What is it to be a Leader?

As I walk through passages and starts on my way to school, I cannot help but notice posters and banners of candidates running for a position in the local and national government. And a question strikes my mind, “what makes these candidates eligible for the position they are running?”

According to Francois Rabelais, a French humanist and satirist, to become a good leader you must have full power and command of yourself. Yes, it is true. Before you can make other people follow you, you should first have full control of yourself. How can you rule others if you cannot rule yourself? You must first be responsible of yourself before taking responsibility of a group.

A leader must also be good in decision-making. His decisions must benefit his people not harm them. In every situation, he must look for the welfare of his men. Robert Townsend, a US Business Executive, said, “True leadership must be for the benefit of the followers, not the enrichment of the leaders”. A leader thinks first of his men before himself. A very good example of true leadership is in combat. The officers eat last. The officers sacrifice for their men. A true leader always ensures the safety of his followers.

A good leader knows how to respect his men. You can only gain respect from other people if you yourself knows how to respect them. “You do not lead by pointing a finger and telling people some place to go. You lead by going to that place and making a case”. This quotation by Ken Kesey, a US writer, means that you cannot get the respect of your men by just telling them to do so. A good leader must show to his men that he is worthy to be respected.

An efficient leader sets good example to his followers. He must be the role model of the group. For a follower to follow the commands of his leader, he should see that his leader also does the command. When a leader creates rules and regulations, he must follow it so that his men will then follow.

A good leader must also be open-minded. He must be humble enough to listen and accept opinions from his men. Being equipped with a number of ideas and possibilities will be vital in decision-making. As quoted by Iris Murdoch, Irish-born novelist and philosopher, “humility is not a peculiar habit of self-effacement, rather like having an inaudible voice; it is a selfless respect for reality and one of the most difficult and central of all the virtues.” Being acknowledge as a leader, you just cannot simply assumed that you know everything, indeed, you are essential in every decision of your group but there so much than what you think. For the total development of a group, it needs full cooperation from its members. And it is in every leader’s duty on how he could unite his group, having the full participation of his members in everything they do.

Walking hand in hand was never easy, because as one stumbles, the other struggles to remain standing through strength that comes from cooperation, mutualism and trust.

Hahaha!!!

Yehey!! mana jud ko ani nga project...

Hi sir!!!

makagraduate na jud ko ug english kay mana tanan nga requirements.

yahooo!!!!

Blog Project: An Assessment

I was very resistant to this blog project even at the middle of it. I really do not want to have this kind of project because I thought it would just be a waste of time, effort and money.

It is a waste of time because you need to think for a topic and expound on it to reach the 500-word minimum per entry. It is very hard for me to do this because I have other things to ponder on. I have other concerns to think about.

It is a waste of effort because you will really dig for ideas in your head. You will search for points that you will add in you entries.

It is a waste of money because you will spend in uploading your entries.

But I have realized that even though it made so much problems, there are also benefits in blogging. You can improve the skill that you already have. Your vocabulary skills will be enhanced through this blog project. You will learn new words that will be added in your vocabulary. Your grammatical ability will be harnessed. You can use your knowledge in constructing sentences and using correct punctuations in every entry you will post. Your typing skills will greatly improved. You will type fast to save time and money in every posting.

This blog project is an instrument for acquiring new skills. I already learned how to manage my time well in order to comply with all the entries at the end. At first, I was very lazy in making the entries for the blog. But at the end I was able to make all the needed entries. And this is my last entry. I also acquired skills in organizing ideas. This is very important to give a good flow of all your ideas because if you will not have this, your entries will be very chaotic. I also acquired skills in impromptu writing. I just think for a topic and directly type it without making any draft. I also learned to think for different interesting topics and expound these to reach the number of words required.

While doing this blog project, I also encountered some problems. I faced time constrains because I never planned well on the time that I will make my entries. I have financial problems because I do not know where to get resources in going to an internet café. There were time that I cannot think any topic .I had deficiency of topics. Another problem is insufficient ideas. I have a hard time in expounding certain issues or topics.

I never stopped and I really find ways how to solve these problems. I made a timetable on when to write the topics I have in mind. I also saved money in order to go to an internet café and post my entries. And in posting entries, I refrain from going to other sites so that I can save time and money.

Now that I am already finished with the blog project I recommend that this would continue but with lesser entries per week. I also suggest to the next students, that they would work on their entries every day so that they will not have a hard time in complying with this requirement.

Retreat: A Life Changing Event

Last weekend we had our retreat. We had time to talk and listen to our batch mates about different issues of our batch. We had time to be silent for a while and think about the past, and plan for the future. Through dialogues, some issues were resolved.

We started the retreat on Saturday morning in the campus. We had a talk with Mdm. Maglasang about the possible events that will happen to a teenager like us. We were asked to answer a questionnaire on how are we going to handle different situations. There were questions about our studies, career, social crimes, pre marital sex and family related issues. At first I was not serious in answering the questionnaire but afterwards I have realized that the situations is likely to happen to any teenager. I imagined what would happen to me in every situation. That activity made me realized that I should be careful in every decision I make in my life because every step that I take will result to something in the near future.

After that activity, Mdm. Maglasang gave us time to have a snack break. We were very innocent on the next activity we are going to have.

After the break, we were asked to form two groups with equal number of members. One group stayed inside the classroom and was asked to sit in the chairs and form a circle. The group went outside together with Mdm. Maglasang. Then they entered inside the room silently. Each one said some positive aspects of their pairs. They also said some words of wisdom for our future lives. This activity, named positive stroking, made me cry. I was touched by the words given to me by Danesa, Shallunah, Ella, Artsron and Euvic. After that, our group went outside and the other group stayed and sitted inside. We did what the other group did. I really cried and cried because I never imagined that each of my batch mates have discovered something good about me.

Before we had our lunch break, we were told with the rules to be followed when we will be in St. John.

At about 1:00 pm we departed from UP. I was very happy with the trip because I am with the people I feel comfortable. It has been a long time that I was with my friends.

When we arrived at St. John we had a talk with Sr. Carine about healing hurts that we have. We also had a game with Ate Abigail to alive us.

Then we had the adoration. We prayed in silence inside the chapel. I cannot remember the last time that I had my serious talk with the Lord. it is really true that in silence you can hear many things. You can discover more about yourself. After the adoration, all of us ate our dinner.

The last activity of the night was entitled Circle of Love. I never knew that this activity would greatly affect me. We had exchange of apologies. We said sorry to the people we have hurt and we have forgiven the people who had hurt us. It was my first time to express what I truly feel inside. I cried a lot. I never thought that I could confront the people that hurt me.

After the activity, we went to our bedrooms. Before going to sleep, we had a revelation activity. Some questions in our minds were answered and doubts were cleared.

In the morning, we first had our breakfast. It was followed by another talk headed by Fr. Jean. We had a bible sharing about the adulterous woman. Then we ended our retreat with mass.

The retreat we had has changed some of my perceptions. It greatly affected me. It was a very memorable event because it was my firs time to open my windows and let my friends see the real me.

My Fears

There are things that we are afraid of or afraid to do. These are what we call fears. I think that all people have their own fears. These fears are present because we think negatively.

Now, I will share some of my fears to you. I am afraid of insects such as cockroaches and bees. I am also afraid of dogs and cats; that is the reason why we do not have any pet at home. I am afraid of snakes because I do not like their physical appearance and their sound.

