haay! human na jud tawn!

haay salamat! humana jud tawn ning project sa blog! nag naning jud tawn mi aning tanan...karon magbisaya na jud ko kay intawn struggling kaau mag english noh! Ano ba! i mean admit it, lisud i-english permi noh1 lami na man gni kau mag bisaya...pero in fairness nakat-on ko sa vocabulary and mas na improve ako skills in writing..charot!

ipadayon japon ko ning blog noh! but this time, in bitaglish na kay lisud i-pure english noh! hello!?! hehehe...nywei, bsag mura na ni ug text kasabot man japon mu ani bah... mu college na jud ta mga pardz! mag au2x na lng jud tawn ta ani mga bai kay basin di na ta magkita...

hasula sah? d man gni ko katuo nga ang mga badlungon nga liwat nato kay maka haw-as na jud intawn sa kalisud sa UP!!! Grabe! d na jd matabang..maynta maka graduate ming tanan para wa nay labad sa ulo ang mga maestra sa UP! yehey! Concerned bya ta sa ila health d ba? lisura uie! mao gni d ta nahan mag klase...g mo? ako wa lageh! sabta na lang...

first informal blog ko ni mga pardz...ug hinaut pa untang naligaw mu niini...hapit na mga bai...konting tiis na lang..utong sah ta ani...gamay na lng jud tawn ang kuwang...

ang ato lang ani ba na di ta maglimtanay noh? kay dakul jud lagi! Unya di na unta tah magbinogo kay makalagot bya na ang mga bogo noh? hehehe....

ge mga pardz...sa sunod na pud nakong pag log in...labshoo mga bai!!!

KAC..adVeNtUrE oF a LiFeTiMe...(part 2)

This is the second part of my adventure and I will be glad to share it to you.

Waking up for the second day was not a hard task for me. I woke up very early because it has always been like that when I sleep in another place (aside from our house of course..). I then took a bath and ate my breakfast. My other companions were still not awake and as a result, they were annoyed with the wake up call. The wake up call was a song entitled "Buwad, Suka, Sili" by Budoy.

When our facilitators found out that we were already all awake and that everybody has already took their bath and ate their breakfast, they asked us to board the bus immediately so that we will arrive at our next stop early and be able to finish early. i was not so sure about our next stop but according to rumors, we will be going to Punta Engaño for our ropes course. I have never joined such activity before and so I was really excited to try it for the first time in my life. Even though how excited I was during those moments, I still did not have a fun trip because my sea sickness then visited me again. It prevented me from having fun while traveling to our destination. Punta Engaño is quite far from Liloan so it was so hard for me to have fun during those moments. I ended sleeping because my head really ached a lot during that trip.

When we were already there, I was so amazed with the things we were about to experience that day. I was also shocked by the wires, the cables and the towering posts in that place. I cannot imagine myself passing through all those wires and high telephone posts. I first thought that it would be impossible for me to try even one of those because I had a fear on heights but certainly when I saw that may of my classmates did it, it became a challenge for me.

Our group first took the high Y. It was such a tiring activity because we had to climb up a ladder first before hitting the wires. But of course before all of that, we also wore our harness and helmets for safety and protection purposes. i had to the activity with a pair because it requires a pair. I accomplished the first task despite the fact that I really had a difficult time finishing this task and that my knees were really shaking but I also found it rewarding in the end.

We then had our lunch because it was around noon when we finished. We then had our second activity which was the pamper pole. from the name itself, you will already know that it will involve the climbing of the pole but certainly I do not get why there was a pamper before the pole because I did not find it so pampering by the look of the 8 ft. pole itself. But later I did know why.

When it was already my turn to climb up the pole, I was really nervous. Though it was so hard at first, I already gained my strength because I was thinking of a reward in which I will get at the top. In ended that it was the easiest activity that I took of all the activities for that day.

I was not able to take the wall climbing because it was already so dark when we had our turn and it was a protocol to stop all activities when it already turned dark so what we did was to board the bus again and just start our trip back to Liloan. I was so tired so again I slept and when we arrived, I immediately went out of the bus to eat my dinner. I thought I could already rest after that but unfortunately, we still had another activities. I'm sorry not to remember those things but maybe I did not have fun not to remember those stuffs. After that forgettable activity, I took a bath and then went to sleep. Closing my eyes for that night was quite difficult because my mind was already occupied with a lot of things but despite that I still know the next day will be even more exciting and fun.

tHe pOeM cALLeD 1(a).....by ee cummings

l(a

le

af

fa

ll

s)

one

l

iness

by: ee cummings

The poem written above was a poem written by the famous playwright E.E. Cummings. His full name is Edward Estlin Cummings and he was known to be a n American poet, painter, essayist and playwright. He has already written a lot of poems most of sonnets with 14 lines. He uses a different style of writing his own poems and he also has a different style in poetry.

It is really undeniable that he is a really prolific poet and writer. But what does this poem entitled 1(a) all about? Is it really just about loneliness or it has something more beyond that? Is it just about a leaf? Or is it merely a symbolism to symbolize something else?

I know that many people really have different interpretations in a poem. And I myself have different interpretations on this poem too. So, I would like to enumerate some of my insights about this unusual poem by ee cummings.

Personally, I really think that the poem itself already talks about loneliness. In my own interpretation, the poem is about a leaf. The leaf at the start of te poem is still connected to the tree. At that time, the leaf was still one with the tree and they still exist as one(meaning they are still together; not separated). But then as the months or days have passed by, that leaf already started to die and wither which made it fall slowly to the ground. The word "one" in the poem may also symbolize the loneliness of the leaf as it falls in the air effortlessly. And then, as that leaf falls to the ground, it becomes one to the other things being brought by gravity to the ground. I do not mean to put emphasis on the subject physics here by mentioning the word gravity. But precisely we know that everything falls to the ground. Even humans, I mean when we jump we don't continue to rise in air. We go back to the ground and that is because of the thing called gravity. But let's not talk more about that because I myself get bored discussing about these "alien' things. (hehehe...)

So, now we go to my second interpretation in this poem by ee cummings. The leaf may also symbolize death. The word loneliness symbolize life in other ways. We all know that people have different types of personalities. There are people who are sad, happy or even lonely which in this case is applicable to the poem. The person in this poem lived a lonely life. And as he was dying or in the poem falling, he still died with loneliness that he has been keeping in his heart through all his existence in the world.

