Letting Everyday be like a Valentine’s Day

http://scotialiving.com/holidays/what-are-you-doing-this-valentines-day/

          Valentine’s Day is a much-awaited time of the year most especially to celebrate romantic love, friendship and admiration. It comes every 14th day of February where people fondly celebrate it by sending messages of love and affection to  partners, family and friends. Partners send Valentine’s Day cards and spend time together mesmerizing  the moment with joy and excitement. 

          Valentine's Day is named after Saint Valentine, a Catholic priest who lived in Rome in the 3rd Century. There are many stories about St Valentine and over time these stories grew into the legend we know today.At the time of Valentine's life, many Romans were converting to Christianity, but the Emperor Claudius II was a pagan and created strict laws about what Christians were allowed to do. Claudius believed that Roman soldiers should be completely devoted to Rome and therefore passed a law preventing them from marrying. St Valentine began to bless the marriage of these soldiers in secret Christian ceremonies and this was the beginning of his reputation for believing in the importance of love. Eventually, Valentine was found out and jailed for his crimes against Claudius. While imprisoned, Valentine cared for his fellow prisoners and also his jailor's blind daughter. Legend has it that Valentine cured the girl's blindness and that his final act before being executed was to write her a love message signed ‘from your Valentine'. Valentine was executed on 14 February in the year 270.

          Today, St. Valentine’s Day is not merely a day intended for romantic affection. It has also become now a part of family and friendly culture which has a good effect. It brings a manifestation of unspoken love to family members and friends by just simply, texting simple messages and giving even small yet meaningful tokens of love. In this most trying time brought by the pandemic, may love grow deeper and more sincere not only between lovers but so with all the people in sharing each other’s burden. May brotherly love rest in the hearts of all kinds of people to survive the challenges of life amidst the crisis we are going through. Let every day be like a Valentine’s Day to outweigh life’s difficulty with joy and victory.

“Kannawidan,” An Yloco Festival That Should Never Be Gone

 

             https://www.google.com/amp/s/pia.gov.ph/features/articles/1033600.amp

          The whole of Ylocandia yearly celebrates Kannawidan with pride and jubilation as a feast of its rich heritage and culture. It brings a lasting memory of its glorious past most especially its triumph against its foreign oppressors. 

          The Kannawidan Ylocos Festival is a very significant  to all Ilocanos for this is a  commemoration of  the anniversary of Ilocos Sur as a province since it was separated by virtue of a Royal Decree dated February 2, 1818 from its geographical union with La Union, Abra, and Ilocos Norte . Kannawidan is a variant of the Ilocano word "tawid" meaning heritage or inheritance. Many people from all over the world consider IIlocos Sur as a beautiful province located in the northern part of Luzon. It is a province rich in culture that represents the ancient Spanish and Filipino heritage. To show and share their treasures to the whole world, the locals conceived a festival that highlights these cultural traditions and they called it the “Kannadiwan Festival”. It has 32 municipalities and 2 cities and it is the Ilocano’s pride that one of these, the Vigan City is a New Wonder Cities of the world. 

          The Ilocanos indeed takes pride of its rich culture and heritage. Hence, the preservation of this culture and heritage is a lasting legacy that will pe passed on the next generation. The Kannawida Festival is a very strong anchor that preserves the purity of these culture and tradition and this celebration should never be gone. 

Amidst COVID-19, Celebrating the Fiesta of Vigan City Is Not a Missing Thing

            https://vigan.paradores.ph/project/vigan-town-fiesta/

          The rich culture of Vigan City is enriched with colorful and meaningful fiesta celebration in honor of its Patron Saint, Saint Paul who was earlier known as Saul in the Holy Bible. This yearly celebration is done every 25th day of January. This is a celebration that nothing can stop not even the threatening pandemic that affects the lives of many people from all walks of life. The Bigueῆos find no reason to forget the celebration for this is a big manifestation of their faith in God, the Source of healing and deliverance.