Before, I am not that participative in class because I am afraid to make mistakes. I do not want to be scolded by my teachers. I am also an alto phobic, a person who is afraid of heights. I am also afraid of the dark because I can imagine strange things that will happen in the dark. I love singing and dancing but I cannot perform well in front of many people because I have stage freight. I do not want to report and recite in class because I easily get pressured and conscious when I make some errors while talking in front. I really lack confidence that is the reason why I cannot show my talents.

I am also afraid to be criticized by other people. I do not want to be criticized not because I do not want to change anything in me but because I do not to be depressed with their criticisms. I easily get hurt with the simple comments of other people. I have a very soft heart and I easily cry it. I have not realized that I have also hurt other people sometimes.

My greatest fear is the fear of death. It is an inevitable thing that will happen to every one of us sooner or later. If ever one my loved ones die, I will be the last person to accept it because when you die, you are taken the opportunity to be with your family and friends. You also do not know what will happen to you after dying. And only God knows when we are going to die. He planned everything for us. Even the smallest activity we do everyday up to life changing happenings in our life, He only knows.

I have read the book of Rick Warren entitled “The Purpose Driven Life”. The book is about finding one’s purpose in this world. We are here for unique purposes. And after fulfilling our own purposes, eventually God will take our lives. We should not be afraid of dying because it is the door to eternal life in heaven together with our Creator.

For whatever fears we have in life, we should be brave enough in facing them. Take the risks if you think you will be happy so that you will not end up saying “what if I took the challenge?”. Let us face our fears so that we will not regret and end up telling ourselves “if only”.

Why Do I Want To Become A CWTS Officer?

Why do I want to be a Civic Welfare Training Service officer? There are many things that rush into my mind when I hear this question. Here are the reasons why I want to be a Civic Welfare Training Service officer.

The first thing that comes into my mind if I hear the word Civic Welfare Training Service officer is wearing black shirt every Mondays and Fridays. The uniform of a Civic Welfare Training Service officer is different from the other students. Ever since I am young, I want to wear black shirts. And that is one of the many reasons why I want to be a Civic Welfare Training Service officer. Even though it is not a very valid reason but it still contributes to my decision of becoming a Civic Welfare Training Service officer.

Way back my elementary years, I was a girl scout. I have already experienced sleeping without my family and spending a Sunday without them. I want to continue joining workshops like this because I wanted to experience being independent. Every steps and decisions that I have made, I always seek the help of my parents. I want to prove to them that I am matured enough to stand on my own. And now, I can already make decisions on my own.

When I was still a freshman, I saw fourth year students making side-steps when they saw a Civic Welfare Training Service officer. Making the side-step is showing respect to the Civic Welfare Training Service officer. I feel that I do not have the respect I want because my batch mates always tease me. They always make fun of me. I do not know what is wrong? Is it about me?

I want to be an officer because I wanted to be respected and I know to have that respect, I also need to show my respect to them.

Many of my friends said that I do not know how to handle unfamiliar happenings and personalities that are very unique. In the seminars of the Civic Welfare Training Service, you are thought how to act on different situations. You are also thought how to handle different kinds of people with their own characteristics, how to adjust and how to interact with them. I want to prove them wrong and prove to myself that I really know how to handle different situations.

I have heard many comments of other people about being a Civic Welfare Training Service officer. They said that the trainings, seminars and workshops are not that easy. One should have determination to be a Civic Welfare Training Service officer. They said that the tasks you need to do are like passing the hole of a needle. I want to have an experience like that. I want to know my capabilities and limitations.

When I was young, I am afraid to be a leader because I thought becoming a leader is to do all the tasks given to the group. I have realized that to become a leader, you should know how to distribute the tasks given to the group.

I am only a follower ever since. And now, I want to experience being a leader. But there are still confusions in my mind. Can I handle all the responsibilities that are connected to a leader? As the line says, “ With great power, comes with great responsibilities”. Being leader needs patience in every thing you do. You need to have patience to understand all the thoughts of your members. You also need to know their personal insights.

When I told this decision to my mother, she said that I should know how to manage my time. Because the normal situation is: the Civic welfare Training service officer will have no enough time for his or her studies. Thus, affecting his or her academic grades.

But I assure my mother that my studies will not be left behind. This is another test for me. To do the both tasks together: first to maintain my grades and to become a good Civic Welfare Training Service officer.

While I was writing this essay, another question comes in to my mind. Is becoming a Civic Welfare Training Service officer worth it???

I have a long time to think of this question and my answer is yes. The experiences of this training will help me a lot. It will enhance my capabilities. It will also enrich my values and improve my whole self.

I also want to know if I am already responsible. I want to know if I am ready enough to face all the challenges that would come. I also want to adventure on new paths in life.
Many of my batch mates dreamt of becoming a Civic Welfare Training Service officer. But they failed to have the first requirement. To be a Civic Welfare Training Service officer, the first requirement is to have a grade not below than eighty. I am one of the lucky students whose grades are not below eighty.

I have realized that this opportunity comes only once in a lifetime. I want to grab the chance of being a Civic Welfare Training Service officer because I am afraid that it will not come my way again.

Now I have already made my decision. I will pursue this new challenge in my life. I want to have all the qualities of being a good leader because I wanted to share these qualities someday to other people. This training will give me the qualities I need: being independent, responsible, hardworking, patient, understanding, and respectful.

I hope that God will still be there to help me in this new career I chose and my parents will still support me in this new road I will take.

Lastly, I hope that I could surpass all the challenges connected to this new path that God has given me: to become a good leader to my batch mates by becoming a Civic Welfare Training service officer.

A Step Towards Excellence

This year has been a great one for all of us. In our studies, most of us have found out our own interests in which we can excel. But the greatest thing is, our friendship has become stronger as days pass by. We knew each other better in terms of the different fields we excel as well as our weaknesses. We have also discovered each one’s likes and dislike that made the bonding tighter. We have been together through the ups and downs of this year and we have survived different obstacles together. Through the end part of this school year, this question runs through my mind whenever I see these talented young men and women in our batch doing the things they want. What would be the developments that my friends will undergo in the next level of our schooling?

Like my other friends, Christille is a very talented person. She dances and in the same way, she sings very well. If only she can control her stage freight, I might see her performing on stage by next year. She would be one of the best choices that would represent our batch in the different singing contests. Christine is such a brilliant artist. She perfectly puts life in her drawings that helps it look so natural. If she can gain more confidence, she can probably bring more trophies and honor to the school as well as joining different drawing contests. Her master piece might be chosen to be a logo for a publication. Hazel, the musician in our class, plays the guitar very well. Through great support from us, her being shy can be omitted. Maybe by next year, she will be the one to accompany the glee club in the different school activities. Or she can form her own band and might compose new songs for the batch. Bryan is a very good writer. If harnessed, his works might be published in our school papers. Professional writers might also discover him and he might be sponsored. Or he will be chose as one of the columnists in a newspaper or magazine. Olga is a very good leader. She performed her duties very well as a second year representative. I think she will do her best to be a very good treasurer next year. And someday she might be one of the best youth leaders in Cebu. Jann, with her magnificent voice transitions is a very good raconteur. If developed, she will be one of the raconteurs for the next year’s raconteur and might win the best raconteur award.

The talents they have now would be developed more if only they can gain confidence coupled with our full support. I know they are the people whom we can be proud of in the near future.

I also hope that I can develop my own talents and share these the next year. I want to be matured enough the next year, able to handle difficulties on my own. I wish to be one of the little children who will evolve to become matured ladies and gentlemen.

