Doha, Qatar Travel Log: A family Adventure November 25, 2011.

By: Fredolin Pagdilao Aguinaldo, Doha Qatar.
.

My Daughter Anna Mae at the top-most.

After changing my office-working attire at 2:30 PM Doha time, I started loading clothes to our ever-hard working washing machine in preparation to our travel back-home in the Philippines. Aside from these, I need to empty our freezer and refrigerator unit as well in order to get rid of those unwanted food stuff that are stored there since my wife Evelyn left home to the Philippines some 2-months ago.
.
Meanwhile, my youngest daughter who stays with me in Qatar called a while ago requiring additional budget for her despedida and Christmas blow-out to her 29-classmates and teachers at Ponderosa, Doha.
.
It all started last night when I jokingly told her that She can invite some of her close friend to a "mini-mirienda" session at home since I always bake waffle apart from those of take-away food-stuff their heart desires and didn't realized that her plan will be broadcast-ed  through FB as in Tumblr by her classmates. Couldn't do anything now, they are heading to Ponderosa just after school.

.
Hohoho, me and my big mouth, but since Christmas is fast approaching it is one perfect time to be with her classmates to wind-up from their busy school schedule as well as practice session for their up-coming JS prom as well. At Ponderosa, I have a chance to talk to her teacher and assures that He will closely coordinate to his co-teacher about Anna Mae's periodical exam when she come-back in Qatar after our vacation.
.
Life abroad is not that easy as you think, one has to do house chores all by himself in order to have organize living condition. Raising kids by yourself is the most challenging job-ever. But so far, my eldest daughter Rea Lynne who was born and raised in Qatar is now a Registered Medical Technologist who work as Phlebotomist at the Saint Luke's Medical Center Global City, Taguig. My son Fredolin II is taking-up entrepreneurship in Manila and Anna Mae is attending her final years at The Philippine School, Doha.
.
Our vacation this year was timely where I can able to use the whole 37-working days annual leave in the Philippines apart from that of my sick-leave spent at Saint Luke's last summer.
.
Our balikbayan box are now ready and our travel document checked and just waiting for my college to drive us to the Doha international airport later.

New Philippine School Doha Campus, Qatar: The Groundbreaking Ceremony

By: Fredolin Pagdilao Aguinaldo – Doha, Qatar
.

After years of preparation the Philippine School Doha permanent building project held its ground breaking ceremony today.
.
"We are extremely exited. This has been a long time coming," said the Principal of the School Dr. Alexander S. Acosta, who along with the school board of trustees carefully draw-up a master plan of a modern-expatriate school that can level those of Western International and well-established expatriates school in term of academic excellence and able to cater the ever-growing populace of Filipino community children's education in Qatar.
.
The groundbreaking ceremony was held this morning at 7:00 a.m. at the premise of the proposed permanent Philippine School Doha at Mesaimeer area, just beside the Birla School and in the vicinity of the Roman Catholic Church of our Lady of the Rosary, Qatar.

PSD Campus Ceremonial Dig

The ground breaking ceremony is in contrast with the informal opening of the then Philippine Embassy School on its humble beginning in 1992 with only 33 students to boast-start the school operations. Now, more than 2530 students are currently enrolled for the school year 2011-2012.
.
"Initially, only 10,000 sq. mtrs was allotted but H.E. Crescente R. Relacion, Philippine Ambassador to Qatar in his capacity, continued his effort to negotiate with the Qatar government until clinching the deal and has been rewarded about 14, 375 sq. mtrs of prime-land to his effort", the New school building is designed to accommodate about 7,000 students complete with all amenities fitted for a modern institution.

.
The growth of the Filipino community in resent years, and the strengthening the ties between Qatar in the Philippines leave Relacion looking forward the need to expand the capacity of the Philippine School Doha to accommodate worker's children education into a more relax environment.
.
On the other hand, the School Building Committee held various event to collect seed-money and continuously negotiating with various local partners for possible collaborations.
.
Mr. Gerardo Makasa Jr., BOT Chairman said so far everything is going as schedule. "We are on time and also busy sourcing-out additional budget and looking forward to the full-cooperation of the whole Filipino community in Qatar in the realization of this project in 2004.
.
"Guest of Honor during the event is H.E. Crescente R. Relacion, Philippine Ambassador to Qatar, the Philippine School Doha board of Trustees headed by its chairman Mr. Gerardo P. Macasa Jr., as well as parents, teachers and students of the school and local dignitaries are also present.

 

The author, Fredolin P. Aguinaldo is a Loyal Founding Parent of the school. 

Gulf Times