I don't know why I am doing this, but maybe because I cannot help but feel sad about what happened.  I personally do not know Tara, or have spoken to her, but a lot of my friends do, and it saddens me to see such things happen to good people.  I am posting this in behalf of my friends.

The post is written in Filipino, but I translated it in English the best that I could.  You could find the English translation right after the first one.

Please do consider reposting, or reading this one.  Me, my friends and Tara's family would greatly appreciate it if you could help, by any means.  Since I have no monetary help to give, this is the best I could do.

If you decide to give monetary help, information on how to give them is in my previous post.

============

(Reposted from Stormy's blog.)

This blog was taken from Ms. Lacsamana's account and purely written in Filipino (she's our Filipino teacher as well).

This is not to get all the hate from readers only, but to open the eyes of everyone because this is inevitable.

"Kararating ko lang galing Medical City. Dinalaw namin at ipinagdasal si Tara. Kasama ko sina Sir
Louie Lorenzo, Sir Lito Jimenez, Ms. Taks Clarete, Ms Ettie Miranda at Ms. Rorie Francisco.

Halos mapuno ang pasilyo ng ospital dahil sa mga nakapilang mga tao na nais makita si Tara.
Nagtataka ang ilang nars dahil ang daming bisita ni Tara. Di nakatiis ang isang nars at nagtanong
kung kaanu-ano namin si Tara. Sabi namin " dati naming estudyante." Ang sagot ng aming kausap ay
" ang dami niyang bisita hanggang kahapon." Isang matipid na ngiti at sabay sabing " oo,  dahil
marami ang nagmamahal kay Tara."

Niyakap kami ni Lila, ang kapatid ni Tara na naging estudyante rin namin. Pinauna kami na
makapasok sa ICU upang tingnan si Tara. Dala-dalawa lang ang maaaring makapasok sa ICU at sa
labas lamang ng kuwarto na may salamin mo makikita si Tara. Sa ganoong sitwasyon sari-saring
emosyon ang iyong mararamdaman. Mahirap at masakit sa loob na makita ang dati mong estudyante
sa ganoong kalagayan. Halos maga na ang kanyang ulo na may benda. Malakas ang kanyang paghinga sa tulong ng respirator. Halos nakalabas ang itim na bahagi ng mata dahil na rin sa bala ng baril na nasa kanyang utak. Kausap namin ang kanyang ina at isinalaysay ang tunay na nangyari. 10% lang ang tsansa kung maooperahan siya. Ang bala ng baril ay "double action." Ibig sabihin nito ay maliliit na bahagi ng bala ay nakakalat sa kanyang utak. Mahirap at maselan ang operasyon dahil iisa-isahing tanggalin ang maliit na bahagi ng bala.  

Nagpakilala ako sa kanyang ina at sinabi ko na ako ang teacher-in-charge  (IV-3 batch 2003) ni Tara. Tinanong ko siya kung ano ba talaga ang nangyari. Iba kasi ang mga naglalabasang balita.

Siya namang dating ni Joee, bestfriend ni Tara. Isinalaysay ni Joee ang tunay na  nangyari. Birthday ni Tara ng Agosto 6. Nag-text sa kanya si Tara na magkita sa "Burger King" sa Marcos Highway. Galing pa si Joee sa CSB, Taft Ave. Napagkasunduan nilang hintayin ang 12:00 ng madaling araw upang ipagdiwang ang 23 kaarawan ni Tara. Matapos ang 12:00 ng madaling araw ay sumakay sila ng dyip pauwi ng Cainta, Rizal. Sila lang ang sakay ng dyip. Pahinto-hinto ang dyip upang magsakay ng pasahero. Hanggang may isang lalaki na sumakay sa dyip na umupo sa tabi ni Tara sa bandang hulihan. Pababa ang lalaki ng agawin ang bag ni Tara. Naghatakan sila sa bag. Nakarinig na lang ng putok si Joee na nakaupo sa tabi ni Tara. Nang tingnan niya si Tara, ito pala ang nabaril at sa ulo mismo. Sinabi ni Joee sa driver na dalhin sila sa malapit na ospital. Bago pa sila makarating sa malapit na klinika ay binaba pa isa-isa ang mga pasahero. Halos isang oras bago sila nakarating. Pagkahatid sa klinika ay iniwan na sila ng drayber. Tinanggihan ng klinika na tanggapin si Tara dahil hindi nila kayang gamutin. Naghintay pa si Joee ng mahabang sandali upang tulungan sila ng mga nars na tumawag ng taxi at dalhin sa Eulogio "Amang " Rodriguez Hospital si Tara. Isipin na lang na 5' 2 ang taas ni Joee at siya pa ang nagbuhat kay Tara. Di na makausap ni Joee si Tara nang nasa EAR hospital. Tinawagan niya ang mga magulang ni Tara at kanyang mga magulang upang ipaalam ang mga pangyayari.
 