The Look

As the saying goes, “It is in the eyes where the soul of a person is reflected”, even if someone does not speak you can somewhat see what he is thinking through his looks or stare. We may lie with our words and our actions but not in our eyes. It might have been the most honest organ we can see in our physical appearance, which is directly connected to our heart. Unexpressed emotions can be seen through the eyes of a person. Our eyes could be the window of our soul where our deepest emotions are kept. Emotions that were left unspoken and undone, which were preferred to be kept inside for some reasons we do not know. Staring or looking is an act, which is so powerful that can relay our feelings, which we cannot merely say nor express in our actions. A look can alter emotions. Some people will find their selves fighting just because of a single look or stare from someone they barely know. And for some, they will find their selves falling in love just by a stare.

In this poem the author, Sara, and Colin might have been friends for a long time and secretly a feeling of adoration for each of them had developed through their friendship. It was reflected on how Colin looks at her, his deepest emotions and the hidden love he hardly express. The two may have been separated for a period of time wherein Sara was able to meet new guy friends which later courted her, Strephon and Robin. These two guys were nice ones which she had tried to know much deeper and tried to shift her attention to them.

Strephon kissed me in the spring,
Robin in the fall,

She entertained these two guys but she realized that she was not able to feel the admiration she felt with Colin. The feeling she had for Colin was really different, which she hardly understood.

Strephon’s kiss was lost in jest,
Robin’s lost in play

Sara could only see in the eyes of Colin his admiration for her and feel in some way the love from Colin for her, in which Colin was not able to confess it directly to Sara.

But Colin only looked at me
And never kissed at all.

With those looks, Sara seemed to be puzzled why Colin is not doing something or any step for them to know more of each other. Maybe in her heart there is a hope that one day this guy would as her out and personally will tell her what does all those looks for and why he seemed to have a hard time in saying it.

But the kiss in Colin’s eyes
Haunts me night and day.


This poem emphasizes how one can be so affected by a look or a stare from someone special. It can served as one’s inspiration or a distraction depending upon the other acts done by the one looking and the response by the one being stared.

Vigilante: Heroes or Villain?

Vigilantes cannot be considered heroes in our society. Their way of putting justice into their own hands by unmercifully killing people whom they think as “the cancer of the society”, is such an unfair act. As the popular saying goes, “Crime couldn’t be resolved by violence”, that is why we have our laws where the proper procedures of determining whether one is truly guilty or not.

This act of violence by the vigilante can be so dangerous for the civilians and other innocent people surrounding the person they think that deserve to die. There were already instances reported wherein the one they have killed was not really the one they intend to put an end in his life.

Another thing, if we are going to compare these vigilantes to our real heroes like Dr. Jose Rizal and our contemporary heroes like the OFW, these heroes sacrificed and forget bout’ themselves for the goodness of the majority. In addition, if they will be comparing themselves to Andres Bonifacio who used the war in order for them to fight for what they stand for, these vigilantes are operating in secret because maybe they are afraid that their identities will be revealed. Our known heroes in the same way are being sympathized by the people while these vigilantes are hated.

Moreover, if we are going to consider their motifs, for me until now I do still have doubts whether they are really killing for the sake of the country or for the sake of anyone else. As heard, there were some powerful personalities behind these vigilantes and most of these people are politicians who are afraid that their true colors will be revealed that is why they are seeking the help of this vigilantes to clean their mess for them.

If I were to describe these vigilantes, they are just like puppets of these powerful people who are taking advantage of these people who maybe are concerned for our society. In the same way they are like the NPA’s, MILF and other rebels that does not help the cause of our society but just adding up to its problems. Because of these killings, one aspect that could be greatly affected is our economic aspect. Businessmen may have doubts in investing in a place where violence is rampant, thus getting the opportunity for all the jobless to have work.

As a Catholic, I strongly disagree the way of the vigilante. Our body is sacred and no one has the right to put an end on this life, only our Creator. This stand by the church is being supported by the passages from the bible. It is stated in the law of the Catholics, the Ten Commandments, that killing is a heinous act and if it would be our response to gain justice it would be inappropriate. We also have our own stains in ourselves so we should not condemn them for having sins. Even if that person killed was truly a sinner, who are we to judge them? Are those vigilantes sinless?

The Problem with Men is…The Problem with Women is…

‘You can not please everybody’ is a very popular quote. It simply means that no one satisfies everybody even though he or she tries hard. I myself agree with this quotation and there are really times that someone hate what I am doing. And there are also times that I hate what other people are doing.

The problem with men is they are very untidy. I hate a person who does not know how to put things in their proper order. For me, maintaining cleanliness and order is very important because it will mean that the person is organize in all his things as well as in his life. He knows how to handle different situations because he knows where to put things at the right timing and at the right place. A well organize person is also systematic with the persons around him. He knows how to keep a relationship in good condition. It also means that the person is disciplined with his actions and manners. So it is very important to be orderly with all your things because it will reflect your life and your relationships towards other people.

Another problem with men is they are irresponsible. Being responsible is one of the best characteristic that a person should have. It does not only pertain to big duties; it also applies to the simple actions you do in your life. You should be responsible with your actions and decisions. If you commit a mistake or do something wrong that hurts the people around you, you should be fearless enough to admit your mistake and be brave enough to face all its consequences. You should not pass these to other people and let them face what is intended for you. And if you made a decision, you should courageous enough to handle the outcome of your decision.

The problem with both men and women is being liars. I think all of us lie just to cover up our mistakes. But we should change this because if ever we did something wrong, we should be bold enough to face its consequences. It still goes back to being responsible.

Another problem with men and women is they are very insensitive to the feelings of the people around him. If you have something to say you should think first what other people will feel with your words. You should consider all your listeners’ emotions because you might hurt their feelings.

In our batch, I think that almost everybody tease me and make fun of me. I admit there are really times that I get hurt but I just hide it. I merely do not react and let them continue their jokes. But I think that there should be a limitation in their jokes. They should consider what I feel inside. They should not make the jokes extremely hurtful. Their jokes sometimes upset me and make me feel bad. I am also a person that can feel the pain. I am not somebody who can tolerate all the aches. I truly hope that there will really come a time that they could realize all the burdens that I am carrying.

Blazing Trails of Legacy and Friendship: JS Prom '07

This year’s Junior- Senior promenade is really an event worth remembering. It is my second time to join a promenade but it feels like my first time because this year’s promenade is different from last year.

It feels like my first time because I still feel nervous while walking in front of the juniors, seniors and the teachers. I thought that it would be easier for me to walk gracefully down the aisle because I already had an experience but I was wrong. It is still not easy to walk with high-heeled sandals in front of so many people.

I really enjoyed the night because my tablemates are so humorous. I had a lot of fun during the dinner because we keep on talking on how to use properly the utensils. We are not acquainted to the correct uses of each utensil but thanks to Euvic; he taught us on when to use each utensil. I also enjoyed the accompany of the juniors because they are very open to us. They keep on sharing their hilarious experiences that made us laugh. I gained a lot of friends from the juniors during the promenade. Even though we only have little time, it seems like we are talking for almost a day because there are no boring moments.

I enjoyed the promenade because I had bonding moments with my fellow seniors during the disco. All of us are dancing as if no one is watching us. We are ecstatic during the disco. We are like dogs release from the doghouse. The juniors are still very shy. They are not able to jam with us during the disco because of their bashfulness.

I also enjoyed watching the teachers dance. They are like teenagers because they are very active in dancing.

