"The Catastrophe of Pablo"(5th week)

THE CATASTROPHE OF PABLO

By: Phoebe Joy Cardinez

    It was early dawn in the fourth day of December and the southwest monsoon breezed coldly. I was awaken by the sound of the roof as it was strong blown by the wind. I curled on my bed but the noise is intolerable. I was forced to wake up and ignored the cold wind. I opened my cell phone and the clock said it was 5:45. Just enough time to prepare for school, I thought. But the weather seemed very bad. I remembered the news on the weather forecast from the PAGASA about the typhoon named ‘Pablo’. It was announced that he will enter here in Davao del Norte by the night of Monday but it landed a bit late. I never expected it to be too strong. As hours passed by, Pablo grew stronger; strong enough to dismantle some part of ours and our neighbor’s roofs and destroy the trees and plants. Yet we were still thankful because the wall of the building next to our boarding house covered us from the greater destruction.

Time has elapsed and the wind gradually decreased in its velocity. It was past noon but the sun still stayed hidden behind Pablo’s madness. I think of my family and decided to go home in Mawab. I worried so much because several news reported about the catastrophic effects of the typhoon in Compostela Valley areas. I immediately packed and waited for a bus but not a single bus has passed until 5:15 p.m. Along the way to Mawab, the destruction was highlighted by the distorted houses and uprooted trees. The great flood was remarked by the river we have passed almost reaching the bridge. These damages I saw made me more worried to my family.       

       When I got home, the damages at our place welcomed me. My brother’s house was badly disfigured by the uprooted coconut tree. The main wire connecting our house was cut and the roofs in our kitchen were blown away. The typhoon disrupted our livelihood and destroyed our crops. But we were thankful because we remained unharmed and stayed protected by the loving grace of God amidst the disaster we have faced. The fact that we have survived that day is more than enough blessing to cherish. As a verse in a Bible goes, “All things work together for my good”.        

"Choosing A College Degree" (4th week)

CHOOSING A COLLEGE DEGREE

By:Diane Regner Masong 1SM

         College can be sometimes so scary to tackle about. Being a stranger in a new environment is not really a joke especially for those students who are planning to proceed in college. College was sort of stressful and difficult because it is the time that you will learn how to be independent and alone in a new place. You have to make many adjustments so that you can get through it. All at once, you will experience new things from your surroundings. It is the time that you will have your anticipation and wonderful discoveries which caused a great impact to yourself.

         On the other hand, in entering college you have to choose your degree. It is time that you have to decide of what course you will have to take. Some may think about of who are they in the future. Of what will their career be? And what will they have to do to reach their ideal career. For young college student, choosing what to major in is a difficult choice. In fact, many college student change majors at least once in their college career. Maybe because they have realize that the course they take recently suitable for their knowledge.

          For instance, choosing a college degree is not easy to decide. Consider these three steps in making a decision. First, you have to search for yourself. Understanding yourself and what you are good at is the key on finding the right major.  It will help you to view of what course you are interested in and set your personal goals in life. Second, considering the money matters. Money is the big issue if it talks about studying. If you don’t have money you cannot continue to study. It will tell you of what course you can afford or cannot afford. Third is your commitment. You need to commit yourself in your course. Being committed in your course helps you to strive hard in reaching your personal goals.    

           Choosing a college degree is a lifelong decision. It talks about your career in the future, about the life you will going to engage in. You only know what your capabilities are. Choose a course that is suitable for you. Just wait and continue to examine and explore yourself. Of course if it is God’s will, you can find the right course for you.

           

A Sun Had Raised (3rd week)

“A Sun Had Raised”      

    By: Aila Mae J. Mones

“In every action, there’s an equal reaction.” This is what we knew in Physics. Thus, we were also aware with, “There’s always rainbow after the rain.” With these simple and brief idea, we hold and tightly embrace the thought that there’s always hope for whatever struggles we encounter. Then, how do people strive in attaining unreachable hope in terms of worst struggles?

Here in the Philippines, Filipinos were known for their hopeful characteristic; wherever you encounter  these happy people, you will always find true happiness and joy in their faces. In this very simple way, Filipinos showed their courage, determination, together with their faith in God, to live life productively, happily and religiously. Even during the latest typhoon, which left large damage and unforgettable debris, people; specially in some area in Mindanao, still empowered their hopes that there’s still better tomorrow waiting for them. Some start with the very beginning, others just fixed those still usable things and they were working together, slowly but surely. In addition, you can still see them smiling and cheerful, holding on to their hopes in spite of their lost.

After all, people in Mindanao will be rising seems like nothings happen after a sun had raised.

"Art of Mine" (2nd week)

ART OF MINE

by: May Joy L. Umbajeno

            Art is nothing less than love. Wherever love heats, art poses its blazing passion. And wherever the art exists, love makes it a fashion. Their fate are twisted together in a way that one is dependent to another. Love should display a passionate feeling to be called as love. An art must be made with interest and willingness rather than creativity alone. Letters make words, but with emotions it is poetry. Events make history; give it life and it will be a story. Therefore, creativity alone is not enough to make an art. It should have a deep foundation of love to be called as art.

            Art is a gift. It rests in each individual inherently. But it is harness with love, which is learned over time we live in this world. Artists are nothing extraordinary than any other person. The gifts that they receive is nothing more special than what others have. A sculptor’s hand molding a lustrous statue; a painter’s gentle strokes picturing a magnificent view;  writer’s words telling stories of life; dancer’s body moving gracefully; singer’s voice playing with melody – are artists’ skills made art by each received talent and undying aspirations. The gift possessed can be idle if not used, developed, and controlled. Arts don’t have to be learned, but each must be studied carefully to discover the limitless power it brings.

 Art is anything, everything we usually do. With this, we can live our lives artistically in our routines we do everyday. A household chores finished with unity, a job performed with commitment, prolems undergone with hopes, promises made with honesty, dreams built with faith, and life lived with happiness. All of these are simple ways of living made simplier and more fruitful by the art of love.