Nakalulungkot isipin na buhay na ang nakabingit ay parang walang pakialam ang mga pasahero ng dyip na nagpababa pa sa kani-kanilang destinasyon. Ikalawa, kung di  pa sumigaw si Joee upang magpatulong sa mga nars sa klinika na kanilang napuntahan na tumawag ng taksi upang dalhin sa pinakamalapit na ospital ay di pa kikilos. Siya pa ang nagbuhat kay Tara upang isakay sa taksi.

Medyo masakit at sariwa pa kay Joee ang mga pangyayari kaya di na kami nagtanong pa. Pumunta kami sa waiting area at nakita namin ang ama ni Tara. Tinawag  namin  ang mga kaibigan, kaklase at mga mahal sa buhay ni Tara upang manalangin. Sa pangunguna ni Ms. Taks Clarete ay ipinagdasal namin si Tara.

Pagkatapos ng limang (5) taon ay nagkita-kita kami ng aking mga dating mag-aaral at TIC class. Nakalulungkot ang sabi ng isang mag-aaral  " Ms, dito pa tayo nag-reunion." Sabi ko sa ilang mga dati kong estudyante na noong Agosto 1, bigla na lang sumulpot si Tara sa facebook at humihiling na i-add ko siya. Nang mabalitaan ko ang nangyari sa kanya ay tiningnan ko ang kanyang facebook profile. Sinulatan ko siya sa kanyang 'wall' dahil kaarawan niya. Di ko alam kung ano ang ibig niyang sabihin sa kanyang "recent activity" na nakasulat sa facebook: " Tara Bosch Santelices is chasing analog ghosts." Ikinuwento ko sa kanila na para siyang may premonisyon. Ang sagot ng ilan ay ; "Miss, sa kanyang ym ay kanyang isinulat: "bullet through my head."

Para sa iyo Tara, nandito kami .... nanalangin at nagbabantay sa iyong paggaling."


Please visit:

http://saffronspeedway.multiply.com/
http://stormyspace.multiply.com/

==========
ENGLISH TRANSLATION:

"I just came from Medical City.  We visited and offered our prayers for Tara.  I was with Sir Louie Lorenzo, Sir Lito Jimenez, Ms. Taks Clarete, Ms Ettie Miranda and Ms. Rorie Francisco.

The hospital hallways were packed because of the people who wanted to see Tara.  Some nurses were curious because of the number of Tara's visitors.  One nurse had to ask how we are related to Tara.  We said "our former student."  The nurse said "she has had so many visitors since yesterday."  I just smiled and said "yes, because a lot of people love Tara."

We received a hug from Lila, Tara's sister and also one of our former students.  We were allowed to go first in the ICU to see Tara.  Only two persons were allowed in the ICU at a time and we could only see her through a viewing glass window.  In that situation, you'd feel a lot of mixed emotions.  Her head was almost swollen, wrapped with gauze; her breathing was loud with the help of the respirator.  Her iris was almost showing because of the bullet that was still in her head.

We were talking with her mother and she told us what really happened.  She only has a 10% chance if the was to undergo surgery.  The bullet was a "double action".  It means that the small pieces of the bullet was scattered all over her brain.  It is going to be a hard and risky operation because they would have to remove each and every piece in her head.

I introduced myself to her mom and I said I was the teacher in charge in Tara's class (IV-3 batch 2003).  I asked her what really happened, because there were a lot of speculations.