During the last song of the disco, some of the seniors danced their special someone. However, most of the seniors dance as a group and I am one of them. I am part of the singles circle, a group of students who are still single.

That dance made me realized that you do not need somebody to make you happy. Being happy is a choice. If you chose to be sad because you do not have a partner, it is your decision. For me, you need not to have a partner to complete you as a person. There are more important things that we should focus than having a partner. We can find our perfect match at the right time. God already planned everything for us; we should just wait for it. Enjoy what we have now and thank God for all the blessings that he has given us. We should also be grateful that we have friends, somebody whom we can trust. Appreciate every single thing that they do for us. Never ever neglect their simple actions because those simple deeds are not worth it to be ignored. They should be treasured for a lifetime like diamonds. A true friend comes rarely. Grab the opportunity because you might regret and you will realize in the future that you already lost a million worth diamond.

Love An Act of the Will Not of the Heart

Love is a passionate feeling of attraction towards something or somebody. There are so many kinds of love; love of parents to their children, God’s love to humanity, love for an earthly thing, love of oneself, and of course romantic love.

Love is a need. From Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of basic human needs, there are four basic needs of human being: physiological needs, security, love and belongingness, and self-actualization. When we say need, it is something essential for living. Because love is a necessity, people should have love. But what part of our body really experience this feeling?
For me, love is just an act of the will not of the heart. If we say will, it means the mind controls the act of loving.

The heart is merely a blood-pumping organ of the body. It pumps blood that carries oxygen throughout the body. The central nervous system controls all other systems in our body. The brain controls the functioning of each part of the body. Therefore, without brain, other parts of our body cannot function including the heart. And with this, I can say that mind controls love.
According to Arthur W. Toga, the brain is the control center for movement, sleep, hunger, thirst, and virtually every other vital activity necessary to survival. All human emotions—including LOVE, hate, fear, anger, elation, and sadness—are controlled by the brain.

In arranged or fixed marriage, love is really an act of the will not of the heart. People choose to be with the person whom their parents want rather than with the person whom they really want to be with. If you want to do something, you must love it. Like in our lessons, if we want to learn Mathematics, we must love it. At first, it is hard to force yourself to do something that you do not like, but through time, you will really learn how. Loving somebody is a process that takes time.

And if love is an act of the heart, you will not choose the person you love. However, most of the times, we choose the person whom we love. In choosing the right person to be loved, we used our brain. We do not use our hearts in selecting the people whom we want to love.
I can also say that love is definitely an act of the will not of the heart because for me, love is not blind. If love is blind, it does not see what is right. Love in this manner is not love at all; it is stupidity. Love seeks for what is right.

And lastly, love is truly an act of the will not of the heart because we decide whom to love, where to love and when to love. We choose the right timing. We do not love somebody as if we are just eating and if we do not like the taste, we will just vomit it. We need to look at the different aspects of life that can be affected in loving somebody. We weigh the advantages and disadvantages before deciding.

Love is an act of the will not of the heart!!

Academic Mentoring Program

The Academic Mentoring Program is a project of the University of the Philippines High School Student Council. This project is supported by the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Incorporated or popularly known as RAFI. RAFI has already made several programs for the development of the youth, which includes the Young Minds Academy and Kool Adventure Camp, assistance of cancer patients, and also in the field of education. This mentoring program will help students who have difficulties in the academics and also to enhance their knowledge and boost their interests on the academic subjects.

For the first mentoring, the Hipodromo Elementary School is the chosen beneficiary. This program focuses on the development of the knowledge of the students in Mathematics. Most of us find Math as a very hard and uninteresting subject, but in the mentoring program, we encourage the students to love Math because it will be very easy to learn something if you love it. We give the students the simplest ways to learn Math and make the learning an enjoyable activity by giving them fun and exciting exercises. We also treat the students very well so that if they want to ask something about the discussion, they will feel free to ask it. It is very important that the students will be comfortable with the mentors so that they will really enjoy learning Math.

I am one of the mentors chosen in this Academic Mentoring Program. It is not that easy to be mentor, because first of all, I do not have the experience of teaching and it is also my first time of meeting the students. There are a lot of adjustments in my part because I committed so I really have to attend in all the sessions. The sessions are every Saturday from eight in the morning until twelve noon. I always wake up early in the morning in order to prepare. And before appearing in front of the students, I make it to a point that I have studied the lessons that I will be going to discuss.

In a classroom, there are three mentors and ten students. My group mates are Eldee and Rowella. Though we are three it is still not that easy to control the students because there are some who are very naughty. Sometimes your patience will already be gone and you will end up scolding the students. But it is really part of my commitment, so I really should control my temper and be more patient in teaching them. I should not show my temper because if I will do it, they will just tease me and laugh at me. They will already disrespect me.

But I am still very glad to be part of the Academic Mentoring Program. This will give me a new experience and a chance to meet other people. This experience is truly unique because I have already taught students and help them in their difficulties even though I am still a high school student. This is definitely an achievement for me. I will really treasure this once in ablue moon experience.

Loneliness

l (a

l e
a f
f a
l l
s )

one
l
iness

I have learned from our book English Communication Arts and Skills IV that poem is a thought or a feeling expressed in rhythmic and colorful language. Every poem has its own distinctions. And for me the poem above is very unique. At first glance, it seems like a very nonsense poem but take a look at it several times. Did you see what is behind that poem?

In taking the meaning of a poem, you have to know the background of the author. We must give consideration to all the events that he had experiences. I have researched that E. E. Cummings lived during World War I. He might be affected with it and he might have tragic experiences during the war.

The structure of a poem also greatly affects its meaning. When you look at the typographical structure of the poem, you can see a phrase “a leaf falls” inserted in the word loneliness. And I think the meaning of the poem lies there. E. E. Cummings wanted to express a feeling of solitude. But why did he compared the falling of the leaf to loneliness?

A leaf falls when its color is yellowish brown. And when this happens, the leaf departed from the branch of the tree. The leaf is already away from the tree that gives nutrients to the leaf. The leaf is nearing to die because it has no more connection with the tree.

For me, the falling of the leaf implies death. Let us take the tree as a family and all the leaves as the members of the family. When one leaf falls to the ground, the other members would definitely be sad. In our life, it is very hard to accept the inevitable truth that all of us will die eventually. We cannot understand if one of our loved ones will be taken away from us. Though it is difficult, we must because that is life. And accepting the truth takes a long time. It is a process.
When there is a wound, let it heal through time. Do not inflict it with different cure because the only cure is time. Wait for the right timing to come. And during that process, loneliness is what we feel.
Another meaning that I can get from the poem is abandonment. When someone leaves you behind, you will really feel depressed. There are times that you keep on thinking of the person and you do not want to eat. There are also times that you cannot sleep because you are thinking of the person, if he is ok or not. It is hard because you will miss the person. When you want to call him, you do not know how to communicate with him. It is very hard to be left behind. In times of grief, you have no one to lean on. You are all alone.

Well those are my interpretations. We might have different interpretations because of our experiences. Try to look for other meanings and you will see that a short poem like this has so much emotion yet to be discovered.

Being Immature or Making Somebody Happy??

Many people say that you can easily distinguish a mature person from an immature one. They say that you can see this with one’s actions and decisions. A mature person knows well how to decide for himself or herself. He or she behaves according to what is right in front of many people. He or she does not talk so much as if nobody is listening at him or her and nobody will be hurt with what he or she says. A mature person knows how to mince his or her words so that no one will be offended with the things he or she says.

