CHRISTMAS IS MORE THAN CELEBRATING

“You’d say that the day holds something special

Something holy, not superficial

So here’s to the birthday boy who saved our lives...”

(A few lines from Christmas Must Be Something More by Taylor Swift)

           

            By the look of every people’s faces, you can sense how excited they are for this real special day to come. In the streets, houses were decorated with every glint of Yuletide season: amazing Christmas trees, cute versions of belen, and brilliant lights and colorful lanterns that add to the night’s luminousity. More than that, kids would wander from door to door, singing the most joyous Christmas songs with their giddy and sweet voices. And who said teenagers and adults cannot join them?

            As the day draws near, people become more and more panicky: they’ve constantly been hitting grocery stores and shopping malls to get all the essential things (i.e. gifts and food) for the holy festivity. Apparently, December has been the busiest month of the year. Everyone’s preparing. Everyone’s contributing their share.

            Despite the sad fact that some families are still suffering from the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda’s wrath, surely they would fin time to celebrate Christ’s birth. Nothing’s more important to them than being together and staying strong. Citizens from all over the globe have been pouring donations, blessings plus prayers for the victims. This must be one of the greatest Christmas gifts they’d received besides surviving the dreadful calamity.

            Giving and sharing. It’s not something you merely need to do because it was some sort of requirement. It’s something that needs to be done with the willingness of the heart ans soul. When you give or share something, you must commit yourself to it. You must take a part of yourself, a part of your heart and soul with you and share them to anyone who needs it. Furthermore, forget the misconception of doing good things to impress other people. Have a clear conscience and pure intention.

            We may have different ways of celebrating Christmas. We may have different principles and beliefs. The important thing is we must remember that we are all brothers and sisters and that we must celebrate TOGETHER. In Jesus’ name, we are one.

            Hey, don’t sweat these stuffs, okay? Just enjoy this day. Try not to think of whatever that’s been disturbing your sanity lately. Relax. At the same time, have fun. Don’t just celebrate. Fill the atmosphere with love, love, and more love. Stay safe, God bless, and MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

THE BIG DIFFERENCE IS NOT A BIG DEAL

                We were born from different mothers, from different places, from different races. We were born with different physical features, talents and skills, goals and ambitions.We believe in different principles, in different religions, in different ideas.We speak different dialects, follow different cultures and traditions, wear different clothing, do different habits.

                We are unique: there’s no pair in this world that is exactly the same as the other. Our country is filled with extraordinary people with extraordinary traits that make them stand out. But no matter how diverse we are from each other, there is our one common goal: EQUALITY.

                All the citizens should be aware of their rights as human beings. All of us must be treated equally. No discrimination. No abusing. No negligence.

                Knowing our rights and opportunities will help us cope with life. We know what to fight for, what to sacrifice for, what to live for. Yes, there are times when our rights were overlooked or abused. That’s why there is a need for everyone to know each our rights and that we can always stand up for ourselves, with courage.

                We were all born through God’s will and image. Remember that. And we will all die the same way―buried deep in the ground and left to decay. We are all different but we are loved equally by the Lord. Therefore, let’s treat others equally, too. Forget all those little flaws now. 

String of Unity

                The planet Earth is made up of several continents, countries, and islands. The natives of each place have their own culture, traditions, religions, and of course, languages and dialects. Thus, in order for us to have a better communication, there’s a need to master the universal language: English.

                Over the years, the Philippines has received compliments because of its proficiency in English. Since we entered pre-school, the English language has been used as the main medium of teaching. This practice became an advantage to the Filipino workers for they can easily get a job abroad as long as they can speak and understand the language. The president also uses this language as a bridge to form alliances with other countries. It has contributed so many things for us to reach modernization.

                The English language is the string that connects us to all corners of the world. It’s the common thing that binds us and keeps us together no matter how diverse our nations are. Let’s continue in speaking the language and hold on to this path of unity. 

LEVEL UP!

                We have almost consumed the first half of the school year yet we still have a lot of things to go through. Second grading period was a tough one: we encountered a variety of things, from newly introduced lessons to mind-blowing problems.