It was then that Joee, Tara's best friend, came in.  She told us the whole story.  It was Tara's birthday last August 6.  Tara sent her a text message to meet up at Burger King along Marcos Highway.  Joee came all the way from CSB, Taft Avenue.  They decided to wait until 12:00 midnight to celebrate Tara's 23rd birthday.  After 12 midnight, they rode a jeep home to Cainta, Rizal.  They were the only ones in the vehicle.  The jeep had to stop occassionally to get more passengers, until a man sat beside Tara at the back part of the vehicle.  The man was about to alight the jeep when he suddenly tried to snatch Tara's bag.  They both tugged at the bag.  Joee just heard a gunshot right beside Tara, to her surprise it was Tara who was shot in the head.  Joee told the driver to take them to the nearest hospital.  Before they could even reach the hospital, the jeep stopped occassionally to let all the remaining passengers alight the vehicle.  It took them almost an hour to arrive at the nearest clinic.  When they did, the driver just left them to themselves.  The clinic declined to treat Tara because they can't be able to help her.  Joee had to wait a long time to get help from the nurses to hail a taxi to take Tara to Eulogio "Amang" Rodriguez Hospital.  Just imagine Joee's height of 5'2", and she was the one who had to carry Tara all the way.  Joee wasn't able to talk to Tara anymore when they got to Eulogio "Amang" Rodriguez Hospital.  She called Tara's parents to tell them what happened.

It saddens me to think of a life hanging by a thread seems nothing to the people in the jeep, that they could actually think of stopping the vehicle to get to wherever they're going to, knowing that a life is at stake.  Also, if Joee didn't shout for help from the nurses in the clinic, they won't go out of their way to help her.  She even was the one who carried Tara to ride a taxi.

It was still painful and traumatizing for Joee to think of what happened, so we didn't ask for anything more.  We went to the waiting area and we saw Tara's father.  We called out Tara's friends, loved ones and classmates to pray.  The prayer was lead by Ms. Taks Clarete.

After 5 years, we were reunited with my former students in TIC class.  One of my former student sadly said "Miss, of all the places we'd have our reunion, it had to be here."  I told my other students that last August 1, Tara suddenly showed up in my Facebook asking me to add her.  When I found out what happened to her I checked her facebook profile.  I said something on her "wall", because it was her birthday.  I didn't know what she meant on her "recent activity" what was written on Facebook: "Tara Santelices is chasing analog ghosts."  I was telling them that she might have had a premonition.  Some of them said, "Miss, her Yahoo Messenger status message was bullet through my head."

For you, Tara, we are here...praying and waiting for your recovery.

Please visit:

http://saffronspeedway.multiply.com/
http://stormyspace.multiply.com/

=================

TARA FEST

Update5: Fundraising Gigs for Tara and her Family

We, Tara's friends and family are trying to raise funds for Tara's medical bills. It is also to uplift the morale of Tara and her Family. Please support our events for Tara.

Thank you for your support.

August 9 (Saturday)
Bela Bar - Skies of Ember, Rubber Inc., Elemento, Carnival Park, Archaster, and more. (more details on dotternus.multiply.com) 9pm onwards
70s Bistro - Coffeebreak Island, Lady I, Chongkeys, Unitiima. 9pm onwards

August 11 (Monday)
Mag:net Bonifacio Highstreet - in cooperation with RockEd. Feat: Pedicab, Imago, Rivermaya, Gasulina, Unitiima 6-9pm only
Ten02 - Skies of ember, Scarlet Tears, Names are for Tombstones, The Bernadettes, The Late Isabel, We Nocturnal, Aurora Borealis, Dayuhan, Fuseboxx, La Luna. 8pm onwards

August 12 (Tuesday)
Mag:net Katipunan - Gang Badoy's Birthday (Open to everyone and will also be a fundraising event for Tara)

August 13 (Wednesday)
Freedom Bar - Nyctinasty, Kidzpool, Dayuhan, Sters, Chubibo and more. 9pm
Souk Cafe, Dasma Cavite - "I EXIST for TARA" EXIST artists. 8pm onwards

August 14 (Thursday)
Bela Bar - Electronica and Experimental Artists
Route196 - Chillitees, Cambio, Gasulina, Project 2, Hija, and more.

August 15 (Friday)
Route196 - Terno Inferno for Tara. All Terno Bands. 9pm.

August 16 (Saturday)
Route196 - Open Mic (acoustic) and Open art exhibit for women. Organized by Lunduyan ng Sining and F.A.M.E.
Mogwai Cubao X - Organized by RockEd. Feat: Radioactive Sago, Juan Pablo Dream, Cambio, Gasulina, Shift, Chillitees
Nine Mile - 420 Party.

August 25 (Monday)
Route196 - slots open

Other venues without final dates yet:
Big Sky Mind
Saguijo
Club Dredd
Gweilos Makati

Other events/groups:
NU107
Jam 88.3
Magic 89.9
RockEd
Terno Recordings
F.A.M.E
Lunduyan ng Sining

Please Spread the Love for Tara. Thanks.

