The Why Of It

WHY Bente Singkong Barya, you say?

There's a story behind that.

I actually originally thought of MyTwenty-FiveCents but seeing that a few bloggers have already opted for titles along this line, I opted to have the Filipinized version.

Bente singko - from the Spanish veinticinco (twenty-five), is the Philippines' third coin currency (after the 5 centavo and 10 centavo coins).

Late last month, feeling all tired from work and on the way home on board a jeepney, I lost a 25 centavo coin . It simply rolled out and over into a dark corner.

The next day, on my way to work, I was in a hurry but still keeping my eyes on the pavement lest I stumble over something.

I looked down and there it was - a 1 peso coin. Right in front of me. It was there for me to pick up, had I wanted to.


Lesson learned: Sometimes, life takes away something from you. However, it does have certain ways of giving you back what you've lost, sometimes more. Other times, it takes us a while to figure it all out.


Thus, my 25 centavo inspiration.


And 25 has always been one of my most favorite numbers - adding them up, you'll get 7. And 7, according to a Theology professor, is a perfect number - it's the number of days in Creation, the number of the sacraments, the number of gifts from the Holy Spirit, the total of 3 (signifying the Trinity) and 4 (the four corners of the world through which we are to proclaim God's Good News).

Religious numerology aside - it is also my version of the English "just my 2 cents".

I'd like to call mine - my 25 cents - because you barely (or almost never) hear "2 cents" in local lingo.

And since my25cents is already taken - I'm sticking with bente singkong barya, with the ultimate goal of inspiring people, with my observations and or opinions.