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The Nation Builder Magazine
The Nation Builder Magazine is published every semester by The Nation Builder Publication, Ground Floor, Administration Bldg., Cebu Technological University - Main Campus, M.J. Cuenco Street, Cebu City. It serves as a medium of communication between the students and the school administration, to express trust and options, to establish high standard journalism and to promote stronger cooperation between the school in particular and the society in general.
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For comments, reactions, suggestions, and contributions, please e-mail us at thenationbuilder@yahoo.com
All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form or copying in any means, without written permission from The Nation Builder Publication. Entered as a second class mail matter at Cebu Post Office on December 18, 1956
editor’s note his may be my last issue as a member of the Nation Builder, but surely my support for the publication will never end with this issue. God has given me so many blessings in life and being a part of NB is on top of the list. Being with NB is more that just a commitment, NB has been my comfort zone. They say the best is in high school life. However, mine came a little bit later than high school. My best would be in college. It’s because of NB. The people in NB; my co-editors, my staffers or our adviser, have inspired me to be better and to go further. To all of you guys, thank you! Thank you for believing in me, even in times when I stumble at my worst. You were the reason why I keep on coming back. My coming back may not always be with the place but will always with the memories. You simply made my goodbye less sadder than it seems. Everybody stands on an equal chance to be heard or to be a voice of someone heard by few and unheard by many. I was given that chance to be heard and to be the voice. I suppose, communication is dead when people ceases to voice out and from there no one will be heard. My fellow students make NB an avenue for communication. The future of this institution may lie inside the pages of this magazine. I won’t make this note longer; flip the magazine to the next page. Enjoy reading and don’t forget to give us your feedback.
ime runs so fast that we can barely notice that sometimes, it is already the end. Just like watching one of your favourite movies. Somehow, you are afraid to finish it because, in just a couple of minutes, it will surely end. I have been a part of the student publication. Right tense isn’t it? “Have been,” simply because the moment you read the magazine, I will no longer be a student. Melodramatic as what others would say, but to tell you honestly, my heart will always be in NB. Remembering my days when I was still a staffer until I became one of the head editors is one thing that I can really be proud of, for the rest of my life. It does not only give me the benefit of being a scholar, the advantage of being looked up to, the chance to have my name printed on the magazine, but it paved way to prove myself, because that was only then that I realized I also have skills to be thankful for. I will be forever grateful to my editors and my NB family because they completely made me a whole different person. I will not be as confident, as open-minded and as efficient as I am now if it weren’t for them. They always taught me how to earn it. Regrets keep on running my mind. I wish I did my best when I was there. I wish I did more. However, I can’t go back. Nevertheless, there is no use to keep on blaming myself of what I did and did not do. Trusting the next breed of leaders will already suffice those thoughts. Anyway, let me switch my gears and thank the people for the last time. To the students, I will always miss your comments and how you blatantly express your deep appreciation every time we try to create something new with the 3
editor’s note magazine. Thank you so much. To our technical advisers, I will always keep in mind how you made us improve ourselves with regards to our skills. To my colleagues, thank you for sharing your moments with me, I would have missed half of my life if I had not known you guys. Those four years of my college life will be forever cherished. Remember to always live up to what we are bound to serve, and that is to be the voice of the students. This is my final Editor’s note. Thank you all.
n attendance, before my almost four-year stay as a Campus journalist in this publication, are the characters that I’ve learned phase to phase: courage, confidence, professionalism, patriotism, integrity, dignity, and boldness. Here comes the last of the first. So fast the time is. I was just an innocent freshman, full of ideals, empty in experiences, and in dire need of ultimate outlet of my provocations against the crime of the society and the reversed law of humanity. I accidentally became a photojournalist, and was washed away to the real field of my passion: writing. For the next years I held higher posts: Literary Editor, Executive Editor, and as an Associate Editor-In-Chief. I held these posts with love passion and oneness to my printed ideas. Graduation gave me my Bachelor’s degree, and parallel to that is my achievement of being in service for practical and interactive campus journalism for four straight years. Funny as it may seem, I spent the same span of time in my study to our Publication office. NB office is my second home, in close family orientation. One of its front men in revolutionizing this magazine is not a job comparable to writing only. It is all about professionalism. It is not all about beating deadlines; it is also about connecting oneself to its purpose and goal. It involves everything. Every article is produced by the genuine inspiration and patriotism that I write for the CTUnians. I am proud to trace, paint, and highlight the CTUnian culture. I believe that the secret of the great patriotism, loyalty and pride of bigger and renowned universities in the world is that they recognized their culture in many ways and in every way in the university community, as their eyes have the mark of their beloved universities. By this fact writing and spreading it to the world is an honour that is equal to none. By moulding a culture and printing it as a treasured past we can say that we too exist in the world. My stay at your service is a one-in-a-million and coveted chance. It is a plain privilege to grow in a university where dynamism of the student intellect is getting higher and higher. CTUnians, try not to look around you, try not to look at yourself but try to look the people’s eyes, there you can see our clear mark. I witnessed and experienced your remarkable achievements, and that became the vivid colours of my vast thoughts, subjects, and point to lay to your historical documents in the name of The Nation Builder Magazine. This is the last issue under our editorship. I will miss my beloved CTU, my fellow CTUnians, my mentors, loved ones, friends, detractors, critics. Thank you so much. Wave the banner high. Wave it with loyalty, patriotism, pride and caress. You can visit my blogsite: www.markcarloseno.tumblr.com, connect to me through e-mail and facebook: macarse8899@yahoo.com or contact me through my phone 09329518160. 4
inside
THE NATION BUILDER
Bloody Treat
23
Keeping the Love Alive
FEATURES
K-Pop on the Track
NEWS
6 9 12
CTU to push PCO Accreditation
NB screening for ‘chief’ slated
8 10
Oberes To Take Over SSC Presidency
Stude Protests vs COMELEC Chair
CTU-MC Assists Sinulog ‘11 Feast
13
COMELEC on Election Info Dissemination: FLOP
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18 26 30
World’s End
31
Manila Hostage Crisis: Who to Blame
38
When Rudolph misled the sleigh
40 44
Bully-Proof
A Job or True Calling Music Gone Gaga
Technology: Blessing or Cursing?
OPINIONS Crossing Fingers Not-so-Magical Transformation
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How to Pursue Love CTU Stude ranks 7th in TOCCYL ‘11
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NB Champs Editorial Cartooning in 4th OSSEI National Writing Tilt
False Conversion Death and Drugs
22 25 28 35 39
topevent
Official News Section of the Nation Builder
By: Robinson Dagatan ith their aim to implement clearer policies regarding environmental issues, designated PCO were on force to pursue accreditation status. Dr. Edgar Solana, PCO Director, took the initiative to congregate the team in accordance to the Professional Qualifications set by DENR with relevance to P.D. 984 (Pollution Control Decree of 1976). “We are doing our best and hoping that this year, everything will be realized,” 6
stressed Dr. Solana in an interview with the Nation Builder. To strengthen this goal, PCO conducted a two-day Campus-Wide Consultative Meeting last March 1 & 2 at the College of Education Viewing Room. The said meeting themed, “A Green CTU Community begins with me” was participated by supervisors and student organizations such as DOST SA CTU, SSC, and The Nation Builder. An Educational Tour in Archival EcoHouse in Talamban was the opening part
news team
section editor: Angelo Betache
Solid Waste Management, Water Pollution, Air Pollution and Small and Simple Works. Current pollution problems in the five areas within the campus were tackled and given action proposals. It was on January 2010 that the team processed their Personal Data Sheets. “While the process is still on queue, temporarily, PCO functions as a selfregulating organization since we are on the Academe category,” explained Dr. Solana. Unlike industries, commercial and manufacturing establishments where PCO is mandatory, Educational Institutions like Cebu Technological University can voluntarily adopt the said organization. Solana added that the CTU-Main Campus should be the main foundation of PCO so that the rest of the satellite campuses will follow to build their own.
GREEN ADVOCACY: Remarkable pose from PCO participants and officers contributed photo from PCO
of the event. Among the Pollution, Control Officers and the representatives of each organization, also present to observe the ecosystem were the third year BS DevCom students of CTU. Furthermore, guest speaker Prof. Paterno C. Fernandez (Chair, Automotive/ RAC Dept., COT) showcased his very own home-made biodiesel out of used cooking oil, methanol and lye. On the second day, the participants were grouped into five committees as to Toxic Chemicals & Hazardous Wastes,
When asked what will be the changes upon the accreditation, he stated that there will be signages and trash bins installed around the campus and anyone caught violating as to vandalism, littering, etc., will be penalized accordingly. Dr. Solana also talked about proper drainage of chemicals in laboratories and waste segregation as their primary focus. “We will collect empty bottles, paper wastes and anything that we can sell so that we can also raise some funds,” quoted Dr. Solana. He pointed out that the students not only the PCO’s will play vital role in the success of this leap. “We are now a university so we have to act as a team with university students and it will not be possible without the cooperation of the administration,” he concluded.
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news
NB screening for ‘chief’ slated By: Angelo Betache he Nation Builder, official school publication of CTU, held its screening for chief editors as its outgoing editors bequeath the responsibility to their forthcoming successors last April 15, 18 and 20 with 5 incumbent members as aspirants. As stated in Republic Act 7079 otherwise known as the Campus Journalism Act of 1991 that the selection of the chief editor and other members of the staff for tertiary student publication shall be through competitive examinations prepared, conducted and supervised by a committee. The committee of the said screening was composed of Prof. Simeon Bernados, Chairman of Humanities Social Science and Human Kinetics; Mrs. Juanita Antiporta, DYMR station Manager; Ms. CliaMi Maglasang, outgoing Editor-in-chief; and Dr. Ponciano Bontia, Campus Director and Vice President for PEBA. The screening was composed of two parts. Written examination and interview.
On
the
written
examination,
aspirants were told to write an editorial for an hour about the clinging issue of drug mule. The topic was chosen by the judges before the said screening happened. The second part of the selection was the two-part interview which was held last April 18 and 20 at two different venues; in the NB office with Ms. Maglasang and Mrs. Antiporta as the interviewer and in the College of Arts and Sciences Office with Prof. Bernados. Assisting the search for the next chief editors were the rest of the staff. They also casted their bets by voting for the contested post which comprised 10 points of the total figure. April Agnes Galado, incumbent Feature Editor seized the 1st rank and hailed as the new Editor-in-chief of Academic year 2011-2012. Following her was Angelo Betache, News Editor, and Taletha Paradela, Feature Writer. Betache and Paradela are both entitled as the new Associate Editors-inchief. Meanwhile, Jeco Roy Osorio, Creative Director and Christian Ceniza, Photo Editor are the new Executive editors. As the Nation Builder transcends the mantle of leadership in responsible journalism, the new Editorial Board and Staff hoped for the publication to continue upholding its reputation as the medium of communication between the students and the administration.
Top 5 of the Nation Builder Photo by: the NB staff 8
Oberes to take over SSC Presidency
scales outgoing prexy: 6/10 By: Juan Lebin Soncados
aria Vanesa Oberes (SMART), defeated opponent, Casey Tapia (ASAP), in a 915-vote lead gained during the SSC Election last March 4, 2011 to take the presidency of the council for the next two semesters of the Cebu Technological University-Main Campus. Oberes accumulated 3060 votes from the students during the election, enough to drag Tapia from the position with 2145 votes. SMART Party also successfully dominated all other executive positions, namely: Vice President, Dave Emmanuel Maru and Auditor, Ana Zecelyn Alquisola, and prevailed most in the house representatives. Oberes said, “the next council would be very effective since less adjustment is to be undergone, because most of the future members of it (council) are my allies, coming from SMART Party, and we had already built strong camaraderie since the campaign. “To the representatives who are not in line with my group, I hope that they will give their support and if not, I would respect their decisions,” she added.
However, she further denied the
issue about vote-buying and other anomalies during the election saying, “Wala man gani ko’y ikabayad sa akong tuition. Perhaps, it was a strategy from the other party or else from their supporters, and I never convinced teachers or other organizations inside the school to support us.” Meanwhile, she referred to the ‘commitment’ she used especially during the campaign, as driven from the inspiration she got from her sister, Gellibeh Oberes, a former Supreme Student Council (SSC) and Federation of Student Council and Leaders (FSCL) President. “I want to continue and pursue what she had started,” she said. Lastly, she added that as she steps on the presidency, the immediate part of their concentration will be more on the physical projects and services to the students. To Rate Outgoing Prexy When asked by NB to rate Leonard Igot’s performance and effectiveness of being the current SSC president in the campus, she said, “6/10”. She reasoned out that there is no transparency in Igot’s administration especially on the issue of comfort rooms, a contrast to what he had promised before to the students. To Head Off Position However, Oberes had to step down as the SSC President of CTU-MC 9
news after six out of nine SSC Presidents from the entire CTU system voted her to take the FSCL Presidential seat during the 17th FSCL General Assembly which took place at CTU- Tuburan Campus last May 30–June 2, 2011. It is stated in Sec. 4 of FSCL’s Constitution and By Laws that “Any SSC President, who would be elected as President of the FSCL, should automatically relinquish his or her Presidency in the local SSC concerned to fully serve as FSCL President.” Sitting now as SSC President is the Vice President–elect Dave Emmanuel Maru while the new Vice President is Jason P. Dian, AB English Representative-elect. Oberes said that Alquisola was not promoted as the Vice President since her designated position as an Auditor implies no significance to the particular position and only Representatives are considered as potentials.
She added that Bretta Mae S. Bonjoc, previous FSCL President, had left unliquidated expenses during her term last A.Y. 2010-2011 which made her duty difficult. “Maapektuhan jud ang akong Presidency especially kay maglisud naman ug cash advance and that would hamper our projects and activities pero despite the problems, every campus had their proposed project to be realized by the Federation with an allotted budget of Php 20,000.00 each,” she exclaimed. FSCL’s considered biggest sponsored project for this Academic Year according to Oberes was the Php 50,000.00 alloted for the construction of the CTU Museum in the Main Campus which will display the history of CTU System in line with its Centennial celebration.
Stude protests vs COMELEC Chair By: Juan Lebin Soncados
wo days before the 2011 SSC election, a CTU student protested to COMELEC chairman Joel Legaspi just after the grand rally of the aspiring candidates that took place at the Student Activity Center (SAC). April Agnes Galado, BSDevCom student, questioned the effectiveness of the said activity towards the election since the students participating within the venue did not reach even two hundred as how she compared it to CTU students’ total mass, which is approximately reaching 10
seven thousand in figures. In an interview with NB, Galado said that if COMELEC, had received the disapproval of suspension of classes from the University Administration for the students to participate in the said rally, then they should have done something about it so that the activity could have been effective especially that it plays an important role on the students’votes for the election. “They didn’t even have proper dissemination of information regarding
the event. Moreover, most of the students were not formally informed, to engage massive participation, or even recognized any announcement or posters on its details. The schedule of the activity is in conflict with our class hours. So, how can we attend and hear the platforms of the candidates as basis for our vote?” Galado said. On the other hand, Legaspi disclosed that he had expected that it would possibly happen, because the disapproval of classes’ suspension for the particular activity.
He additionally revealed that he considered Galado’s approach as harassment, especially since the latter used pointing of fingers and even shouting during her protest. “It’s been part of my expectation that a complaint or protest may occur in this event. However, I did not expect it could be done in a manner of harassment in front of the people. If you are that educated, you should act as what your learnings suggests. She should be mature enough to not point fingers at others and shout,” he said. He further disclosed, “she is not a good leader knowing that she is from the campus press, an NB member, whose reputation is highly respected to the CTU community. In fact, she was wearing the publication’s ID during her approach.” Legaspi referred to the complainant as the Feature Editor of The Nation Builder, CTU-MC student publication.
Legaspi explained that they had posted announcements regarding the activity, late in the morning, the date when the activity was scheduled to be conducted in the afternoon. He explained that the COMELEC was
“In the end, we, students are the important elements in this university. So, we should be vigilant to our rights,”... informed late about the said disapproval by the Administration also making the announcement late. COMELEC Adviser, Prof. Wilson Sayaboc, further said, the main purpose the Administration didn’t approve it was due to the number of days with no classes including holidays in school, hence not to alter the present class schedules. With regards to Galado’s complaint about the students’ participation due to having their classes, Sayaboc explained, “We can’t do anything about disapproval of classes’ suspension since the Administration has the final ‘say,’. All we could do is
follow.” “ A n y w a y , candidates had conducted their room-to-room campaign to inform the students of their platforms, with their campaign materials,” he said. To counter Legaspi’s comments, Galado defended that she was not shouting. Rather, she was just raising her voice. And in addition, she was there with her complaint as an ordinary student, not as a press member, who is bringing the voice and side of the students in the school, concerned about their rights with regards to the activity. “In the end, we, students are the important elements in this university. So, we should be vigilant to our rights,” Galado said. Legaspi finally disclosed that he won’t make a supplementary act regarding the issue to the extent that it would reach further procedure.
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news
CTU-MC assists Sinulog ‘11 Feast ebu Technological University – Main Campus assists in the Sinulog Festival 2011 mainly in the fluvial procession and grand parade of the Cebu and Philippines’ considered grandest annual celebration, Sinulog. CTU faculty dancers headed by Mr. Michael Dax Barlaan, with some P.E. instructors, selected College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) students and CAS office staff did an offering Sinulog dance, at Pier 3 while waiting for the galleon that carries the image of Señor Sto. Niño to disembark during the fluvial procession last January 15, 2010. The galleon where the blessed replica was on board, arrived at Pier 3 at around 9:00 in the morning. Prof. Barlaan’s group had their assembly time at 6:00 AM and danced from 8:00 AM until the vessel arrived, which was estimated an hour afterwards. Also part of the fluvial procession, acting as one of the crowd controllers of the event, was CTU’s Reserved Officer Training
Corps (ROTC) and Civic Welfare Training Service (CWTS) trainees. They served as the human barricade from the venue until the procession reached in the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño. After the reenactment of the first baptism of Christianism and first mass in Cebu, the mentioned dancers graced again to offer for the young festival saint. On Sunday, CWTS and ROTC trainees along with other school CWTS and ROTC trainees in the city, guarded and still acted as barricade of the huge crowd who witnessed the street dancing during the Sinulog Grand Parade. CTU-MC, before the grand celebration on the 16th, had also sponsored the 5th day mass novena held last January 10 at the Basilica. On that day, the university dance company presented a Sinulog dance which is common for every sponsor school, as their offering presentation after the novena of that day. Furthermore, the group also performed at the Fuente Osmeña circle along with ACT and CNU on the night of January 12. Annually, CTU has been very active in responding Sinulog activities, as part of its devotion to the holy and miraculous Sr. Sto. Niño of Cebu, as how devotees strongly believe in the child manifestation of the Almighty God, Jesus Christ. JLS
CTU studes participates Sinulog Grand Parade. photo by: Christian Ceniza
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COMELEC on Election Info Dissemination: FLOP By: Alyssa Marie C. Diaz & Robinson Dagatan
TU students had a unanimous response when asked the same question as to how the Commission on Election (COMELEC) performed during the Supreme Student Council Election on March 4, 2011. They blamed the lack of information from the COMELEC that caused them to be unaware about how the election went on that day. Here are some testimonials from the students: “Dili ta mi movote pero ‘di man pirmahan ang clearance,” stressed a group of BSIT I students in an interview with the Nation Builder. “Delayed ang election. Wa kaset-up. Bisan alas siete unta magsugod, naalas nuybehan man. Pagbalik namo taas na nuon kaayo ang linya sa SAC. Kung wala pa mi ingni sa among maestro nga election diay dili unta mi makahibaw,” complained BS DevCom I-A students. “Dili mature, dili active, wala makita ang product sa org,” quoted BS Nursing I-2 student.
