Sir Max Soliven finally comes home!

Our special presentation on our talkshow, Straight from the Sky tonight is a lighthearted discussion on "How to Motivate People to Act and Help Those Who Need Help." Often, we think that giving money or alms is the best way to help others, but this is merely a misconception. There are many people out there who do not need money, they just need to be hugged, heard or recognized. Many of them are suffering from the pangs of loneliness.

Of course, a lot more need to improve their lives, which money can do. However, giving money away is only one of the solutions. But if you give your time to help others, then we are really on our way of acting as true Christians. My guest tonight is an expert in motivating people. He is E.J. McKnight of Standing Ovations, a unique Success Training and Motivational Seminar Company. He is an American who came to love the Philippines. E.J. often dabbles in magic tricks just to gain the attention of people and he is quite good at it. But the best thing he does is to motivate people to help others. So watch this very interesting show tonight on SkyCable's channel 15 at 8:00PM.

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Last Thursday evening, we were still in Manila for the burial rites for our dear friend and mentor, the late Philippine Star Publisher Max Soliven when the effects of Super Typhoon "Reming" was felt in Metro Manila. Strong winds and rains covered the metropolis. Since we stayed at the City Garden Hotel in Makati Ave. we got an advisory from the Hotel to stay indoors as Typhoon "Reming" was expected to be stronger than Typhoon "Milenyo" which unexpectedly struck Metro Manila. The hotel suffered a lot of damage from that typhoon and they were just finishing the repairs.

It was because of the coming typhoon that a decision was made by the Soliven family not to go on with the funeral for Sir Max and that his remains be brought to his residence in North Greenhills after he was posthumously conferred the Order of Lakandula, the highest honor bestowed to a civilian. But some Divine Intervention spared Metro Manila from the typhoon's wrath. The ceremonies for Max Soliven pushed through.

It was undoubtedly a most solemn and beautiful service as the mass was offered by Fr. James Reuter, S.J. and Fr. Louie S. David, S.J. and assisted by the Madrigal Singers and Jay Cayuca. After the Mass, Lea Salonga, a graduate of O.B. Montessori and a protégé' of the Solivens sang a beautiful song popularized by John Lennon, "Imagine" with her brother Gerard at the keyboards. After her song, Pres. Gloria Macapagal Arroyo bestowed to Mrs. Preciosa Soliven and her children the posthumous award. Then the honor guard took the urn containing the remains of Sir Max and brought it to the car for the ride to Greenhills.

While waiting for our vehicle to go to Greenhills, Ms. Helen Valderrama, the assistant of Mrs. Soliven pulled me from the crowd and pointed to a butterfly clinging by her shoulder. I don't know what it meant, but since we were going to ride with her, we pushed through the crowd still waiting for their cars in St. Ignatius Cathedral and when we got into the vehicle, the butterfly was still clinging on her shoulder. It wasn't bothered by the crowd nor did it fly away.

As we got into the Soliven residence in Greenhills, we made our way to the main living room, where the remains of Sir Max was placed in an altar together with the Lakandula Award. We showed Mrs. Soliven the butterfly still clinging on Ms. Valderrama's shoulders. Then we all went to the huge collection of toy soldiers and dioramas of war events on the other room and as I began taking pictures and opened the glass door of one display cabinet, the butterfly flew and landed on the side of that display.

Was the presence or spirit of Sir Max in that butterfly? When Mrs. Soliven noticed that the butterfly had landed on the display cabinet, she merely quipped, "Max is truly home... as this is the place he usually goes as he arrives to check on his toy collection." Since I have not gone back to their home in a few months, I noticed that Sir Max added the replica of the US Nuclear Carrier the USS Enterprise and the mighty Japanese Super Battleship, the Yamato in his collection. Someday I will publish the photos that I took of his collection for all to see.

Last Saturday evening, we arrived back in Cebu just at the tail end of the Media Christmas Party hosted by the Aboitiz Group of Companies. It was undoubtedly the best party we ever experienced through the years as it was in a form of "Children's Party" where old Cebuano games like Buwan-buwan, Bato Lata, Sungka, Tubig-tubig and Takyan were played by the Cebu media. Thanks to the Aboitiz family for celebrating Christmas by reviving this old Cebuano culture of fun and games.