Untitled

Tengga Mode #1

You taught me things I never knew before

Like seeing beauty from the core

Valuing things more than it meets the eye

And things I never understand why.

You showed me things I’ve never seen before

The beauty of the sunset by the seashore

The sparkling stars in a summer night sky

And other things I was awed by.

You told me things I’ve never heard before

Every little detail about me that you adore

My curly red hair and my sparkly eyes

And all the things I can’t consider as lies.

                                                   

You bared to me how harsh life can be

But it’s okay as long as we have you and me

You steered my life into a new direction

And you served as a new inspiration

Now that you have chosen another life

I was like struck by a newly sharpen knife

With pain that I can no more endure

And questions you forgot to answer before

How do I unlove you?

How do I start life again?

Can I ever forget you?

Or worse can I ever love again?

Made this out of Tengga Moment.

My Kind Of Weather

As I look outside the window, the pavements are all wet due to hours of continuous rain. The crystal-like droplets of rain falling into the leaves of the plants outside seems to be so cold. The cold breeze touches my skin signifying the year about to end. I can hear nothing except the pitter-patter sound of the rain in my roof. I still have tons of things to do in my list because the PreLims due this week but here I am enjoying the storm outside with a mug of steaming hot chocolate. As the hot liquid touches my lips, it brings warm feeling in my soul and the sweet taste that lingers in tongue seems to comfort the raging storm not just outside but within me.

Every rainy day is a lazy day for me. I tend to sleep longer and develop clinomania, an excessive desire to stay in bed. I don't like the idea going out and getting myself wet. Rainy days tend to develop the homebody side of me. I enjoy staying at home, with my pajamas, sweater and socks, curled up in bed reading good books with a cup of a warm drink or indulging myself to heartwarming soups.

Pasko Na Ngunit Wala Ka Pa

It has been a while since I wrote a Tagalog composition. Another poem I made out of boredom.

Pasko Na Ngunit Wala Ka Pa

12-18-15

Photo not mine

Dumating na naman ang umaga

May keso at pandesal sa lamesa

Kapeng nanlalamig na sa tasa

Ngunit mapait pa rin ang lasa.

Dumaan na naman si Ka Isko

Kilalang dito'y magtataho,

Minsan naman ay bote -dyaryo 

Siya din ay naglalako.

Lalabas ng kwarto si Inay

At ang kapatid kong si Duday

Mag-aalmusal, maliligo

Pagkatapos ay aalis ng bahay.

Dumating na naman ang umaga

May keso at pandesal sa lamesa

Kapeng nanlalamig na sa tasa

Ngunit mapait pa rin ang lasa.

Dumaan na naman si Ka Isko

Ngayon 'di na siya magtataho, 

Nanalo na siya sa lotto

At ngayo'y may-ari ng ng kasino.

Lumabas na ng kwarto si Inay

Kasama ang aming kasambahay

Nars na rin pala si Duday

at paalis papuntang Hawai.

.

Sa loob ng limang taon

Nag-aantay pa rin ako

Na makita sa tapat ng bahay

Kahit man lang anino mo.

Limang Pasko ang nagdaan

Limang taon ang nakaraan

Pasko na naman, Sinta

Pasko na ngunit wala ka pa.

Reaction to Randalf Dilla's "Salvage Memories, Salvage Lives"

Last November 26, 2015 our Philippine History class went to Ateneo de Naga University, a nearby school, to witness a breath-taking masterpiece by Randalf Dilla entitled Salvage Memories, Salvage Lives. After seeing the  mural painting we are asked to write a reaction paper and here's a copy of mine.

Photo not mine

Photo not mine

The painting is about the human rights issues in the time of Martial Law, it is an 8 x 18.5 feet acrylic and oil painting by a 28 years old Randalf Dilla, a Feati University alumnus. The painting’s central focus is on Marcos’ image with iron hands to show his kind of leadership. He was seating in a table were gold bars were tumbling down, depicting the country’s wealth treated by Marcos as his own. The Philippine’s flag clothed the table and was chained to it, for me it is a depiction how Marcos used and chained the whole nation according to his will. Below him are men who were chained, some are covered by a violet clothed on their head symbolizing lent, and were like screaming due to intense pain. This, on my opinion, symbolizes Filipinos tortured and brutally treated in Marcos’ time. In his upper right corner were 12 frames with a picture of 12 men wearing shades called the Rolex 12, according to the description received the status symbol watch. In his background was picture of guns surrounding him, for me it depicts how he used the military for his own safety.