Many people also say that I am a very immature person. I do not act according to my age. I still play games like ‘patintero’ and ‘chinese garter’ that are played by children aged twelve years and below. Those games should not be played by a senior student like me according to most of the people. I also talk flippantly when it comes to stuffs that should be handled seriously. I always make things funny so that I will not easily get bored with the conversations. And I am still very dependent to my mother when it comes to decision making. I still can not decide for myself because I am afraid in getting mistakes.

And now, I am in a situation where I need to decide for my own. I need to choose a course that I will take up in college. And I have three choices namely, BS Mathematics in UP College, BS Accountancy and BS Chemical Engineering in USC. My mother does not want that I will take up Chemical Engineering because the job opportunities are very small. She wanted me to take up Accountancy because after college, it is very easy to find jobs because it is needed. But my personal choice is to take up BS Mathematics. For me, I can excel in this field because I love Math and it will be easy if you love your course. I thin there are still big job opportunities for BS Mathematics, but I can not explain to them all of these.

For now, my choices are only BS Accountancy and BS Mathematics. I am in a dilemma on what course I will take up. I am planning to take up Accountancy because my mother suggested and I think she is right. I am afraid to choose on my own because, what if after college I can not find a job if I will take up BS Mathematics. I am afraid not to follow my mother because I am afraid to disappoint her. I wanted her to be happy, so I wanted to follow all the things that can make her happy. Even though I will be not that happy with the decision, but at least I made my mother happy. It is important for me because, she gave me all I needed and in return I will follow all what she wanted.

So is it being immature to follow the things wanted by your parents or not??

How Do I Want to Be Remembered After Leaving High School

High school is definitely the most memorable stage of our life. It is the stage where we start to mature. We are also in the adolescence stage in which many emotions are being discovered. We experiment with these emotions and we try to manage ourselves. We learn how to mingle with different kinds of people. We are taught with different skills that can be use in our future lives. We come to know our capabilities and limitations. We also learn how to somewhat decide for ourselves. We start to become independent.

Only three weeks or less is left for us in our high school life. We are about to end this very wonderful chapter of our lives from this prestigious university. It seems like yesterday that we started to become friends. We were strangers to each other but as days pass by, we shared smiles and tears. We have simple hi’s and hello’s at the beginning that grew into real friendship. We have been through a lot. We have solved so many problems and conquered our fears together. We have different personalities and I never thought that we could be united as one. We opened ourselves to be seen by each one of us and we let each one of us discover who we really are. Within the four years, we were there for one another.

I do hope that I made an impact to your lives. We gave each other the opportunity to know the real us. I wish that I had opened my doors wide for you to see what is truly inside of me. I pray that you cannot forget me after high school.

There are only few things that I want you to remember about the real Mary Grace. I am just a simple and ordinary student like other students. I am not sophisticated. I opt for simple things.
I want you to remember a Grace that is a true friend. I am somebody whom you can trust and somebody whom you can talk to in times of happiness and loneliness. When you fall down, I am ready to help you stand again.

I want you to remember a Gracie that is weak. I am someone who needs you. I am not that strong to face all the obstacles alone in my life. I have faced and conquered all my fears with your help. I am who I am now because of your help. I have achieved things with your support. I am a complete well being because of you.

And most of all, I want you to remember a Grasya that is happy. I easily laugh at corny jokes. I may also laugh like the distracting sound of a rifle. But all those laughter are true. I really enjoyed your accompaniment. There were no boring moments in my stay with UP because of our different stories.

I would really want to spend quality time with everyone. I will not waste my last days in UP. I would want to reach out to everyone and thank you for making my stay in UP a memorable one.

Has the ASEAN Summit Brought Something Good for the Philippines?

The ASEAN Summit has just recently concluded last Monday, January 15, 2007. The summit is the done yearly to discuss how to accelerate economic growth and promote regional peace and stability among the ten member countries and 6 dialogue partners.

The government officials are saying that after the summit, the Philippines’ economy will surely boost. But I still can not see the said development of our economy. Many people are suffering from hunger and joblessness and also many people do not have their own homes to live in. The prices of basic commodities are still very high and the government is not responding to the call of the Filipinos.

The Cebu province spent approximately Php 1.2 billion for all the stuffs needed for the summit including the CICC which is worth Php 515 million, the 1,083 decorative lamps along the streets, the improvement of the roads, and the very expensive spy cameras. The Php 1.2 billion can be used to supply the needs of the Filipinos. The money can be used to build houses for the homeless Filipinos, build industries that can employ the jobless Filipinos, and to help in the economic growth of the Philippines. Most part of the budget does not really go for the summit; instead it went to the pockets of the corrupt officials. Even though we could not see how they get the money but we can see it in the goods that the government have bought for the summit. One lamp costs Php 95,000 but the lamps were really not that good in providing light along the streets. These were merely for decoration. The budget for the CICC can be used in giving free education and health services to the Filipinos.

The ASEAN Summit also brought so many holidays. Many school days were wasted. These days can really make a difference in the knowledge of the students. The teachers can teach many new lessons to their student within those days. The companies are also not happy with the holidays. In those days, they can produce a large number of products that will be sold. Many sectors were really paralyzed with the summit.

When we look at the brighter side, after the summit there were some foreign investments. This includes the investment of China in the field of agriculture. Many foreigners also visited Cebu. So the summit promoted the tourism of Cebu. But these can not be compared with the bad things that happened to Cebu. These were only a very little part of the whole budget that Cebu had spent and the many days that were wasted.

And I can also say that the government officials benefited from the summit. They were very thankful that the summit was held here in Cebu so that they can get large amount of money from the budget. If there was no summit, the corrupt government officials can not steal the money of the people and spend these for their personal consumption and happiness.

Those were all my observations after the summit. So for you, has the ASEAN Summit brought something good for the Philippines?

What A Busy Week...

This week seems to be a very busy week for me. I have a lot of things to do. There are so many projects that have to be submitted. And of course, the exhausting third periodical examinations that I need to pass.

Our batch will join the International Cyberfair contest. We need to finalize the articles that are going to be posted in the website. We already passed a draft but we need to revise some parts of the articles. We also need to design our own web pages that should be submitted on the 20th. It is very hard for me to make the designs because I am not that good in making codes for the web pages because it is not my forte. I am very happy that Ms. Avergonzado was there to help and guide us in designing the web pages. The web designs are part of our grade for the third grading period in computer so we really need to beautify these.

The research papers are also one of my concerns for this week. We need to finish the first three chapters of the paper which are the introduction, the research methodology, and the results and discussion. We need to make our research paper good because this is the only basis for our grade in research. And we need to defend our research papers during the SciTech week this coming February. I am very thankful that in making our research paper, my group mate Theresa was there so we finished our research paper earlier before the deadline.

I also need to review my previous lessons for the tests. For our Filipino subject, I need to read again chapters 26 to 35 of the El Filibusterismo and study the “pagsusuring sintaktikal”. For our test on Practical Law, I need to memorize the preamble, Sections 1, 2, 12 and 17 of Article III of the Philippine Constitution and review our past lessons. I need to review the concepts of atomic nature of matter, solids, and liquids particularly on the concepts of pressure, buoyancy, flotation and Pascal’s Principle for our Physics test. For our test in Social Studies, I need to study hard on three chapters of the book that were never explained and discussed to us by our teacher. We need to learn these by ourselves. I also must read the very long story of the Summer Solstice by Nick Joaquin because it is part of our test in English. When I first read the piece, I did not understand the story well but when I read it the third time, I already understand the central message of the story or the insight that the author wants to convey. And for our very hard Calculus subject, I need to review the lessons on finding the derivatives of a function, differentiating a function implicitly, and finding the average rate of change and the instantaneous rate of change.

