Doon Po Sa Amin: Ladek, Cornik, at Bibingka, Mga Ipinagmamalaking Yaman Namin

THE LOCAL DELIGHTS OF BANTAY!

You're probably wondering why is this about the municipality of Bantay. I don't know either. It just happened that I was grouped with my classmates from Bantay to conduct a community-based research. The funniest part is that I was assigned to lead the group even though I am not from Bantay. From the start of the process, I have been asking myself how am I going to manage our group since I barely know about Bantay. A leader should lead the way, but someone like me didn't even know where we were going, or if the research would be successful. 

It was nice to be grouped with Rhiyanna, Keith, Anna, and Leah. Through their help, I gained a lot of information about Bantay. I didn't even know what cornik was. I didn't even know something like that existed. 

Not only the town of Bantay was given a benefit through recommendations, but also my team and I was given the opportunity to experience something like this. It was hard gaining credible data needed for our research, but the processes were memorable. 

Before my narration about personal experiences gets deeper, allow me to introduce our research study. It was entitled, Doon Po Sa Amin, Ladek, Cornik, at Bibingka, Mga Ipinagmamalaking Yaman Namin (The Local Delights of Bantay). Our research paper consisted of the Community Profile of Bantay, which was written by Anna. She did well in introducing the town of Bantay through bringing everyone to the past. 

After that is the Brief Research Description. This tells what the research is all about. It's like an abstract to some types of research. Keith made this one and he kind of did a great job too. 

The methodology was created and designed by me. I decided that we should use secondary sources like the internet, and interviewing as a data gathering technique. I constructed questions that served as instrument for us to gather information from the respondent and it was fun gathering data from them. Aside from methodology, I was also the one who gave recommendations based on the conclusions. 

Rhiyanna was the one who was signed to make the focus study of our research. She was the one who analyzed the gathered data that helped her in concluding the research. 

Leah was our photographer. She contributed in the media gallery of our research paper.

At last, Anna organized the links of the data we gathered from the internet. She made use of APA style to organize the bibliography. 

Perhaps, making a CBR that is not located in your own town is the greatest challenge that I have faced during March. I didn't know Bantay's main product. But because of this, I was able to gain some knowledge about Bantay. I was able to overcome that challenge because I didn't have to show them I know what to do, when the truth is I don't. I am glad I asked for some help. 

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A Century + Two Decades + Two Years = 122nd Celebration!

 LET THE BANNERS FLY!

Late blog post related to the 122nd Ilocos Sur National High School Day Celebration, but I just want to share how that day went on for me. 

Let me start when we were still preparing for the festival dance battle. Well, it was a week-long practice under the scorching sun. Each grade level's male and female students would compete. There were assigned schedules for each grade level, and how great we were to be chosen to practice under when the sun is at its most heat! It was tiring of course. I even got my skin tanned because of too much exposure to the sun but on the bright side, it was fun following sir Jason's instructions. With the mistakes I committed while practicing, I was able to perform well during the battle day. 

It was also awkward for someone like me to dance like that. Well, to be honest, I never liked dancing. I don't dance since elementary. I would even decline my sister's challenge in dancing. I thought before that executing the dance moves were crazy because I wasn't as soft or as smooth as the other dancers. I don't even remember what happened or how did I dance like that. It just happened, I guess. 

Before we could start the festival dance battle, first we participated a parade. It was also fun because we were able to roam around Vigan. However, it was tiring because we were prohibited to bring tumblers... I had to endure my thirst for an hour of walking, but still it was fun. 

After the long walk, I think we were given an hour to rest. Good for us Markovs, a classmate of ours wanted to celebrate his birthday, so his mom said the lunch is on them. Also, we ate our ordered snacks before going to the field. 

Once the music went high, the fun again started. The first dancers were the male students of grade 7. Their performance were good already considering the fact that it's their first time joining something like that. I'm pretty sure they're proud that they had their first chance to perform in front of many people. 

Let's jump to grade 10. The festival being performed by the boys was the Candle Festival of Candelaria, Quezon. Their harmony, the audience impact of their performance, together with the brightness of their props was surely the reason why they gained the first place. 

For us, the females, we were also able to perform well. We performed the Sinulog Festival, holding circular bamboo designed with red crepe papers. Although we weren't able to gain what everyone wants to gain, we are still proud that we were able to perform in front of the crowd with their cheers. 

After that, we also went to the gymnasium to attend the concert for a cause. Teachers sang as well as the students. Dance troops also danced. I find the concert fun and purposeful because it was said that the collected payment of tickets will be used to purchase new musical instruments for the next school year's plan on launching the new special programs. 

Thinking of it, I could cry because despite all the sweat I have shed, at least I had the chance to experience it. At least before I go to Senior High Level, I was able to gain something that I can bring there. This is the kind of day that I'd want to repeat or be on it everyday. Although it's sad that this is now my last chance of joining moments like this since I'll be a senior next school year, it's still memorable for me. 