I have also searched about meanings of this poem by EE Cummings because honestly, I really had a hard time looking for the real definition of this poem because it is really unusual and basically difficult to understand and comprehend. According to an internet website http://www.americanpoems.com/poets/eecummings/241/comments

it also said that the meaning of the poem simply meant a leaf falling in loneliness. This interpretation is simple but it may also mean a lot, right?

But you know, whatever the real interpretation of this poem really means, I think it is still good that at least we have come up an interpretation of our own. We may not be the EE Cummings who wrote the real poem entitled 1(a) but at least we have also become EE Cummings of our own.

KAC..adVeNtUrE oF a LiFeTiMe...(part 1)

KAC or Kool Adventure Camp is a project of RAFI or Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. which encourages young people to be involved in physical activities to be able to learn and react with things in life that somehow we can not really explain nor define. It also serves as a life- changing camp for some people and it has really touched a lot of people's lives in many ways. It is a 3 day camp packed with fun- filled activities and a lot more of surprises that one would not really expect.

My summer during the past years were really boring and I do not even learn new things from those stuffs that I usually do in summer. I only watch tv, then sleep, eat then watch tv again, do some house hold chores and do the same routine all over again. Its really boring and sad to say it does not help me grow as a person.

But summer last year was different. UP High School opened its doors to RAFI and it paved way for the students to know the KAC and the activities it offers to its campers. At first, I was really skeptical about KAC because I think it will just be boring like the stuffs I usually do in summer. But when we had the orientation at school about KAC, I became really excited about it. I started to be really excited about the activities we were going to have most especially about the ropes course. I never have been involved with activities like that so listening to ate Sky who was then the person who oriented us made me really feel glad about joining KAC.

April 21 was the day of our departure from school. Me and my classmates and several younger school mates who also embraced this rare opportunity gathered at the school campus and rode on a van towards our destination. I was really clueless to where we were heading to and so after minutes of traveling, I eventually knew where we were headed for- David Livingstone Academy in Liloan. It was quite far from our place so I was not really familiar with the place. It was a new environment to me because it was a school atop a hill. The road to the school was really bumpy but it was okay.

At last at about 9:30 in the morning we arrived at the venue. We were then welcomed by unfamiliar faces who were then the volunteers and facilitators. I was shy at first because I do not know how to react wtih these people but when they started to greet me with their gorgeous smiles and warm hellos I was able to breathe. We were then given our ID's and pouches which will be used during the entire period of the camp. I was shocked to know that we are not the only people who will be attending the camp. I was surprised to see other unfamiliar faces who were also there to experience an adventure like never before.

The first day was full of self introduction and also group activities. We were grouped randomly and my tribe was named "Nagsilaob na Tribu". We really had a fun time during our group activities. Even though it was tiring it was still worth it because I also knew a lot of things on how to mingle and interact with your group mates. We even had the cookie machine activity in which we had to move a group mate from the starting person to the last person through the movement of our arms. It was tiring but it was rewarding. After that activity, we also had a meeting about our plans for the morning activity. We were not really told exactly about the activity we were going to have earlier the next day but felt the excitement as I closed my eyes to end the first day of the camp.

tO haVe oR nOt tO hAvE...

My classmates have always been asking me for advices for their love problems. Sometimes I do not know how to answer their questions because I myself have not experienced such things. Hearing such hurtful events such as break ups from my friends eventually led me to conclude that having a boyfriend is such a head ache and I even promised myself not to have one- not until I graduate from high school, of course.

Fortunately, I do not have a boyfriend and I never really had. I had some crushes and things that you call flings but those were not really serious. I have just been open to things like that but no one ever courted me. Maybe they were just afraid or maybe they are just torpe. But whatever the reason is, I thank them because at least I did not break my promise which is not to have a boyfriend in high school.

When I ask my friends about the feeling of having a relationship with someone, they usually say "It's a nice feeling..". Well yeah, it may be NICE at FIRST but love is not always nice. It will eventually led you to heart aches. I do not want to be hurt that is because being hurt is the last thing a person would like to feel, right? I do not like to be hurt also because I do not know how to deal with it and I am afraid I might not control my emotions and I might do something I do not usually do.

Most of my friends have already their boyfriends and girlfriends. But even though, I do not really get jealous. Maybe because I do not want to be hurt or simply because I am not ready for a relationship. Having a relationship requires a lot of patience and understanding. It also demands a lot from both parties who are in the relationship. It is not enough to have a relationship. It is also good to have a steady and serious relationship but that requires a lot of TRUST and more patience and understanding. I know all these things because it is from what I have observed from my classmates and deep inside me, I know that I am still not ready for that.

I really do not have a lot of standards in choosing the person I would like to love eventually. I just want him to be simple, down to earth, honest, gentleman and respectful to my parents as much as possible. I also want him to love me as who I am and accept me as the real me. I don't want pretensions. I just want him to be his real self and to show his real self. I don't want him to be boastful, I just want him to be humble with what he has and share what he knows. Respecting my parents is an important thing for me. Certainly because, it is when I will know if he also truly respects me. If he respects my parents then no doubt respecting me will not really be a difficult task at all.

I also disagree with regards to hiding one's relationship. Why will you hide you relationship? Are you afraid that people will know the real thing between you and your special someone? For me, it is really a no, no to hide a relationship. It is because I guess you should tell your parents and the people around you how proud you are and how happy you are with the person you love. You should not hide your relationship just for the sake of not being scolded and being separated by your parents. I think when your parents will know that you have a relationship, they will really accept it and support you for it. If they do not agree with you, then I guess you just have to separate first and find out later if you really are meant to be. True love waits, right? And so I guess it's the time to prove it yourself if it really works. Even though it hurts, you must accept it. It's not for your parents' good but for your good. It is a way to show how they truly love you.

Now, I am willing to wait 'til that right person comes along. Even though it may not come really soon, but definitely I know he's somewhere out there waiting, like me. And I am willing to wait even if it takes forever.

gRaDuAtiOn: a hApPy eNdiNg oR nOt?

We can not really deny it. Graduation is really near and we can even count down the days before that big day. Many people consider graduation as an important highlight in a student's life. We'll for me, graduation really is an important high light in my life and I have always been looking forward to it.

