Last time I saw him in the Makati Medical City he can barely speak. However, the humour is still there. But seeing him one can sense the he has a bigger battle inside him. A battle that even his jovial personality is being torn bit by bit.

I was given a chance to hold his hand in our visit to the hospital, him being one of my idols, higher ups in the Entrepreneurs Society of the Philippines; I said to myself he can still win the battle he has inside his body. I can feel it; the energy that allowed him to propel Center for Pop Music is very much present during that moment.

Months later, I and my wife sometimes unconsciously talk about him, and we are happy to know that the last time we have heard about him he was on his way to recovery.

Therefore, it was a bit of a shock that yesterday my wife received a text telling that he joined our Lord at about 2am.fur

It is a sad story to add to two sad stories that we have received last week about close people we know having lost their love ones, also joining our Lord.

Indeed, death is so common that even if we have accepted it we are still in shock and we still feel the pain of the lost that it inflicts upon us.

I lost an elder who talks to me like I am his kumpare. Every time we see each other we will crack jokes, both of us having that gift of spontaneity always come up of mundane things to laugh about. Humour indeed was his best gift that I enjoyed and bask at experiencing his gift every time I am given a chance.

But most importantly, as an entrepreneur he serves as an inspiration to me and my wife to spread our wings higher and further.

His legacy in bringing music training as a successful business is one for the books. Honestly, I do not know him that much. But for the time that we have been together he has touched my heart. For that, I will always be eternally thankful.

S’ Butch Albaraccin from where you are I know that the Master has now assigned you to be one of the master trainers in making heaven an even more musical and entertaining place to be in.