Leaders lead: COMELEC’s election crisis.
photo by: Jacob Cabalda
“Dapat i-approach ang mga estudyante. Kuwang ra ang pagsulat. Mas nindot room to room aron mainform jud,” suggestedt BSIT-MST second year student, Julz. Fur thermore, when asked about the Grand Rally and Debate, most students appeared to be clueless. “Wa ko kahibaw nga naa diay grand rally ug debate,” said second year BSIT student. One student on the other hand, Gonzaga, BS MarE, who happened to know about the said activity, told NB that they were informed but it would be better if there were more students who attended. In an interview with COMELEC Chairman Joel Legaspi, he told that they sent communication letters to postpone the classes during the Political Rally and Grand debate in order for the students to witness and hear the potent voices of the aspiring leaders, however it
was not approved. He also emphasized that the main reason why the candidates didn’t have enough time to campaign was because they have their COC filed on the last day of filing. “One of the reasons sad siguro kay we chose volunteers nga dili available sa election kay busy sa other matters,” Legaspi added. The COMELEC Chairman admitted the delay of the election and extended it to two hours, from a schedule that ended at 7 p.m., it was changed to 9 p.m. At the same time, the COMELEC personally apologized to the supposedto-be BSIT Representative Independent candidate for taking her COC for granted. “Okay na lang, kay dili sad siguro ‘to para ako,” uttered Kim. “Pero nalain sad ko gamay sa COMELEC,” she added. 13
news Standing tall: The CTU Leader in his prize-winning pose. contributed photo
CTU Stude ranks 7th in TOCCYL ‘11 By: Robinson Dagatan
utgoing BSIT Day Representative, Lester Laborte, imparted a remarkable legacy being one of the top ten finalists of the yearly search for “The Outstanding Cebu City Youth Leaders 2011” on its 19th anniversary. TOCCYL is an award-giving body organized by City Councilor Sisinio M. Andales, Chairman of Cebu City Youth Development Commission (CCYDC). The said organization pays recognition to students/ youths who are devoted to Leadership, Academic and Community Involvement. It is divided into different categories: Students (High School and College), Community Leader and Professional/Vocational. Laborte received a confirmation through a communication letter from CCYDC addressed to the University President which 14
summoned him for the Final Interview on February 18, 2011 at HRDO Training Center, Annex Bldg., Cebu City Hall. “I felt overwhelmed and blessed because out of 15 or so applicants in the College category, I, at least, ranked 7th,” expressed Mr. Laborte in an interview with NB. Other finalists in the same category were students from USJR, USC, USPF and CIT-U. The awarding ceremony took event last February 24, 2011 at the Sinulog Hall, CHAC Bldg., Osmeña Boulevard, Cebu City where Mayor Michael Rama personally handed the recognition to the finalists. “I hope that CTUnians will also get involved in this kind of activity because I see lots of deserving and potential students,” concluded the student leader.
NB Champs Editorial Cartooning in 4th OSSEI National Writing Tilt By: Juan Lebin Soncados
Inc. (OSSEI) with Dr. Bella M. Villanueva as the President. “This year OSSEI recorded the most number of delegates coming from more than 50 participating tertiary schools,” revealed Dr. Villanueva.
Bringing home the bacon: CTU-MC stood out in the crowd during OSSEI. photo by: Clia-Mi Maglasang
AGAYTAY CITY, The Nation Builder, official student publication of Cebu Technological University – Main Campus triumphed in Editorial Cartooning during the 7th National Conference on Campus Journalism and 4th Writing Competition held last January 20-22, 2011 at the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP).
it portrayed best about the condition of the journalists in the Philippines. Other journalists of pride during the event were Jose Angelou Sadagnot and Christian Ceniza, NB photojournalists, who landed 6th and 8th respectively in Photojournalism.
Cesar Tajanlangit, BSIT-DRafting, with his piece, was the top pick of Mr. Glenn Agustin of the Department of Education Region III for Editorial Cartooning.
NB sent 12 campus journalists and a technical adviser, Prof. Francisco Lucero, to the said annual event which was participated by different campus journalists and their advisers throughout the country.
Ta j a n l a n g i t ’ s winning piece received good feedbacks from the judge as
It was organized by the Organization of Student Services Educators,
The participants underwent lectures on various campus journalism areas by some of the renowned resource speakers: Prof. Yvonne Chua of the College of Mass Communication- UP Diliman for Citizen Journalism; Mr. Romel Lalata of Philippine Daily Inquirer for News Writing; Mr. Glenn Agustin of the Department of Education Region III for Editorial Cartooning; Dr. Arminda V. Santiago of College of Mass Communuication- UP Diliman for Page Design and Lay-outing; Mr. Jimmy Domingo of Ateneo de Manila University for Photojournalism; and Prof. Ben Domingo Jr. of Central Luzon State University for Editorial Cartooning. NB is one of the pioneering delegates of OSSEI since it started its Writing Competition on 2008. 15
editorial
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A Dose of Their Own Medicine nything illegal is of course against the law. How about if it deserves a punishment, but the punishment is outright inhuman? Our three fellow countrymen in China were found guilty of being drug mules, beyond reasonable doubt. Unquestionably, they deserved to be punished. Yes indeed, drugs had been one, if not, the major causes of violence in the country, outside the country, everywhere.
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Editorial Board and Staff Had we not seen many of our teens’ lives go into shambles out of being addicted to it? Had we not shivered, hearing one human life being gone in some major causes of drug addiction? That’s how dangerous it is. That’s how deadly it is. Then again, would execution, a taste or a dose of the possible consequence of what those three people had done, be the answer to every parents, every citizens’ ‘prayer?’ They didn’t have business carrying heroine from God-knows-where, and they didn’t have any business bringing them to the Philippines then getting caught in China. But handing them over to be executed before the Chinese without any chance of a decent enough hearing is inhuman. China says, “Oh well, it’s the law, they owe it to us, they have to pay.” Easy as cake since all three were found guilty with nowhere to run and nowhere to hide. Extending the execution was the least that the Philippine Government could do. Shame. Shouldn’t we have also tried to find out who gave it in God-knows-where? It was such a big crime and they just happened to get caught in the most unlucky countries to be at when talking about breaking the law. What about many others who did the same but got away with it? Yes, the media, China had set our three countrymen as an example before the world about how high the price is when you do something as bad as sneaking heroine under the noses of your country and another country. Would their execution set other drug mules scared to their wits? How long? How scared could many criminals get? Would their slaughter make any difference bet, we’re only up to saying nothing better than “God Knows.” And losing three lives who would have learned enough and realize their mistakes in 50 years, or a lifetime’s worth.
CLIA-MI MAGLASANG Editor-In-Chief MARK CARLO SENO MARIA WELJEN ABANID Associate Editors-In-Chief AMORGANDA SALUDAR QUENNIE LYN NATAD Executive Editors APRIL AGNES GALADO Feature Editor ANGELO BETACHE News Editor JAMES PIODOS JECO ROY OSORIO Creative Directors JACOB CABALDA CHRISTIAN CENIZA Photo Editors LOUI DIZON ALYSSA MARIE DIAZ Circulation Managers JUNA JADE BAGIUO HONEY JANE VILLEGAS ELMER JOHN TABANAS TALETHA PARADELA MARIAN KARRY TRUZ Feature Writers JOSE ANGELOU SADAGNOT CYNDER PAUL SUAREZ GRACIA CODERA DECEMVERLIN DETROS CHRISTIAN NEPTH WINES Photo Journalists GAYAN NAINGUE ROBINSON DAGATAN JUAN LEBIN SONCADOS News Writers NOEL BALWIT EDULEEN TALLEDO MARK JOE C. RAÑEN Layout Artist JEAN RACHEL SY REYNARD AUZA CESAR TAJANGLANGIT ANGELITO MARSAN Cartoonists PROF. FRANCISCO LUCERO PROF. ROMEO LANZADERAS Technical Advisers 17
primetalks
By: Taletha Paradela
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oomsday theories have started spreading like wildfire ever since the movie 2012 was released on November last year. What panicked believers was the gravity of the disaster that struck the world in the movie: volcanic eruptions, flood, natural catastrophes that one could never imagine would occur at the same time with great intensity. It was somewhat similar to the story of Noah in the Bible. But where did these notions come from? According to Mayan belief, the world will end on December 21, 2012. The Maya is an ancient tribe that lives in some parts of Mexico. These people use two types of calendar: the cyclical round calendar and the Mesoamerican long count calendar. The latter one was rather linear and kept time strictly in units of 20: 20 days make an uinal, 18 uinals (360 days) made a tun, 20 tuns make a k’tun, and 20 k’tuns (144,000 days) make up a b’ak’tun. It was used exclusively by the classic Maya.
it was stated that the gods made three worlds, all of which are failures. The third world was destroyed after the 13th b’ak’tun or August 11, 3114 BC in the Gregorian calendar. The fourth world created by the gods was successful and it was in this world that the humans were made. So it was suggested that the world would, eventually, end after the completion of the 13th b’ak’tun which is, in the Gregorian calendar, December 21, 2012. Experts and Mayan elders, however, disagree, saying that Mayan inscriptions are strictly historical and contained no prophecy of an impending doom. There was, however, one Mayan inscription that made reference to b’ak’tun 13: Tortuguero 6. In this monument, a connection between b’ak’tun 13 and the appearance of Bolon Yokte’ Kuh
The notion will be clarified in Popol Vuh, a compilation of the creation accounts of the K’iche’ Maya of the Colonial-era highlands. In this compilation,
The Mayan Calendar 19
primetalks was made. Some inscriptions refer to Bolon Yokte’ Kuh as a god of war, conflict, and of the underworld. He was even shown in one illustration with a rope tied around his neck and in another, with an incense bag in his hand, both of which would mean a sacrifice to end a cycle of years. The inscription on the monument which is located in Tabasco, Mexico was translated this way: tzuhtjo:m uy-u:xlaju:n pik It will be completed the 13th b’ak’tun. chan ajaw u:x uni:w - It is 4 ajaw 3 k’ank’in uhto:m il? - and it will happen a ‘seeing’. ye’ni/ ye:n bolon yokte’ - It is the display of B’olon-Yokte’ ta chak joyaj - in a great “investiture.” Although this was viewed to signify doomsday, experts believe that a celebration marking the passing of the 13th b’ak’tun would be made by the Maya with someone portraying the role of Bolon Yokte’ as was normally the tradition of the tribe. They made no significance to the belief. Some conspiracy theorists and experts however link this ‘prediction’ to other theories that predict the end of the world such as geomagnetic reversal, galactic alignment, collision of Planet X with Earth, etc.
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Geomagnetic Reversal
Simply speaking, the north and south poles would exchange polarity, thus making South Pole magnetic and the north, not magnetic. This idea was supposed to happen due to a maximum solar flare that will occur on 2012, so to speak. This polar shift would supposedly release a huge amount of energy that would cause a mass extinction. Scientists however explained that geomagnetic reversals have occurred with regularity throughout Earth’s history and that the last reversal had occurred nearly 800,000 years ago. Reversals would take 7,000 years to complete and there is no specific date when the reversal would occur. Critics argued that there was no definitive evidence of mass extinction due to an increased cosmic ray influx, noting that our cavemen ancestors have practically survived the reversal that happened during their time.
Galactic Alignment Another theory that made no real connection to the Mayan prediction but was thought of to be by some conspiracy
theorists was that a grand conjunction would gravitationally affect Earth. A conjunction is an alignment of planets that would sometimes include the Sun and the Moon. Previous alignments have already occurred before like the conjunction on 1962 and 1982 that caused panic to some people. Yet, nothing happened on that year.
Solar Maximum Flare
It was said that on 2012, the largest solar peak will be observed that will spew plasma along Earth’s direction. Yet scientists predict that the next solar maximum will peak somewhere around the spring of 2013, not 2012 and it will be relatively weaker, about 30 to 50 percent, than the last solar peak in November 4, 2003. The last peak that impacted Earth’s atmosphere was recorded to have an equivalent radiation of 5,000 suns. Scientists also say that even if the radiation that will hit Earth will be weak, it will somehow affect satellite and cellular phone communications.
Planet X/Nibiru Collision with Earth This theory was said to have been
predicted by the ancient Mesopotamians. Not much has been said of this ‘planet’ but according to scientists from NASA, no such planet exists and no collision will ever occur. Discussion on this theory was stirred due to the discovery of the planet Eris but NASA claims that there is no chance that the planet Eris will collide with Earth. There are still more theories out there but no-one knows the exact expiration date of Earth. Theories have been popping out everywhere but they give no assurance as to when the world will end. Priests
and Bible scholars will not give an exact interpretation of the Gospel in the Bible which referred to the apocalypse for fear of misinterpretation. After all, having that knowledge is dangerous, thinking of the panic and chaos that it will cause. God only knows the date. But until then, we can only wait.
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opinion
Crossing Fingers ack of planning. It’s either that or the COMELEC was merely confident that the plan for SSC Elections, S.Y 20112012 will go smoothly. Or so they thought, that’s why they kept their fingers crossed on every result, although they know that not all results will be according to plan.
For The Record April Agnes Galado
For one, the political rally held on March 3, 2011 had an audience of students that reached almost two hundred. Considering that the CTU-Main Campus had a population of about 7, 000 students, that is quite pathetic. The SSC Elections is not a joke. Even if we say that not all students were really interested in getting to know the candidates for the next set of officers, we’d still have about more than 3,000 students if say, half of the population is interested. Three thousand and two hundred. What a big difference. Choosing the next set of officers is crucial because it should undergo a certain process where these people can somehow get the majority’s trust. It should be careful and thorough, although not clean, because politics is never clean. Never was, never will. It is important for the students to be on that rally because it is their big chance to know just what their candidates can offer in terms of leadership. It is where a big part of their decision lies. How can we trust them if there is so little we
22
know about them? And whatever happened to the word “majority?” What, then, would be the basis of the majority’s votes? They said that the suspension of classes was not approved so they cannot do anything else. They cannot do anything, point blank. Tell that to the students, because we know you could have given us a much better answer and we both know you could have done better than that. Questions of the remaining population of students now lay unanswered and buried. Just like that. One of our staffers even got told that the students can just settle on campaign materials and posters of both parties, and word of mouth, because as the COMELEC puts it, “They can ask their friends who were able to attend.” If so, why push through with the rally? If that was what the COMELEC thought, why didn’t they just ask each candidate to post individual advertisements about themselves, and then tell the students to “see posters and print ads for details?” The political rally is about the SSC candidates and the SSC is about the students, it is for the students. The rally is not supposed to be for compliance’s sake. Well, the COMELEC said they have done all they can, and fairly speaking, their efforts don’t go unnoticed. It just so happened that whatever they did, it just wasn’t good enough. Some of their guidelines were questionable and some, until now, isn’t final. The elections are already over and they have yet to complete the pages and verify the legality of the Election Code. I say let us look forward to next school year’s elections, hoping there will be enough preparations and no haphazard decisions on everyone’s part.
I say let’s keep our fingers crossed.
comments and reactions: ayprille88@gmail.com
primetalks asked him,”Why?” Then Jesus has replied,”Cause, you are much anticipated than me in My very birthday.” By Honey Jane Villcgas and Mariane Karry Truz
Our idea, when the radio starts singing its worn out jingle bells, when shoppers drag themselves to the nearest midnight sale and when the smell of pine tree mixes with the cold breeze coming from the north (where Santa lives) , will definitely be Christmas. Celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ has been a usual habit by many. Christmas has been the season to gather up the whole family who were parted for long sad decades. The season to show our long tender affection to our dear relatives or even to a kind stranger. The season to let you know that of more than billions of individuals, there is definitely someone who always care and never fails to remember you . But things have been misled and what worse can we expect when even the dictionary no longer defines “Christmas” correctly? Have you ever wonder why the name Santa Claus, is the first name that pops up to the minds of the people? Why him and not Jesus Christ? Why is it easier to utter his name if both consist of he same number of words and syllables? You see, instead of going to church and giving a warm thank to Jesus Christ, people rather go to their neighbors and eat as much as their belly can take. Instead of listening to sweet voices of the carolers, they rather shut their door and refuse to spill a dime. That instead of giving heartily without expecting anything in return, they will frown to any nasty gifts that does not meet their expectation.
Somewhat this conversation has hit you with guilt. Today, it seems that Rudolph has been in the wrong track. He has been misleading people about Christmas, letting his old, chunky passenger give gifts to any good boys; without knowing the true meaning of Christmas, the essence of every gift and the fulfillment of sharing. But this year’s Christmas can be a start. As long as the rednosed reindeer can alter his steps and lead the sleigh to the right path, we can always do the same. Giving gifts without expecting in return won’t hurt. We can always show our enthusiasm about the holidays, as we remember His birth. It is just a matter of celebrating Christmas with a clean and ready heart to His coming and making this a habit next time around.
Remember the conversation between Santa Claus and Jesus Christ? When Jesus Christ has told Santa Claus that he has been envy to the man in bushy beard and bulgy belly. Then Santa Claus has
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what’s new
By: April Agnes Galado
ove over Prince Charming, and stand aside Clark Kent, would ’ya please? Superman and Sir Gallahad are a thing of the past. Well, the girls next door say so. The big screen had gone adventurous, the novels had strived on mysteries filled with not-so-tall tales about young men riding some shining silver Volvo or walking its way towards you, in the fleshquite ironic because they are supposedly already dead. The likes of Edward Cullen and Vampire Diaries’ Stefan have been so bloody gorgeous that girls don’t seem to mind if the veins on their necks are these two creatures’ next target. So long as they go saving their ladies and playing the good guy, looking as devil-may-care as they possibly can. Vampire or not, it don’t matter anymore. For a change, a terrific change, writers made them bloodthirsty creatures, seem like they just stepped out of a fashion magazine. Whatever happened to Count Dracula and Van Helsing? And what has Anne Rice’s Lestat got to say to this? For all the world of Darkness cares, the vampires that we know today will no longer set the next kid or dorm girl in a bloodcurdling scream but instead bring them dreaming about these fanged males. Suddenly, your sisters had gone making pictures of their very own Prince of Darkness. Well, they kind of turned out to be more human than your 24
perfect gentleman since they usually chase off the bad guys that threaten to come near you. And Stephanie Meyer just happened to have started it all. That fuss over some velvetvoiced, pale-skinned, marble-like creatures who would make any girl breathless could be literal, if you now what that means. No more hiding under the table when the word “vampire” is heard, even on cold, dark nights. Gone are the days when little girls’ vision of a vampire is the man in black cape with bloodshot eyes and a sinister fanged smile. Now, they are simply portrayed as young men who would have beaten Hollywood’s best if they weren’t honestly a hundred years old, forever seventeen. Ancient tales of vampires are pretty hushed now. We’ve all come out as eager as the dorm teen girl who’d give the last bit of her allowance to ogle the modern vampire. Dracula would want to get out of his coffin, smoke, white face and all, to give more justice to the word “vampire.” He would have been so scandalized now, if he saw that instead of feeding on Bella’s blood, Edward chose to feed on her love instead. Looks like our ancient Count would rather hide forever than witness how his pack are turning out to be our own sweet, inhumanly beautiful treat.
opinion
Not-so-Magical Transformation t’s almost a year since CSCST’S transition to CTU and a lot had high hopes for the bright future that lay ahead of our beloved school. But a year had almost passed and still, the only changes the student body had seen is the renovation of the gym’s stage and the installation of Wi-Fi Internet access which is, humorously, password-protected around the perimeter of the computer building. Well, the library boasted five new computer units that can be used for
TallTales
Taletha Paradela 30 minutes or so for pure research and three more for OPAC. But thinking about the huge number of students that had amassed in CTU and what might possibly be bulging bags of tuition fees collected from them, where do they go? When we look at our CORs right after we receive them from EDPO, we instantly see the fees that we are paying for which includes tuition, registration, library, school organ, blah, blah, blah, and oh! FLSP and SPMF! Maybe the EDPO could enlighten us with this a bit. Can we have a bit of transparency with this, please? After all, if it’s not yet clear to you, their tuition fees are the ones filling your wallets every fifteen days. Well, they
can always defend themselves by telling us that they’re not an information desk. That’s true. But right after enrolment and clearance signing, they must have lots of free time to inform clueless students or if not, point them to the right direction. But that’s not the only problem that existed right after the so-called ‘transformation’ of CSCST. That’s right. We have STINKY BATHROOMS and NOT ENOUGH CLASSROOMS. This is already a cliché but still, one year later and the problem was not yet solved. I’m beginning to think that the higher-ups can provide a solution to this ‘stinky-bathroom, noclassroom’ problem like a high school dropout can extract the root of 3,141,435 without the aid of a calculator. What are the odds of it? Just an after-thought: would it make a difference if a school building stood erect right in the middle of the school to provide additional classrooms instead of a rubberized oval? Well, that would look odd now that we’ve seen the oval with our own two eyes. And (with lesser importance) look at our high school gym – er – Kasadya Gym! I’ve been to other State Universities and it just doesn’t compare! I’ve been to lots of National High Schools though and it does compare. Strange. Oh, and one more dribble before I shoot! Doesn’t it strike you as odd that the College of Engineering is not exclusively for those engineering majors? When I first came here, I was practically amazed by the number of engineering students. But I was soon disappointed and confused because I found out that they weren’t all engineering students. They make do with the building because of lack of classrooms and they somehow blame the students for it. Weird. Well, our beloved CTU president still has many terms left before he steps down. We’ll see what he’ll do next. And while he’s at it, I’ll hold on to the ball to watch him.
comments and reactions: talets.paradela@gmail.com 25
primetalks
A
JOB OR TRUE CALLING
By: Honey Jane Villegas
t’s a pity how Philippines had gone off track in terms of matching a job to a worker. For example, nurses are practically in the hospitals and teachers are supposedly in the schools. But now, things had gone askew, for the graduates find themselves in a job that is neither their true calling nor their description.