When I was still young, I have always dreamed of graduating from elementary and high school and eventually study for college. I know graduating from elementary is something that everyone has to be glorious and joyful about. Honestly, I really did not have a wonderful time during my elementary years because it was full of sad events and I do not want to remember it anymore.

As I was entering high school, I can still remember how excited I am about high school life. Many of my cousins and relatives have told me that high school life is really the best. It is a stage in one's life where you experience how to be hurt, how to laugh unstoppably and how to share bonding moments with people you consider special.

During the first day of classes back in first year, I was late for class so instantly I already became shy. I don't know where I was to sit. Unfortunately, the seat at the center, in front of the teacher's table was the only vacant chair left. That left me with no choice and that chair became my chair for 1o months during my first year. I came to love that chair because it is where the fan is located and many people stay at the platform ( a place where the teacher's table is located; an elevated place purposely made for discussion purposes) for cooling down. Because of that I learned to make friends with the people in the classroom and it has been a rendezvous for forming new friendships. Ever since then, I have always been seated at the center seat, in front of the teacher's table. Amazing isn't it?

I did not make a lot of close friends in my first year but during my second year, I started to open up and really show the real me. (hehehe..) It was then I knew my best friend Kimberly. We always get along and she has always been my company since then. I never regretted meeting such a wonderful person like her.

Our junior year was a tough one. It was a year wherein we really have to help one another because it was also considered as the isolation year. We had to depend on ourselves. Luckily, I was in Sison. It was a noisy but happy section. We always crack jokes even though it is corny. The cornier the joke, the more we react. It was such a nice feeling because we became really bonded and close. All of us were nice to be with and I was greatly comfortable with my classmates that's why I did not have a hard time adjusting.

And now my senior year. It is a year where friendship and bonding is really treasured the most. We cannot deny the fact that we now have projects that are really difficult to deal with. Despite that we also have to deal with the physical and emotional stress. We certainly have not reached the boundaries yet of high school but certainly meeting these people whom I consider friends had been a wonderful highlight in my life. I will never regret meeting them. I will always consider the memories we have spent together and forgetting them might be the biggest mistake that I will make.

Graduation is really coming so fast that we so not even notice the passing of days. Graduation may be a happy event in one's life but certainly, I cannot promise that I will not cry during the graduation day. It may be the culminating activity for all the hardships we have experienced during our high school days but it also means that we have to part our ways and just live our lives separately. It might be another stepping stone for one's life but it also means that we will not be together anymore which means we will not be able to share the same crazy things we usually do in the classroom and in school. We might not also share the same things we usually do and the moments we usually share with our close friends. It will be such a sad happening if ever that time comes.

But I know that we promised within ourselves that to forget our batch mates and the memories we had will be a crime and it would be unforgivable. To forget those memories is like missing half of your life not meeting the people who are so wonderful and so, so in everything. Describing our batch will take days but I'd like to describe our batch as- crazy yet wonderful.

Our batch is a batch of many personalities. We usually contradict each other's views and opinions but we are just showing how we love each other. Many people might judge us in many ways but before they judge us, see to it that they will know us first. They might regret the rest of their lives not meeting batch 2007 of UP High School in Cebu. Go seniors!

rEaCtiOn oN tHe gLoBaL wArMiNg iSsUeS oF tHe wOrLd...

Last March 8, 2007, the whole UP High School student Body and Faculty went to the Conference Hall to witness a film showing. It was entitled: An Inconvenient Truth. It is a film by Al Gore and it presents Global Warming and its effects to the counties in the world.

At first, I thought that like the other film showings we had, it would be boring. But then, when the film was already rolling, I was touched and was moved by the happenings in other countries and also to the other parts of the planet. As a person, I realized how man destroyed nature especially our world.

If we can remember, during our elementary years, we were already taught about global warming and environmental issues. Of course we always say that we'll help the country and we'll help the world. But the truth is, we are just helping our world to be destroyed immediately. I our world will be destroyed, where are we going to live? Isn't earth supposed to be the only planet in the solar system habitable for life?

In the film, I really understood the meaning of Global Warming. In a classroom setting, global warming will be discussed according to the writings in a book and it usually means- the observed increase in the average temperature of the Earth's near-surface air and oceans in recent decades and its projected continuation(wikipedia.com). If this issue is discussed in a classroom, you would not understand it fully. But in the film, it was clearly shown there the effects of global warming in the countries in Europe and Asia especially in the polar regions.

Nowadays, Philippines is now experiencing storms and calamities that are really affecting the lives of many Filipinos. It has already affected the livelihood and the lives of many people in many ways. These happenings are just a result of a phenomenon known as global warming. It affects the climate that is why Philippines is one of the country experiencing a climatic change. Sad to say, Philippines is not the only country experiencing this problem. Many countries are also affected by this phenomenon. Africa for example is a country located near the equator. As we all know, Africa experiences rain only after many years and they usually expect it months after the drought. But now, some parts in Africa and equatorial countries do not receive rain. This event is really disastrous because it kills their crops and livelihood, kills their animals and most especially causes starvation to the youth there. It is such a painful truth in which we have to accept and unfortunately we have to blame ourselves as one of the reasons why Africa and other countries experience this kind of misfortunes.

The film also presented a lot of facts about the current situation of the polar ice caps. The ice caps in the North and South poles are now slowly melting away because of the constant increase in temperature caused by the global warming in the atmosphere. Global Warming not only causes the melting of the polar ice caps but is also the cause of different calamities which countries across the globe are now experiencing. Lots of misfortunes now happen not only in our country but also to the rest of the world and this is obviously because of our negligence and lack of concern for the environment.

Many statistics were also shown in the film and it was also shown there how temperature increased from the time of the ice age up to the present. Research and studies show that within the next 5 years or so, temperature in the earth's surface will continue to rise if we do not change our ways and just try to let nature heal its self.

Because of the film, it made me realize how bad I am because I am also one of the 8 billion plus people in the world who helps in degrading the world and its atmosphere. It made me also realize that nature has provided us everything we need- food, shelter etc. but in order for us to continue living and enjoy this wonderful gifts we also have to conserve and protect them from being damaged and destroyed. We have to help conserve our environment because in return we also use the things which we acquire from nature. For us to help nature, let us also help discipline ourselves because I know that if we start within ourselves, we can eventually make a chain that can make other people follow. We might say that we can't make a difference because we might be nobody in the community but we must always pay it forward. As many people say, Great things start from small beginnings. So we must always say that there is no impossible thing to be done if we just start within ourselves. I know someday this vision of ours, to save the world will eventually succeed if all of us will cooperate and try to achieve a common goal.

wHaT dO i rEaLLy wAnT tO bE?