                In my own perception, I improved a little this quarter. Take note: a little. You can see one of the evidences in Pre-Calculus. I obtained a perfect score in all my assignments and high scores in my seatworks and quizzes whereas before, I hardly got half of the items. This is just a proof that ‘the first time is always the hardest.’ I am also doing good enough in other subjects like Advanced Chemistry and Advanced Physics. Ekonomiks still holds the Most Noisy and Funniest Class title. On the other hand, ICT has been training us to become future HTML programmers. But of course, always start with the basics.

                September 19 must’ve been the most horrible day of Maxwell– when we were sent to the principal’s office. I’m not sure if this news has reach all our teachers. I’ll just not specify it for privacy purposes. After the short conference, things went haywire. I didn’t actually witness what happened because there’s a practice for honor roll. But based from what I heard, there were shouting, yelling, and crying among the class, even the boys. They blamed on this and that for being this and that. The world of Maxwell seemed to have crumbled into dust.

                People don’t forget things easily. The next day, the air was filled with murmurs about the scenes. Most of my classmates have gone silent; others tried to hide how they really feel. But as days passed, the grief gradually disappears. September 19 transformed into a lesson from the past, and a laughingstock (seriously, everytime someone mentions something related to it, we smile and laugh), yet worth remembering. It has been the greatest challenge for us to overcome.

                Now that the second judgment day is at arm’s length, I hope that we’ll receive a good grade. I’ll continue doing my best and try to keep up with the pace until the end of this school year. 

NOT JUST A PIECE OF CHALK

“Great people have not become great for doing great things in a great way, but by doing things in a great way, with sheer dedication and determination.”

This statement holds true with the teachers. It is indeed a noble profession: Imagine them standing in front of the class, doing this for how many years. They never get tired of absorbing new facts, new lessons, and imparting knowledge to eager students who are hungry for quality education.

Aside from merely discussing several topics inside the four walls of the classroom, teachers also possess the characteristics of a caring parent. They are not just confined in communicating the contents of the books. They can also be your problem consultants, school-related, personal, or of whatever kind. I remember when some of my classmates had a misunderstanding in friendship issues. When our sophomore adviser asked me what was going on, I didn’t hesitate telling her what was wrong. She immediately took action and talked to my friends one afternoon after classes. Our former adviser just showed that educators aren’t just equipped with chalk and eraser, but also love and care.

Who says that teachers are no fun? Well, I’ll prove you wrong. Majority of them can get along well with the students. they tend to crack jokes in the middle of a very serious discussion either to refrain the students from dozing off or to relieve the tension. Young and old, they are never left out with the latest tren. Teachers are not just witty– they also stand out in different fields of performing arts, showcasing their talents during programs and competitions. These are just some of the reasons why I could say that teachers aren’t plaint boring and strict.

All in all, teachers shape our future. They’re the ones building the bridge across success. Without them, we are nothing but a lonely wanderer. People need them as much as breathing. Go ahead, be a teacher and you’ll find yourself holding not just a piece of chalk but also the future of the youth. 

POSITIVE CHANGE

The world was once a perfect paradise– we could live without worries. Everything we needed was at arm’s length. The breeze was soothing it relaxes the mind and the body. There was a great mutual relationship between the environment and mankind. 

Eventually, people became greedy. They wanted more. They started to destroy their only home. With the invasion of industrialization and modernization, tree were burned and cut down, the surroundings are polluted; people got sick because of the unhealthy environment. There is a huge disruption of the ecologicak balance of the biosphere due to unwanted human behaviors. And worst, majority of them aren’t doing anything to save our planet. 

As the number of problems are continuously escalating, concerned citizens aren’t giving up. They develop solutions to various obstacles in order to lessen them or if possible, eradicate them completely. But of course, you can’t solve a problem without finding the factors affecting it. That’s why this year’s National Science and Technology Month Celebration promotes the determination of causes. It goes with the theme, “Unravel the Causes. Build the Solution. Empower Science Clubbers to Action.” 