Sorting the Culprit According to the Commission on Higher Education, more than 445,000 students graduated from different universities and colleges nationwide in April 2009. But research institutions said many of these graduates would add to the 2.9 million unemployed Filipinos and 6.995 million underemployed others as of January 2009. 26
The Philippines has more than 22 million students, of which 19.9 million were enrolled in elementary schools as of 2008; 6.3 million in high schools; 2.4 million in universities and colleges; and 492,000 in vocational schools and training institutes. In a study presented, of the one million college graduates annually, only five to ten percent are employed in jobs consistent to their course; only 30 to 40 percent will find any employment. The vast majority of graduates will remain unemployed. An alarming truth, but this isn’t a plot to scare the youth, but an eye-opener that the world they are about to face after college is not as easy as before. The culprit is not the booming population, not the nationwide crisis, nor the infamous government if they will look at it in a pessimist view.
The idea of being unemployed Work for the youth is not just a mere source of living nor maintenance to caprices, it defines them and without work, they often feel socially excluded. In having a stable job a youth can feel a transition from childhood to adulthood. The satisfaction of being able to rank up to the society brings freedom and a sense of independence. Yet now, it seems that a college diploma won’t buy you a ticket to the corporate world, especially if it is just a mere diploma. Today is a much difficult job hunt, especially if you’re up to the profession you had studied for four years or more. You would probably end up in call centers, shops or stalls, not that something is wrong with these jobs; it’s just that workers are over qualified, and that the idea of unemployment had driven them to take the job.
A job
A true calling After college, parents expect their grownups to have a job as soon as possible. As youth, you expect more than a job, you want to have something than you can apply what you have learned for four years or more. Youth are yet to know the difference of a life in school and a life after it. Why prepare yourself for almost four years if you won’t even make applications of what you have? A lot of youth nowadays prefer to take job opportunities at stake just to find a more suitable job. Aside for a booming salary, nothing can change the mind of a youth about his definition of a good job. Four or more years have made you a whiz to your talent, passion or true calling. Isn’t it nice to land a job of your description?
Being stranded after graduation is such a mess. Their family expects much of you now that you have finished your course. Somehow youth are driven to a necessity to prove themselves to the public, that’s why landing to a better paying job will do.
would lead your resumé at the bottom of a pile of resumés. You must have what a resumé need; aside from a diploma, in order to have it stay on top and to win that slick job. Like our parent’s words of wisdom, college is a passport to a good job; it’s just that now, you have a handful of rivals to that tricky position.
Unemployment is pretty undeniable. Youth’s chances of having a good job are divided to the rest of their colleagues. That’s why when a job comes knocking at their doors, declining is such stupidity.
You see, you are somewhat lucky to be still at school. You can still mend your grades and improve whatever it is you have put your head into. Make your grades presentable, or for that matter outstanding.
Young people often think that this job is only temporary until they find the one that fits them. They will never lose their learning and this job is just a mere experience.
You must stop being idealistic as to thinking that a good job is just a piece of cake when you have finished college. Be more realistic and accept that your world has changed since you entered college, and it would even change drastically once you take a step out of your comfort zone.
What does it take to have a job of your true calling?
A diploma alone
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opinion
How to Pursue Love re you tired of chasing love? Most of us believe that love is a chance encounter and that we could never take hold of, control or manipulate it. However, the reality is that love or even pain is fully controlled by our mind. If you think that someone you love doesn’t love you back and nothing can be done with it, you are completely wrong!
Echusera
Angelo M. Betache If we can just unfold the underlying mystery behind the logic of our mind when it comes to love, then we would have greater chances to make someone fall in love with us. Love, in any way, is an art. It is more likely a feeling of high regards induced by that which delights or commands admiration, it also paramount kindness or affection towards another individual; tenderness like love of a brother or sister. Some of you will read this and think that I am wrong in suggesting, manipulating and butting in people’s emotions. For the most part, we always say that only God could intrude us and give us the Mr. Only-God-Knows for us. 28
In an ideal world, I would agree. It would be romantic and preferable if anyone we wanted just fell in our arms because we are destined to meet that person. But our real life doesn’t for all time really work that way. At times you can spend months or even years living, breathing, mingling, and making special friends, courting, loving and even lusting after someone with nil result. Here are some of the contributory ways on making someone fall in love with us. Know the qualities or the requirements he wants in a dreamed person and be the best to practice these qualities. However, do not make a mountain out of a molehill or do not overact. Still be honest and be the best of what you truly are. If you feel that you can’t meet his criteria, still do not give up because they do not want non-fat losers. Just be true to him and make him realize someday that you are worth loving for even if you are not his type. Just be like the “Geum Jan Di in Gu Jun Pyo’s presence.” In searching for an ideal match, we naively try to look for somebody who has the same qualities as what we like about ourselves and at the same time desperate from what we disgust about ourselves. For example, Geum Jan Di (as we all know in Boys Over Flowers aired 2009) has never been a good match to Gu Jun Pyo (bully leader of F4 in Boys Over Flowers) because they have differences in societal status. However, in the latter part of their story, they fell in love with each other because Jun Pyo found out that Jan Di is an interesting lady that could change
his browbeating attitude, which is one thing that he doesn’t like about himself. So, just be what your crush likes. The important thing is that we must find out the background of the person we like to meet his criteria, or else we will be rejected right before we even begin. Repeatedly trying to approach a person or chasing him sometimes really contributes on how to make someone fall in love with us. But not to the extent of somewhat tailing him wherever he goes. What I mean is, drawing near to the person we like. This actually works especially to the one who is externally reliant or someone who is dependent on other people to make him feel good and comfortable. Let him feel that you are always in his side through thick and thin, be a shoulder to cry on and a pillow for a comfort. Showing extra care to someone we like especially when he’s down gives us the chance of being loved by him because at this time, he became more reliant to his friend but do not take advantage, take it slowly. Do something pleasant for that special someone; it makes you feel good on two levels: you feel delighted with yourself and extra-warm toward the person you have just spoiled. To bear out the effort or outflow, we often “over-idealize” how wonderful he is to deserve it! And end result? We like the person more. When someone does something pleasant for us, we feel delighted. But there are a whole lot of other emotions that come into play -- and they are not all good. Sometimes, we just feel overwhelmed. There is pressure to live up to being the wonderful person who inspired such a gift/act, not to mention
pressure to return the favor. It is all even trickier if the “nice thing” comes from someone you very much like but are not sure about yet. Got the point? When we are infatuated with someone, we are desperate to do nice things for him. You are much better off letting him spoil you. No one likes a person who is rude or trashy; it is a no-no especially when you are trying to make someone fall in love with you. Let me just tell you that gossiping or trashing others for being rude doesn’t really attract anyone. Teens, like us, are usually drawn to people who are sweet and don’t gossip. It is also an immense factor when you have a great sense of humor. The best way to show that you value humor is to laugh at his jokes, even if it is a real challenge to laugh at a corny joke (I try to crack a few jokes myself too). We are drawn to someone with a funny and positive disposition and that there is nothing that draws two people closer than sharing a laugh. We love to talk about ourselves and when we think that a person who actively listens to us is so charming and attractive. In my experience, I always listen more than I talk. Talk about yourself, current topics, news events, etc about 20% of the time, and let that person you like control the conversation about 80% of the time. As of my tips will give you trick and ideas, but I mean for them all to be an enhancements or improvements of who you really are, not making you into someone you are not. Do not play fake because it would not matter if you get that someone to fall in love with you because he won’t really be in love with the real you. comments and reactions: angel_betache@yahoo.com 29
exposé he power of technology, pop culture and both having almost unlimited accessibility to the youth had caused a major influence on their way of thinking, sense of values and sense of self. The influence of modern culture, and society, along with its icons seemed to have provoked how young people see themselves, how they should act, what they would wear, because of the extent of information being passed on from one medium to the next. YouTube, Twitter, videos posted in Facebook didn’t dare conceal almost anything when it comes to profanity and some content that had been way too graphic. The internet had been a web of good enough lies. As if that’s not bad enough, MTV also had a way of promoting videos that bared anything that spells POP, not caring if it was too vulgar for someone as young as eleven, to take.
Must have been why pop icons and people as famous as pop singersongwriter Lady Gaga holds 30
By: April Agnes Galado
young people at her feet, worshipping both her style and her music. She fooled the youth but she forgot their parents. Her larger than life stunts might have been worthy of a standing ovation from the crowd in Tinseltown but she certainly isn’t getting an A from parents of one teenager to the next. She isn’t getting anything other than raised eyebrows from them and I’m not one to buy her extremities either. Not her too flashy boots and neither does a pair of sunglasses the size of my great-aunt’s biggest plate would make me wow her to the brim. I’m betting she couldn’t care less, just as she won’t care less whether or not she set the next group of teenage girls kissing the breath out of each other, telling mom, “that’s what famous Lady Gaga does, and she got so many credits for it.” This is where Gaga deserves applause. An applause for making any parent caught dumbfounded in battling morality with an offspring
who got so convinced that she thought “Alejandro “ was good enough to watch. Let’s not forget “Telephone” who earned a reputation of a video portraying what they call ‘sado-masochist porn.’ If anything, I would understand why middleaged women would want to crucify her. Gaga’s music would not be controversial if it were grounded to what is expected and deemed acceptable for parents and the rest of society since the evolution of pop culture. It wouldn’t even be so acclaimed for all the wrong reasons if someone could go describing the consequences of the message content in her videos in shaping a young girl’s values. Being different is one thing. Being evilly outrageous is an entirely different story.
nbstigative
By:
Ju
guio
e Ba
ad na J
police commandos stormed the bus before a watching crowd.
ews and criticisms from all over the world flood internet blogs, newsrooms and comment boxes targeting the infamous Manila hostage crisis after dismissed police officer of Manila Police District (MPD), Rolando Mendoza, armed with an automatic rifle, commandeered a bus on August 23, 2010 in the Quirino Grandstand where the presidential inauguration had been held just weeks before and claimed the lives of eight Hong Kong tourists as well as his own. The 12-hour stand-off was broadcast live on television, like a movie in a cinema, including its tragic ending as
Anger and hatred was felt all over Hong Kong and a top-level “black” travel alert from the Philippines was immediately issued by the Hong Kong government. There were many questions on what could’ve driven former Senior Inspector Rolando Mendoza, who had been decorated 12 times for bravery and honor and was one of Jaycees International’s Ten Outstanding Policemen of the Philippines in 1986, to the edge, and sent him spiraling into a deadly shooting rampage. But now the question is, “Is he the one to blame for all the deaths?” RUSTY RESCUERS Two engineering students think it was the SWAT and police rescuers whose faulty tactics must be blamed. 31
nbstigative One of them commented, “The SWAT looks so untrained and they’re doing operations as if it was their first time to roll. Maybe they need to go back to train ing.” “The hostage taker was still calm when he started calling or hostage and posting papers on the bus’ windshie lds as demands to be made. For me, it was better to give those demands than to let the man kill innocent people and jeopardize the country’s reputation,” he ended. “Mendoza was even kind to get a mother and her children, and two elde rly persons to go out of the bus and thou ghtful enough to make the negotiators deliv er food and fuel to run the air condition ing inside the bus for the remaining host ages,” corresponded another student. BAD GENERALS “There are no bad soldiers, just bad generals.” Although some of us think that it was the rescuers fault, some also say that it was the chief’s or the head’s ques tionable decisions like handcuffing Mendoza ’s brother that made him more vulnerab le. BIRD’S-EYE-VIEW GIVERS The hostage bus had a television inside it which enabled Mendoza to see the entire situation outside the bus. Not only Mendoza but people around the world watched the incident from start to finish. Even dead bodies did not esca pe the lenses of the cameras which mad e many people question the media who not only mingled in the negotiations but had also somehow worsened the situation by giving the shooter a “bird ’s eye-view” of the entire situation. Now , there’s a call for the media to set boundaries on crucial times such as this. THE BY-STANDERS Scattered near the shooting place of the hostage bus deadlock ed 32
by Mendoza, many people assembled to see the drama which may have affected the rescuer’s performance. One bystander was hit by Mendoza’s firing rifle and was immediately brought to the hospital for medications. Many believed that by some aspects, the by-standers added confusion on the incident. THE RAIN Though it is a bit pathetic to blame the bad weather, it had also affected the developments outside the bus. But if negotiations were made and the hostage was settled a bit earlier than it did, everybody may have just happily went home and there would be no shootouts. DAMAGE CHECK Because we don’t get anything by fault-finding, let’s just check the damage of this event. Consequently, bigger crisis would rise up because of the downfall of tourism inside the country. Also, OFWs who work as domestic helpers have lost and may lose their jobs at Hong Kong as a backlash of anger from the Hong Kong people. But let’s just hope for the best and prepare. We must be strong at times such as this although racial discrimination haunts our path s to other doors. Let us patiently and humbly wait that the grief and sorro w of the compatriots of the Hong Kong tourists who died at the hostage crim e will pass.
opinion
A Stained Conversion uality Education. That’s the main purpose why I enrolled in this institution aside from being one of the cheapest tertiary schools in the city. It is as much as the feedbacks somewhat complimented that it offers competitive trainings and education to the students. And surely, many students caught the idea.
JuanShot
Juan Lebin F. Soncados
Somehow, as I started to venture into my college days, I felt a sense of contentment. That perhaps I’ve invested my future in the right place of learning. Hence, a transparency to the statements, I had heard – a justice for my side and also for the students who can’t afford to send themselves in a luxurious university – a prestigious one. After all, money really matters and that poverty adheres failure of having such chance.
However, as it marked the conversion into becoming a university after few years that had passed, CHANGE was then observed. Of course, the transformation has brought numbers of development from that of being a State College that we used to have been before. To mention a few, we saw the rubberized oval, air-conditioned library and some additional rooms, installation of pieces of equipment, and other facilities such as computers, and other development indicators. Nevertheless, the Administration encountered difficulty to suffice the affordability of students’ admission in this so-called “university.” So, they came up with a solution and that is to ENROLL MORE STUDENTS so as to retain the tuition fee at its level, although a negligible increase of three hundred pesos is just an adjustment due to a more charged development. Converting into a university without an increase of tuition fee transparently increased the student population. Because of that, many rooms, especially in COE were sub-divided into two just to sustain the growing number of sections of classes as more part-time teachers were hired in the university. What is more alarming is when the populace’s demand to conduct classes in proper rooms becomes unattainable. Many students attended their subjects without a classroom, instead, they have it under the tent or in the staircases.
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opinion
Another concern is the facilities, especially computers. The ratio of these devices for a computer-related class doesn’t meet even half of the actual proportion for the usage of the students. Anyone in this very campus, including students, professors and high-ranked people could attest to it. It seems as if our school had experienced a catastrophe; that students have to be temporarily taught in those areas for the edifices are still on reconstruction. Well, it’s not! The prime reason behind that picture is that we are in the midst of room shortage. The university rooms are not enough to accommodate such huge number of classes. Therefore, those areas are not conducive for the learning of the students. Simply because they are prone to external disturbances in their surroundings while having class. It’s either they are annoyed by the noise of the other tent class or other students walking along since
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these places are open areas, as many other aspects and forms of disturbances. That was the ‘NO ROOM’ problem in this institution. Another concern is the facilities, especially computers. The ratio of these devices for a computer-related class doesn’t meet even half of the actual proportion for the usage of the students. Others are even non-functional. We really do lack hands-on devices, machines, pieces of equipment and other facilities both in shops and laboratories. And to think we are bringing the word ‘TECHNOLOGY’ as the name of our school-from CSCST to CTU. Hence, it’s not TECHNOLOGICAL at all, is it? I doubt twenty five percent of my fellow students would care to stand for YES. Do the survey regarding this with no manipulation and you’ll find even lower percentage as its result. We are not properly trained and enhanced by learning “technologically” Of all those things, quality education was what they sacrificed.
Our tuition fee rate somehow remains stable but inadequacy of rooms for learning was suffered resulting to improper comprehension of students during the discussion of their subjects, added with shortage of facilities and proper exposure to those materials during their trainings. Those things are just few of so many things to be discussed. But those are considered the most prioritized problems for us the students, the main problem we are facing that we ought to have a solution as early as necessary. Absolutely, we witnessed vast developments on its physical features but not the QUALITY EDUCATION
intended for the students. After all, the basic substance why we study in college is for us to install additional knowledge and cultivate competent skills in this world of survival. Have we appropriately gambled for a bright future with CTU as our training ground? If the school administration is concerned of the probability that someday this university will be considered soon among the low quality institutions in the region, then they should act by NOW by converting not just the name of the institution but also the quality of education it offers.
After all, the basic substance why we study in college is for us to install additional knowledge and cultivate competent skills in this world of survival. comments and reactions: juanlebin_s@yahoocom
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primetalks “I love thee to the depth and breadths and heights,” says the famous Elizabeth Barett Browning on her poem of love. Like Elizabeth, we’ve been through love. Basically, we try to make everything worth keeping. But how do we keep it alive?
The Long Distance Factor
Physical separation for couples is quite a challenge. The longer the days you’re apart, the more temptation and anxiety there is to resist. As everyone says, you can never be in a Long Distance Relationship (LDR) forever. While the other one thinks that you two would overcome it, the other one might even say “maybe it’s time for us to grow apart.” However, it’s not just about how to escape from having this kind of relationship, but it’s about how to keep it going without compromising commitment and passion.
Subtle Signs of Perfection
You’ve been three or more years together, you knew all his/her habits, likes and even the most detail part during his/ her childhood. But even so, you’re still not completely sure if you two are meant for socalled “FOREVER.” By: Loui Dizon
Harville Hendrix, Ph. D. says that the strangest sign of love instead of lust is the overwhelmed feeling of familiarity – a sense of, “Hey, I think I’ve known you before.” He also clarifies that subtle sign of perfect love is when a man recognizes the feeling of being at ease and nurtured the way his mother made him feel. So might the woman feel with the natural humor of her lover like her father interacted with her when she was still young. But other people sometimes mislead love. They set higher or even perfect standards that sometimes results to a wrong person at the right time. We all believe that nobody is perfect; your loved one will always be an exception for you. And you can never tell about it because as they thought, “Once you’re inlove you felt a subtle signs of perfection.”
Letting Go of Hatred and Bitterness
Inevitably, everyone has been hurt by the words or actions of another. And it wounds inside. These scars can 36
leave a lasting feeling of bitterness or even vengeance that often results to separation. But if you practice forgiveness, you can avoid a horrible ending. Embrace forgiveness within yourself and with your partner. Let go of the grip and focus on the positive parts of the relationship. Understand. But it doesn’t mean that you have to tolerate the mistakes of one another. Learn to speak from the heart. And if possible, use soft words to avoid creating huge flames. It may not be easy to forgive and forget but time heals even to the most impossible wounds. Give each other space and time for internalization and when you are both ready, that’s when open communication comes in.