At a first glance, I can say that I was awed by the painting. In my own perspective, it is very powerful and igniting. By just looking at it, I can feel a certain emotion arousing inside me, a mix of pity and rage. What really caught my attention at first is the emotion painted on the faces of the chained men lying on the ground and trying to flee, it was full of agony and pain. By just looking at their faces I can imagine the sound of their voices because of an excruciating pain they feel. I felt demoralized as a Filipino seeing through the painting what my fellow citizen have gone through. Another thing that caught my attention is the image of President Marcos, very strong and full of authority. Beyond the sign of age in his face, still it was full of fearlessness. His face showed an emotion that suggests that he is a powerful individual and you have no choice but to follow his command. His hands were painted like iron to depict his leadership as violent. I really like the way the painter creatively depict the Marcos’ term in just one masterpiece. Even if I am not that knowledgeable about that Marcos’ term the mural clearly showed me what it’s like. Through symbolism like the gold bars on the table, the flag of the Philippines chained and used as tablecloth, the guns at Marcos’ background, the chained men and the 12 guys in frames I seemed to understand what it was trying to convey, the situation of the Philippines under Martial Law, and it had reached me. The colors vividly set mood of the artwork and greatly helped to focus the underlying theme.  Although I don’t have an artistic eye for painting, I can say that balance and proportion was properly observed because it was pleasing to the eye and what must be the highlight was highlighted and given enough attention.

By this painting, I was moved to see our country’s situation before and somehow challenged to do my part as a Filipino not to allow this to happen anymore. I, as a youth, have the power and responsibility to protect my country and must not waste the lives of my ancestor who suffered and died for the exchange of freedom that I am enjoying right now. The freedom that they fought for, also must not be misused for the deterioration of my country instead used as a tool to helped my country achieve more and let all Filipinos live harmoniously. To wrap this up, I pledge to be a responsible citizen and be an agent of change by not being part of anomalies and corruption in this country.

Sources: 

http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/206540/salvaged-memories-salvaged-lives-hiraya-to-unveil-trenchant-mural-on-marcos-dictatorship

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/image/lifestyle/09/18/15/painting-depicts-martial-law-philippines

https://www.artrenewal.org/pages/viewartwork.php?filename=/artwork/2014-2015%20Salon/12490_5540_Dilla_Figurative_Salvaged%20Memories,%20Salvaged%20Lives_primary_image-huge.jpg

Reflection on I Witness' Byaheng Sikmura

As part of the requirement in our Philosophy class we are asked to write a reaction paper about the documentaries and film that we watched ( kumacareer ng paperworks ang mga prof namin ngayon chos!). I chose Byaheng Sikmura by I Witness because I enjoyed wactching it. Here is my reflection paper a 600+ word vommit:

Byaheng Sikmura is a documentary that showed me a glimpse of the life of street dwellers that rely on dole outs for their food and some basic necessities. Tagpi and the Baklang Yagits are one of those street dwellers who religiously avail the free food from different institutions may it be religious or non-government. Tagpi and his fellow beggars already have a list of schedule for the feeding stations and all they have to do is line-up, pray, jump up, dance and wait a couple of hours in exchange of free meals and services like grooming and  medical help in terms of the group of Koreans. I find their way of life very striking, funny it may seem but a deeper and more serious issue lies behind that funny way of life.

One that really caught my attention is Edgar, a former DOST scholar who went to Manila for his studies but his track of life changed, he is still a newbie when it comes to this way of life and by the way I see it he seems to like it. I feel sorry and regretful for him. He still young and a lot of opportunities might come on his way but he settled to rely on dole outs for food. As I watch the documentary I have seen a lot of beggars whom I think is still in good shape but preferred to choose this way of life. I am not against with the act of helping the beggars. In fact, it is very aligned to one of our school’s core values, Advocacy to persons who are poor, but what bothers me is how they do it. The street dwellers already depended on dole outs for their food. They spend most of their waiting for other people to “spoon-feed” them instead of working hard to suffice their needs. They’ve become lazy. I can relate this situation in the one of the controversial issue in our government, the Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program or popularly known as 4Ps. This program helps our fellow countrymen through providing monetary assistance to poor Filipinos. The way I see it, it has the same objective, to help poor people in supplying their needs and maybe to eradicate poverty. Every once in a while I will see a very long line in the local bank and it signals their “pay check” for being a poor is already out for distribution. As I have observed, beneficiaries’ way of life doesn’t seem to improve. In my perception, not because the money is not enough but because they don’t spend it well thinking they will have one again next month and worse, some even didn’t bother to find a job since they already have money for their needs.

Reflecting on this, I have realized that helping is indeed good but the way one does it sometimes makes it bad. Helping to the point that the people I help have gone lazy and just depending on my help. As what the famous saying goes, “Don’t give man a fish instead teach him how to fish and he will never be hungry for the rest of his life”. Another is, even if the objective of helping is good the manner it is done also must be also good to produce good reults.

To wrap this up, this documentary challenged me as a youth to apply whatever its impact to me in my simple but meaningful way. In response, I will continue to help but I would make sure that my help will inspire the people to help themselves also. For example, in a classroom basis I will my help classmate in studies not by letting him copy my answer instead teach him the process on how to analyse problem and situations and how to solve problems on his own. Helping him that way may cost time and effort but it is sure worth it thinking I am helping him the right way.

Pardon me for errors these are still subject for proofreading and revision.