This celebration has been helping the people, especially the students, realize the true value of our ecosystem. It increases their awareness regarding science- and technology-related issues thru various activities. Such activities contribute to the understanding of the real meaning of a healthy environment. Students are encouraged to participate in these activities in order for them to enhance their academic skills and social relationship between themselves. 

We are all Science clubbers. It’s our duty to protect our home. Our main goal is to make sure that the environment is still a good place to live. Remember, there’s no assurance that human being s can survive anywhere outside planet Earth. We are the only ones who can solve our own problems. Let’s all join forces and start unraveling the causes of the destruction of the biosphere. We have to build solutions right now. And lastly, we must encourage others to participate in the race towards positive change. 

Wordsmith: Modern Day Hero

                Children with innocent minds and fun-seekers often entertain themselves with cartoons and movies having characters that have supernatural powers. In real life, we admired our national heroes who sacrificed their lives just to save our country from intruders. And as we grow up, that habit cannot be eliminated completely.

Aside from hitting the Cinemas, these extraordinary people can also be found in bookstores. Teenagers are fond of reading fictional books wherein a protagonist revolves around a world somewhat similar to where we are living right now and a life we can relate to.  Modern-day heroes indeed. But, have you even considered the people who brought life to the creatures you are looking up to?

I consider the book authors as modern-day heroes. Why? Because what they write inspires whoever will come across their books. Concealed in the pages of their artworks are words of true life itself. Yes, these things are somewhat superficial but they guide the readers how to cope up with the ever-changing world. It seems like the writers are our eyes and ears when we are blinded by problems and obstacles. With keen observation, a writer records real life situations and adding it with twists and turns to appeal the readers.

One time, I borrowed a book from a friend which talks about a girl who had recorded a set of cassette tapes before she committed suicide. The book was Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher. In days when we are clouded with confusion, browsing their masterpieces could help us enlighten our minds. Their books could also make us understand our environment― why people and things act like this and that.

Just recently, I realized my real purpose in reading, why I love books so much: It’s not just for pleasure. It’s the wisdom I can get from it. Nah, reading novels is never a waste of time. I have learned many things which I can apply in my daily life and advice these to others. However, I cannot acquire such knowledge when there are no authors, when there are no writers of inspirational books.

I would just like to end this with a quote I got from The Fault in our Stars by John Green:

“The real heroes anyway aren’t the people noticing things; the real heroes are the people NOTICING things, paying attention.” (One of the best books I’ve ever read. Swear.)

Which is so true. The evidence? Look for writers. One day, I will be a famous writer. One day, I will be a hero. 

WIKA NATIN ANG DAANG MATUWID

            Since the colonization of Spaniards, Americans, and Japanese, and with the influences of various nearby and distant countries, it is inevitable for us, Filipinos, to learn and understand foreign languages. In our own Filipino language, we can see that there are some words which are just borrowed form the language of foreigners such as Spanish and English. There are also instances when our citizens tend to use, speak, and write in foreign languages more often and are gradually forgetting the value of our own language. To address this problem, Buwan ng Wika is annually conducted with Filipino as the national language.

            Tuwing Agosto, naghahanda ang buong bansa sa pagdiriwang sa Buwan ng Wikang Pambansa. Ang tema para sa taong ito ay “Wika Natin ang Daang Matuwid.” Ito ay nahati sa lima pang tema: 1) Ang Wika Natin ay Wika ng Katarungan at Kapayapaan; 2) Ang Wika Natin ay Laban sa Katiwalian; 3) Ang Wika Natin ay Sandata Laban sa Kahirapan; 4) Ang Wika Natin ay Wika ng Mabilisan, Inklusibo, at Sustenidong Kaunlaran; 5) Ang wika Natin ay Wika sa Pangangalaga ng Kapaligiran. Ang pangunahing layunin ng pagdiriwang na ito ay upang tuluyang tangkilikin ang wikang Filipino sa pamamagitan ng pakikilahok sa iba’t ibang aktibidades na may kaugnayan sa Buwan ng Wika.