Love is Sacrifice Partners must be ready to discuss thoughts, opinions or even distinct feelings in establishing a strong foundation of love. Talking with each other, seriously or not, creates an unyielding bond and you may surprise yourself falling in love with him/her more each day. True chemistry with your lover makes us more mellow than usual. You easily surrender your boundaries just to blend with that person. Oftentimes, you find yourself agreeing to something that you don’t usually do before like staying the longest time in the library just to help him out in his schoolworks or cutting the class just because he texted that he wanted to go out with you. The point here is love always associates to sacrifice. On the other hand, accepting each other’s
Achilles’ heel or vulnerable spot helps you to grow positively. Incorporating sensitivity enables your emotional behavior to converge with your lover.
Compatibly Enough
When you are in a relationship, you have to be sensitive to know the things that make him happy and the things that make him/her feel bad. Incorporating sensitivity enables your emotional behavior to converge with your partner. But never be too sensitive to cause arguments and misinterpretations. Take some of my advices to keep the love alive: Surprises can also ignite the feelings of being inlove like giving her simple present at the end of the day or even by simply saying “I love you.” Do not be insecure. Insecurities can trigger the consistency of a relationship since there will always be a doubt that the other one might be cheating. And lastly, be creative: reminisce moments together, take a walk on the park or do the things that you two haven’t tried before. Just like a kid, romantic relationship never takes care of itself. It needs attention, consideration and time to grow. Each of us hopes that the relationship that we have right now can hold us for a lifetime. But if it will never be ours then consider it as an instrument and a puzzle to solve that bring us lessons that we never thought it would be. 37
opinion
Sparklight
Mark Carlo Seno
ove is not as wide as this vast universe. An element which occupies space, and can be perceived by the special senses. Its physical body dwells infinitely. Then, love is a matter, independent from anything. Its existence’ explanation is parallel to the creation of this world. A pure element which comes from nothingness, hence invisible but extant. This is basically the origin of love. Universally it stays before and after human beings. It has become the centre of study that is emanated in philosophy and science; the basis of human movements and the root of all causes and effects.
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To define love is to point one self, for human’s acculturation to its environment accumulated its function advertently. The growth of thinking and feeling perpetually learn to rely on the expediency of love. However, the solid fact will remain that love is an independent element of the whole structure of human being. The internal involvement of love in into humans is not permanent for it will change its role into various phases. When time comes that a man/woman reaches the apex of maturity where love is not at all means of living well with the family or community it will depart from being an internal element to external element. Self consciousness will evolve into something mutual. From being a supplement, now love becomes a reason for being. Between the opposite sex love transforms as a third party. Love is acquired, not innate or inborn. Love is just a third party, an application because both sexes don’t own it. There’s no such thing as constant or eternal love for love itself is not part of the mixture of the wholeness of every human being. Love moves in any direction as driven by both sexes. If love is still in stillness until the soul dies, it only means that it is driven perfectly. comments and reactions: macarse8899@yahoo.com
By: Robinson Dagatan
photos by: Jose Angelou Sadagnot & Christian Ceniza
ust when about everything is all set for the opening of the school year, Rica (identity restrained), an engineering student, feels no excitement at all. At the back of her mind she worries that she’ll suffer the same torment over and over again by her classmates who frequently throw intolerable pranks on her. “Sa una ako ra jud dawaton kung sungugon ko nila nga lalaki ba daw ko kay lagi ingon ani kog hitsura. But there was one time nga gisungog ko nila atubangan sa daghang tawo, igo na lang ko nakahilak sa kauwaw,” recalled Rica on her experience when she was a freshman. Bullying, published Dan Olweus, creator of Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, is an aggressive behavior that involves unwanted, negative actions. It is a pattern of behavior repeated over time which indicates imbalance of power or strength. School is the most vulnerable environment for bullying where students of different characters converge. It can be in a form of physical, verbal, social isolation, stalking, lies or false rumors, taken or damage of properties, threats or being forced to do something, racial, sexual and through the infamous cyberspace.
SADSTISTICS In the Philippines, bullying is unrelenting and often times taken for granted. According to the “2010 Towards a Childfriendly Environment Baseline Study on Violence Against Children” by the Council for the Welfare of Children, Philippine Women’s University, AusAid, Plan International, and the United Nations Children’s Fund, there are a whopping seven out of 10 students in Grades IV to VI and high school, and at least four out of 10 in Grades I to III who have experienced violence in public schools. 39
primetalks The BULLYING CYCLE Students who bully are those who hunger for power and dominance. They are rewarded psychologically in some way for their intentions. Anyone exposed to gangs or groups bullies because he/she is driven by peer pressure. Being involved into frequent fights, vandalism, poor grades and hooliganism are some of the indications. On the contrary, students who are bullied suffers adverse effects in the process. They become sensitive to judgment and reluctant to embrace themselves. Depression, low self-esteem, health problems, poor grades and worst- suicidal thoughts, are the consequences for the violence of others. They even turn themselves into antagonists and try picking up others as a counter attack. However, the cycle is not limited to both parties, it also creates an impact on the witnesses or observers of bullying. Just like the victims, they fear that their environment might not be safe, furthermore they feel powerless to act and guilty for not acting. They are provoked to participate if repeatedly exposed in such activities. PROMISING ACTS Hoping to mark a period on this issue and to amplify the voices of victims, concerned lawmakers, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV and Ako Bicol (AKB) Partylist representative Cong. Rodel Batocabe proposed respective Anti-Bullying Acts.
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two to six months of counseling, suspension or expulsion and rehabilitation for juvenile deliquents for six months to one year for bullying with violence.
Trillanes’ AntiBullying Act (SBN 413) mandates school districts to embody policies on AntiBullying for the general protection of students.
Under this bill, the parents or legal guardians of the offenders will be held liable for the violation of their child, they will pay for the damages of the victim that ranges from Php 10,000 to Php 100,000 and two to six months of mandatory counseling with their child.
Otherwise, Batocabe, along with other AKB representatives Christopher Co and Alfredo Garbin, Jr., urges House Bill 2361 or the Anti-Bullying Act that criminalizes bullying in any form, including minors (18 years old below). This sanctions offenders with mandatory
Ever wonder why today’s hottest chart topper Lady Gaga got her strong faith on herself and her music? It’s way back in her high school years when she was just an ordinary teenage girl who lived a normal life yet some boys wanted to put their weight on her. The Born This Way
SUPPORTING ROLES Parents should not show their child underappreciation because it will create a notion that he/she is no good at anything and will never strive to be good, making him/her indifferent. Give him/ her a lift on anything that’s on his/her interests. They must also visit the child at school on a monthly basis. Ask the teacher how the child performs academically and whom is he/ she mingling. Since bullying is most visible at school, faculty members should not tolerate this kind of activity in the classroom setting. It is advisable for the school to conduct a survey to find out how rampant is bullying in the campus and be it discussed in PTA meetings.
singer confessed on her exclusive documentary, Lady Gaga: Inside the Outside, that she was thrown in the trash can by some mean boys in her neighborhood because of her bisexuality. “I feel like a loser kid in high school but every morning my mama says that I am a superstar,” she revealed in The Insider. She redeemed herself by transforming into a Mother Monster and creating unwavering freedom and equality into her music to deal with her bitter past. You might have seen cases like this in Glee if you were a gleek at least, but they just don’t happen on screen, they are real life dilemmas. Bullying is like a blackhole, it consumes everything that gets near, so don’t wait ‘til it gets you.
opinion
Death and Drugs he deaths and arising cases of illegal drug trafficking and possession of illegal drugs against Filipinos, especially OFWs had struck the values and morals of Filipino workers. These events would reflect the reality that many Filipinos are involved in illegal drugs.
Hotwire
Jeco Roy Osorio The three Filipinos executed with death penalty had paid the price in which they may or may not be the ones to put to death. The evidences found among the executed Filipinos would strongly confirm their involvement with the accusation. Though, their respective relatives deny their deed and assumed that they were just used by the drug syndicates to transport drugs. Still China’s execution pursued the lives of our fellow Filipinos as compensation to a grave crime in accordance to their law. They didn’t even remembered how we treated Chinese offenders that we swallow our pride just to keep a good business with them.
I believe that those Filipinos were only victims of other people’s actions, that someone bigger was controlling them and should rightfully accept justice. Then again, we cannot remove the fact that drugs go with easy money and Philippines is in the midst of a crisis and Filipinos are striving hard to generate more income. That is why some would rather do illegal actions because they can receive more money in an easy way. And more Filipinos want to go abroad to find jobs with bigger wages to sustain their families’ needs that’s why some would even do organ trafficking, slavery, prostitution, and join criminal syndicates. But, as we stick to the idea of “kapit patalim” the more we bring our selves to oblivion. The Philippine Government has done something already to negotiate for the death rowed Filipinos. But, should not the government be doing something more to lessen the number of Filipinos engaging drug usage and trafficking rather promote more job opportunities for Filipinos? The only reason for this is money. The country’s economic instability and overpopulation drives Filipinos in the lower class to “kapit patalim”. Because they could not think of something worth living for, furthered by the increasing competition to job opportunities, what is left to them now is a hopeless and scary world to live in. If only government programs and laws have been implemented correctly and honestly, we would not loose lives from needless death. This problem had rooted deep already and this is what the government should act on. comments and reactions: jeco_ry@yahoo.com 41
primetalks
By: Jean Rachel C. Sy
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ashionable clothing, cool hairstyles, unique dance moves and ultrasonic musical beats; these are the main reasons why K-Pop predominates Filipino youths. As we roam around the countryside, we can barely notice some teens wearing weird yet stylish outfits. These teens are actually imitating the looks and fashion style of their favourite K-Pop stars. Undeniably, Korean Pop, commonly referred to as K-Pop, is rapidly inching its way into the Philippine music industry.
its soundtracks. Following the success of Endless Love came Full House in 2005. Full house also starred with the same actress from the first season of Endless Love, Song Hye Kyo, who was paired with Korean singer-actor Rain Bi. Rain’s debut in the local television paved way for K-Pop to be known in the Philippines. Not long after the airing of the said series, his music videos such as I’m Coming and Love Story started to enter the charts of MYX and local FM Stations. That’s because of his popularity among the Filipinos. Rain was also recently offered to do a shampoo commercial which was aired here in the Philippines.
K-pop was indirectly born in the Philippines through the Koreanovelas in 2003. One of the first Koreanovelas aired in the Philippines is the Autumn in my Heart, the first season of Endless Love series, which was aired on GMA-7 in order to compete with ABS-CBN-2’s highest rating Chinovela, Meteor Garden. It is in Endless Love where K-Pop started proliferating the airwaves with the Filipino remakes of
K-Pop in the Philippines started to gain more popularity when the former teen idol Sandara Park went global with her phenomenal group 2NE1. Her success paved way for the entry of other K-Pop idols such as BigBang, SE7EN, Girls Generation, Super Juniors, F.T. Island, B2ST, U-KISS, Wonder Girls, Shinee, SS501, BoA, 4minute, 2PM, 2AM, Infinite, Miss A, Teen Top, MBLAQ, TVXQ, IU, KARA, T-ARA, Secret
and the like in the Philippine music industry. As you may have noticed, almost all of them are idol groups. Their songs are really famous and probably will close on international artist. Even though most of the Filipinos do not understand Korean, it’s really surprising that they even go the extra mile and show effort to learn the language. Years ago, there were only like 2 or 3 K-Pop artist on the music shelves. But lately, when I visited some of the music stores, they already have their own section and K-Pop album sales are flourishing. K-Pop artist found their way to the front of most stores they are even featured by local recoding or publishing companies. It is also said that the internet is the K-Pop lover’s best friend. There are so many K-Pop blog sites in English (such as blog sites and Wordpress) made by fans which are updated every day with the latest news, pictures, and videos to cater the needs of their fellow fans. One example of these sites is the “fangirlmrtz” account on BlogSpot which is actually managed by some Filipino TVXQ enthusiasts. A fan may also go straight to YouTube, type their favourite artist name, and in a moment, they would get the videos they’re looking for. It’s in the site where
fans usually upload the performances, guestings, music videos, stalker videos and the like of these Korean stars. Aside from these sites, these fans usually join online forums such as Soompi and Asian fanatics, Korean site such as DNBN and communities in live journal such as DBSG, YG-Big bang and Wonder Girls. From these groups, fans from the same country usually meet each other and eventually form their own groups. It is from these groups where Filipino fan clubs are made. In my general point of view, as a K-Pop lover, it doesn’t matter if you cannot understand the lyrics; the first thing that would actually appeal to you is its melody. There is something in the musical composition of their songs that makes us move to groove and dance to its rhythm. Second thing is the singer appearance. Their great looks and fashionable style catch the eyesight of the viewers. Third is the production value of their music videos. Most of these videos portray a group dancing spontaneously in an attractive background or an emotional story which fits the theme of the song. The last thing is its fantasy factor. Most of the Filipino fans belong to the lower income generating class, or they can be also well-off, but they probably want to travel in other countries. Korea represents a certain appeal that Filipino youth aspire. That is the main reason why most Filipino youth are addicted to K-Pop.
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Search for the ff: 1) Bigger than stone; 2) Poison’s mark; 3) Threaded fastener; 4) Hi-cut foot protection; 5) Go, stop; 6) Tobacco-filled; 7) Long blade; 8) Sining noypi; 9) Wrist accessory; 10) Cubic puzzle; 11) GMA-Art show; 12) Zuma; 13) Tooth janitor; 14) Chinese character; 15) Chinese lucky beast; 16) Monument of Hades; 17) Online friends; 18) Dress for birds; 19) Jerry’s Enemy; 20) Kick ball
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toonstones by: James Piodos
Asa kaha ni?
Sikinsa ka man nga misulong sa akong lugar?
Tinuod gyud diay ang chismis
Kini na ang imong katapusan
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toonstones by: Angelito Marsan
Arz, a great warrior, who loves the daughter of King Dar, who is Jade
Arz and Jade are lovers before but unfortunately, the father of Jade, King Dar, won’t agree to the relationship they had. King Dar wants Arz to stay away from her daughter.
The arena of King Dar. This is the time to face him. Just wait for me, Jade. I’m sure you cannot beat the beast!
Jade? You can get my daughter if you can beat my biggest beast in this arena.
I am sure, I can, my King! Where is Jade? Loser!
I will give you my life, Jade. Whatever it takes.
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Get in beast! I am ready to fight you!!!
Go away!
This is for you, Jade! I’ll kill you!
At last, you’re dead.
You’re a great warrior after all. Please take care of my daughter.
Yes, King Dar! I love you Jade.
Jade!
I love you too.
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heaven’s stones
Capital M and F Mother and father of education nga tinur ingan, nganong lisod man pakihangyuan? Build ing diri, daan o bag.o, kamu nag maintain, para VIP, oo, pero estudyante, im portante pud, kai es kwelehan ni, kami nagbayad, ka mi pud sakto. -trixplayer
Blind Item 101 . ro apan par t time sa CTU Dugay na siyang maest hitsuraan. ug od lim mu n apa ng Dili adunahan ug naw ” pirme ang apan sa “Sex Education Constitution ang kurso itudlo. daw “Gwapo”, Sa iyang kaugalingon siya magpangumo. Apan paklaseha, ikaw rag inagian ug boxer! Mu sir! Hahay ang akong og manghiwi. Sa iyang estudyante kus w magpanghipi. ika n ka Sa iyang mga batasa ng klasmets kay para dili ako gam ug n taw a Sir, tarung ma-ANNOUNCEMENT. -Bombo-
GOTCHA Anomaliya nga hapit nabisto, ngan u gud intawn gipasagdan ninyo, ngano pagtakpa n, nga estudyante ang natikasan, nganu nakabayad, human na man unta, nganu way klaro kung para unsa? Kinsa responsible, gobyerno sa estudyante ba kaha? Nganu wa manubag, ang estudyante nangutana? -mr. disappointed
Gripes appearing hereof are just views and opinions of the student-senders, and the publication not influence, force or dictate them, and will not take any responsibility with its content.
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Literary Section
Inner Thoughts
By: Rosemarie- Ann Balvez BSIE 1-F I could not shout my feelings with glee But nobody listens to me. I could write a poem with thee But nobody cares to see. I could ran so fast like a horse But no one lights the torch. I could fly so high like an eagle But no one tries to look up, Not even one, Suddenly, tears fall down, I never laugh, I never frown Sadness surrounds within me Emptiness follows immediately.
No one is here, even there I find myself in the middle of nowhere Staring in a shattered mirror Waiting for someone I’ve been hoping for. Much that I wish, I’m numb not to feel, The pain and heartaches wasn’t easy to heal. It’s not easy to feel the deepest reality, That I’m trapped in the darkness of insanity. Pathetic I am is all I can imagine What I am now is like a villain Lying in the core of dangerous zone With no one, for I’m all alone!
By: Ray John Bultron BSCE 1-D1
-ladypreyA canvass so beautifully painted Of dreams so carefully weaved Of a man who had lost aplenty Of a girl, whose heartbreak’s unseen She woke up and remembered him kindly Bowed her head and prayed above, “Oh mighty God, if you have Papa, Let him laugh, and dance and sing. Oh mighty God if you have papa, Make him hold this li’l girl real tight, ‘Cause dear God, if you have Papa, Let me dream of him tonight.”
If you aspire to climb the highest hill And you have more better skill Then be determined to do what they take Though your heart cries and mind shake. Be determined to break that barrier That keeps you from doing things better. Keep your eyes at the goal And not on hindrances as they growl. Be determined to take what’s good And let your fear be trampled underfoot. But be reminded that God can alone Give strength and make fear gone. Be determined to trust in Him And you, in battle will surely win. God delights a person who strives With gracious hands he lifts up His life
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-April Agnes GaladoIf I had my way, I’d like to see your easy smiles more often.. If I had my way, I’d make sure nobody puts it away.. If I had my way I’d like those eyes, always dancing, Always lit up, with laughter and dreams.. If I had my way, I’d have everybody’s promises to you, And mine, never broken.. If I had my way, I’d put a stop to whatever’s hurting And if I had my way, I’d have rivers wash all that pain away.. If I had my way, I’d have your eyes, see only sunshine Never darkness with all its threats to your hopes.. If I had my way, tomorrow will be something, You’d always be eager to face If I had my way, happiness for you, may just not come to pass And If I had my way, I’d have every sunrise open With new horizons, made only for you..
If I had my way, sunsets will always be beautiful, For you to paint, and immortalize on that canvass If I had my way, goodbyes will never be as sad as your unshed tears.. If I had my way, I’ll embrace and hold you Every time that gray smudges and spoils your masterpiece So that you’d never have to look at it.. And If I had my way, I’d see that you love yourself, For all your youth, and life’s worth If I had my way, I’d live to see that you value your very person So that you can see others, in a brighter way too.. If I had my way, you’ll be free..free from too much hurt, In too much honesty... But then I’m only thinki’n..Even though it isn’t good enough That If I had my way, everything will be beautiful, And true, and real for you.
by: Loui Dizon Who would ever thought, I’d write a song From a person whose heart’s made of stone I sigh as the rain suddenly came But the manner changed as I wrote your name I almost forgot about the strings since May But now, I can’t stop it, I just love it this way With a-delete melting eyes that stares so dainty A creature, you are portrayed perfectly I’ll sing a song and let you hear me Singing with harmony in this melody Having someone as rare as you 62 62
Makes my soul out of the blue You were the dream that I’d dreamt You were the song that I’d sang You were the words that I’d spoke An imagination I never did expect I threw my dream across the sea Cause it’s impossible, you and me Alone I am waiting for that magical kiss A fairytale you are that does not exist.
By: RJ Ronato BSIT 1-1 There once was a young woman namwed Isabella Goodman Who was admired by not one, but by two men. One was high-class and rich, and as dashing as could be, One was humble and poor, but “I love her,” to his sister said he. You see, the rich man named George did not love the girl. He wanted more than anything else in the world. But the poor man named Ben had a character pure and true; He loved her with all his heart and wanted her to love him too. So while Ben worked for days and days to buy her a ring, George tried to buy Bella’s love by buying her many nice things. Even though he had so much money of his own, George wanted even more for him and him alone. Isabella was blind to George’s evil intention; She was too busy being flattered by all his attention. When Ben saw George with Bella it truly broke his heart. Ben just wanted to marry her and never apart. He saw through George’s masks of many smiles, But he kept his love to Isabella a secret all the while. They had grown up together as friends since they were small.