We as people really experience many things in life. These experiences might be bad or good but whatever they are, we cannot really prevent things like those from happening.

Because of these uncontrollable happenings and because of some circumstances, we also have to make some decisions in our life. Young as we may be, we are now able to make decisions. Though those decisions may not be really that big or important, we still manage to make decisions through thinking what is right and doing some reflection. But as the years pass and as we face higher challenges, we also have to make very important decisions in our life that may affect our entire life in the future.

As of the moment, I'm really having a hard time deciding about a certain aspect of my life which may affect me in the future. I'm really having a hard time on choosing my college course. I know it will be a really difficult decision I am going to make because I know that it will greatly affect my future.

Actually, I have already narrowed down my choices and they are Psychology and Nursing. I'm not really sure right now, what choice I am going to make because I think I also like both courses. But I also know that it is not only about how you like a certain course. It is also about its certain advantages and disadvantages or its pros and cons.

Passing the UPCAT is one of the most significant highlights of my life. It somehow made me make myself proud because out of thousands of aspiring applicants for the prestigious university which is University of the Philippines, I was one of those lucky people who passed the certain examination. That is why now, I am really having a hard time deciding on giving up my slot in UP. I want to be a psychologist not because I was pressured to take it but because I decided it myself. I have really thought about it several times and each time I think about it and thinking of giving up my slot, I always end up saying to myself,"kasayang pud sa ako slot uie..UP na gud na..". I know that if I will be studying in UP, I will really be getting quality education that's why I really don't mind about the quality of education that I will be obtaining because I know that the school which I will be studying is a premiere university which provides their students the best in every aspect. But what concerns me now are the job opportunities. It is now really evident that even if you are a college graduate, you will still not be able to find a good job. I know many people who are college graduates who end up working in call centers and do not use what they have learned during their college days. We all need money and of course to have that, we have to work. And for us to be able to find a job with a high salary, we must take courses which are in demand today. This idea made me really have doubts about taking up Psychology which led me to the idea of taking up the course, Nursing.

Nursing, as we all know is the most in- demand course in the Philippines. I say it is in- demand because of the high demand of nurses in other foreign countries. That's why many students now are taking up nursing to work in other countries and most especially to get a high amount of salary. Money is really a necessity nowadays and that is why many students result to choosing nursing as their course because of the money which they will be getting after graduation (if they will be given a chance to go abroad and pass the examinations). I myself have also been thinking that way too. I know that if I will be able to graduate Nursing and pass the necessary examinations for me to be able to work abroad, I will be able to earn a lot of money outside the money. The salaries of nurses here in the Philippines is not enough to sustain a family. I have a lot of cousins and an aunt who are working abroad right now and are a graduate of nursing. That is why I think that I might be able to work there easily because they already have connections there and they might be able to help me in the financial aspect. Nursing is an expensive course and our family's income is not enough to sustain it. But even though, my aunt has already promised me that she will support my college education if I will take up nursing. But I'm also worried about certain aspects and I even ask myself lots of questions. "What if I don't pass the tests?", "What if I fail?", "What if I won't be able to succeed in this course?". I really have a lot of reservations and questions. Also, I want to help our country in some way. But how will I be able to help my country if I won't stay and work here but instead leave the country to earn dollars? What will happen to our Filipino brothers and sisters who also need the help and care of Filipino nurses?

Now, I have already identified the pros and cons of both courses but still I haven't made up my mind about which course I am to take. But for now, all I have to do is just to concentrate on my studies for me to make sure that I will be able to graduate from high school and move on to a higher level. Before making my choice, I still have to reflect more and consider what my heart really wants me to do. After all, it will be my future who's at stake with the decision I will be making.

mArCh 09...a dAtE tO rEmEmbEr........

March 9 was not a good day for the fourth years. It was a day of tears, anger, pain, physical and emotional stress and more. I guess the physical stress might be the reason for the whole conflict but really I consider this day as the "Malas day" for the fourth years.

When I went to school, first thing I did was greet my best friend, Kimberly, who was then celebrating her birthday. A day before her birthday, she already told me that, her birthday this year will be her worst birthday ever. I then told her that I'll try to do my best to make her happy for her birthday. But then I guess she already foresaw what will eventually happen because afternoon that day, what we thought as an ordinary day became a day we shouldn't forget.

During our CWTS period, we were told that we were going to have a marching practice because we are going to have a pass-in review for the retiring teachers. So, as usual we had the inspection, some drills and the usual things we do during the CWTS period. Eventually, because of the need to practice for marching (not all of us can do the proper march), we then practiced how to march. We practiced at the Cultural Building because it was a very hot afternoon. We had a lot of practices before about marching before but this time, the officers became more strict because we have to present that to the retiring teachers so expectedly, we have to make it perfect as much as possible. We have to march properly so we did our best to do the proper marching. The officers told us that the proper march should be, 90 degrees parallel to the ground, no sound of the feet and with clipped wings. It was such a hard task not only to me but also to my other batch mates but still we tried to do our best. We tried to make march with no sound at all but that was really difficult. So because of that, our officers did not make the marching stop at an instant but rather stopped it after five minutes or so after intense marching. Our sweat was dripping on our faces and our feet were already experiencing extreme pain but still because of our determination to make it perfect, we had to deal with the pain and the fatigue.

The break time came and we were then told that after the break, we have to carry the chairs from the second year rooms to the AS building because the day after that will be the HSAT for the incoming high school freshmen. So as cadets, we followed our officers and carried the chairs to the AS Building as we were told. After carrying the chairs there, we rested there for awhile. Our officers then told us to go back to the cultural building for the pamamaalam because the bell has rung that time. Our officers were there and arrived there first so they already started counting and some of our batch mates did not notice that their platoon were already called. Platoon Babaytan did not respond immediately right after the call of their officer so they were given punishments. Their punishment were 31 bombers. 31 bombers! Imagine that? So after that, some of the girls were already crying because they were already tired and they even had to comply with the 31 bomber punishment because of an order and not to mention, that time, many girls also had their periods and it was already an agreement that when girls have periods, they won't do the bombers but instead, they'll just knock their heads.

