work, and this was the reward for all my labour.

11 Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun.

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benelynne · « **Reply #10 on:** June 28, 2008, 06:41:18 AM »

benne, please accept my deepest sympathy. let us honor your friends memory because she has given up her spot on our world so some new born can take her place. necessary man jud nga we have to go kay kon dili, wa nay lugar ang kalibotan if we are all immortals.

Thanks for this dose of realism, Balong. This pains her family the most, since there will be no sense of closure until they find and identify the body. It is very hard for them, but I am sure life will move on...

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=13614.0

benelynne · « **Reply #11 on:** June 28, 2008, 06:46:34 AM »

Ben, sorry to hear of the untimely death of your friend - Sheilla Okabe. Not only was her death untimely, it was painful, too.

May Sheilla's loved ones, relatives and friends find comfort from you and from us who are dejected over this tragedy.

I always like to keep happy memories with friends, and I am glad that the last I've heard from her was laughter.

Mike, when a tragedy of this scale strikes, we are only reminded by God how wide the field still is for His workers to toil.

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B:) · « **Reply #12 on:** June 28, 2008, 10:51:37 AM »

This is so sad...so sorry to hear about your friend Nong Benny. It must be hard for you too.

Annie, that was quite a list of friends pod nga mingpanaw na sa ka bata nga edad. I'm so sorry too about them.
Sus mao gyud tinuod nang imong giingon nga basta gani it's our time, it's certainly is...nga wala gyuy makapogong.
"Live a day as if it's our last.." that's it.

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Lorenzo · « **Reply #13 on:** July 03, 2008, 08:39:43 AM »

Tito Benne,

I am heartbroken to read this. We all are with you in this time of loss, specially of a good friend. I pray for the soul of your late friend, Sheilla, to be welcomed by the LORD. I pray that her relatives will be invigorated with strength to go through with this loss.

You and your friend are in my thoughts and prayers.

Linkback: https://tubagbohol.mikeligalig.com/index.php?topic=13614.0

udtohan · « **Reply #14 on:** July 03, 2008, 09:58:09 AM »

every goodbye is a birth of a memory...

Death is the reward of living. You have spent your time in the physical world, with its negativity, heaviness, and loneliness. Now comes the good part: You can return home to the true existence, and be welcomed back into the direct and ever present grace of God.

Never fear dying. Even if you feel damnation awaits you, it does not. The grace of God will counsel and heal you. Then, when appropriate, you will face another life to balance the soul.

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MikeLigalig.com

Author Topic: Goodbye, my friend (a victim of the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy) (Read 2704 times)

benelynne

Goodbye, my friend (a victim of the MV Princess of the Stars tragedy)

Bambi

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benelynne

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grazie7y

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Bambi

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ms da binsi

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balong

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benelynne

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pioneer

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benelynne

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benelynne

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benelynne

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B:)

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Lorenzo

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udtohan

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