To him, Isabella was the most wonderful of all. Though Bella was close to Ben as two friends can be, Bella’s views were blinded by the man who had lots of money. Ben’s cousin Anna was Bella’s best friend, like a sister, So Anna could tell Bella when she could ditch a minister. One day Anna was walking on her way home from school, And she saw a boasting George who was acting like a fool. He was telling his evil, greedy plan to all his friends. He said how if her married Bella he’d get lots of money in the end, How he had heard a story about all the money saved by her father, And how when he died it would be an inheritance for his daughter.
So Bella listened and learned about the truth, but then Coming down from a long day’s work was Ben. He had finally earned enough to buy one special thing. He had held it in his hand; it was a shining golden ring. Today was the day he planned to tell Bella he loved her, And ask her to marry him and promise to be true forever. Anna told Bella what had happened and he knew it was meant to be, So he took Bella’s hand and got down on one knee. And that was when Bella realized the truth so strong: That Ben was the one who she loved all along.
Bella’s father was advanced in years, he was a very old man. People in the town said that soon he would soon kick the can. So George wanted to marry Bella so when her father died. He exclaimed “It won’t be long until all that money is mine!” Anna knew George had never loved Bella, and now it was confirmed. She ran home as fast as she could to tell Bella all she had heard. 63 63
True friendship was when I found you A melody I long to hear on a piano My heart glistens when you captivate it Years may pass; still you’re my precious gift Wishing I could turn back the moment when You and I played under the innocent rain But I know it’s never too late to reminisce Cause destiny will lead us again in a perfect sense Though the hourglass of time is almost over And candles of inevitable fate melt faster I’ll be your bestfriend and always been true No one compares you to everyone else I knew Tested by blizzards and circumstances But find time to share a single happiness Your spirit flourishes though heart is full with tears You never changed, you remain dainty for years I may not always be here but I’ll never leave you astray Worry no more; I’m just a call and text away And for this special day I wanted to say I LOVE YOU and HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY!!!
By: Judequi “ Duke” Aquino BSED-Math 3-C The tree is green Green is the tree Indeed, the tree is green Logical it is. We live critically. We must think critically too. Always means critical. Theoretical but imperical. The tree is life. Life is maturity. Indeed the tree is maturity. Logical it is.
Loving Bestfriend, -LOUI M. DIZON
By: Jena M. Labastida BSICT 1-A
When I face hardships in life I ask God , “ why me?” When my eyes run dry, I cannot cry I ask God , “ why me?” When I cannot stand the pain anymore I yelled and ask God, “ why me?”
I got mad So I decided to be bad I wanted to rebel And show the anguish that I had I thought of something stupid I thought it is alright I tried to trick God But now I clearly see The vanity of me I’ve made things crucial I’ve realized I cannot serve two Masters at the same time
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By: Judequi “Duke” Aquino BSED-Math 3-C Leaves from the outside cover the mainland. Isles, emblems of an ununited band. Bounded by fishes and destroyed corals. Never we seek straight path of good morals.
Deeming for help and appreciations Mob never knows about extra affairs Some do but shutting up leads to disgrace Obtuse they are who never fight A losing battle we may see in this site Dark visions cover every rays of light Best channel of education is right.
Dealing with some sort of never ending onus. Relevance of small voices are never heard. Iron-bound armies extinguish the fire on us. Titans of the land, power they never shared. If the inverted triangle of wealth never change, Hence, we never break the darkness’ chains, Never will us give judgment our ancestors’ revolution. Still we find death to our natives’ position. Beseeching betwixt the grand nations
Politics is always behind of every subject Alteration is something we must never reject Exude witty building of right tracks Start by imbibing the roots of my pen’s attacks Fight! Salvation to our kind we must achieve. Foreign manipulations we must not be deceived. Maintain the blue above the cloth. Crush the uncertainties of our country’s growth
By taiLs Relentless, unseen notes of self-esteem Unlocking the mind’s sad, unspoken dream Speaking softly the worn-out soul of its master. The cello sways, the piano sighs, the violin sings, The rhythm floating in the air orchestrating The sad mem’ries of its beautiful conductor. Music sheets sing stories that pens can’t write, Through blizzards of winters of the notes take flight Across the broken past, unforgotten and untold.
In orchestra, all instruments unite, To sing her sadness and hope someone might In the harmony of their voices, hear them. But the musician can only see light, Through violin’s pain and cello’s delight, Painful music only falls into deaf ears. Yet, the audience will never understand, Cellos wail in return upon her command, Sadly, a heart can’t feel when the truth, it fears.
In solitude, voices speak with sorrow Notes moving ‘round the only room they know Waiting to be heard, to be freed, and to be called. The ivory keys fly off the piano Trying to open the heart’s hidden flow Taking an oath to comfort her and save them. 65 65
By: Annette G. Pepito AB English 1-1 Friend… a word worn out in use almost devoid of meaning But for me, I can tell something and this is a real thing. As they’ve said that friend will just come to your life And eventually leave you emptied but friendship is the very best thing for me when I shared it to Jennelyn, Misay and Melanie
whose understanding and virtue I can confide And whose opinion I can value at once my sure refuge when misfortune comes. They’re the people I couldn’t forget the friendship they’re given to me I’ll forever cherish and though we haven’t gone a long way but I’ll be your friend come what may. If someday when the page on the book Of life runs out and alters I know you’re one of the most colorful chapters And if God allows me to open it again. I’ll start it the moment I know you my very “ BESTFRIENDS”…
JENNELYN, a very dear friend never thought I could get along with Never expected to be part of me and someone who brightens my day. I like her the way she is, for her generousity In a sense that she always shares And in my times of nothingness she permanently cares. For I’m out of words when it comes to MISAY She’s lovable, understanding and dares to try To be a real friend not just to me but also to Melanie And a very good person to everybody. When I’m with her I made fun and share jokes comfortably Laugh and laugh freely Thank God for giving me this girl And I must treasure her forever. I’m not high of drugs or of anything but with pride, its arising I learn to value anything Cause of this friend is so special I am referring to MELANIE OPIGAL. She’s an ordinary girl I’d never thought I knew never expected I could talked to never imagined I could get along with But it turned out she’s given me one of the coolest friendship . Though I’m not blessed with material riches but blessed with true friends Friends who completed my puzzle and who’s there for me through rise or fall. They are always there by my side 66 66
By: Fritz Anderson B. Cruda BSDC 1-A As the casket of myself Enclosed my heart, Tears fall in every moment I think of you. But what else can I do? When destiny would Never allow us through. And now, in my deep Slumber in this chained Coffin I’d realized, solitude Is scarier than darkness And wounds are not so easy To heal Come and paint My dreams, color them with your warmth. I watched the moon Then called your name As loud as I could And I’ll offer my troubled lips. I don’t want to wake I’d rather die and rot In illusions than to live the reality that you are gone. I cannot find anyone.
Jerazy Rain rain, Go away Cause of you the pan will stay Slit my throat, cut my heart Leave you here, tear you apart It was winter, a very cold weather Where our frozen heart suddenly warmth us together The both of us never knew how Cupid played sonorous tones on his bow
Now you and I never be Cause people can’t feel what we feel, see what we see So whatever we do, how ever we try We were always mend to say goodbye Hurting you makes it harder But I know you will find another Because I always love you so That’s why I’m willing to let you go…
Jessa A. Zabala
By: Oliva, Gleme G. My days were night, As I lost you completely in sight. Tears are flowing… As if it’s unending. I woke up with swelling eyes. Broken pieces of trust… From you… I got… A wrecked heart.. I am now bleeding badly. Trying to fix… But is falling apart. I close my eyes.. Thought of you… Just suddenly arise. I’m in a midst of nothing… Finding reasons for living. Wounds may heal… But scars will remain… To remind me of the pain.
Listen to the wind, What does it say? The tress whisper the same, It’s time to end the game. My heart is saying, I can’t let go. The memories I have here Always seem to be near. Now I’m singing this song and your heart sings the same. A different kind of melody is playing for you and me. Yes, maybe the end is near But somehow, the journey begins here. ‘Cause everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not then it’s not the end. Everything may change ‘Cause nothing is constant but change. But I know, people came and go Just to stay in our hearts And never again will they go. Yet, maybe its not the end ‘Cause somehow, the journey begins here. And everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not, then its not the end.
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was studying in my own room when my roommate Arjun, suddenly came in and sat on the wooden chair. Arjun is eighteen years old we’ve been roommates since the beginning of the semester. Some people call him weird because this issue about socializing and dealing with people. He stared at me silently, his complexion contrasted with the wooden chair that as brown as his eyes, with the hair of gold and lips like rosebuds yet to open and for me it is very distracting. “What are you doing here arjun? Aren’t you preparing for the examination tomorrow?” I asked him. “Uhm…I just wanna ask you something…” he transferred into my bed, looking straight at me.
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“Okay, spit it out.” Then, hesitantly he asked, “Rodel have you kissed anyone?” “What?! No!” I replied laughing. “Want to try it with me?” I was silent and he came closer to me, he reached for my head, pulling towards his lips. I was so speechless and shocked the flow of current on my body suddenly dropped. I wasn’t able to react. We were silent for two minutes. I felt like there’s an urge to say something. At the moment, I broke the silence and asked him, “Why so sudden? Don’t you know it’s a sin?” “When we’ve met, everything has changed! When I’m with you my heart beats so fast and when you talked, it’s like you’re seducing me. I’m sorry but I can’t keep it anymore! I love you Rodel and I want to be with you! Even if it’s a sin, I
Literary Section
love you. That’s all that matters to me. Please say you love me too…” He said. “Stop it Arjun! You must be out of your mind! Get out of my room NOW!” He was silent for a moment then he decided to walk out of my room, when he closed the door, I sat on my bed, I touched my lips and smiled. I closed my eyes. I feel so good but it’s not right. I grabbed my diary and wrote down the things that just happened. The night was long and cold. The darkness creeps into the narrow hallway and I can’t sleep, so I rose of the bed and went to the kitchen to drink water. The coldness of the water satisfied my thirst and replenishes my throat. I turn around and found Arjun there sitting in the stairs. My heart pounds so fast and felt thirsty again a kind of thirst which cannot be satisfied by water but his lips.
of anger. His eyes were corrupted with rage. Suddenly, the ambience of the kitchen changed, it’s becoming hot and I’m starting to sweat, every drop of my sweat has a pinch of arousing fear. He stood up and cried, “Why won’t you accept me? Well then, if you’re not going to be mine then I won’t give you to anyone!” he grabbed the knife and charged vigorously towards me. I know that he wants to kill me so, I hastily ran to my room and locked the door.
help. The terror and fear numbed my legs and I can’t move. I saw him standing in front of me. The darkness of the room covered his face but I can clearly see his lustful smile.
The room was silent and damningly scary and I was shaking, I stood behind the curtain. A hand grabbed me and tried to strangle my neck. I saw a pen and I used it to poke his arm, as I was screaming for
But when I saw his face, it is full
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by: -cHOie-mHAmIE
O
ne time, I happened to visit this section to promote the Intramural meet ’10 t-shirt design contest and there it happened. The momentous scene, that never had I expected would be the most unforgettable stare of a young guy at me. It may sound cheesy! Or ew, but right then and there, I knew that we would be friends because he was so jolly and funny (although he’s a bit corny sometimes). Friends? I would look stupid if I’d say that he’s not my type, (hehehehe). Anyways, I simply did not expect that I would be into this childish feeling again. I thought my heart just grew tired
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Photo by: Cresente Estoce
of loving, of giving, and of sharing my life, my heart.
relationship.
It was him who made me realize that my broken past that struck my credulous heart is just an inevitable part of loving and makes loving more exciting.
But I am not that stupid to think at first that what we shared or how we treat each other was something really serious for me to cut my veins or for me to be badly hurt.
“When you love, never regret what you did. It’s not a matter of finding the right person but it’s a matter of being the right person for the one you choose to love.” I thought he liked me the way I do because his treatment and actions towards me gave me a chance to think that he liked me too. I thought I had a special space in his heart because he kept on telling me that he misses me. “The glass broke ‘cause it fell and nobody cared to catch it. Likewise, the heart breaks because it keeps on falling for someone who doesn’t even care to catch it.” But it broke my heart when I saw him holding hands with another girl one time. I was so depressed and I didn’t know what to do by the time we meet on a crossroads. Then, it happened. I just smiled as if I was okay. I got to know his girl through text messaging and she confirmed then that they were really in a
Yes, I admit, I have hoped for something special to happen between us , but I guess it never really would happen. He just showed me he cared and that’s all, and it hurts. He knew my love for him is beyond any friend could give, but all of that was busted up in silence. “Nobody in this world is NUMB. Everyone can feel PAIN. It’s just that some are really good when it comes to PRETENDING.” He left me hanging, hoping for emotional happiness to fill my emptiness. I have always thought that he’s the guy who could fill in the emptiness in me because he was so true to me, so sweet, so down-to-earth; the kind of guy any one would wish to have. He is very open to me. He shared to me almost all of his life. He shared to me things about his family, about his experiences in life without any inhibitions or intentions to impress me because what he actually shared to me was something that no
ordinary guy could relate to besides what he called friends. It was all wrong. I don’t know why I believed him, i didn’t know why i still do somehow and maybe i always will because my heart is yet too childish enough to endure the pain. He had hurt me bad enough for me to recover easily. I don’t know why I am so unsuccessful in relationships, but in any way, i’ll let him go because I know we are(were) never meant to be together. I may have moved on, but the emptiness still resides in me. I’ve tried to fill it with fond memories with friends, but as I do this, the empty part within me becomes more distinct. Someday, only God knows when, but someday, I’ll meet him, the guy who’s meant for me and I won’t be as sad as I am today. “It’s painful to fall in love with someone who has someone else, especially if you tried everything to ignore this feeling. What’s worse is when that someone made you feel as if you’re someone special but then you’re just special and never would be the one.”
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By Honey Jane Villegas
“
Passengers we are about to land,” announced the attendant. My head still ached from the long flight; at least I can step on the ground now. I was excited to see my family again and of course, Laurence. It had been three months since I left for Canada. My father had a problem dealing with our clients for the opening of our newest architectural firm. He asked me to settle the problem myself, since he was busy. Good thing is it’s finally off; at least Sheila and I could now go back to Philippines. “We are now boarding, thank you for flying with us, we hope you had a nice flight,” the attendant smiled gleefully. “I’ll get us drinks, okay?,” I nodded. Sheila was my assistant
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for nearly two years. I had been used to her and her to me. She’s the only assistant who can handle my tantrums. I was hoping to find the comfort room when I noticed a girl near the information desk. She was looking at me intently. I didn’t know if it was just my imagination, but it seemed that the people were not noticing her and the weirdest thing was that, everyone seemed to pass through her. I looked back at her, she was pretty, but her eyes were lonely and scared, and it was vaguely familiar. I was about to approach her, when Sheila called. “Avery, here’s your drink,” Sheila said. I looked back at the girl, but she had disappeared. Funny. But when I glanced at the couch, I thought I saw her there, but when I looked back again, an old lady with lots of luggage was seated there. I closed my eyes; maybe I was just really tried because I
was starting to imagine things. “What’s wrong with you?,” Sheila asked, frowning. I almost forgot her. “Nothing, I’m just woozy,” I said, which was true; my head was heavy and I think my knees were shaking. Sheila looked worried. “Girl, your lips are losing its color,” she said jokingly. “You take a-,” she quickly added but was interrupted. “Avery! Avery?” I seemed to lose my world. Everything was turning vague. We were friends since my family moved to their neighborhood. “Crobert,” his pet poodle, had hid in our garage and he asked me to help him find it. I spent my first day in the Philippines looking for a poodle, with Lawrence my newfound neighborhood. Funny, but even if that search was tiring and confusing; I had my best day ever. Since then, we started to hang with each other, a sort of friendship that knows no recognition. That was our scenario until we reached college. We both took architecture; it was a sort of family’s legacy for me, while he, on the other hand, really loved patterns. We ended up in different sections, but he persisted to be with me. I might find it a sweet notion but he deliberately invented lies like I’m a psycho patient and he’s my friend slash guardian, that it was necessary for him to be always beside me in case my illness would pop-up. Still, nothing had changed. We were in separate sections permanently. He was really disappointed.
The night before the semester started, he asked me out with that irresistible grin. I didn’t know what the occasion was for it was neither my birthday nor his. He was dressed differently, I mean formally in polo and neck choker (necktie). He was acting weird, behaving like a real gentleman, which was really his total alter when he’s with me. We ended up in the beach. I wanted to point out that he and I were totally dressed differently, but I held back my tongue; it was as if I had the slightest hint of what would happen and I want it to be perfect. The beach was obviously deserted. The sound of the waves was really comforting or, I guess he was the one who was
comforting. He held my hand and we walked the shore, just like that. I didn’t know what was wrong with him or me; his sudden change was infecting me like hell, and I liked it. How I wish it would last forever. After an hour, he suddenly stopped and faced me, funny but I guess his eyes were sparkling with the stars that time. He was eating his words. I couldn’t understand any of it; I was frowning when he realized it. He suddenly leaned to me, he was going to kiss me but instead of pushing him, I stupidly closed my eyes and waited for my first kiss. I knew it; the feeling I had for him 73 73
since childhood was mutual, he loved me too. I opened my eyes only to realize that he was just making fun of me, he was smiling broadly with that I-got-you look in his face. I bit my lips to prevent my tears and kicked him between his knees. I could hear him groaning. “That’s for making fun of me!,” I said with finality. He was still groaning and I was worried. Somehow, I felt guilty. “Does it hurt?,” I asked him without even watching my language. He then put his arms around my neck and managed to stand a bit. “It would be your fault if we won’t have a child in the future,” he whispered. His voice sent chills to me that I pushed him away and tried to run. He was obviously fine now. Then he grasped my hand and made me face him. He was dead serious. “Listen,” he said without leaving my gaze. “Will you be my girl?” My jaw dropped; I was expecting it a while ago, but I was taken aback when he finally said it. Two minutes ago I might answer “yes”, but now, words couldn’t make their way out of my mouth. He looked tense as I hung my answer. Served him right! He had hung my kiss too; I guessed it 74 74
was payback time. We just stood there for about five minutes when I finally nodded. He pushed me to his chest and stroked my hair lovingly. “Man, I thought you would reject me” he said while leaning his forehead against mine. I was either speechless or enjoying the moment.
Honestly, I could get used to this Laurence. He bent over and kissed me. That was my first kiss and I was delighted to give it to him. “There I had made your first kiss official” he said passionately. He was not making fun of me all along; he just wanted my first kiss to be official. I thought it was so sweet. And he’s my man now. We held hands as we walk to a hut lighted with candles. I guessed that explained our attire, it was a date after all. We were covered with sand, just like when I first met him, we were also dirty but still, we managed to eat ice cream. “This will be our first official date, Princess,” he announced, grinning. “How could you be so sure that I am going to be your girlfriend?,” I said curiously. He had prepared everything for a romantic date. “Your feelings for me are so bold already,” he said while laughing. “You wish!,” I said in an ungrateful tone. We were really an unpredictable couple. We could kiss now and fight later.