We then proceeded to our classrooms and then we were just surprised to hear the girls from Tan crying. So, my classmates and I eventually went to Tan to see what happened. The girls were already crying and they were already hysterical. They were angry to the officer who gave them the punishment. Jessa and Jezza were already hysterical that time that they even fainted. We were all worried about them so we then led them to the clinic. My other batch mates had a talk with the officer( I won't mention the name..) and told him everything they felt towards him and expressed their feelings of disbelief about what he did to them. He tried to say sorry but then everybody was still emotional so we just agreed to let it cool off for awhile before they talk again. The students' rally was also happening that time so the talk really stopped.

I know that we Gonzalez was not part of the punishment but I can really feel the pain the Tan girls experienced during that time. Not to mention that we were batch mates but because of the fact that we were already close and bonded that when a person is bothered, everybody seems to be involved in it. Even though, during that time many felt anger, pain and hatred I still felt happy because again I can really see how close our batch is that even if we were not affected directly by the punishment, we still felt their pain and anger. I hope that our closeness and bonding will still continue even after the Graduation.

tHe dRaMaFeSt....

December last year, our Filipino teacher already informed us before hand that the seniors was going to have the drama fest. He already advised us to start early so that we won't have a hard time completing the activity. But then the seniors were busy during that time because of the research and for some other things that we have to deal with in other subjects. But I guess that was not only the reason. The seniors were known to be stubborn and crammers so we just did not bother to start. We just agreed that Bryan (the writer of the batch) will write the script that will be used for the drama fest presentation.

Weeks have passed and still no one bothered; not even one from both sections initiated the start of the drama fest preparations. But then when the month of January came, everybody were asked whether to proceed with the drama fest plans. At first, I was doubtful if we will be able to make it on the target date and even I convinced myself not to go on with the activity because it will only make our schedule tighter and will not enable us to catch up with other activities we have.

But in the end we decided to proceed in the activity. Right after we agreed to continue with the said activity, Gonzalez already faced a big problem: the lights. The lights was an important asset in the drama fest because it is a factor that will affect the whole production. Sadly, the Gonzalez was not able to look for people whom we could borrow the lights from. Because of this, Gonzalez and Tan even had a conflict. Kim, the lights committee chairperson, even cried because of the conflict. And so to prevent any misunderstandings from growing further, we just decided that we'll buy the lights from our own sinking fund. We all know it will involve a lot of money but we just thought that its for the betterment of the drama fest so we just continued with the plan.

We planned everything we had to do, practiced everything we have to practice, memorized what we to memorize and initiated actions so as to make our drama fest successful. Weeks passed and everybody can really see the improvement in every committee, most especially the improvement of the actors. Classes were even interrupted for the practices. We even go home late because of the constant practices. The practices had to be made in the evening so that the lights will also take effect. But though, we still proved that we can do it and did well during the practices. After every practice, we always have a meeting and we always promise to ourselves to do better each and every practice we made.

The critiques' night came and we were all nervous because we do not know what the critiques will say about our production and we also don't know if they will like it or not. The critiques' night proved to be a very crucial but helpful activity for us because we already know our productions' strengths and weaknesses. This helped us a lot because every weakness pointed out during the critiques' night were all taken as constructive criticisms and helped us a lot of improve our production. We practiced even more and focused more so that we can give our audience a good show.

Then, the day of the final performance came. We already finalized everything that we had to do and assigned to every person the props which we have to carry so that there will be no chaos in the stage for the performance night. There was a program before the drama fest started. There were so many people in the open court who were about to witness our fruits of labor. I was so glad to see this people because I was able to realize that many people supported our production most especially the parents and the lower years.

Section Tan performed first. There were several technical difficulties so they performed again. During their second performance, all did well and we even cheered for them. For me, the drama fest was not really a competition but just an activity to prove and test the closeness of our batch. When we already performed, everything went well and everybody behind the production was glad. The actors also did a great job and even got the audience involved with the emotions of the characters. After our part, everyone was happy that we all shouted with joy. We immediately said, "Hay salamat! Mana jud tawn..".

The seniors then had their pictures taken right after the presentation. It only showed that even with the conflicts we had during the preparations, we still managed to present a nice presentation to the students, the parents and the faculty. We also showed that both sections were happy for each other and we did not think about the awards we will get but just the experience and the moments both sections have shared.

Drama fest was not easy to make and accomplish but it was a time where we showed the real meaning of bonding and friendship. Despite the differences in us, we still managed to keep up and learn together the values of life. The drama fest is an activity that I will always treasure forever.

mY lAsT sCi-tEcH wEek iN UP hiGh...

Last February 21- 23, UP High celebrated its annual Sci- Tech week. It features a lot of activities such as the Science Olympics, the Geometry displays of the sophies, the titration exhibits of the juniors and of course the research displays of the seniors.

The Science Olympics is a common activity in the Sci- Tech week. Each year level must have representatives that will compete and will join the activities. I felt that it was quite an advantage for the fourth years because most of the contests in the Science Olympics were already our physics activities. I was part of the Bridge Building Activity because our bridge during our Physics activity was not ruined and it was also able to carry a lot of weight. My other classmates also joined other contests.

The Science and Technology week started with a program. The flow of activities were announced and the venue for the activities were also announced during the program. The first activity was the paper airplane contest. It was in the open court that's why everybody was able to witness the whole activity. After a lot of eliminations, the fourth years emerged victorious. It was a good start because the first activity was won by the seniors. I think everyone was inspired to win because most of the games were won by the seniors.

The day ended and the fourth tears won almost every activity in the Science Olympics.

The next day was the day the seniors really fear. It was the day wherein we'll all defend our research study. We were going to defend the study that we did for months. This is like the "Last judgment". Even though we were not the first group to defend, I was still very nervous because I don't know what to do during the defense proper and how to defend our project properly so that we will be able to present our project clearly and properly to the panel and to the lower years who were then present. I think the other groups had a hard time defending their projects because they were like "gisado" during the defense. But fortunately, they came out alive and were not eaten live by the panelists.

Our turn came and I really felt nervous. My hands were already sweating and cold. I also felt a bit shaky but I guess the other groups also felt the same way as I did. When we were already in the stage and presented our study, my nervousness went away and I only focused my attention to the panelists. I did not look at the audience because I do not like to be bothered by the comments they might be sharing. But anyways, everything turned out to be fine and like the other groups, we were also able to survive during that defense and I felt really happy because at last, the research defense has come to an end.