Thank you to those who made this day even better. Happy 122nd High School Day Celebration, Ilocos Sur National High School. I hope this school continues to soar and fly high.

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Quarter 3 Reflection

I honestly don't know what I was typing, but I hope I'm gonna write something good. Well, this blog should be about my reflections during the third quarter, but right now, I don't know what to say. 

To be honest, I don't know how to start this. I didn't even notice the quarter 3 is already ending. Maybe it happened too fast for someone who's not moving like me. Every night, I'd ask myself what I did. Maybe asking myself every night is what's struggling me to focus. Oh, to focus. I don't even remember when was the last time I had a proper sleep. Am I even sleeping or just simply taking a rest? I don't know how does it feel to sleep anymore. Quarter 3 was a Big Bang Theory to my life. It crushed me piece by piece while trying to go through it. Why is it that Quarter 3 is always the hardest? Why does it has to be the toughest? Do I even wanna know why?

But let me just leave some words here. These words are purely from the inside of me. Nothing more, just pure emotions through words. 

Well, to start with, I started Qaurter 3 too happy. I didn't even know why I was so happy that time. Maybe because I was proud of what I have achieved again. Because of too much happiness, I sort of lost my track. Not totally, but I did anyway. It was a mistake to celebrate too long. Because of too much happiness, I only focused on them too. Until I slowly realize what was happening to me again. I was too busy thinking what I have achieved to pay attention to what was happening around me. 

In short, my pride ate me up.

After that, things got even worse. I started to lose everything that I have. Closeness to friends, focus in academics, time, energy. I started losing them, slowly. Yeah, slowly but painful.

Maybe because of the things that make me happy a lot, I lose focus. 

Maybe because I am too proud of myself, I lose control.

Maybe because of their unbeatable expectations, I lose energy.

Maybe because of feeling there's no time for me anymore, I lose closeness. 

Quarter 3 was really the toughest of them all. I don't know how I am going to face the last quarter, but I hope before I will, my energy will come back. Stressed person with goals like me can't just enter another battlefield, hoping to win it again. Everything was good. Every single one of the subjects was good. Maybe it was I, who was the problem. Yeah, maybe..

Moving forward, I will look more for the things that will bring back the real me. Not this. I am not this. With all my remaining strength and courage, I must continue to strive, hoping the real "Marga" returns. 

Thank you to those who cares for me. I will never forget each of you. 

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LIWANAG SA DILIM

What comes into your mind when you hear the phrase "Kalalakihan, mas angat sa bayan!"? Do you agree with what the phrase is trying to imply? Or does it really matter whose more dominant or superior? 

People in the world have been celebrating National Women's Month. I didn't know before that this kind of celebration exists. But as time passes by, as I continue to hear various issues connected to women, and as the stereotypes, feminism, prejudice, and biases continue to grow, I slowly realize the importance of this celebration.

 To celebrate the Women's Month, we were given with many tasks that empower women. The latest ones are Campaign-Advocacy Ad about Women Empowerment, and making a poster-slogan promoting Women's Health. Both the tasks were hard maybe because I didn't know what to do first. I could only brainstorm but couldn't put the brainstormed ideas together. On the bright side, I had my teammates. They helped me organize my plans and thoughts about the tasks. 

It's very good that we have this kind of celebration because this makes women feel that they are seen. This makes them feel that they are heard. It's true! Even a simple celebration like this can make a woman feel valued, as though all the stereotypes and prejudice against her are breaking down. It somehow makes them feel that they are also part of the society, that they are not just someone's play, or that they are not too weak or too fragile. 

The celebration shows that women can also do what men do. Women can lead. Women can decide. Women can drive. Women can plan. Women build buildings. Women negotiate. Everything that a man can do, woman can also do it. It's not the gender anymore. It's not the gender we'd want others to understand from us. It's the ability the women also hold, not just the men. 

This Women's Month, I do hope all the women out there felt that their success, achievements and sacrifices were being celebrated. I also hope that the females were being honored especially those who dedicated themselves in ensuring the equal rights were being granted to both male and female.

Reference/s:

Blogger:

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City of Lakewood, California.,March is Women's History Month

https://www.lakewoodcity.org/News/REDI-related-news-stories/Womens-History-Month

O'Brien, J., Almost half of women say media, advertising shy away from women’s health issues: Study. November 10, 2022. 

https://www.mmm-online.com/home/channel/almost-half-of-women-say-media-advertising-shy-away-from-womens-health-issues-study/

Philippine Commission on Women., Natonal Women's Month 

https://pcw.gov.ph/national-womens-month/

Estudyantepreneur!

 Minding Businesses.