“I don’t have to, your mine now,” He said seriously. My happiest day ever was when I met him; and my happiest night ever, was when I was officially his girlfriend. I woke up feeling a little weird. I was all smiles. It’s as if I had a good dream yet I couldn’t remember it anymore. Maybe I had dreamed of myself and Lawrence. “Avery! Are you all right?,” Sheila exclaimed. That was when I realized I’m in a hospital room. “Did I faint?,” I asked her calmly. She smiled. “Yes and you’re still in the airport. We’re in the clinic,” she said. “I think you are just tired so I didn’t call for Lawrence or your family,” she added. She had mastered me for just a year. She knew I hate to bother people around me; ever since, I had kept my worries to myself. Sometime this month I will treat her, for being such a reliable assistant and friend. “But of course I called for someone to fetch us,” Sheila announced. “Here, this will make you feel better,” she added, offering chocolate to me. I was a bit disappointed seeing Cardo, Lawrence’s family driver, in the airport alone. I deliberately didn’t inform Lawrence about arrival; I want to surprise him. “Where’s Laurence, Mang Cardo?” I asked him in an intimidating voice. “He had a sudden conference Ma’am. He asked me to pick you up instead,” he answered me politely. I felt awkward, although I understood him. Maybe this was just because I missed him. The car started to leave the airport. I admit, I was hoping he would pop up behind the bushes with a bouquet of roses, some romantic stuff, but no one did. That time I was really disappointed. We were halfway through my place when
I accidentally saw my name in a billboard. It’s a firm advertisement, and then on top of it something, was really confusing. “Welcome back, my Avery”
me.
My jaw dropped. “What on earth is that? What is my name doing there?,” I exclaimed. Mang Cardo laughed. “Renz is really creative, don’t you think?” Sheila said between her giggles. I was really shocked. That was really very sweet. I smiled, Laurence never failed to surprise
Months had passed and my relationship with Laurence had gone steadier; that in the 3rd week of June, we were both hearing the wedding bells. “Take this ring as a sign of my love and loyalty to you,” he winked mischievously before putting the ring in my finger. Gosh! It fit perfectly. “Take this ring as a sign-,” I stopped. Something was wrong. The wind was blowing hard. Laurence held me closed to him; that was when I realized I was slowly walking towards the door of the church. What was happening? Everyone seemed to freeze. It was only me and Laurence. I was very scared. His grip was slowly weakening. Suddenly the light was blinding. I could no longer feel Laurence beside me. My voice seemed to lose its power. “Laurence, your presence here is destined in the sides, not in the altar with this lady. You are not to marry this girl. You are destined to someone else.” A voice popped up out of no where. “Are you nuts? I am Laurence’s girlfriend, off course he is destined to be with me.” I was shouting madly, but nothing came out. I couldn’t hear my voice. 75 75
Laurence was exclaiming all his sentences, but nothing happened. The voice kept on saying the same thing, “Laurence, you should be out here. You are not to marry this girl. You are destined to someone else. “ “You will love someone else this time,” the voice shouted. I felt numb. You can’t take away Laurence. I won’t let you. I ran to nowhere. The lights were blinding me, but I can’t let go of Laurence, not this time. I shouted his name as I ran. “Avery, don’t worry everything is going to be fine. Trust me,” Laurence’s voice echoed in my head. I was crying like hell. What was happening? Who owned the voice? “Whatever happens, I will still love Avery. I know that for sure,” Laurence shouted not to me but to the voice. “Very well then,” the voice said with finality. Everything seemed to fade. I was thrown into a sort of dark alley. I felt emptiness; it’s as if every inch of me was sucked by that darkness. No, I won’t let go of Laurence, please stop it. I held my hand with the wedding ring; the feeling of emptiness was slowly weakening me. No. “NO!” I was screaming hard. When I opened my eyes; everyone was staring at me curiously, that was when I realized I was carrying my chair up in the air. There were my colleagues and there was the bald man in front who was our professor. It took me a long time to absorb the situation. I put down my chair and sat on it as if it’s no big deal. I was so freaking out. “So, Ms. Montez was sleeping in my class, and then she made a rather drastic commotion,” Mr. Tenzou said sarcastically. He was scolding me for the rest of his session that morning. My classmates 76 76
congratulated me for unnerving the most boring professor. They thought I deliberately did that, which is absurd; I knew I was dreaming, something dreadful, but the funny thing was that; I couldn’t remember it. I was making my way to the stairs when I had a glimpse at my finger. There’s a ring on it. I stopped to the girl’s locker room and examined the ring. It looked expensive and important. I was feeling weird; it was as if the ring mattered to me greatly. A feeling inside me was trying to break lose. Suddenly, everything seemed to be clear. I then remembered my dream, and it was not a dream at all. I knew it was real; I was certain. I ran as fast as I can. I knew this was a plot to separate me from Laurence. I almost forgot about my love, thanks to our weeding ring. I was afraid; what if Laurence was made to forget too? Would he remember me? It was his biology class, if I remember it right. The building was two blocks away from where I was. I got my phone and called him. “Yes, Avery. Why are you such in a hurry?,” I heard Lawrence answer the phone in my back. I shut my cell and faced him. There, he stood with his grin. “Don’t you have your biology classes today?” I asked. He frowned at me, and then he felt my forehead. “Are you nuts? My bio class was three years ago finished, princess,” he laughed. I felt a little nervous. I faked a laugh. “Yeah right, I’m totally freaking out” I said.
“Laurence don’t you remember anything?” Laurence frowned. “I mean… we in a weeding then a blinding light, a voice was trying to say were not destined and then,” I hung my sentence, seeing him smile in disbelief. “You know what? You’re just imagining things. You probably need sleep.” “Had you been burning your brows studying?,” he asked in a worrying tone. My tears wouldn’t stop falling. He doesn’t remember anything. I ran as fast as I can. I don’t want to lose him but it seems that the decision is not mine to do. “Princess, Are you okay? Sorry if I screwed up,” Laurence is at the door of the girls’ comfort room, lucky I was alone then. I didn’t answer, I tried to wipe my tears but it won’t seem to stop. “Ah, I guess you would fancy if I treat you tonight. Please come, I want you to meet someone,” he said. Still I remained silent. “Okay then, I’ll go. I still have my class and you too. Tonight, at seven Princess,” he said then his footsteps echoed in the deserted corridor. Yeah, he was right. We were in our third year. I looked in the mirror. I indeed looked like a regular third year. My hair was shoulder length like before and my nails were colorful. I was also a bit shorter. Laurence on the other hand was much younger than in the future, but still, his grin was irresistible, whatever timeline I’m in. If I am in my third year, Laurence is supposed to ask me out after our graduation, which is a year away. I can’t remember him treating me this time. I was on my way to the ice cream shop when I saw Laurence. He was beckoning me to his table. I don’t know what Laurence is up to, but I guess this night could help me relive his memory. “There you are,” he said gleefully. He was waiting for someone else for he was glancing every now and then at the door as we talk. I was not accustomed to this Laurence. Before, all his attention was with me whenever we’re together. Now was the opposite of my memory; he was no longer with me. I looked away to hide my tears from him, yet he’s not noticing it a bit.
“Hi there!,” Laurence said indignantly as he stood up to meet a girl. I wiped my tears. Somehow, I didn’t want to spoil his moment for this is once our moment. “Princess, this is Hazel. Hazel this is my best friend, Avery,” Laurence said while smiling at the girl he called Hazel; he was not even looking at me a bit. I was hurting. “Hi,” I said without glancing at her. I didn’t mean to be rude, but I couldn’t afford to look at her. I pretended to feel uneasy as I glanced at my watch. “Why are you calling her Princess?,” Hazel asked avoiding my look. “It’s Princess Avery Montez, he just fancied calling me in my first name,” I said wearily. She has the right to ask now, when Laurence is her…I don’t want to think about it. “I’m sorry Laurence, but mom’s here for the night. I need to be there,” I lied. “Are you sure? Your mom’s with my mom. They’re staying the week at a resort,” Laurence was looking worried rather than curious. Hazel was trying to look curious at me. Funny, but I don’t remember that part when our moms’ out of town. “Yeah, I sort of forgot it. But still, I’m going. Jake asked me out too.” I said firmly. Knowing Laurence, he will surely insist my stay if I won’t have a strong reason for leaving. He looked shock. I didn’t wait for him to answer; I hastily bid farewell to the two of them. I looked at the ring in my finger; maybe if I remove this, I will also forget everything. I will no longer feel hurt, like this again. I will forget the feeling when I met Laurence; I will forget the time when he asked me to be his girl. I will lose my best day ever and my best night ever. My eyes fell in our picture together. I guess its either I lose him now or I lose him in the process. “Avery, Laurence is here. Come down now,” my father said while waking me. At the sound of his name, I immediately went down. There was Laurence grinning at me. It had been a year since I was sort of transported to this timeline. Tonight was that night when Laurence asked me to be his girl, only now he’s twelve hours earlier; 77 77
it’s seven in the morning. I was still hoping that Laurence would finally be in his senses again. “What’s up?,” I asked him. I was surprise how my voice sounded normal when deep inside me my heart is pounding hard. “Ah, supposedly we are to visit the dean today, right?,” he asked without looking straight at me. I nodded. “Can we cancel it? Maybe we can do it tomorrow,” he was watching me intently this time. “Hazel’s mother asked me to join them-,” I interrupted him. I couldn’t bear to hear their love story. I had been avoiding the topic since that day when he introduced me to her. “Okay!,” I said. I know that my eyes were wet again. I pretended to make the flowers in the table just to avoid his glance. My tears were really betraying me. “Avery, are you sure it’s all right to you?,” he asked worried. “Don’t worry! I will make it up to you. I’m sure I can convince the dean for us to be classmates,” he said trying to cheer me up. I laughed bitterly. I knew what will happen but I couldn’t do anything to make it happened. “I’m sure, in fact I had never been this sure,” I said trying to smile. “Great then, I’ll go now.” He said avoiding my eyes. I thought I saw something in his eyes, a flicker of loneliness. I waved at him as he walked towards the gate. I was sure I was lying. I hated it when I can’t do nothing but cry, but I guessed I couldn’t do anything about it; we were not destined. I watched the ring in my hand. The moment I take this thing off my hand, I will not cry again. I will not feel hurt seeing Laurence with someone else. What a great escape! Suddenly I heard someone sobbing. The girl in the airport is at the door. She was getting hazy; I can even see a faint view of the door behind her. She was about to disappear. I watched her closely. Her face is angelic like mine. “Avery!,” my mom called. I tried to look back at the girl but she had disappeared. “You look harassed. Had you been crying?,” she asked knowingly. I didn’t answer. “The worst regret a person can have in life 78 78
could have is not for the wrong things he had done, but for the right things he never did,” She started with a knowing smile. My tears started to fall again. She hugged me. That time I wanted my mother with me. Somehow I felt comforted. My mother used to tell me stories about two individual who were destined for each other. I wanted to tell her that destiny was not on my side. “You may be driven by your fears to do so, but still it’s worth the try. And if you’re rejected, just like how you feared it to would emerge, at least you won’t spend a lifetime wondering what could have happened if you did,” my mother said. I wanted to be with him, I wanted to tell him don’t go with her. Soon, I realized I was running towards the door. I was hoping to catch up with Laurence. I will tell him what I really feel; this time, I will mean it. I was running as fast as I could to the gate when I caught sight of Laurence. I don’t know why was he still there standing, but as of that moment, I don’t need to clarify things; I hugged her tight. My tears were flowing wild. “You know what?,” I asked him without releasing him. “My happiest day ever was when Crobert accidentally slipped in our garage.” I said. “You mean you like Crobert?,” he was a sort of joking, but I guess he had a hint of what I was talking about. “Let me finish first!,” I demanded. “When you introduced to me Hazel, I was really hurting. I don’t want you to talk about her because I was jealous. I love you Laurence; and I don’t care a bit about destiny, to hell with it,” I sobbed on his shoulders. I did mean everything I said. If only Laurence felt the same way too. I felt okay now. I don’t know what Laurence would feel nor do, if he’s going to choose Hazel over me, of course I would be devastated, knowing that destiny had torn us apart, but at least I said what I needed to say. I let go of him. “Won’t you say something?,” I said. I know my face was very red. I technically proposed to him, which was so unusual for the two of us. “Princess!,” he was breathing harshly. He leaned his forehead to mine. I could hear
his heartbeats into mine; it was as if our hearts at that moment were beating as one. “You are such an ecstasy,” he said in a hoarse voice. He grabbed me at the waist. I was rather shock or confuse, either way I knew I was enjoying the moment. I didn’t want to lose him; I will do everything to bring him back to me. I put my arms around his neck. Call in insanity, but the moment was so consuming and I couldn’t help but to go on with it. I pulled his head and kissed him. He was not shocked at all, in fact I had this feeling that if I didn’t do it, he will scold me. “Laurence, your presence here is destined in the sides, not in the altar with this lady. You are not to marry this girl. You are destined to someone else.” I recalled the voice in my head. Cupid was maybe silly to strike us with his arrow without knowing that he had mismatched us. The voice was a sort of destiny’s will, and that Laurence and I were destined to someone else. But people had the power to change it, to make the mismatched couple matched. “I love you too, my Avery.” Laurence murmured. Everything went gray again. “I now pronounce you…,” the priest said grinning. “Man and wife.” I was blushing when I faced the crowd. The crowd was cheering hard. Supposedly, we were to kiss after the priest said “You may now kiss the bride”, but we kissed twosentences-early. I’m totally freaking out! It’s over now. I had won Laurence and my future with him. “Why are you smiling?” Laurence asked, amused. “Nothing!,” I said mysteriously. “Hey, you remember Hazel, right?,” I asked him. He nodded “I was just wondering. Did you break up with him the day I technically proposed to you?,” I was blushing when I said it. He looked at me amusedly.
He was really very handsome now compared to the skinny boy way back in high school. “Well, we didn’t have a formal relationship as you had thought. I wasn’t really certain that time; something was vaguely missing until you asked me to be your man. ” He was grinning mischievously as he said it. Yeah, Laurence might had lost his memory about me, but his love was exclusively mine; something destiny can’t manipulate. I hugged him tight. That time I saw the girl again whom I had seen at the airport and at my house. She was dressed for the occasion, but still people didn’t notice her. Her eyes were now filled with hope, which made it more like Laurence’s. The girl smiled at me; she looked like a girl version of the man before me. I knew it. With all those creepy stuff I had experienced, I should not be shocked. “Let me guess,” Laurence said mystically. “Our first baby will be a girl,” he said pinching my cheeks. I went red like a tomato, but I was taken aback by his guess. “Can you see her?!,” I asked him, confounded. “Who?,” he said curiously. I don’t think he had an idea that he had guessed it right. “Nothing,” I said. “I think your right, it’s a She. I guessed she will have your eyes and your smile.” I said with a wink. I looked again at the little girl; she was grinning. “-and your grin, too.” I added.
Illustrations
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by: Reynard Au
Essay Essay
By: April Agnes Galado
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hat makes the past beautiful is the way we remember each other-”life changes..memories don’t.. “ Friendship, as I have come to know it, is paved with utmost respect, honesty and trust and you know what else? These three words can be sum up to one, and that is-love. When you call yourselves “friends,” it should be genuine. It should be because you respect each other’s emotions. Because it is already given that no one besides you have the power to reach that far, that deep into the other person. You are able to reach, deep, where his her feelings are well-guarded, hidden from others, and that it just so happened that you became one of the people he or she should open herself to. You are bounded by trust and trust cannot go without respect. If you value your friend, you should respect her story, what she’s been through, what he or she is going through even though there might be too little that you understand about it. If any of the two, (trust and respect) is broken, the friendship also goes on the rocks, no matter how strong a foundation it’s been built with. And even if you happen to fix things, clear the mess, pick up the pieces, something will always be missing, there will always be cracks, where once a whole picture of friendship had been. One, both, or all of you will never be the same again, before the fall happened. You’ll be able to forgive each other, but I tell you, the rope that held both of you, will somehow become untied, because one of you will decide to let go of the other, not because he or she wants to,
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but because out of circumstance, it’s the most human thing to do. One thing that is much too heartbreaking to endure is to be betrayed by a trusted friend, or to know that in all of your time together, you had never been a good enough friend in his or her eyes. That almost everything you said and did went flowing with all the trash in a dirty river, even though you’ve bend yourself above and beyond, in the name of friendship already..you gave yourself beyond blood, beyond last names, enough to consider your friends as family and suddenly you face a reality and a question if any of your times together were real. it isn’t how long we’ve all been together. It’s all about this: friendship is a journey littered with all the good and the bad that one finds in the other. And the most beautiful about it all is that no matter how a truth hurts, we tell each other what’s real anyway because we don’t want our friends to settle with a lie no matter how neatly and creatively packed it is. Because we know how to hit our friends, we know where to hit, we know what part to touch to make a hurtful truth so much easier to deal with. That is how I remembered friendship was all about. At the end of the day, no matter how flawed any of us is, we take them back in our arms anyway because real friends can withstand anything, anything at all, as long as they got each other. The best thing about friendship is how we treasure one of God’s, and life’s greatest blessings...........EACH OTHER.
Literary Section
he place was filled with deep silence and fresh scented flowers. I gazed upon the placa where my beloved Arrah rested in peace as I flashbacked the bitter-sweet memories we shared together. I arrived early for my basketball practice, I was the team captain and my team was practicing for out basketball competition. Our coach gave us a break for a minute suddenly a pretty girl came to me and offered me bottled water and a towel. “Oh, you must be the team captain. You are indeed a good player. By the way, my name is Arrah. I’m a new student here. Please accept these.” She said smiling. My heart skipped a bit as I looked at her. I’ve never felt this feeling to any girl except Arrah. “I’m Ryran,, yes, I’m the team captain. Thank you for your compliment and for your concern.” I said. Arrah extended her hand and I give it a welcoming grip. I felt an indescribable sensation when our hand touched.
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One day, I was heading to the gym when I saw Arrah standing near the entrance. She was very pretty wearing the school’s uniform. Her hair was fixed in a ponytail making her face look more radiant. “Hi Ryran! I came to see your practice and I prepared your water and towel.” She said. “Oh! Don’t bother yourself Arrah. I’m good. You can watch our practice whenever you like.” I told her in a stammered voice. Every practice, Arrah was always present to watch me. She was there to 81 81
cheer for me and everybody presumed that she was my girlfriend. I’m not ready to engage myself into a relationship but my relationship with Arrah was special. One night, Arrah told me that she love me. I was shocked and I can’t believe that she would confess to me. I was speechless and unable to meet her eyes. Everyday, Arrah gave me three roses with a box of chocolate on my table inside my room. I became the center of attention in the campus because everybody knew that Arrah was madly in love with me. I was really
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embarrassed and annoyed because of Arrah’s wooing. My basketball teammates even teased me about Arrah. I really tried my best not to entertain them. For that, I began to dislike her. I stayed away from Arrah and refused all her presents for me. But, Arrah was persistent and still courted me to get my precious yes. Until one evening, after my last basketball practice, she came to see and talk to me. Arrah looked straight into my eyes and gave me a tender smile from her lips. “I love you Ryran, please believe that. I know that this sounds awkward because I am the one who courted you and I know too that you experienced a hard time about my courting but please believe me. I really do love you. ..” Arrah cried and kissed me on the cheek then left. That night, Arrah occupied all the corners of my mind. She was kind, gentle, thoughtful, sweet and charming. I admit that I like her and felt empty whenever I stayed away from her and missed her terribly. I made up my mind that I am going to confess my feelings for her and ready to start a love story with her. It was our basket ball competition. The school gym was getting packed but there was no sign of Arrah. The game started and I tried to focus in the game. The game was tough and both of the teams ties. I felt down because I never saw Arrah. Until I heard the voice I long to hear, it was Arrah’s. I saw her waving the banner with name of my team and shouted my name. She gave the most beautiful smile
and it made me boost my mood to win and finish the game. At last, our team won the game. After the competition, I excitely went to Arrah. She was waiting for me. I immediately hugged her and kissed her. I saw the joy in her eyes. “Arrah, I love you too. I promise I will never hurt you. I know this one sounds corny but I’d like to say this to you. I’ll be careful with your heart.” I told her misty-eyed. Arrah cried and hugged me tightly. I was puzzled by her reaction but I guess it was tears of joy. Then she gave me a box. “I baked you a cake. I hope you’ll love it!” she said. I opened the box and saw the heart-shaped cake with an endearment I love you. I was touched and held her hand tightly and kissed it. I wish that time would stop for both of us. It was our first ‘monthsary’ and I planned to bring Arrah out. I went to our meeting place but to my dismay, I saw her laughing with another guy and they seemed so sweet. All my nerves burst out and Arrah didn’t even felt my presence. I went away immediately because I don’t want to witness a heart-breaking scene.