I also need to prepare the other projects that are going to be passed the next week. This week is really exhausting because of my very hectic schedule. But I need to sacrifice a lot so that I will get good grades. And if ever I will encounter another situation like what I have faced this week, I will really strive hard in order to succeed in all my works!!

Communication

Communication is really essential in the lives of people. It is the exchange of information between people, by means of speaking, writing, or using a common system of signs or behavior. This is the way of expressing our emotions and sharing the sentiments that are inside us.

Communication is also very important in a family. This is one way of strengthening the bond in a family. When there is interaction among the members of the family, there is a sharing of thoughts and feelings, and an exchange of opinions. You will know what is inside them and what they think so that when there will be conversations, you can not hurt them with your words.

I really felt the sadness of my youngest sister when she cried. She has to make a scrap book of poems. She needs to write the poems on her own. But because of laziness, she only writes one stanza in each poem. So my aunt reacted and said that it will not be accepted by the teacher. She said that my sister was better when she was in grade one. Because of that my sister, went to the table and was very angry to finish all the ten poems. But she was not able to do it and she just went in their room and cried. I really felt sorry for my sister because I could not help her write all the poems. I wanted to, but my handwriting is not like hers. My sister continued to cry. Then, my mother told her to stop crying and scolded her. She went on crying much stronger than before. Tears on my eyes went down. I directly went down stairs to wipe my tears.

I think that she felt too much pressure from us that is why she cried. I think she wanted to tell us that she could not do it but she does not know how to say this. She does not know how to express her feelings. I really felt sad for her because I already felt the same many times when I was still young. They wanted me to do something which I can not do. They forced me to achieve something which I can not make. But I could not explain to them what do I feel inside. And I am afraid to say it because I am afraid that they could not accept my explanation. And I am afraid that they will get angrier because they will feel being disrespected.

I want to do something to change this setting in my family. I do not want to keep this going because my younger sister might rebel because of the pressure. I am afraid that because of this my family would be destroyed. I do not want it to happen because my family is the only source of my will to keep going in life. I do not want that there will come a time that my family will be broken and it will be already too late to change what is wrong in the family. I will really try my best to have a good communication with my family.

An Amazing Walk

Last Friday, January 19, 2007, many projects are to be submitted. I am very proud that I already finished all the stuffs that are needed to be passed on that Friday. After our last examination, I really do not know what I am going to do. I still need to wait until 4 o’ clock in the afternoon because we are going to have a Student Council meeting. We need to finalize the plans for the Know Your School Day or KYSD that will happen next week.

I need to wait for four hours in the classroom but because of boredom; I went to Michelle’s house together with Euvic and Theresa. Euvic, Michelle, and Theresa will finalize their web design for their computer project. Theresa also typed her excuse letter for being absent in their camp. Michelle reviewed their research paper and also Euvic. They finished their stuff fifteen minutes before four o’ clock. We departed in Michelle’s house at exactly four. Because we need to go back to UP at the fastest time, we decided to ride a taxi from San Nicolas to UP. But because of bad luck, there was no vacant taxi. We walked to Carbon in search for a vacant taxi. There was still none. Then, we went near USJR hoping that there will be a taxi that will accommodate us. But what a life, we did not find any. We ran and ran and ran until we reached Gaisano South. We found a vacant taxi but the taxi was in the middle of the road. The driver was not able to see us. Again we ran and ran. We arrived at Metro Gaisano. We saw many taxis in line. So we ran to get there still hoping to find a vacant taxi but there were also many people waiting for taxis. So we just decided to walk still in search for a taxi. When we arrived in front of ‘Copy trade’ we saw another vacant taxi, but that road was not a loading area. The driver did not stop. So we were joking that we will just walk until we will reach UP. When we reached Sto. Rosario Parish, all of us was already tired. We turned left and across USC, we found a taxi we thought that it was vacant but it is not. We stopped in that place; fortunately we found a taxi that was unloading a customer. We directly went inside because we were very happy for finding that taxi and all of us were catching our breaths. The driver was very accommodating; he looked for a way where there is no heavy traffic so that we will arrive in the fastest time. We arrived at five o’ clock.

We were very thankful that the other SC members waited for us. We had our meeting and all of the plans needed were already finalized. Theresa was also able to attend their YFC meeting.
What happened on that day will be very memorable for me because it is the longest that I have ever walked. Even though it was very tiring, I really enjoyed that adventure.

A Successful One

Last March 17, we had our closing program of the Academic Mentoring program. This mentoring program in the Hipodromo Elementary School lasted for ten weeks. I can say that this program is really a success because of the students’ achievement in Math.

At first, it was very hard for them dealing with mathematical problems. They think that Math is a monstrous subject that would scold them if they cannot learn the lessons. They do not know how to add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions. They do not also know how to treat problem-solving questions. They have not even memorized the multiplication. But after ten Saturdays, we can really see their improvement in Math. They are now able to treat different equations without sweat. They also enjoy solving math problems.

I did not think that I could see that big difference in their Math skills. During our sessions, only a few listen to the discussion. Most of them talk to their seatmates and roam around the classroom. Only some participate well in class.

I never thought that they have learned a lot from the mentoring we had. I was really impressed with their performance in the five sets of question we gave them and in the contests during the culminating activity. It is evident that they studied well and they did their best to learn.

I was very proud of my students. During the closing ceremonies, we had two games. The first game was a quiz bowl. There were ten groups composed of five members each. My students that belong to Group 1, with four boy members and one girl member won the contest. I never expected that my students would top in the contest than the other groups.

The second game was patterned after a relay. There were three groups composed of ten members per group. Every student will answer one question in each stage. After answering the first stage, he will proceed to the second stage then to the third one. The first group who will finish the relay wins the game. One of the groups was composed of almost all boys. And some of them were my students. When the game started, there was a tight competition between group two and group three, the one composed by almost all boys. Benjes, one of my students who joined the game was very impressive. He finished the relay in less than a minute without sweat at all. I was also impressed with Roli James who solved the problem with the use of a pencil and the ground as his paper. He wrote his solution on the ground because he wanted to be sure of his answers.

I was very happy with the outcome of this mentoring program. I have helped the students and at the same time, I have helped myself. I was able to reach out to the people who need my help. Even though it already ended, I know the knowledge that I have shared to them will never be erased. And I proudly say that I am part of the mentoring program that turned out as a success.