Entering the area of the entrepreneurs was probably a memorable experience during the month February. The event was located between the Admin Building and the SPTVE building. There were booths for confessing notes, gaming booth, foods and drinks, film viewing, and massage booth. It was all in one. 

Well, the first thing that really caught our attention the film viewing activity. For P5 each person, we were able to enter the room. They showed us the short film entitled, Under the Tree Trunks, a story about two young lovers who fell in love during their lowest points. The plot was good as well as the characters. How I wish I could watch it again because surely I will feel again the way I felt while watching it the first time. The ending of the story made me feel sad for the girl in the story. I somehow relate myself to her story. Her character really played well in the story. Although the ending was already good, I still wish it was a happy ending. Nevertheless, they should create more short films like this. 

After the film viewing, my friends and I tried sticking our notes on the TLE confession board. The set-up of the board seemed cute for me so I tried sticking a message for someone. The notes there were also entertaining as I even giggled while reading those. Some of those were pick up lines, some were jokes, and some were expressing how they missed a certain person. 

Of course doing those activities wouldn't be complete if there was no food. Food is love for me so I had to try all their foods. Yes, I "had" to. Every food that was served was 10/10. 

I think the significance of this event is to promote and develop the skills of the students under the cookery class, and also for the students under the SPTVE class. I also think that it is important for us to understand every aspect of it that is connected to basic life such as cooking and manipulating the desktops. 

I do hope my friends enjoyed it as much as how I did. Also, I am looking forward to visit events of the school like this in the future because the Estudyantepreneur still lingers in my memory. 

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Valentine's Day!

SPEA, The 4 Types of Love.

Many of you must be thinking that Valentine's Day is just for those who have met their "the one", or for those who are taken. Well, I think of the opposite. For me, Valentine's Day was never really meant only for those who are taken or who are in a relationship. I personally think that it is the day of the 4 types of love. Yep, there are 4 of them: Storge, Philia, Eros, and Agape. Everyday in our lives, we feel these. Maybe we don't know or we don't realize when or how, but at some point, love just come. It is natural. It lives with us. Love lives and lasts. 

The sweetest type of love that we could ever have is the storge. If you don't know this yet, then let me tell you what storge is. 

Storge is a love that comes from our families. It is the natural love that family members have for one another. It is your mother's love for you. It is your father's love for you. It is your siblings' love for you. It is your aunts and uncles' love for you. It is your grandparents' love for you. Sometimes, I get angry of my siblings, but there will always be love for them. That's storge. 

The next one is Philia. This is the most common love in public places like schools, workplaces, malls, parks, restaurants, waiting sheds, and even houses. Philia occurs in every friendship. This is the type of love that I got for my friends. It is strong, long-lasting, true, and brave. It is pure. Genuine. My friends understand this for sure because this Valentine's Day, I received a gift from them and it showed how genuine the love they have for me. It was and is so calming. 

The third one is Eros. This is maybe the most popular one that people know. Eros. This is the love that grows between two individuals. It is when they feel this electric feeling just by seeing the one that they desire, when they see them smile, and when they hear their giggles. This love grows and grows. Actually, Eros is the god of love in greek mythology. This type of love begins when a person just falls for someone. And once their feelings get reciprocated, this love grows. Eros happens between couples, lovers, husbands and wives, and boyfriends and girlfriends. This is a beautiful type of love because it helps us find the one that we'd spend the rest of lives with. 

The greatest among these types of love is Agape. Agape is such a beautiful word, as beautiful as its meaning. This is our God's love for us. It is always around us. It is when God gave us His only son. It is when God saved the world. It is when God created me and you. It is when God provides for our needs. It when God strengthens us. It is when He protects and guide us. Agape is the God's love for us. This love is shown by God's actions and the way He wants us to act to one another. 

Well, those are the types of love. Love is always around us. Love grows, sometimes fade away, sometimes being covered by anger, sometimes isn't strong, sometimes uncertain, but it is surely beautiful and natural. Love lives with us as soon as we're born. 

This day, this Valentine's day, I spent it with full of love. Love for my family, for my friends, for someone who I admire, and for God. I started this day with full of love and ended it with still full of love. Maybe the reason why this celebration exists is to remind every single one of us to love. It reminds us that love is beautiful and loving is beautiful. 

Happy Valentine's Day to those who are single, happy and contented with their friends, got their hearts broken, hoping, got dumped, love from afar, taken, in a relationship, and for those who are loving unconditionally. Keep the love inside your heart alive because when you do, the love that you give will always come back to you. 

Reference/s:

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Zencare Team, How to Prepare for Couples Counseling: 7 Ways to Get Ready for Your First Session., November 8, 2018.

https://blog.zencare.co/how-to-prepare-for-couples-counseling/amp/

Wilkerson, G., Devotional Thoughts., World Challenge. September 13, 2020.

https://www.worldchallenge.org/john-316-3