I never talked to Arrah about the incident. She ‘texted’ and called me but I didn’t bother to reply. She was asking me why I’m so cold to her but I remained silent. I never saw Arrah for several days and I began to wonder why. One day, I saw the guy whom Arrah was with on our first ‘monthsary’. I saw the guy was mad then he punch me. “You brute! What did you do to my sister? She loves you very much and this is how you will repay her? Damn you! You hurt her so much now she’s in the hospital battling between life and death!” I was shocked as I heard the words he said. The guy told me that he was Benjamin, Arrah’s brother. I was stunned and felt my legs froze upon hearing the big revelation. We rushed to the hospital. Benjamin told me that Arrah has a serious heart disease since birth and has been told by her doctors that she could not live any longer but, miraculously Arrah lived for several years. Arrah was lively the time she met me. Ben also told me that he have never seen his sister that happy and contented, it seems that she was alright.
can carry me. Arrah was lying on the bed in a terrible condition and it brought tears in my eyes, I held her both hands encouraged her to live. “Arrah, it’s me Ryran. I’m sorry… I didn’t trust you. Forgive me, please live and stay. I’m sorry for being an idiot. Oh God! This is all my fault. I didn’t value my promise. I hurt you so much!” I cried. Arrah slowly opened her eyes and looked at me. I felt her hands moving and her lips, trying to utter words of love. “Thank God, it’s you! Oh Ryran there’s nothing to forgive. It’s my fate to die. I will never forget you. Thank you so much for loving me. Stay happy when I’m gone. I love you and good-bye…” Arrah said in a whisper. Arrah died with peaceful and happy smile curved in her pale lips. It’s been five years since Arrah’s death. I learned to move on and accept the tragic end of our love story. I realized that you should cherish the one you love before it’s too late because time is not ours. I am peaceful now and for another love story with Arrah in a fairytale’s happy-ever-after theme.
I went to her room as fast as my legs
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by: Sylvia F. Secuya Why are we not allowed to choose what life we like? What if God let us choose that we want? Would our life be more colorful?
e was married to a man whom she thought would give her a happy ending. Her husband was a mason. Never did she think that her husband would turn out into a drunkard and would be unfaithful to her. Everyday is like a living hell. The worst incident was when she was sixteen weeks pregnant with their forth child. Their business goes to being bankrupt and she began to be worry on how the family would survive. As days pass, her hatred for her husband grows and her children become the outlet of her anger. She would whip her child so hard till it cuts their flesh every time they commit mistakes. They would have bruises and wounds all over their body. One night her husband returns home very drunk, this leads into chaos. “Where have you been?” Fe asked. “It’s none of your business!” her husband said. “How dare you come back home despite what you did?! You’re so heartless!” Fe was crying while holding her tummy. “Are you okay Anne?” Drew asked. “Yeah, I’m okay. Don’t worry about me.” Anne replied. “Bro, when will our parents reconcile? Is it going to be when one of us dies? If that’s the case, I hope it will be me. I feel tired already.” Mae said. “I know one day our family will be united so, don’t give up Mae” Anne said while Drew is comforting their little sister, Mae. “But, when?” Mae asked. Anne and Drew remained silent for they also don’t know when their parents will reconcile. 84 84
They decided to sleep in the middle of their parents’ quarrel. It was still dawn when Drew wakes up. It was so quiet. Anne was not anymore around and Mae was still sleeping. When he goes out of the tent he saw Anne staring at the vast sky. “Are you okay Anne?” Drew asked. “Our father runs away from home again leaving our mother crying.” Anne said. Drew kept his silence. “You know bro, when Mae asked when will this family reunite, I just wonder if I’ll still be alive when that time comes.” Anne sadly uttered those words. Drew just sighed as a response. “Just hang on Anne. I know that time will come. Just don’t lose hope.” Staring at the sky, they both say their own prayers. Suddenly, Anne falls to the ground…unconscious. Drew shouted for help. Their grandparents, who were secretly listening from their conversation, help Drew in carrying Anne. They rushed her to the hospital. Fe was fast asleep when Drew shouted for help. When she wakes up she saw Mae was crying in their small balcony. She was annoyed by Mae’s crying but still manages her temper to ask Mae. “Why are you crying Mae?” this time her voice shows concern for her child. Mae was surprised because it’s the first time her mother become so gentle towards her. “Ate Anne was rushed to the hospital.” Mae answered. Fe feels like the whole world is castigating her upon hearing what had happened. Tears flow from her eyes. It was
the first time that Mae felt their mother’s love for them. When they reached the hospital, Drew was still in the state of shock that he never noticed the arrival of their mother. He mother come to him, about to ask what happened. “ I thought you wouldn’t come here?! I think this is what you want, right?!” He turns his back away from his mother. He went immediately to where Anne was. Anne look so pale as if no more blood is running in her veins. Tears flow from Fe’s eyes like it won’t stop. Her mother gets inside Mae’s room. “Your child has Leukemia.” The doctors said. “She will never last long because her body is weak even if she will undergo a surgery.” The doctor added. The doctors said that it is impossible for the mother not to notice what her child was going through. “How dare you to curse us and shed tears now that one of us is dying?!” Drew said to his mother with anger. Fe tried to explain and apologize but she was hindered by her fear. Fe walked away while being stared by her husband. She found a place to be alone and it seems like the baby inside her womb is also sharing the same feelings with her…sadness. “Lord, is this your punishment to me? Please don’t take Anne away from me. She didn’t do anything wrong. Why not take her father instead? Her father is so irresponsible. Lord, please give Anne a chance to survive.” She keeps on sobbing till she had fallen asleep. In her dream: “Doc… Doc…. My daughter, please help her.” She said. “I thought you like your child to die. Why are you
now asking for my help?” Then the doctor left her. Tear fall from her eyes and she started talking to herself. “Why do things have to happen like this? Why shouldn’t it be that person I hate the most? Why is it my daughter and not my husband who is going to die? A nurse taps her back. “Come follow me. There’s river near from here.” She obediently follows the nurse. After ten minutes of walking, they reach their destination. They river’s water was so clear and it flows smoothly. She never noticed that the nurse was bringing a pair of slippers. “Look carefully, I’ll put the pair of slippers into the water.” Fe was puzzled by what the nurse was saying. “Why? Why are you doing that?” Fe asked. The nurse didn’t answer her. Instead, she continue what she was about to do and say. “If this pair of slippers would stay together at the foot of the tree then, the life of your daughter will be taken but if it didn’t, it’s going to be your husband’s life. She was shocked at what the nurse said. The slippers were carried by the current of the water flow. She was praying while they followed the slippers till it reached near the tree. She reached the foot of the tree and was disappointed and hurt by what she saw. The slippers are stranded together under the roots of the tree. Her eyes widened in disbelief. “This couldn’t be true. No….No….No….please…No!! She wakes up from that dream screaming with tear from her eyes. When she opened her eyes, she saw her husband carrying Anne’s lifeless body.
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By: Mary Jane T. Quimbo
I
t was Saturday when my father sent me to my Aunt’s house. Before he decided to stay in his sister’s house we’ve been arguing of something—somewhat funny things that love really exist. I want to prove to him that it really is true. My father no longer believes when my mother left us for another man. It was a huge disaster in the life of my father. After giving birth, she left us to be with her man. My life was miserable after the tragedy happened. My father was too strict when it comes to me. Sometimes I felt that he is being unfair, he didn’t even care about my feelings every time he ignores me. It seems that I am very lonely--like I’m trapped in the forest and nobody dares to save me. I lived far from the city. In my sixteen years of existence I never have a single step in the city. When my father finally give me the chance to go to the city, I didn’t let the opportunity pass by. I grabbed it. I couldn’t imagine what I would be in a new life… in the crowded place… in the city.
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Illustration By: Angelito Marsan
“Lish remember this in mind, the reason why you are here is because you wanted to prove to me that love really exists.” Father uttered. There is that one thing I will never get rid of mind. I will prove to him what I have to prove. I only got a week to do the challenge. If I ever I failed to do this, I will be living the rest of my life in my hometown. That would be absurd. I decided to call my bestfriend to seek for some advice about it. I was so in a hurry in dialing the number. I guy answered my call on the other line. I asked him of I could talk to Nicole. He said I dialed a wrong number. I paused for a moment. I don’t know what force has driven me to ask for his name. To my surprise, he gave his name in a very friendly manner. He said he is Ydan. It is when our closeness all started. After talking to him over the phone, I hurriedly went to Nicole’s house. I was shocked to when I discovered that the guy that answered the phone was her cousin. I didn’t dial the worn number after all. The feeling of excitement turned suddenly to panic. I could not take my eyes from staring at him. I never thought that he would look better that I could ever imagined. He was the best-looking man I’ve ever met. I couldn’t believe that I felt such a strong feeling I only read on novels. We’ve talked over the phone and have been visiting me several times. He is a man of few words. For the couple of days we spent together, I could say that I was falling in love with him and I’m finding it hard to fight this feeling.
Six days passed and one more day left. I keep on pushing against barriers hoping it would give way to prove it to myself as well as to my father. In my last day in this crowded place, I asked Ydan for the last time to meet me in our favorite place. He never declined to my request. I keep on waiting for him to say what he feelings for me. The cool air of the night feels pleasant on my face. I suddenly break the silence in the dark place. I can’t take it anymore; I need to ask him what the real score between us is really. In my eagerness and out of control, I asked him. “Do you love me?” He was shocked. It looks like he is scared for his reply. After asking him that question, I felt ashamed and began to be quiet. “Yes, I really do like you, but this isn’t the right time for us. Maybe someday when we are both successful in our careers.” He said showing no emotions. Tears fall from my eyes. I was too dull to keep on pushing for the love that can never be mine. My whole body went numb, like I’m extremely sick. I choose not to utter another word to him. I have nothing to do with his decision anymore, it’s final. I could not turn back the time and twist the happenings. All I could do now is to accept what’s real. I realized it was just a waste of time. Early in the morning I was busy preparing my baggage while my father was waiting outside. I don’t have enough courage to face him because I failed. I thought he would laugh at me but I was wrong. He was the one who make the first move. He approaches me. “You’ve really prove to me that love really exist. Love is not just about happy endings. Love is also about letting go.” He said comforting me.
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As the Sun Sets By: Joel Flores Rivera
I
n the middle of the woods where he used to play with his childhood friends, Jake stood there reminiscing the sweet yesterday. Back the, they used to climb from tree to tree like playing monkeys, nut now he couldn’t do it anymore. He smiled at the memory. It’s been quiet a long while since the last time he visited here and it still look the same, only the trees are a little older and taller, and the bushes are thicker. He walked aimlessly enjoying the cool fresh air, smells like home, he thought. The blue sky slowly turned into indigo, the last color of the day. It was then he decided to go back home, wondering how many kilometers he had walked. Halfway to his home, the sun was already gone. It’s too dark for him to move on, he could not even decide which direction to take. Fear struck him. Above, the clouds dispersed, releasing a pale light which revealed the dark creepy figures of the trees. He looked up and saw the soft beautiful round moon and countless twinkling stars spreading all over the night sky. Its light was too weak but strong enough to clear his path. He continued walking— Jake woke up, that dream again. His body id in great pain again. He’s lying on bed for months now, suffering from stage four one cancer. His fate brought him into great depression which also contributed to the fast development of his disease. But who could blame him? Anyone with 88 88
big responsibility to his family would certainly feel so hopeless when incurable disease lands. Jake was the oldest among eight siblings. At early age, he had already worked hard in the farm to help his parents, not minding the intense heat of the sun baking him. There are times that they had nothing more to eat but boiled cassava or camote. His heart would sink when his family had no other choice but to cling to something like this. It was then he dreamed to get his family out of poverty. And swore to his self that it would be his life’s goal. When he finished his high school, he left to Cebu to pursue college, vowed to his family that he will bring a better life when he comes back. In Cebu, he worked as a service crew on a fast food chain while studying. He strived so hard, ignoring temptations around him. He turned down nightlife invitations and even ignores his emotions towards the woman he’s beginning to love. He ignores everything that he thought destruction to his ambition. He sacrificed his own hapininess only for his poor waiting family. His perseverance was unyielding not minding how tired he is. He just set in his mind only for his goal, which is nothing compared to the things he will achieve soon after he finish
his studies. He even found himself daydreaming about those days, more food that they could eat, more clothes that they could wear and a big house that could withstand any typhoon. That they could get anything they had been deprived from. No amount of money could compensate my hard workings but the fulfillment of my dreams, he thought to himself. He worked and worked, even when he only got less hours of sleep. In the class, he was also keeping up, afraid to be left behind. Until one day, when he was on his fourth year in college, a few more months before graduation, he felt something painful on his shoulder. But he ignored it, believing he just had to get some rest. Weeks dragged on, the pain reached his arms and back. It’s a kind of pain he had never felt before. He refused to consult a doctor, dreading to find out what it could be. He did not tell his parents and friends about these because he didn’t want to see them worried sick of him. When he could not bear the pain anymore, he collapsed. And the next thing he knew, he was on a strange room with his mother sobbing on his side. He too cried when his mother told him the cause of his unconsciousness. He didn’t want to see his mother crying so hard. And he knew so well too that it kills a mother seeing his son on this situation. Both wanted to soothe one another but unable. And now here he was, lying on a four legged damn bed nothing to do but ask God a hundred question for a hundred times. He felt that he is no longer bound to his dreams but bound to his death. He does believe that everything happens for a reason.
But, in his case, he seems to forget his own belief. Yes, it’s difficult for him to accept and understand, now that he was almost there—almost there in the finish line but he stumbled real hard and unable to get up. Everything he worked so hard for, and the years he spent for a bright tomorrow is now in vain. All fell to nothing but a shattered dream. Jake was supposed to be his family’s sun that would bring them light. He was their hope. But what could hope do when hope itself is doomed? A doctor came bringing some news for his family, they listened closely with horrified faces as the doctor spoke. Suddenly, they burst into tears, his mother wailed. The sound of their cry crushed Jake’s heart; he could sense that the news was his days are numbered. They hurdled around his bed. Jake looked like not the Jake they used to know, he was now very bald and very thin that the outline of his bones showed through his skin. They cried as though he was already in the coffin. The sight of them drowned Jake’s heart, so he held his feelings and thought that crying with them would be meaningless. He asked them not to cry hard when he’s gone that he may not be the hope after all, and that God had a million plans for them and won’t leave them in darkness for long. He didn’t mean to give them false hope; he only wanted them to look forward. It’s the lease that they could do now. He paused for a moment and remembered the dream he dreamed a dozen times, and said: “When the sun waves good-bye to the world, it is the moon’s and star’s turn to take care of it, with its gentle light.” And then he closed his eyes with contented heart. 89 89
“Some things are just never meant to be…”
By Taletha Paradela
I
t was her face that consumed his thoughts, corrupting the very fibers of his being. On rarest occasions, he could see her carriage trotting along the cobbled streets of London. It glowed with elegance with curtains of the finest cloth and with drivers that sit with authority to the beast that carried it. At times, he could see her blue eyes peering in between the curtains, eyes that are as deep as the sea, eyes that could see far into the depths of mere human soul. Yes. It was almost as if she was an angel that descended from the Heavens. Yet, it was only her eyes. No-one was allowed near her carriage. No-one knows when the thing would appear next on the streets. But the sound of the hooves of her horses is sensationally sweet and resembled no other that he would immediately know her presence. At the first sound of the hooves, she seemed to release an air of nobility
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and gracefulness with such great intensity. The first sound would instantly send him running down the stairs of his apartment and into the streets to take at least one look at the lady with the beautiful eyes. Once, he followed her carriage when it passed by his small apartment. Of course, royal guards would fend off stalkers and strangers who dared follow the vehicle. But he was careful not to reveal his intention. He followed with difficulty, treading carefully, hiding his face with the straightened collar of his trench coat, wrapping a red scarf around his neck. He had stolen a top hat that was lying along the gutters from a blind beggar. He intended to return it after he had made introductions with the princess. The lady had taken his heart on the mere eye contact that they had made together a very long time ago. The split second that her eyes met his was enough to take his heart away. It was one split second but it seemed one whole hour to him. It was her eyes that stunned him, the princess’ lonely eyes which told him everything he needed to know about her. He had almost cried
at the intensity of it. But it was only one second. She had only peered in between the curtains, as she had always done since they were very young. He ran ahead of the coach. A royal ball had beckoned her presence and it was the one rare chance that everyone would be able to see the princess. He waited near the entrance of the building and hid behind the rose bushes that decorated the way to the doors of the great hall. It was to his great convenience that no-one had discovered his hiding place. Before he had stepped out of his rooms, he had made sure to bring the silver necklace that had been in his family for as long as he could remember. The only jewel that dangled on it was the sapphire that was as blue as her eyes. It was a family heirloom that was handed down from generation to generation. It was the only thing he could give to the lady, but having her possess the only expensive and valuable item that he owned was enough for him. The chances that she would accept it was very slim, but it was worth the risk. Royal carriages had started arriving one by one and the royalties were opened for by the royal valet. Dainty slippers that fitted delicate feet would stick out of the door every time carriages were opened. Then, attendants would hold out a gloved hand and a smooth hand would touch it in return. A queen or a princess would step out, each with different glimmering gowns that could not be found in the local boutique. They all had the same expression: a raised eyebrow, nose held high, and eyes that looked down, as if something very nasty was present right under their noses. He waited for their princess to arrive. This was the moment that they had all been waiting for. Apparently, others were also waiting for the arrival. And at last, her carriage had arrived. The princess stepped out, brushing aside the hand of the attendant. She was extensively beautiful, a face the world would never again see. Soft nose that seemed to be chiseled carefully by a divine hand, red lips that smiled humility, and lonely, blue eyes that wore a sad expression. Her countenance was that of gloom and remorse. By the moment he
laid eyes on her, sadness washed over him. How he wished he could show sympathy to the lonely beauty. She moved about slowly, each step falling softly to the ground. She halted and looked to her right, as if she could feel his presence. Then, she continued walking. He wanted to run after her, but the pain of having to part with her if he was discovered restrained him. He had to wait again. If he must wait for hours just to talk to her, he would. He waited agonizingly, hiding behind the rose bushes, trying to remember the face that shone brightly in the pale moonlight. Then, it was half past eight. He had to get out and sneak into the ball without notice. He stealthily crept into the courtyard. Once or twice, he almost met a royal guard along the way. And then he made his way into the kitchens, wearing a dirty apron that was hanging on the wall. Even if he was wearing the apron as a disguise, everyone was too busy to notice his presence, preparing the food that was to be presented on the tables. He knew that the princess was on a balcony upstairs. He had seen her earlier outside. He ran to the stairs. He almost flew for he could not wait to see her. And at last, he saw the lady, face to face. Her brown hair fell down her shoulders almost magnificently. She was looking at the empty yard below, lips no longer smiling. She must have heard his hurried footsteps for she looked at him, fixing his eyes on his dirty face. “Your Majesty,” he said, “I have come here to-.” “How did you get in?,” she asked calmly but angrily, fixing sad eyes into him, “No-one was allowed into the royal chambers unless I summon them to. Shall I call the guards and watch you dragged into the great hall and thrown outside?” He was rooted to the spot. It was as if something was stuck in his throat. That wasn’t what he had expected. After all, he had come a long way to get there and waited for that moment for a long time. The princess was far different from the lady that he had always seen peering in between the curtains of the carriage. Right now, the princess’ blue eyes shone not with 91 91
sadness, but with coldness that pierced into his own eyes. For a moment, he was stunned. But soon, he found his voice and spoke. “I’m sorry, milady,” he spoke with white lips, embarrassed, “I have only come here to give this sapphire necklace to you.” She stared at him, still standing in the balcony of the small chamber. Then, she looked away and into the almost dark, empty courtyard. “I don’t need your rubbish necklace,” she told him with such coldness and indifference, “There is a lot of trouble brewing in the palace already and I don’t want you to be one of them. Now, if you don’t mind, I need some time alone. I don’t have to show you the way out.” “But milady, if you wear this, it would be a great honor-!,” he started but was cut short by the stingy lady in the balcony. “Listen here, commoner,” she said calmly with an air of authority and superciliousness without even looking at him, “If you don’t get out now, I will see to it that you will be hanged for trespassing and interrupting me in my chamber. It was already merciful of me to dismiss you without having to call the guards. I don’t get back on my word, commoner, so I hope you will heed my warning. “I have watched you and your band of illiterates, trying to take a glance at me and it makes me sick to think that you have forgotten how much my mother, the late queen, had tried so much to protect you. Instead, you laugh and wave and try to see me behind the curtains. You clearly have no idea how much we had to sacrifice for your sake. You rejoice and celebrate while we suffer everything just to ensure your safety. Make your way out now, commoner.” His face flushed red, anger slowly accumulating in his heart. His knees were shaking. He could not believe that after all this time, she was wearing a mask of pretense. No, she was not faking anything. She had shown her true colors and that was enough. His heart sank and in it replaced a deep fury. He sprang to his feet and quickly ran to the direction of the princess. He was so 92 92
quick that before she could even turn, he had tied the necklace around her neck and strangled her. She tugged onto the necklace and tried to fight back. But with the small size of the princess and the bulk of the man that was strangling her, one could only guess the outcome. She struggled and struggled. She choked. He, on the other hand, was so full of anger that he had squeezed every ounce of his strength to the strangulation of the lady. She gagged and coughed. And at last, resistance ceased and the arms of the lady flung back lifelessly. He had killed her. Then he came back to his senses and found the lady he had only watched and loved lying lifelessly in his arms. He could not believe what he had done. He had killed the princess, the lady he was always trying see, the lady with the blue, sad eyes that peered in between the curtains of the carriage that passed by his apartment once in a while. He dropped the necklace to the concrete floor. The lady’s eyes were open; the whites of it had turned red. He could now see clearly the deep blue shade of it. What once glinted in the sun had then shone dully. He left the chambers using the cloths that he hurryingly tied together to make a rope to escape the ill fate that may befall him. He ran for his life, away from the fortress, away from the dead princess. He had never thought that his first meeting with the lady would also be the last. It was her face that consumed his thoughts, the face of the dead princess. And he is in his common room in his apartment along the road that her carriage would always pass, taking a swig off his flask. Angry fists heavily pound on his wooden door, fists of men and women who loved their dear princess as much as he did and will always do – never mind the mask she wore! Hooves can be heard marching outside the streets. The sound they make now falls dull and hollow; mere ‘clickclacks’ on the cobblestone. He is there, sitting by the fire, trying to convince himself that it was only a bad dream but at the same time, waking up to the reality of his impending doom. By following the carriage of the princess, he had taken the carriage to his Death.