          Bigueῆos from all over the country and even abroad return to Vigan, as it is the custom of Filipinos to return to their hometown to join their family and friends in the celebration of their fiesta. They are joined by thousands of visitors from other parts of the Philippines and other countries in enjoying the cultural shows, parades and street dancing prepared by the local government with the help of the local industries and communities. There are also food fairs, arts and crafts exhibit, as well as a visiting carnival. With the traumatic emergence of the COVID-19, the celebration this year is not highlighted by the colorful parades and street dancing but the Bigueῆos find another way of celebrating it. The celebration rings in the heart of the Bigueῆos with prayer and thanksgiving instead of parading on the streets. They believe that the celebration begins in every Bigueῆos’ heart from which emanates the spirit of generosity that is very much needed in this time of crisis brought by the COVID-19.

         Amidst COVID-19, celebrating the fiesta of Vigan City is not a missing thing for this is a culture that Bigueῆos are being proud of. The pandemic is not a hindrance for the Bigueῆos to show their veneration to God who is ultimate reason of this yearly celebration.

The New Things That a New Year Brings

                                                           https://www.luckscout.com/starting-a-new-life/

One of the traditions that gives reflection to us being Filipinos is the New Year’s Celebration. New Year is one of the most awaited day of the year by many Filipino people with fun and excitement. There are the traditional preparation of foods and fruit displays by pairs, scattering coins at the door and some even wear polka-dotted clothes for a prosperous life. Others have their New Year’s resolution with their line of thinking, “Bagong Taon, Bagong Buhay!”

I am also one of those who thinks of making changes in my life as the New Year comes. I usually set plans to make things better in my life. This first day of the year makes me think of my life the previous year. I make an inventory of my life, answering these two important questions, “What went right in my life?” and “What went wrong?” I try to recall of the happy experiences that brough sunshine in my life and those bad moments that turned me down. From these experiences, I am directed to plan new things and think of strategies that will make these plans to materialize. I also consider those people who can be a part of my plan, those whom can I fully trust and believe that they will stay sincerely behind my back. I want to discover more of myself and find a better direction towards a better future. I want to establish in me a better personality with humility. Indeed, this is something magical that turns on my life with excitement as another new year begins.

The new things that a new year brings in my life are something I am excited to uncover. These new things certainly will influence me to stand firm and be directed to do what is good for me and my future. I therefore commit all these things to God who can make all things possible.

One Step Ahead

                                                 https://myfaithradio.com/2014/footprints-in-the-sand/

During the first quarter, I have many experiences and many accomplished things during this time. There are many learnings and discoveries that I have gained. There are also problems and challenges that I have encountered and the steps on how I faced these challenges.

During this time, I experienced the feelings of being a blogger. The happiness of sharing my thoughts on several topics. The anxiety if people will laugh at my blogs. I also learned different techniques and methods for searching for information on the internet. There are times that I am having a hard time understanding my lessons because there is no proper guidance coming from our teachers directly. At these times, I ask my classmates for assistance because I am shy of my teachers.

These learnings brought changes to my life. In the past, I was having a hard time acquiring information on the internet, but now that I learned the different techniques, it made my searching skills better. As I grow, I will always remember these teachings as I move forward in my life.

Breaking the Chains of Global Warning of Climate Change

 

                 https://medium.com/@mit_ra/global-warming-reality-or-a-business-trick-                       4ecc2a697ee2

https://climate.nasa.gov/solutions/adaptation-mitigation/

        Global warming and climate change are two distinct processes that manifest the ecological imbalance in our atmosphere. These are environmental problems existing in our environment that grievously affect the life of every living organism and we are definitely not an exemption to this. It may be too hard to accept but the truth is that human activities are the number one contributors of these nature’s problems.  

