Roadlink's 10th Anniversary Celebration (2018)

Our tourist bus company Roadlink Travel and Tours, Inc. turned 10 last April 11, 2018 (Wednesday). A lot of things have happened in our family the past few years but I am grateful because Roadlink continued to be the source of Mamoosh's pride and entertainment (now that she's living 'alone').

A brief background --  Our family started operating EDSA city buses in December 1995. In 2001, we finally were able to get our own franchise so the parentals established a company named Royal Star Transport, Inc. A few years after that, my father learned about tourist bus operations so he began acquiring tourist buses (which we operated under Royal Start). In 2008, we bought a tourist bus franchise and thought of establishing a new and separate company that will cater exclusively to private tours. Hence, Roadlink was born.

We sold our city buses in November 2012 and decided to just concentrate on the more lucrative and less-stressful tourist buses. I was already married then and about to migrate in Canada already. My parents were not young anymore and my only brother will be the only one to take-over the business once I am gone. Kaya ok na na isang company na lang ang i-maintain namin.

However, after so many years of tumultuous marriage, my mother finally kicked my philandering father out of our house in 2014. And in 2015, because of my major fight with his married live-in partner (who's the most evil person I've met, I swear!), it was my brother naman who left our house, our mother, and Roadlink (he took several buses and a franchise with him). Hence, my then 68-year old mother had to take over everything (sa Canada na kasi ako nakatira noon at may anak na). But with the help of our loyal employees, she's proven that she can do it even without us. Ayan nga at 10 years na ang Roadlink.

That's the reason why I couldn't let April 11, 2018 pass without a celebration, no matter how simple it may be. Ang sabi ko nga kay Mamoosh, yung ibang bagay nga napaghahanda namin, iyon pa bang nagbibigay sa amin ng kabuhayan? My mother kasi is very simple, wala siyang hilig sa mga parties. Hindi naman siya kuripot, talaga lang wala siyang hilig sa mga pabonggahan. Pero ako naniniwala that occasions are there for a reason - para tayo makapagreflect at makapagpasalamat.

At first, I planned on just treating all our employees sa isang buffet restaurant dito sa Bulacan. But we later realized that it's impossible to gather all of them in one place at a given time. Scattered kasi sila. Yung iba nasa biyahe, nasa garahe, nasa gas station, etc. Peak season din kasi ng tours ngayong summer so everyone is busy (at iba-iba ang schedule), hindi ko pwedeng hilahin sila, say lunch time para sabay-sabay kaming kumain. Marami rin kasing rush na trabaho, lalo na sa maintenance ng mga buses na bibiyahe the following day/s. Tapos malalangis pa sila kasi nga gumagawa sa bus, kaya sobra silang mahahassle kung iinterrupt ko.

So I told Joanne (our trusted overall admin staff) na sa bahay na lang kami maghanda ng merienda. Kahit ano lang, basta may cake lang to celebrate a milestone for our dear Roadlink. Ang sabi ko itext na lang niya lahat ng employees na pumunta sa amin kung gusto nila, no pressure.

We just bought a cake na lang from Red Ribbon. Buti na lang blue ito kasi blue ang color ng Roadlink.

And prepared some ihaw-ihaw. (Sorry naman sa high-tech na ihawan namin, palpak kasi yung talagang ihawan kaya nag-improvise na lang lol).

That's my famous pork barbeque haha!

 Then Joanne cooked spaghetti, request ng isang driver namin na ayaw ng pancit haha.

Super simple lang talaga.

But my little boy was so happy na kasi may cake, makakapag-blow siya ng candle haha.

Only three of our employees came. Yung mga mekaniko, nahihiya ng pumunta kasi marumi raw (kasi nga naggawa ng bus), alanganin kung magbibihis pa sila at babalik kasi sobrang traffic dahil ginagawa ang kalsada malapit sa garahe namin. Yung ibang drivers, nasa biyahe. Yung iba pang drivers, nasa mga bahay nila (kasi nga walang biyahe). Oh well, at least nasabihan naman sila.

Buti na lang may iba pa kaming bisita -- si Tita Oya (Mamoosh's only living sibling na palagi namang nandito) and Raxie (my BFF na talagang pupunta sa amin that day, natapat lang na may chibugan).

Many of our buses are parked in gas stations (malayo kasi ang garahe namin at ginagawa pa ang kalsada kaya mas gusto na ng mga drivers na doon mamalagi at tumambay) so we decided to pack some food para sa mga employees doon. Pakisama saka syempre sharing of blessings.

So there, nairaos din kahit pano. Haha, pero ang sabi ko next time eh ayaw ko na maghanda sa bahay talaga. Sa totoo lang, sa napakakonting pagkain na yan, grabe naging pagod naming lahat haha. Mas mura at madali pa kung kumain/nagpakain na lang kami sa Jollibee o tapsilog lol!

Happy 10th year, Roadlink! Maraming salamat kasi hindi mo kami pinababayaan ni Mamoosh. Mahal ka namin!