THERE SOMETHING WE CAN DO FOR TARA BOSCH-SANTELICES. PLEASE FORWARD TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW.

(Reposted from Mario @ kinkmonster.multiply.com)

Word spreads around fast and almost everyone has already heard about what happened to our afriend, Tara Santelices (Assumption Antipolo's Batch 2003 and Ateneo de Manila University's Class of 2007, AB Political Science).

On the eve of her 23rd birthday, Tara was shot in the head during a hold-up while riding a jeepney along Imelda Avenue, Cainta, Rizal. Joee Mejias, who was with her at that time, rushed her to Amang Rodriguez Memorial Hospital in Marikina City. The parents of Tara and Joee arrived at the hospital shortly thereafter. When morning came, Tara's parents finally decided to transfer her to the Medical City, Ortigas Avenue, Pasig City. Since 8:00am of August 6, Tara has been in the ICU fighting for her dear life. Her parents have decided not to push through with the operation.

Although it might seem that there is nothing else that we can do but wait for Tara to wake up from this horrific nightmare, we, the friends of Tara, have decided to raise funds for Tara's hospital bills. This is the least we can do to ease the unbearable pain her family is going through. We have been given the go-signal from Tara's dad, Tito Larry, and here are the details:

The temporary bank account is under Anne Marie F. Santelices, Banco de Oro, SA 2140-062201. For direct cash donations, please proceed to the ICU Waiting Room of the Medical City (Ortigas Avenue, Pasig City). Please look for Joee Mejias or Lila Santelices.

Any amount will be gratefully accepted. Anonymous donations are also welcome. Please spread the word. Forward this to your family, friends and even to everyone else you know. Please post this on Friendster, Multiply, Facebook and wherever else you can think of. Please send group messages on Yahoo Messenger. This will mean so much to us, her friends.

Please continue praying for Tara, for Joee and for both of their families. If you want to come see Tara, visiting hours at the ICU are at 9:00 am to 11:00 am and 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm.

Thank you so much for your time and kind consideration.

For inquiries, please contact Joee Mejias (09228154987) for calls and Jac Ledonio (09167243071) or Myka Francisco (09163695148) for text messages.

We, Tara's friends and family are trying to raise funds for Tara's medical bills. It is also to uplift the moral of Tara and her Family. Please support our events for Tara.
Thank you for your support.


August 9 (Saturday)

Bela Bar - Skies of Ember, Rubber Inc., Elemento, Carnival Park, Archaster, and more. (more details on dotternus.multiply.com) 9pm onwards

70s Bistro - Coffeebreak Island, Lady I, slots still open. 7pm onwards

August 11 (Monday)

Ten02 - Skies of ember, Scarlet Tears, Names are for Tombstones, slots still open.

August 12 (Tuesday)

No final venue yet.

August 13 (Wednesday)

Freedom Bar - Slots open.

August 14 (Thursday)

Bela Bar - slots open.

August 15 (Friday)

Gweilos Makati - slots open. (venue not yet final)

August 16 (Saturday)

Route196 - Open Mic (acoustic) and Open art exhibit for ladies. Organized by Lunduyan ng Sining and F.A.M.E.

Mogwai Cubao X - Organized by RockEd.

August 25 (Monday)

Route196 - slots open.

I think I'm having a second childhood.

I'm playing DRESS UP DOLLS.

Lookie, lookie! <3

Cute, aren't they? <3

I have been spending a lot of my time on dress-up flash games lately.  For someone who's bored enough to play Solitaire, this is definitely a lot more entertaining.  There are a lot more dress-up games such as this, but since I am a fantasy fan, I chose to post fantasy dress-up characters.  Although, the other reason why I don't do much of the typical dress up games is because...

...I FEEL THE URGE TO GO SHOPPING FOR CLOTHES!

You don't believe me?  Go to Y8 and look for the dress-up games in there, and I SWEAR TO EVERYTHING THAT'S HOLY, you will have the urge to shop for new clothes.  Click this to try it out.  This is only one of the many, though. =3  Since I like studs, chains and buckles, I posted this.  But look around; you might find something that suits your taste.

But yeah, second childhood or not, they are still amusing as hell.  It's definitely one of the "online games" girls (and gays) of all ages would really enjoy.

Which ones do you like most? <3