Cyberfair Project

Museums provide a vivid background of the rich history of Philippines because they unveil different artifacts, relics, antiques, miniatures, paintings, pictures and other historical pieces. The University of San Carlos Museum hosts the Spanish Colonial, Ethnographic, Archeological, and Natural Science galleries that showcase the cultural development of the Philippines. The Spanish Colonial section contains evidences of the Catholic heritage in the Philippines. It displays religious pieces and wood carvings that originated during the Spanish era. Most of the pieces in this section came from Argao and other towns in Cebu. The Ethnographic section displays tools and weapons that our ancestors used during their time. Some ancient costumes and musical instruments can also be found in this section. It also exhibits information about practices such as teeth mutilation and cranial deformation. The Archeological section located at the center of the museum exhibits burial artifacts of our ancestors. According to Ms. Marlene Socorro Samson, the museum curator, the Kulaman jars are the oldest collections of the museum. Kulaman jars are limestone burial jars that contain the ashes of our dead ancestors. This section also includes boat coffins and jars of the earthenware. The burial practices only show the pre- Hispanic Filipino’s conviction in life after death. The early pottery is also exhibited in this section which the ancient Filipinos trade with the neighboring countries. Ms. Samson made mention that the Natural Science section is the most visited section of the museum. It includes the display of preserved rare and endangered species in the Philippines like the monkey- eating eagle which really capture our attention. This section also contains preserved species of butterflies that came from the other countries. The African egg is the newest of all the collection of the museum. Other preserved animals are different kinds of spiders and diverse species of aquatic and terrestrial animals. The museum helps us to enrich the knowledge we had with our culture and history. We learned a lot from the museum and it touches our lives as Filipinos. It gives us the chance to discover what was really our past, the gems that we should treasure and will be treasured from generation to generation. The University of San Carlos Museum first opened in 1967 through the efforts of Fr. Rudolf Rahmann, SVD, a German anthropologist and former president of the university. It became a general museum during the 1970’s and from then on, it included in its section the Spanish colonial gallery and a natural science gallery. The existing collection found in the museum nowadays came from the faculty and students of the university. Ethnographic materials from the Bukid Mangyans were the first of collections in 1953. Since then, many anthropologists have contributed to the museum’s ethnographic section. Some of the archeological finds exhibited in the museum include the limestone burial urns from Kulamana Plateau in 1963 as well as in Fort San Pedro in Downtown, Cebu in 1969. Other artifacts are imported prehistoric trade ware ceramics from Pila, Laguna and important earthenware burial goods from Magsulot, Bacong in Negros Oriental in 1979. Entomological and geological items are found in the natural science gallery which is also famous for its butterfly collection. The university’s alumni, friends, faculty and students continue to contribute in the museum’s growing number of collections through their donations and expeditions.

by:
Mary Grace Cabalida
Danesa Lerio
Olga Marie Soon

Research Paper

One of our requirements to graduate in high school is to submit a research paper. The research paper is the basis for our grades in our Research subject.

Each one of us submitted our project proposals to Prof. Nuñez when we were in third year. Sixteen of which were chosen to be our research studies. We were group into four. And my teammates are Theresa, Lorem and Bryan. Our study is entitled “The Effectiveness of Cow and Horse Manure as Fertilizer: A Comparative Study”.

The main purpose of our study is to compare which manures is the best source of fertilizer. This study is very significant to the farmers and other plant-growers in the rural areas because they can use manure in a beneficial way, knowing the fact that manure can be a good source of fertilizer. This study would likewise help the consumers because they will have a safe and good quality of plants at a lesser cost. The study would also help the Department of Agriculture because they can use manure as a substitute to the very costly commercial fertilizers. Lastly, this project would greatly help the future researchers who would want to study more on the most effective and correct way of growing plants.

The comparison was base on the heights and number of fruits of the okra plants. The study was conducted for nine weeks from July 29, 2006 to September 30, 2006 at the UP High School Home Technology garden plot.

There were four different growth media, three of which were experimental and one was control group. The experimental groups were exposed to the three different manures while the control group was exposed to pure soil. Two okra seedlings per set-up were utilized.

After that, we analyzed all the data that we have gathered and we have come up to two conclusions. First, in terms of increase in heights of the plants, horse manure is the best source of fertilizer because it resulted to grater mean gains in height than the rest. And for the number of fruits, all the four set-ups had comparable results.

When we started the experiment, we had a hard time of adjusting our schedules because our study requires much time. We should visit the plot everyday to water the plants. However, we only felt that at the beginning. I really enjoyed our research project because it is not the type of subject, which requires a lot of memorization. This subject does not need any skills in arithmetic and problem solving. It only needs time, cooperation among the members and diligence.

And now that this project has come to end, I would like to express my gratitude to all the people who have helped us in this study.

Dr. Lapa, our first semester teacher, for guiding us in the conduct of our study and in writing Chapter III. Dr. Rodel, our second semester teacher, for checking our papers and for helping us throughout this course. To the panelists, Prof. Baltazar, Prof. Nuñez and Dr. Cravajal, for giving suggestions that greatly helped our study. To Mrs. Pabloo of the Department of Agriculture, for giving us the needed plants. To Mrs. Nuñeza, the laboratory assistant, for letting us use our needed materials. To our batch mates, Christine Nolasco who gave us the needed cow manure and Euvic Ferrer who helped us in watering the plants daily. To our supportive parents, who helped us in all ways. Foremost to Almighty God, for guiding us always and for showering us so much blessings.

Without them, this study might not end successful. Thank you!!

Power of Tears

As days pass by, you meet new challenges. You should be strong enough to face all of these and never give up. But when you really feel tired and stressed because of all the problems that you are facing, what will you do?

Many people say that crying is not a sign of weakness but instead it is a sign of strength. But I really disagree with that. For me when you cry it simply means you give up with all your obstacles. Life is just a game and you should not cry when you loss. Crying implies quitting. And if you quit in the game of life, you will never win and succeed.

When I see other people cry, I say that they are very weak. I do not want to cry because I am afraid that people would also think that I am weak. I was not weak. I am not weak. And I will never be weak.

But all these perceptions change when I started crying almost every night. I feel that all people surrounding me are very bad to me. I easily get hurt with their comments. When somebody feels bad about me, my tears easily drip off from my eyes. I feel that I am so bad when I offended someone. And when somebody cries, I also cry. It seems like crying is very contagious. And when I remember a sad happening of my life, I cry and cry until I sleep.

All those nights that I cried, there were times that I have asked myself why do I cry? Will something change when I cry? Are my problems solved when I cry?

Definitely crying will never solve our problems. It is not the answer to our questions. It will not change our difficult situation. But one thing is for sure; crying relieves the pain you feel inside.

When we cry, we let go of our heart aches. Crying releases our hurts and makes us feel better. It is a defense mechanism called displacement. When we cry, the pains we feel inside are displaced. It is better to cry than to displace all our discomforts in another manner which might affect and hurt other people.

There was this one friend who told me that if I will not cry, all my heart aches will build up. And soon it will occupy my whole heart. Then my heart might burst and may cause nervous breakdown.

I was really thankful for that because it made me realize that there is nothing wrong in crying. It is a good way of keeping our body in the right functioning. God made everything in our bodies unique and functional. The function of our tear ducts is to release tears and at the same time release the pains we feel inside.

So we should not be afraid to cry. Because as we cry, the memories of the bad things in the past are all erased. They will never bother you anymore because you take them away from your system.

Crying also needs too much energy. That is why after crying, we fell asleep. But after that, you will wake up renewed and start the day with a very big smile. You will never be afraid anymore to face life. You start another chapter in your life with a new light.

Know Your School Day

University of the Philippines annually celebrates its KYSD or the Know Your School Day every January. It is a two-day celebration wherein the students replace their teachers and they teach their other classmates. This activity is unique because where can you see students teaching their own classmates.

I had experienced being a teacher for three years. Since second year, I chose to be one of the student teachers because I wanted to feel how a teacher feels. At first, I think that being a teacher is very easy. All I thought is that teachers are very grateful because they have schedules like the students. They will also have their summer break like the students. They are not like other professionals who work during summer. I never thought that it would give so much stress.