    

    “Global warming” refers to the rise in global temperatures due mainly to the increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. “Climate change” refers to the increasing changes in the measures of climate over a long period of time – including precipitation, temperature, and wind patterns. A warmer climate increases public health challenges like heat aggravated illnesses, increases in vector borne diseases, and decreased access to safe water and food. If we care for the living, there is a great need to end these the soonest possible time or else it might be too late. We need to respond to the challenge of taking good care of our environment. We need to develop an awareness that unless we care to protect our nature, it would be impossible to adapt for a sustainable future. Cutting short-lived climate pollutants can slow the rate of warming and lower public health risks. Planting more trees and preventing from cutting down trees can help minimize the formation of greenhouse effect that contributes to global warming.

     

   If we care for our future and the next generation to come, we need to break the chains of global warming and climate change. If we persistently do our responsibility in fighting these enemies of nature, we can possible adapt for a sustainable future. 

Deal with a Drill to Earthquakes that Kill

 

                 https://www.sunstar.com.ph/ampArticle/21789

One of the catastrophic experiences that caused the deaths of many Filipinos is a terrifying earthquake. Its aftermath effect brings people a lot of misery for losing a loved one or loss of properties that were hardly earned just to provide them.  Earthquake can happen anywhere and mostly its occurrence is unpredictable. This is an important reason to consider in conducting the “National Simultaneous Earthquake  Drill” to inform people that their safety in times of this calamity can be assured when guided properly. 

Earthquake drills and exercises are very important to prepare to teach students, staff and parents how to respond to the complications of an actual earthquake and to help people evaluate how well all parts of their emergency plan work together. Students should never miss this yearly activity because of all the drills that they need to have, the most important is the  earthquake drill that helps in the development of earthquake preparedness measures. Its purpose is to help students learn how to REACT immediately and appropriately during the occurrence of earthquakes. Earthquake drill is a practice or preparedness exercise for if an earthquake happens. It tests how ready people are for when a real earthquake happens. It is usually practiced in schools. People most especially the students are mandated to follow drill guidelines that are exclusively designed for schools. Each drill uses the general response of drop, cover and hold on. During a damaging earthquake, life-protecting actions must be taken immediately. There will not be time to decide what to do next; everyone must already know how to react appropriately. After an earthquake, further life-protecting actions such as emergency evacuation or first aid administration may be necessary; well-trained staff and students will guarantee that these crucial steps are taken as quickly as possible.

We cannot prevent natural earthquakes from occurring but we can significantly mitigate their effects by identifying hazards, building safer structures, and providing education on earthquake safety. We need to deal with a drill to an earthquake that may kill us with no ordeal. 

Quality Education: A Never-Ending Vision

 

                                      https://www.unicef.org/philippines/education

Every Filipino learner deserve a quality education that will bring his life a meaningful transformation. It is a kind of education that has to be realized even in the midst of an uncontrollable situation like the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic that has struck our nation. 

COVID-19 is a catastrophic experience that has adversely affected the people from all walks of life. Philippine education has taken a new normal structure that entails so much struggles on the parts of the learners and their parents as learning has to take place at home. Indeed, the threat of COVID-19 is inevitable. This is an infectious disease which causes most people who fall sick with it to  experience mild to moderate symptoms and recover without special treatment. This  is mainly transmitted through droplets generated when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or exhales. These droplets are too heavy to hang in the air, and quickly fall on floors or surfaces. People  can be infected by breathing in the virus if they are within close proximity of someone who has COVID-19, or by touching a contaminated surface and then the eyes, nose or mouth. This is a very contagious disease that spares no one including children who are supposed to be in the school enjoying their experience of learning with their classmates and teachers. Despite the danger of exposure to the virus, the Filipino learners never give up their hope for a bright future as the government never stops taking solutions to this pandemic. They only need to follow health protocols in order to prevent its penetration into their system. It really takes a lot of courage to withstand  the hardships of the pandemic. If people will have the heart to obey, this pandemic can never be a roadblock into the Filipino learner’s quest for quality education.