During the next days, our displays were featured. The lower years were our first guests. they then asked questions about our projects because it will also be part of their incoming Science examinations. Of course as their ates and kuyas, we answered their questions with full honesty and provided them with the information that they needed. we also explained to them clearly and concisely our projects so that they would be able to understand it better.

I was not able to see the projects of the lower years because we were also busy with our displays but I guess it was also fun like our experience during our freshman, sophomore and junior years.

The awarding ceremony was held in the open stage during the final day of the Sci Tech week. The awarding for the Science Olympics were first announced and the seniors already proved to be victorious because we won almost all of the contests. The awards for the projects of the lower years were also announced. And then the moment the seniors have been waiting for, the announcement of the winners for the research defense. I was thankful because our project placed third. Though we did not rank first, it was still fulfilling because at least our hardships and hard work paid off with that award. I was also happy because at least we were able to celebrate our last Science and Technology week successfully and I can also see that the fourth years became happy and enjoyed a lot.

The Science and Technology week taught us with a lot of Physics concepts and it also taught us how to enjoy with these concepts even in the minor things that we usually do. i learned that Physics is really everywhere and you'll be able to learn more with activities like this being prepared by the UP High faculty and students. I still hope that this tradition will not end but instead will be able to improve as the years go by.

dOinG rEsEaRcH: fUn oR nOt?

As I remember the months that have already passed, I remember how our group struggled each day on how to go about our research. We even started meeting summer last year just to plan out everything that we have to do to be able to make a successful research study.

It all started during the last part of our junior year when our teacher, Mr. Jover Nuñez asked us to make a research proposal. Each one of us had to make a research proposal and defend it at the end of the semester for clearance purposes. The Science teachers will then choose the top sixteen projects that will be executed in the next year.

And so, after months of preparation, doing a lot of research work and defending for the panel, the top 16 projects were chosen. We were also informed after the school year about our groupings and to whom we'll share the project with. Our project is about the worms and is like a continuation of the project made by the previous batch. I found out later that my group mates were Arvin, Jann and Daisy. First, I did not know how to react or how to mingle with Arvin and Daisy because we did not become classmates before. But after our first meeting, I already knew that making this project will not be as hard as I thought.

We met in the summer and we had constructed a plan on how to go about our research study. At first, we had some arguing and debating and we then agreed to have researches and to study the project more before starting the whole project.

When the classes started so did our project. We were even asked to have a notebook for our journal which will be a record of our research procedure, plans and findings of our study. For me, it was a very useful notebook because it also served as a daily account of what's happening on our research study.

Doing research is never easy. You have to be patient enough and be extremely vigilant on taking care of your subjects so that you would not have to start all over again. You also have to bond with your group so that cooperation in the group will show. You also have to do the procedure promptly so as to prevent biases in the study. And lastly, you must also love your work because if you show love for your work, everything will just come out so well.

I never saw research a difficult task or even treated it as a burden. I have always thought of it as a time for our group to bond and to have fun. Although there occured a lot of shortcomings during the whole research project and also involved a lot of money, I still thank God that this research project only made our batch closer and also made our batch enjoy every research period we have. It showed that every little thing that you do, also affects another in some other way. It also showed the cooperation we have in the senior batch because even though we have to think about our project, we still manage to help other groups even in a minor way. I'm also glad that even though we had a lot of misunderstandings and a lot of arguing about some stuffs, our batch were still able to come out alive after this war- like challenge. It only showed that the seniors are survivors: never giving up and never quitting.

aFriCaN NiGhTcRawLeRs....wAnT sOme??

The Science week is already over. Our Science Congress, more popularly known as the defense has already ended. And I am so happy because around 80% of the things to be done in our research subject is already done. I am proud to present the rationale behind our study about Vermiculture:

As the human census increases, so does the wastes they produce. This causes various environmental problems. There is an answer to this problem and at the same time, it could also generate income. This solution is the technology called Vermicomposting. It reduces organic trash and produces efficient fertilizer through growing earthworms.The Philippines is known as a tropical country and most people earn their living through farming. Farming is an essential industry in the Philippines for it supplies the country’s food supply and consumption. Farmers use chemical fertilizers, which may be a health hazard because of its chemical components. In fact, the Philippines import millions of dollars worth of chemical fertilizers annually. Unfortunately, the country cannot meet the annual demand of metric tons of fertilizers.

With the recent scrapping of the fertilizer subsidy more and more farmers are setting their sights on the use of organic fertilizer like the earthworm castings.Earthworm castings are said to be five times more fertile than ordinary soil mixture. It contains nitrogen, phosphate, potassium and calcium. One of the ways of gathering earthworm castings is through vermicomposting.Vermicomposting is the process by which all kinds of biodegradable wastes are decomposed through the action of microorganisms and annelidic consumption.

Wastes include a variety of organic materials such as plant and animal wastes including paper and vegetable wastes. Through vermicomposting, earthworms reduce the volume of solid waste piles. The epigeic earthworm species are the ones being used in vermicomposting. Epigeic earthworms are found in the upper topsoil layer feeding on decaying matter.

This type of environment, which these species thrive on, can be duplicated in bin culture and it is certainly for this reason that it is the epigeic species are used in vermicomposting.African Nightcrawlers (Eudrilus euginae) are one of the most widely used species for vermicomposting.

Composting is environment friendly since earthworms feed on anything that is biodegradable and it also aids the garbage disposal problems. Vermicomposting does not need imported inputs and the required worms are now locally available and the materials for feeding are abundant in the locality as market wastes, grasses, used papers and farm wastes. Vermicompost is more effective as an organic fertilizer than ordinary compost. It has auxin, a naturally occurring growth hormone. It also improves soil health, no overdosage, turns trash to cash, and highly profitable both the worms and castings are saleable. Knowing the right conditions for the earthworm to survive is important in engaging in vermicomposting systems.

The researchers aimed to determine which kind of organic wastes is the most effective for fattening, lengthening African Nightcrawlers, and producing the most amount of worm castings.The study was conducted for five weeks from the month of August to September 2006 at the University of the Philippines High School Chemistry Laboratory.

SiNuLoG: tHe tALe oF tHe fEaSt...