            Wika natin ang daang matuwid― ito ang magsisilbing gabay natin sa pagkakaisa at pagpapaunlad sa ating bansa. Sa dinami-dami ba naman ng diyalektong bumubuo sa kultura natin, kailangan nating matutunang mahalin ang wikang Filipino upang tayo’y magkaintindihan.  Dito rin masasalamin ang pagiging tapat natin sa bansa at sa kapwa. Ang pagsasalita ng wikang Filipino ay hindi dapat ikahiya, bagkus, dapat ipagmalaki dahil sa natatangi nitong kagandahan at kayamanan. Ang ating sariling wika ang siyang tulay sa mabisang pakikipagkapwa at pagtutulungan.

            However, this celebration is not exactly a way of discouraging Filipinos to use the English language or other foreign languages. It is just a reminder that we should value our own language, treasure it, and be proud of it no matter what. 

FIRST OF THE LAST

New school means new chapter (probably the last) of high school life filled with new lessons, experiences, challenges, and problems. Being able to set our feet on the first staircase of senior year is such a great achievement. It’s now up to us whether to pursue climbing to reach the summit of success, hopefully graduate, and soon, start to fill the pages of our college life. Or back-out.
As a fourth year student, I realized that this I the first set of our last chances to prove to the whole school that we are worth remembering, and that we deserve to have become a part of the institution. It’s our duty to show willingness to study and be the models of the undergraduates.
Consequently, my knowledge has expanded because of the numerous things I learned this first quarter, with the more or less ten-hour everyday stay in Ilocos Sur National High School. From the daily announcements during flag ceremony to the confinement inside the classroom (which seems to take ages for the discussions to end), it cannot be denied that we gain at least one thing everyday.
Teachers are never tired of relating their wisdom to us, the students. In our major subjects (English, Science, and Math), topics are getting more and more complicated. The lessons are more advanced, for example in Physics, I discovered several concepts, simple and complex formulas I haven’t even mastered using until now. Same with our Pre-Calculus. Well, English is somewhat easier to understand. We had discussed stories, improved our vocabulary, and stated the moral. I also got myself familiarized with the word “economics,” its history, and how it affects the whole society. I love our past lesson in Health, which is Mental Health and Defense Mechanism. In Values Education, I learned more about of myself as a human being; in Filipino, we discussed El Filibusterismo, short stories, and poems. The most high-tech subject we probably have is ICT. We studied Internet timeline, created blogs, and focused on familiarizing ourselves with cyberworld.
However, life won’t be complete without obstacles and challenges. We are given tons of school requirements but usually, we only have a short period of time to finish all those mind blowing things. Time management is the first problem. My strategy is to prioritize the things which are the most difficult to do. I would also stay up to 1 o’ clock in the morning just to meet the deadline. Or I would work during recess time or lunch break to rush my outputs.
One of our most difficult projects is the conduct of the Investigatory Project, together with its write-up. Originally, we are planning to try to perform three projects but the other two cannot be done due to lack of time and there are no available materials. When we are almost halfway to relaxation, we had some problem in the testing part. I almost lost hope and wanted to just scream. But I got over it. Finally, we settled into another project title and are really doing our best to finish it in time for the submission.
I swear I’m going to study well next grading. I am not contented with the results of the Periodic Test. I still feel anxious because of my low low low scores. It’s like I only took this grading for granted and I blame myself for not being that serious. Okay, next time I’ll do better. I promise that to myself, so good luck to me. 

THE RACE TO LIME LIGHT

Change. Progress. Prosperity.

            These are the things we’re dying to achieve for our country. We’re tired of being left out when everybody outside our nation are rushing into the lime light. Another year had passed. President Benigno Simeon Aquino III had once again delivered his State of the Nation Address notifying us about the current economic status of the Philippines and other issues, mostly positive. So, how’s our country?

            Well, PNOY did his best in governing the nation for almost four years. Projects such as pabahay programs, construction of roads and bridges, and community services were successfully implemented; these greatly helped our fellow Filipinos who are less fortunate in life. Bills were signed to laws to maintain and continuously improve the country’s peace and order.

