About Me

I am Dr. Ariel De Lima Gaspi. Administrator of Nouveau Manila English Center, Achievers’ English, and business consultant of Lakambini Diagnostic Center and this is my site.  This site will have a wide range of topics reflective of my eclectic personality.  But mostly I will have my eyes especially mindful of everything about my roots. Iriga City and adjoining towns of Bula, Buhi, Baao, Balatan, Bato, and Nabua or more collectively known as Rinconada.

I was born in the now defunct St. Jude Hospital in Iriga City.  Both of my parents were also from Iriga City, Doc Jake, as I am fondly called by friends, is the only son of Antonio Cruz Gaspi, from San Francisco, Iriga City and Elma De Lima Gaspi, from San Agustin Iriga City.

Although I am currently employed in Manila, my heart and soul is always tied to my roots in Bicol.  I cherish the ‘trimobile’ rides of my youth, the ‘pagkakalkag’ (sun drying of palay), the Waras River bathing and fishing for tilapia, the basketball tournaments, the bayliyan (barangay sponsored dance), and of course the Bicol cuisine.  I can endure an overnight bus ride to Bicol just to savor kinalas, pansit bato, tinuktok, katnga with libas, the inulas with banana, itlog sa karpa, and sinanglay.

The one major setback of these trips is the lingering poverty in my hometown and adjoining towns.  It seems, my Rinconada has been the same with no or minimal signs of development.  My kabababarios are still wallowing in poverty, so many tambays, valuable manpower resource readily available is wantonly put to waste.  The iconic beauty of a countryside scenery is mired with very visible sketches of poverty.

People are enduring the lack of livelihood opportunities, adequate preventive and curative healthcare, access to education, etc.

Being an agriculture based community, my heart bleeds for the farmers and their families.  Even my own relatives fall prey to loansharks and at times loose their farm lots to lending institutions, thus, further aggravating their plight.

Nonetheless, the future always holds something for the ever resilient and hopeful Bicolanos, especially the Bicolanos of my Rinconada.  The development and progress of this beautiful place shall be my advocacy.