The UP High School in Cebu joined the International Cyberfair contest. The fourth year students were requested to join this contest. The fourth year students were asked to make a website about Cebu's local man made and natural tourist attractions. Well, personally this project really required a lot of our time and effort but I guess it was worth it because now, this site can be viewed by people from all over the world. I am glad that me and my batch mates have already made something in which we can be truly proud of and in which we can say that it was a fruit of our labor and hardwork. My group mates were Arvin and Mary Chris and I admit that we really had a lot of fun during the whole duration of this Cyberfair project. I knew a lot of thngs with them and discovered a lot of things and I had fun being with them. So to prevent from further ado, here is the article of our group. If you have time, visit the website of our cyberfair project. (Just refer from Sir Elmer's site, ok?)

Philippines is known to be a happy country full of festivities and celebrations in honor of patron saints. One of which is Sinulog. Sinulog is a famous festival in Cebu. It is in honor of the Child Jesus, Sto. Niño. It shows a dance ritual of the Filipino’s acceptance of Christianity in the past and on how thankful they are for the miracles and help the Child offered. This is done gracefully by using the Sto. Niño’s image being worshipped. It may be one, if not the most colorful lively festivity here in the Philippines. It uses a lot of splendid costumes and props that would surely mesmerize the audience. In addition, its lively beat of drums, trumpets and native gongs would surely make you dance and groove. This celebration, held every 3rd Sunday of January, involves a lot of people; those in charged of the preparations, the venue, and of course, media. This also showcases the talents of many schools, organizations, and other contingents in moving their bodies and crying out those chants. There is also Sinulog for the youth, the Sinulog sa Kabataan, done a week before the grand parade. The Sinulog contest is traditionally held in the Cebu City Sports Complex, wherein most of the major provincial events are held. The festival traditionally lasts for nine days. A Fluvial Procession, a water-parade, is also held the day before the parade, carrying the image of the young Jesus with lots of candles and flowers from Mandaue to Cebu City’s wharf. It ends by a re-enactment of the Christianity of Cebu at the Basilica. On the feast day, the Cardinal together with several bishops of Cebu celebrates a Pontifical Mass. “Sinulog” originates from the Cebuano adverb sulog which is “like water current movement”, which describes the dance, its “forward-backward” movement. The dance consists of two forward steps and one backward step, done to the beat of the drums. It is categorized into Sinulog-base, Free-interpretation, and lately, a Latin category. Historians noted that the natives, in honor of the anitos, their wooden idols, already danced Sinulog. Fernando de Magallanes, a Portuguese navigator arrived in April 7, 1521 and planted a cross on Cebu’s shores. He then presented the image of the Sto. Niño as a baptismal gift to Hara Amihan, Rajah Humabon of Cebu’s wife. Hara Amihan was then named Queen Juana in honor of Juana, Carlos I’s mother. With some rulers of the island, some 800 natives were also Christianized. Beginning 1980, the Cebu City government organized the Sinulog Mardi Gras and gave opportunities to some dance troupes. David S. Odilao Jr, former Regional Director of the Ministry of Sports and Youth Development (MSYD) organized the first Sinulog. The Cebu City Historical Committee became responsible for the conceptualization of the Sinulog as one of the province’s major events.Filipinos all over the country visit Cebu just to witness this marvelous celebration. Even foreigners get to use in watching Sinulog. And because of such a large crowd, people engage in selling foods, drinks and some products that shall serve as memorabilia of the said event.Indeed, having such a prestigious celebration would somewhat help the economy. It could generate income. This is also a way of preserving the religion and the unique culture of the Filipinos. By practicing Sinulog, the people’s faith could be strengthened even more. So the government of Cebuanos must preserve this culture for the future. It is also one of the trademarks that make Cebu City a must-seen place in the Philippines.

lOvE: aN aCt oF tHe wiLL nOt oF tHe hEarT...

Love is a word that could never be defined but rather a feeling that has to be felt in the heart. Try as we may, we will never really find the real meaning of it unless we try to open our hearts. Its a feeling most people feel when they're in love. But is love an act of the will and not of the heart?

For me, love is something that should also be felt by the heart. It is something in which you share with the person you feel for. When you love, you try to give everything to the one you love without even realizing and thinking about your personal happiness or desires. When you love, all you care for is the person you love. You don't care about anything else except that person who truly love the most.

But even though you try your very best to love a person with all your heart you still wonder why that person still chooses to leave you and tells you to forget everything you have shared.

It may be really sad but it is evidently true, isn't it? Whether we like it or not, we don't hold a person's heart. We try many ways (even crazy ones..) to make a person stay with you hoping that that person will be the person whom you'll share your precious moments with.

When we love, its either we experience great happiness or extreme pain and loneliness. Being in love with someone is not always like a chocolate coated candy in which you always feel and taste the sweetness of the relationship. When you love, you also experience harsh falls. In other words, loving has a great consequence. When you already learn how to love truly, you must not expect too much and be always ready for the thing called pain. When you fall deeply for a person, you'll understand what this word truly means most especially if the person you love doesn't love you.

In loving, you might experience "hard falls" but with that, you must not give up. Those falls will really aid you in your next experiences and in your next relationships as well. When you fall, you should just stand up. Time will heal the wounds and time will also come that you will be able to open up your heart again and be able to love again.

Loving is already an act of will. You yourself already decides whether or not to let a person enter your heart. You are the one responsible whether or not to let a person go in or just walk away from your life.

In loving, no one decides for you whom to love but rather you choose the one you love yourself. No one has the right to tell you or command you whom to love. Its you, yourself who decides for yourself. After all, you're the one who's loving the person, aren't you?

In love, you also learn how to make important decisions in your life. Sometimes, love demands a lot from you. It may demand you your time, family, friends or even yourself but it's still up to you if you'll give up the demands of love.

It doesn't matter how many times you fell in love and how many times you stumbled in love. What matters is that you already learned a lot of things about love in which you may use to improve your life. A quote even says, "Its better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all."

Even though loving someone may hurt you, you must not let yourself always be hurt. Even though if you hurt yourself once, twice or many times, surely you will be able to find the one who's really meant for you.

hOw dO i wAnT tO bE rEmeMbErEd aFtEr gRaDuAtiOn???

Many people say that high school life is the best. I guess it's true. So far, from all I have experienced during my four years in UP, I have already experienced how to laugh, how to cry, how to have real friends, how to express my true self and most especially how to love.