            However, most people are still complaining and complaining without realizing the efforts of our president. They are dark-side seekers― they are only looking on the negative images of the community. They don’t consider the probably a big change that happened if we’re going to compare the status of the country several years ago.

            Think about this: it’s not that easy to lead more or less 100 million citizens especially when more than half of the population aren’t cooperating, not comprehending. There are yet tons of problems and issues the government need to address immediately and if people are doing nothing and, rather, they tend to become a part of the outgrowing obstacles, what will become of our country?

            If only all of us will all of us are taking actions, if all of us are going to bide to the laws and obligations, progress will just be a step away. Like what PNOY said, his SONA is also our SONA. What we do can affect positively or negatively his plans for us.

            Everyone should take part. Imagine, if all people will lend a hand, desired progress will be far more significant than this year. Bear in mind that unity is the key to success. 

EAT WELL, EVERYONE :D

      “There is no love more sincere than the love of food.” – George Bernard Shaw
That is indeed true. Everybody, or at least majority, loves to eat. I’m pretty sure that everyone of us is aware that food is one of the basic needs of man. It is probably the most important thing we have to obtain. Without food, we may not be able to survive any longer. It’s the source of our energy, our strength to meet every single task in our everyday life.
You can still live without shelter. You can still live without clothes. You can still live without money– as long as there is a source of food.
However, there are instances when we don’t think of the nutritional benefits of what we eat. Nutritious or not, most of us don’t care about its possible negative effects. People, especially children, tend to eat junk foods (chichiria) and other stuffs from fast food restaurants. Some resists eating dishes with vegetables and fruits, fish and meat. Thus, they are lacking with necessary vitamins and minerals, which can be provided by those mentioned earlier which will be the cause of the gradual lowering of their bodies’ resistance to diseases. Therefore, there’s a possibility that these people will acquire malnutrition despite the fact that they are eating a large amount of food (that, well, are not nutritious).
As what I can understand with the word itself, malnutrition is the absence of necessary nutrients in the body. Ergo, people with this deficiency are usually observed with lack of social participation, floating thoughts, difficulty in concentrating, and so vulnerable to illnesses.
Another reason why malnutrition is continuously dominating the nation is due to the escalating number of poverty victims. Aside from malnutrition, poverty is also linked with starvation. Families suffering from poverty are incapable of providing three meals packed with essential nutrients. Sometimes, they depend on the left-overs of other people usually found in trash bins. However, these foods are unhealthy due to the contamination of insects and microorganisms. They cannot afford to buy clean and something safe to eat because they don’t have enough money (okay, in this case, we really need money for food).
The government should act fast on these issues. Maybe several feeding programs can be implemented for those suffering from starvation and malnutrition. We should join forces to eliminate or eradicate completely these two major enemies of our human health. In our own simple ways, like by eating nutritious foods, being the models, spreading the knowledge, and sharing what we have to the needy, we can slowly bid goodbye to starvation and malnutrition. Let’s all live a healthy nation.

Letter to the President

Ilocos Sur National High School

Gomez, St. Vigan City, Ilocos Sur

June 27, 2013

President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III

Republic of the Philippines

Malacanang Palace

Manila, Philippines

Sir: 

      Greetings to your good office!

      The country is continuously bounded with various crimes such as robbery, hold-up, and murder. the number of victims are escalating, more and more lives are broken and devastated. the incidents do not only affect the people physically and socially, but also psychologically. Policemen and authorities can help in solving crimes but sometimes, it's too late- the crime is done. 

      There should be an increased number of responsible policement and other authorities. they should work better, not merely sitting on one corner, eating and watching television on post, doing chitchats and pays a little attention to the surroundings and worst, sleeping. They should practice roaming around their posts more often. The more they are in one area, the easier they will handle the place and catch a possible suspect. They should also be lectured on discipline. The responsible usage of guns should be pursued so that shooting incidents involving irresponsible authorities will be lessened.

      These are just some of the concerns that greartly affect our country. I hope further aqction will be taken regarding this matter. Thank you, Sir. 

Sincerely,

Mary Angeline E. Ponce

IV - Maxwell