This year’s experience of being a student teacher is different from my previous experiences. In the previous years, I taught the subjects that I really like. When I was in second year, I taught Algebra and Biology and in third year, Chemistry. And this year, Economics??!

I never thought that I could handle a subject like economics because I am not that good in this subject. Economics is not my field of expertise and I have my lowest grade in this subject.
However, this reason never became a hindrance of teaching Economics. I really did my best on the day of teaching. I, Olga and Michelle did prepare for a test.

When the three of us were in front of our classmates, there were butterflies in my stomach. I really felt nervous because it takes so much confidence to stand in front of so many people. Nevertheless, I did not quit. Then, we started conducting the test.

At the start of the test, my classmates were already complaining because they did not know that we will have a test and they had not prepared for it. All of them were very noisy and they keep on protesting. But we still continue to give them the test. In each number, they were asking for clues because when Sir Montaño gives us test, he provides us with so many clues. There came a time that almost everyone is talking and the room was already full of carbon dioxide. The room was already like a wet market and we could not control them anymore. Nothing came into my mind how to make their mouths shut. So all I did was to strike the table. They all became silent. I keep on saying that they should not be so loud and they must not keep on complaining because it is not that easy to be a teacher, to stand in front of so many people. After that, they already shut their mouths and we continued the test. I never thought that I could do that.

I was very thankful that we already finished the test. And I have realized that being a teacher is not that easy; it requires so much effort. To be a teacher, you must have patience to your students. You must also be hardworking and diligent in preparing your lessons. And most of all you must have the passion for teaching.

Thank you for all the knowledge that you have imparted us and for the experiences you have shared. Thank you for the guidance and support and for everything. Salute to all the teachers!!!

If Only...

If only I am rich, I will buy all the things that I need. I will satisfy all my wants and desires. I will shop for new clothes, shoes, accessories, and bags. I will also purchase hi-tech gadgets such as laptop, plasma television, i-pod and a cell phone of the latest model. I will also purchase a lot of food especially chocolates.

If only I have wings, I will fly to different places. I will tour around the world and enjoy the picturesque sceneries above the sky. I will go to Australia, the land down under, to see the very famous marsupial, the koala. I would also want to stop at the fantastic Sydney Opera House.

I will also visit Paris and go up to the magnificent Eiffel Tower. I will also go to the Notre Dame Cathedral which is one of the best known Gothic cathedrals in the world. Another country that I would like to visit is Jerusalem. Jerusalem contains sites sacred to Christians, Jews and Muslims. I would want to enter the Dome of Rock, an Islamic shrine, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, one of the holiest shrines of Christianity, and the Wailing Wall which is a very sacred place for the Jews.

If only I have the talent to be a ballet dancer, I really want to become a prima ballerina and perform different steps in a stage in front of many people.

If only I have the skills, I want to become a drummer. I envy those who know how to play the drums.

If only I have the confidence, I want to become a news reporter, an actress, and a stage performer. Those professions seem to be very interesting for me because the experience of being in front of so many people and all their eyes are on you is very fulfilling.

If only I have the ability to draw, I want to draw a very scenic picture where I can express what I feel inside. Drawing is one of the activities where you can let go of your emotions whether good or bad. With drawing, you can also make your fantasies into realities.

If only I have a very good voice, I want to join in different singing contests. I want to show it and let other people hear my voice. I also want to become a church choir in order to thank God for the gifts that He has given me.

If only I could turn back the time, I will correct all the mistakes that I have done in the past and put all these things in their proper order. I want to make my life right and I do not want to hurt anybody with my words and actions. I also want to express my feelings to those people whom I have not. I want to say sorry to the people whom I have not apologized before because of my pride.

If only I have the power to make all those things true, I would really do…

Gift of Love

Gasa sa Gugma, a home for the dying destitute, was the chosen beneficiary of our outreach program in our CWTS subject. The outreach program held last Friday, February 2, 2007, aimed to let the sick and elderly persons in that institution feel love, care, attention, and emotional security of a family that they have not felt for a long period of time. Before we went in the place, I thought that only them can benefit from that outreach program. But after leaving in that place I have come up to many realizations.

First is that I have also learned to take care, respect, and give time to the elders. They are the ones who take care of us when we are still very young. They are also the co creators of God because without them, we will not be here in this world. We should be thankful to them and give them a little of our time to make them happy and let them feel that they are very important in our lives. We should be there when they need our help and listen to them. We should pay back all the sacrifices that they have done for us.

I also learned that we should treasure all the moments that we have together with our love ones. We cannot turn back the time that are all wasted. This is one realization that I have learned from the story of a lolo in which he was not able to apologize to his mother. He was not able to express what he really feels inside. If you need to say something to your loved ones or to anybody, you should do it now. You might just regret the time that you let pass by without expressing all the things inside your heart. Do what ever you want in you life at this very moment. Every single second in your life should be cherished because it will not come back again and you might regret.

Another experience that I knew was about a lola who already fell several times. I have learned that if you fall, you should not give up; your life does not end there. There is more in this world that you should discover. Like in a television advertisement of the basketball player Dwayne Wade, it says that fall seven times, stand up eight. Life is very beautiful and mysterious. It is for you to find out what is at stake for you. And if you fall in uncovering the mystery of your life, go on because it is part of what God has planned for you. Do not let something or somebody block your way in discovering more about this world. Just thank the times that you fall because in falling, you know how to stand up and you become stronger. Do not be afraid to fall; just trust the Lord because He will be there to help you. In the midst of the darkness you can see light.

Those experiences even though second hand, make me realize all those stuffs. You need not to experience all the things that they had experience in order to learn. Learn from other people’s experiences to be a better person and let other people learn from you to help them become a better person. With this you can share the love that God has given you.

College Course

Now that our high school life is nearing to end, I think that all of us are very busy in taking college admission tests in different prestigious universities. But there are still few of us who have not decided yet on the course that they are going to take up. And in choosing the best course, many things are put into consideration. The first thing that you will consider is your likes. It is very important that you like the course that you will take up. Next are your abilities. Are your abilities fitted for that course? And of course you should also consider your parents’ suggestions. If they agree or not agree with the course you are going to take up.

Our parents pay for our tuition fees for us to study. But nowadays, they are the ones who choose the course that they want us to study. And most of the times they are followed. But is it right that they will decide for our course?

For me, we have the right to follow what we think will be good for us. We are the one who will study the course so we should be the one to choose the course we want. And another thing, this is our life and we should be the pilots of our lives. If other people will decide for us, we might blame them if misfortunes will come in our lives.

But it does not mean that we will just neglect the suggestions of our parents. Our parents are here to guide us with all the things and decisions we will made in our lives. They are giving suggestions for the betterment of our lives. There are no parents who want their sons and daughters to be in the wrong path. All our parents wish all the best in life for us. And because they have more experiences than us, we should pay attention to their advices. We should learn from their experiences.

Listening to them is respecting them. But if we will not follow their recommendations, it does not mean that we are not respecting them. At this age, we should be able to make decisions for ourselves. In choosing a course, it is a decision that we should make. And if something bad will come after making that decision, we should be bold enough to face all its consequences. In this way, we will really learn. Decision making is one step of preparing ourselves to the true world after studying. When we reach the age where we will already work, we have to make many decisions in life. So it is important that at this early stage of our lives we are able to make decisions.

We should stand for our own belief. Pay attention to other people’s advices. Before everything else, think for the advantages and disadvantages. And at the end, you have the final words. Pursue the things you want and do what you think is right and will make your life better!