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Balak
By: Shiela L. Espinosa
Sa pagbidlisiw sa haring adlaw gibuhian ko ang usa ka halawom nga pagpanghupaw sa makausa pa buot kong ang kagahapun mahanduraw Sa pagusab nakita ko ang dalaan nga kanhi kong gitahak. Anaa, ug nakita ko pa gihapon ang mga panganod nga naglagitom. Nabati ko pag-usab ang mga singgit sa pagbiay-biay, ang makabunggog mga pagtamay, ang mga pulong sa pagsalikway!
Sa pagbidlisiw sa haring adlaw gibuhian ko ang usa ka halawom nga pagpanghupaw apan niining higayona, gilingi ko na ang mga dahong lunhaw.. Gikan niining kasinatian akong nakatunan: Ang kinabuhi sa tao nahisama diay sa panaw. Ang kagahapun milabay na, Dili na angay’ng hilakan pa.
Nabatyagan ko pagbalik ang mga kapakyasan kong daw baha ang mga pagpanhupaw kong: ANG GINOO, ASA NA KAHA?
Ang kasamtangan usa ka gasa angayang pasalamatan ug ampingan. Ang umaabot usa pa ka tanghagga, walay makatag-an,walay kasiguruhan
Ug sa katapusan, misanting sa akong dalunggan ang akong mga hilak ug pagpanghupaw..
Ang tanan adunay hinungdan busa ang paglaom dili ta hikalimtan ug labaw sa bisan unsa pa man Sa Dios isalig ta ang tanan.
Pagkapait sa kinabuhi sa usa ka pobre Usahay walay makaon, dili unta magpirme Maayo nalang kung anaay ginamos para sa kan-on ikombati Hahay! Unsaon nalang kini Tanang trabaho andam sudlan Para kutoyng tiyan matambalan Bisan pa ug dili na madala sa kalawasan Kaw walay laing mahimo kundi magkinugihan Kaugalingun kinahanglang dili mubati’g 94 94
O Ginoo asa naman ang matahom nga bangaw nga gisaad Mo human niining mapait nga panaw?
kakapoy Bisan lawas sige na ug reklamo, aguy! Pero antuson nalang gyud ang kalapoy Kay nagpuyo man sa kinabuhing pordoy Lamiang pagkaon kutob nalang sa damgo Lechon, fried chicken ug uban pang lamian kayow Kay imposeble kaayong mahitabo Tungod kay bulsa walay bisan unsa kadako Gibuhat ko na ang tanang paningkamot Pero nganong anaa man gihapon sa kauyamot? Mao naba kini ang akoang silot? O anaa pay daghang umaabot?
Tinipulong
imo magdugay by:Ala Pink Rose Ug sa dihang dili na angay na magpakahilum Sa takos kong kalagot nga dugay ko rang giluom Tanang giyawit ko karon wala gayod ako nagbasol Sa likod sa akong pagdumot dili ako maghinulsol Dugay ko ra nga gipangandoy ning panghitabo-a Nga kining butanga mutulisok sa sad-an mong mata Ug sa tibouk kong kinabuhi ako gayod magmaya Human sa kaayuhan kong gibawsan mu lang ug pagduda Wala ka ba nasayod sa imong pamatasan? Sa panaot mu imo kong gipanamastamasan Busa walay pagmahay kong gikulit sa akong dughan Putlan ko ikaw ug gininhawaan sa akong atubangan Ang imong mga pulong mas mala pa ning kutsilyo Kay ang panghimantay ra man sa uban ang imong bisyo Mga balikas sa baba mu ang nagdala ug dilubyo Dili man sab ka perpekto busa ayaw panglimpyo Lantawa sa samin ang imong panagway Apilan pa sa imong budhi nga wa jud mu angay Nagdako ka ba sa imong ginikanan nga malaw-ay? Gani man, walay usa ka tawo nga sa
Matag tawag ko sa demonyo sa imong dunggan mubagting Dawata ning ganti ko gikan sa bato kong kasing-kasing Ug sukad ning orasa ako maghuwat sa adlaw na Magsud-ong ko nga magkatawa sa atubangan sa imong haya
Juzelle Ann Cantano Pagkanindot sa mga adlaw nga atoang gisaw-an Kay ikaw para ka nako ang tanan Hangtud na nasayran ko ang pait nga kamatuoran Nga ikaw adunay laing gihigugma ug ako imohang gibiyaan Pagkalisod gyung dawaton sa kamatuoran Nga ikaw wala na ning akoang kiliran Kay gibiyaan mo man ang dughan ko nga samaran nga nag-antos sa mga kasakit nga sobrahan Bisan paman sa paninguha nga ikaw hikalimtan Ikaw lang gayud ang pirming mahunahunaan Panagway mo pirmi sa akoang handurawan Samtang namasin nga maynta mahibalik pa ang tanan Nganong ikaw paman ang gipiling kalipay Kung ang gugma mu dili man diay tinudanay Nagtuo ako nga kita magminahalay sa kanunay Apan nasayop ako ug walay laing mabuhat kundi magmahay
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-Juan Lebin Soncados
Gimahal tika sa walay pagduhaduha Akong pagkatawo sa kinatibuk-an Kanimo ako gitugyan Ug sa akong mga kamot Ikaw giampingan Puno sa pagsalig Nga kanang imong gibati Para kanako tinud-anay man
Ikaw kanako misaad Nga sa hangtod Imo akong mahalon Ug ako dili nimo biyaan Kay sa kanunay Imo akong unungan Apan nganong sa kalit lang Sa suod kong higalang Mas ambungan ug adunahan Ikaw miuban
Para kanimo tiaw lang ba ang tanan Nga imo giduwaan kining akong dughan Aduna ba ko’y pagkuwang Para ako mahulipan?
Milabay ang panahon Ug ikaw mibalik Uban sa pagbasol
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Ug ikaw makig-uli Miangkon sa kasaypanan ug nagpakiluoy Nga sa makausa pa Ikaw akong dawaton
Apan ulahi na ang tanan Kay sa imong pagbiya Suod mong higala Akong nakauban Tanan mong pagkuwang Iyang gihulipan
Sa kalipay ug kasubo Iya akong giunungan Tiunay nga gugma Sa iya nako nakit-an Ug wala niya pakyasa Kining akong dughan
Akong pagsalig Sa iya akong gihatag Ug gisumpang siya na Ang akong kalibutan Hangtod sa kahangturan Ug uban sa imong pagbiya Kanako sa una Ang pagtaliwan sa akong gugma Gahin nako para sa imoha
Tinipulong
Hamubo na Sugilanon
Sinulat ni: Randy Brizo
P
ag-amping sa pagpili sa imong amigohon. Siguroa nga dili maparehas sa lamok nga mabuhi lamang sa pagsupsop sa imong dugo. Usa ka lawom nga kagabhion namatikdan tika. Wala ko makatulog busa gipasiga nako ang suga. Nakita tika naglupadlupad sa lawas sa akong igsuon. Gisuwayan tika’g dakop pero wala tika madakpi. Gibuhat na nako kay kahibawo ko gas a taud-taod manuyop ka’g dugo niya. Gipasagdan lang tika. Nihigda ko’g balik ug naghuna-huna ug lawom. Pagkataud-taod, nibalik, napud ka ug sa akoa nagpaduol. Pagkataud-taod nibangon ko aron pagngon ang suga, naghigda ug nakatulog na unta ko pero naa ko’y nabatyagan nga nangatol ang akong nawong. Nahapak nako ang ako nawong ug napatay tika. Nakatag ang dugo gikan sa imung lawas. Tungod ato, wala na gyud ko nakabatyag ug kaduka. Nahuna-hunaan napud nako ang mga problemang naglangkod sa akoa ug saw ala tuyoa nahimo kang usa sa mga gipanghunahuna nako. Ikaw nga usa ka lamok lamang ang ikumparar nako sa mga tawong dili matinudanon sa tinuod nga pagka sila. Pareho sad nimo nga manuyop ug dugo, permi silang magpaduol nako kung sila nanginahanglan ug kung naa ko’y naabot nga kadaugan. Permi nindot ang ilang mga ipanulti kung naa ko sa ilang atubangan. Pareho sad nimo nga kunohay maglupad-lupad kung pasigaon ang suga. Kung pagngon na nako ang suga makalugar dayon kang muduol sa akoa, paakon ug supsupon ang akong dugo. In-ana sad sila, nga kung naa ko sa kalisdanan ug pangitaon nako sila sa akong kiliran, wala na. Kung magtalikod ko, bisan unsa na lang ang mga ipanulti nila
kabahin nako nga ikasakit sa akong dughan, ug dungog. Sa akong pag-inusara, wala gyu’y bisa’g usa sa ilaha nga nilingaw sa akoa. Sain-atong tungura nako nailhan ang kamatuuran nga dili sila tinud-anay ug takos sa ilahang pagka tawo ug ang hugaw nila didtong tungura sad nako nahibaw-an. Parehas sad nimu nigawas ang tanang dugo sa dihang nahapakan tika. Nakamata ko ug wala na makatuolog pagusab. In-ana gyud diay, nahigmata ko sa kamatuoran nga ang mga in-anang tawo kay dili tim-os nga muonong nimo sa kalisdanan nga ikaw nanginahanglan sa ilang presensya ug pagtabang ug mao ra sad ang maghatag sa akoa ug leksyon sa pakighalobilo sa mga tawo. Ang maong kamatuoran ang naghatag ug kalig-on sa akong kaugalingon sa pagpili sa tawo’ng akong amigohon. Ngano’ng ing-ana man ka, gagmay’ng lamok? Kung naa’y suga, mao ra pud ang imong iduol, nga murag imo lang kko’ng giduwaan, pero kung naa na sa ngiob o kangitngit, mamaak ka! Dili ka kahibaw manginabuhi nga dili ka magsalig sa uban. Ngano kaha? A, bahala na lang. Bisa’g in-ana ka, nagpasalamat gihapon ko. Isipon lang gihapon tika nga amigo’ng nagpahigmata sa akoa, sa kamatuoran.
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By: Angelo Betache
1.
2.
a.Once a day b.Once a week c.Once a month d.On birthdays, anniversaries, monthsaries--- sometimes
a.Intimate apparel b.Jewelry c.Exactly what they asked for d.A China pet
How many times do you say “I love you”?
3.
When’s the last time you gave him or her a reason to smile: a.A couple weeks ago b.A couple months ago c.A year ago d.I can’t remember back that far
5.
The best music for a romantic date is: a.Ravel’s Bolero b.Frank Sinatra c.Michael Bolton d.Kiss
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On a Special occasion, I bought him or her:
4.
My ideal vacation with him or her would be: a.Hawaii b.Las Vegas c.Disney World d.Visit Relatives
6.
My favourite poet is:
a.Lord Byron b.Shakespeare c.Edgar Allan Poe d.Who’s Lord Byron?
7.
On our first date, we:
a.Dined at a fancy restaurant b.Saw a play c.Rented a movie d.Visit my mom and dad
9.
When I see him or her during vacant time, I: a.Ask him or her how his or her day was b.Talk about my day c.Text and Text, No Talk d.Ask what’s his or her next subject then leave
8.
When I want to get his or her attention: a.I say “Mhine”, “Dhadie”, “Mhamie” or our endearment b.I say his or her first name c.I don’t call him or her anything; I just start talking d.I whistle
10.
When I think there is something wrong in our relationship, I: a.Ask him or her what’s the problem, maybe we could talk it over b.Just give him or her a super hug c.I’ll just let him or her solve the problem d.I’ll keep silent, I know it’ll come to pass
SCORING For every question you answered letter “a” give yourself 4 points, 3 points for letter “b”, 2 points for letter “c” and 1 point for letter “d”. ASSESSMENT Sum up you scores and see your attitude towards having a relationship 30-40 points You’re an incurable romantic, loving, sensitive, and willing to make sacrifices for the one you love. 20-29 points You’re loving, but strong and silent and just have a hard time expressing it. 10-19 points You’re practical. Your relationship is a corporation, and you’re the CEO. 1-9 Maybe you should have gotten a pet instead of a lover.
Source: World Wide Web 99 99
Let’s see how things will go for you in the year of the water dragon.
ARIES
(March 21- April 19) Your hidden talent will truly shine this year. Even if there are hindrances in the achievement of your dreams, still it will never move you out since you feel the urge of doing so. You’ll be able to catch up the unfinished business that you almost forgot for the past few years. People will notice the big change in you as you move forward from the shadow of your secrecy.
TAURUS
(April 20- May 20) You will experience several gains and losses this 2012 as you are trying build trust towards the people that you haven’t meet yet before. In terms of finances, you will be delighted with the moneyopportunities that will come your way starting from the month of your birthday. In terms of love, you are willing to give priority to a person when you know he/she deserves your trust.
GEMINI
(May 21- June 21) You are heading to something unknown, it maybe in the form of conquering independence or by a distressing revelation or both. Be ready to let go of the grip so it will never be too hard for you to take. Changes in you will soon be noticed by many. Learn to listen to the people that you know will tell you the truth as they give you wisdom to strengthen you in facing the UNKNOWN!
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CANCER
(June 22- July 22) Vast suffering is heading, either through loss of relatives or arrival of an unexpected new born.However, do not be panic for there are people who will never give up on you though you barely notice their presence. Do not dwell on the past and start the year anew by seeking for adventure yet useful habits.
LEO
(July 23- August 22) This year is your lucky year, Leo! You’ll be blessed in terms of your career and you’ll achieve your long-term goals and wishes without compromising your social life. Conserve money during the first half of the year and then you’ll have the prerogative to spend your own money freely.
VIRGO
(August 23- September 22) This is a non-stop pressure for you, Virgo. Give your best shot every now and then as everything else around is moving faster. Sieze the moment and you will never regret the path that you have chosen to be. Give time for your health when tremendous energy is flowing abruptly this year. However, your energy will never be wasted as you will reap better than what you have expected.
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LIBRA
(September 23- October 22) You’ll realize the deeper meaning of a true relationship after a lot of heartacheexperiences from the previous year. You will have sleepless nights as you are trying to think of weighing people from the past and the present. Give yourself meaningful outlets to stir your Circadian rhythym.
SCORPIO
(October 23- November 21) Consider that you had worked too much during 2011 so pay attention on your health. By this, you felt that your ground is moving too slow. But it will never stop you from experimenting with what you really wanted in the future. Be cautious on the food that you intake everyday and have a positive aura.
SAGITTARIUS
(November 22- December 21) This year is a perfect time for you to be pampered and relaxed. You will have the opportunity to boost your self-esteem through joining various activities that suits you. Your confidence will take you to the next level. And by summer of 2012, people will look up to you as a role model!
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CAPRICORN
(December 22- January 19) There is no vivid changes in you, capricorn, but you can expect long and dramatic situations for the first quarter of the year. In terms of love, if you are single, expect for a new relationship to bloom. But if not, you will find yourself falling for the same person the second time around.
AQUARIUS
(January 20- February 18)
This is the year that your efforts will finally be recognized. Fame and success will rule you. Learn to control and balance your emotions as it may result to misunderstandings and conflicts from your loved ones. Continue to inspire people and keep your feet on the ground.
PISCES
(February 19- March 20)
There will be a great mystery on your life this year,so better ready for it! You will achieve the longings of your soul after you have overcome your nightmare. This is the time that you have to get over with your fears, guilts and regrets. Listen to own principles first before seeking for any advice.
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Dear NB, I know my problem is as common as any other lovers out there. Just call me Miss Mess, I have a boyfriend, 3 years na mi ani niya..And ubay-ubay na pud ang amung mga naagian. We shared almost everything gikan sa pagkabata namu hantod sa mga plans namu in the future. Being with him for years is one of the best treasures nga di jud naku mabaylo sa bisan unsa. Apan naabot jud ang panahon nga ma-test jud ang relationship . I met a guy during sa usa ka event namu sa religion churva. Just call him Judas. Mag sige mi ug kuyog ani niya kay grabe man sad ni siya ka friendly. Usahay mu tell siya sa iya mga problema and vice versa. Until I realized, naa , na.a man d.i mi “Mutual Understanding.” Mutext siya nako kay mag-bonding bonding daw mi. Ok ra pud nako kay friendly bond ra bitaw but wala nako to gisaba sa akong boyfriend kay basin mao napud unyay hinungdan sa amung away. Until one time, we were both tempted to each other and mao na to siya. Na konsensya jud ko ug taman kay love bya kayo ko sa akong uyab and i love him too. Should i tell him or not? And sa part sad namu ni Judas, how can i get rid of him nga na consider na man sad nako siya as one of my closest friends? Please tambagi ko, NB. Miss Mess Dear Miss Mess, Did you check your facebook status? Because I can definitely say, “it’s complicated.” Two guys huh? Although I would have loved the attention, I can’t say I envy you. Seriously my dear, that’s a tough one. Being in a relationship is hard enough without having to deal with someone who comes along and suddenly drives you as smitten as that first kiss you’ve had with your significant other. You have a boyfriend. And yes. That’s not fair. I know you may have given way to your feelings but you have to stop because it’s not gonna be a good feeling all the time to be with a person who makes you feel good, when you’re committed to someone else. Would you be ready to give your boyfriend up, if worse, comes to worse? Because eventually, you’re gonna have to let one of them go. Now is the time to stop this “fling” with Judas before you find yourself facing a shattered relationship. Would your feelings for your special friend be worthy for all the guilt that may come your way? I know it’s hard. Okay. So they are both important. There’s a cliché that goes, “sometimes the hardest thing and the right thing are the same.” So do what’s right. No matter how hard it is before it’s too late. Tell your boyfriend? Do that after the track has been cleared. When you’re sure about what you want, because you owe him that much. As for Judas? If he knows you have a boyfriend, he will understand. If he is man enough to understand.
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