Quality education is a never-ending vision in the Filipino nation. This gives a clear picture of our educational leaders’ advocacy for the transfer of  experiences to the learners amidst our country’s fight against pandemic. There has never been a waste of time in formulating solutions so that education must continue without unnecessary disruptions. Life and ambition for each Filipino learner have to be realized  through the provision of quality education no matter what the situation may be.

 

Filipinos, United As One

  

https://www.worldatlas.com/amp/articles/what-do-the-colors-and-symbols-of-the-flag-of-philippines-mean.html

Several hundreds of years ago, our country Philippines has fallen into hands of foreign colonizers. Its freedom was lost and Filipinos have been witnesses of oppressions. The precious blood of Filipino heroes was shed all over the land as they resist the reign of the western power. Their spirit was on fire to fight for their long lost freedom even in the face of death.

After hundreds of years waiting for its liberty, the Philippines has always been tested with many challenges. Our country is confronted with many problems that affect the lives of 108 million Filipinos. The foreign oppressors have been gone for long, yet, our country remains a colony with various problems from political, social and economic aspects. But what really makes our country stand the test of time is the good leadership of government leaders who never stop taking the responsibility of bringing a new light of hope for the people most especially during this time of COVID-19 pandemic. For this, all Filipinos should have the courage to be one with the government in hoping and doing what is best for the country. Blaming the government should come to an end and let every Filipino do his part to make our country great again. 

The Philippines has proven its strength to survive all the battles it has gone through. Let’s make it even stronger by believing in the good governance of our government leaders. We must keep the faith burning in our hearts and let our freedom be exercised in good spirit so that our country will even more stand with resilience to the end.

The Visible Difference

 

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-03/13/c_138874064.htm

October 28, 2020

President Rodrigo R. Duterte

Malacañang Palace

JP Laurel Street, San Miguel

Manila 1005, NCR, Philippines

Dear President Duterte,

          We are writing as concerned students, future leaders, and global citizen to encourage you to support the provision of enough fund to sustain the educational needs of young learners like us who are adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We applaud your efforts to increase the allocated budget for the provision of quality education to all Filipino learners.

          The    unprdicted   existence of the COVID-19 pandemic has totally and abruptly change the educational landscape in our country. The classroom we used to spend our learning hours has been diverted into a home confinement where learning in the new normal set-up is being observed. Indeed, we miss the moments of learning with our classmates and listening directly to our teachers’ instructions in the classroom. We don’t experience now carrying our backpacks full of learning materials. This is somewhat disappointing most especially that we are on the adjustment period of learning amidst the pandemic. We are now having our modular learning and we find it very difficult to study considering the limited materials we have. We feel the necessity of having gadgets and accessibility to internet as important learning resources. For this, we stand against the many challenges brought by the pandemic by having a good faith in the government under your leadership to provide us the materials we need to continue our studies. We are looking forward for the allocation of reasonable budget to sustain our education needs as we are hoping that our young dreams will still be possibly realized. 

       We     never  lose our hope in the goodness of our government to address the needs of the young learners like us. We firmly believe that our voice be heard as we cry out for your support to our needs as young learners and future leaders of our land.

                                        Respectfully Yours,

                                        Joram Eliezer R. Baclig

My Dreams, I achieve

I’m a person with great passion to learn new things because I have a dream to become great and famous someday. This motivates me to focus on my studies at all costs and I believe no one can ever stop me from doing this.

Since the day that I learned my alphabets, I never stop learning new things. I feel so much interested in discovering new things that enhance my knowledge and understanding of things around me. I carefully listen to all my teachers and silently thank them for every learning experience I have from them. I never want to miss any lesson prepared by my teachers. The best thing that always happen in my life for a day is the amount of learning that is imparted to me by my teachers. 

I really want to achieve my dream in this life. This is the reason behind my efforts of studying well. I believe I am not too far away from my dream, instead, each day, I am drawing closer to it by never giving up every opportunity of learning that comes along my way.