I guess everybody really wants to be remembered by the people or by the school they have graduated right after they graduate in high school. Admit it. Who doesn't want to be remembered after graduation? I mean, whether they may be remembered as the black sheep of the batch or as the popular guy it is not really that important. But the most important thing is to leave some imprints or remembrance for the people to remember.

I'm not the type of girl who's really popular, nor am I the girl who is active in student affairs or whatsoever. I am also not the type of girl who is a nerd, nor the girl whom everyone considers as the silent or shy type. I am just a simple student. A student who finds happiness in every little thing she does. I am also the type of student who just like other students who talks loudly sometimes and laughs most of the time.

I know that with this description that I have, I don't think people will really remember me. I don't even think they will remember the things that I have done while I was still in high school. But despite that, I also think that I have already left some important imprints of myself and I have already touched the lives of other people in some ways. With that, I am already contented but there are still more things that I want the people to remember me.

First of all, I want the people to remember my name. (obviously!) Well, it may be funny but I want them to at least remember my name because I want them to remember who I am.

Secondly, I want the people to remember the things that I have done for them. I want the people to remember the things I have done for them because I also want to leave something about me which they will remember forever. Though I may not be an official adviser of anything or whatsoever but I want them to remember the advices in which I gave them and remember the things which I shared to them. In short, I want to let the people remember how I touched their lives even in little ways.

Next, I want the people to remember me as the person who usually composes songs for the batch. Composing is one of my hobbies. I compose songs usually for presentations and for requirements. I also compose songs for no particular reason or whatsoever. Sometimes when I compose songs, I see to it that people could relate to it and I also make sure that it could be easily sang by the people so that they could jam with me. I don't know if many people likes and appreciate my compositions but I hope they do. For me, the most important thing about a song is how you relate it to people and how it will touch them in any way. As a composer, that has also been my goal but I don't know yet if I have already achieved that goal.

Lastly, I want the people to remember me as their friend. The friend whom they usually ask for advices about love, the friend whom they lean on when they have problems. The friend whom they usually laugh with and the friend whom they love for who she truly is. For me, having a friend is important because they are the people whom you could share your true feelings and also your secrets. They are also the people whom you can truly trust. No man is an island and I believe that a person will grow more if he or she has a lot of friends.

Being remembered in high school is not really important. What's important is how you spent your high school days and how you touched other people's lives during that short span of time. I know many people don't agree with this but we are getting old. As we grow old, we will still be able to meet a lot of people a long the way. And as we grow older with time, I know many people will especially me will never ever forget their high school years.

a wOnDeRfUl eVeNiNg...

Weeks of preparation has passed and finally last February 9, 2007 at the Waterfront Hotel in Lahug, Cebu City, the annual JS Prom took place and I guess the senior and the junior batches and the UP High faculty and staff really had a great time during that wonderful evening of laughter, prophecies, legacies and dances.

Every year, the University of the Philippines High School in Cebu holds its annual JS Prom. Usually, the juniors and the seniors allot some of their time for the afternoon JS Prom practices. Two weeks before the big day, (that is, two weeks before February 9, 2007) we had the pairing session where the juniors will have to be paired with the seniors and the seniors with the juniors. It was raining that day so I could barely remember the date. (for me, it was not so memorable) But during that pairing I was glad because my pair was handsome and most of my batch mates would like to have him as their partner. Lucky me, I was one of his pairs. (April D. and I were his partners for the prom).

At first, I thought it would be difficult to bond with him because I've never talked to him before and for me, bonding with the partner is important so that somehow the shyness will go away during the big day. And I was glad because he was not a mean person (as I presumed..)and I was able to befriend him because of the constant afternoon practices.

During those weeks of practices we were taught by our teachers on how to walk slowly and be lady like even once in awhile. (we were even made to wear sandals with heels!) We were also taught on how to act with our pair and how to dance for the dancing proper.

The day before the big day, we had a general rehearsal at the Waterfront Hotel. The juniors went there earlier than us and we soon followed in the afternoon. There we had to do the things we have practiced at school and try to do them the way they should be during the big day. We still had our sandals then and so we practiced there on how to walk with our sandals. We ended the afternoon by saying our goodbyes and with the hope that all will be well during the big day.

Then the big day came. I was surprised to see my playful, childish and noisy classmates in their long gowns and tuxedos looking so elegant and prominent. When I came at the place, I immediately took the opportunity to be with my classmates and share some moments with them through having our pictures taken. For me, it was important to have our pictures taken that day because it was our last prom and sad to say, it will be the last time that we'll share that night together at that wonderful place.

I really took the chance to bond with my classmates and batch mates because I know it will be one of the most memorable times of our lives. When the program started, we all walked through the stage with our partners and flaunted our gowns so that the judges (the teachers were the judges) will be able to see our poise and we were hoping that we might be able to get a spot at the senior prince or princess or even the prom king or queen!

We soon had our dinner and I honestly ate heartily because I was also hungry during that time. After that, the tribute followed. I was glad because I can really see that the juniors really gave their best in performing the tribute to the seniors. Then the prophecy followed. I think the seniors were happy to hear their names and seeing how the juniors prophecized the senior batch. The legacy followed and then the announcement of the junior prince, junior princess, senior prince, senior princess and ofcourse the prom king and queen..

The most awaited part of the program came. (the dancing part!) for me, this is the most awaited part of the prom because this is the time when the juniorsnad the seniors bond with each other and perform silly stuffs. (Despite the gowns and the suits og the guys! take note!) We all danced wildly and we really had a wonderful time. I was even surprised because this time, the faculty joined the fun. It was really fun seeing all of us having a great time and laughing all the time.

The fun stopped when the last dance was announced. I had no special someone to dance with so we, all the singles of our batch gathered and danced together. We all danced with happiness and enjoyment. I thought that time that I should just enjoy the moment and be with these people because I might miss this people someday. I also watched the couples as they dance with the people they consider special to their hearts.

All in all, I was glad about our last JS Prom. Despite the fact that this will be our last JS Prom, I'm still glad because I had the whole night enjoying with my batchmates and ofcourse the juniors. I'm also glad to know that the juniors and the seniors are getting along well. I'm already contented now knowing that we had a great batch and that we really had a wonderful relationship with the younger batches.