All It Takes

December 27-- The midnight sun was full, casting a cotton candy hazy glow across the scene. The stars… Oh, the stars were a sight to behold. The stars, silky and seductive were just like sugar-sprinkled frost firmly embedded into the vast firmament. The night was dark as if a black piece of velvet had been laid over the sky and sprinkled with shining gems. The night sky remained a cold vast expanse which envelopes the earth like a blanket littered with small dots of fire too far away to be felt but burning nonetheless.

Besides the light from nearby infrastructures, the only illumination came from the flickering fire light of our bonfire. The orange and red colors seemed to twist and twirl above the bluish-green hue below. The colors seem to melt into each other and form a river of sparks. Dancing and swinging, the figure reaches to the sky as if to grasp the moon. The fire was as hot as lava it burned the core of my soul. Bright yellow-orange flames danced and flickered, knowing they were being watched by an amazed crowd. The fire was a dragon roaring with fury and spitting charcoal, with the immense heat that slapped your face. You could smell the wood as it was burning. The smoky scent of the air was nothing to the circle of friends surrounding the fire. Above, the dark black clouds were low and hairy in the skies, like locks blown forward in the gleam of our eyes.

Excitement filled the air. We were in high spirits. The music from Kim’s laptop was in harmony with the unheard blissful voices we had in our hearts as we sat by the fire, warming up our numb hands, roasting marshmallows and hotdogs. The whisper of the cold breeze across our scarlet-tinged cheeks was nothing to the nice, warm feeling that permeated the atmosphere. But the satisfaction of seeing one another after how many months and years was enough to turn the cold dark night into something bright, dazzling and spectacular. The brimming laughter of friends, the long overdue stories and the anticipation of a wonderful night was what mattered most and was enough for me to invigorate my incessantly depressed personality.

All it took was their company. All it took was for me to see them smile. All it took was for me to witness how they fared. All it took was for me to be with someone who could drive the fear and the worries out of my internally dead yet precisely engineered body with ubiquitous admiration (hehehe… atleast in the eyes of the Lord). All it took was for me to know that I am still a living person with a mind that of which has helped me create this manuscript, with a body that of which needs carbon dioxide to fuel the respiratory center of my brain (in the medulla) and keep me breathing, and with a soul that of which makes me who I really am. But most of all, all it took was the camaraderie and the memories we created that night. All it took was Karen and Armando’s long overdue courtship to blaze; Lester and Armando’s new-fangled attraction to one another; Karen’s usual self and never-changing personality; Lester’s cheerful character complemented by his boundless stories and brilliant jokes; Armando’s or rather MHANDE’s super-active growth hormones (Somatotropin) which has given him his present taller than tall state along with his sweet smiles and forever young countenance; Kim’s premiere hospitality and unfading succor; Wilfredo’s still up and about state after drinking bottles of beer topped with tales I never would have remembered if not for him; Brent’s unusual silent and slumbering self inside his van; Jacob’s sweet dimpled smiles and top-notch jokes; Nathaniel’s usual silent and seemingly undetected or invisible self unless stumbled upon; the wonder of Brett’s intolerance to alcohol and nicotine; Terry’s harassed and badgered presence encrusted with her apparent but calm and warm irritation (in a friendly way) towards Wilfredo’s never-ending taunts (because according to Biag, Rose was not there for him to tease… sutil talaga…); Rose’s lingering presence thanks to advances in technology (Smart, you’ve yet to upgrade your facilities though, but thanks still for bridging the gap between Baguio and Sagada and the world for that matter); and nothing more tops Wyler’s ‘praying’ state (though now that I think about it, I think he really was praying that time) as well as his contagious laughter and drop-dead gorgeous smiles.

It was twilight hour and the moon was still full, casting emotionless shadows along the horizon but yet there we were exchanging stories and experiences, reminiscing the old times and creating new memories. We bothered not about the frosty wind, the smoky air, and not even the floating stench of distilled spirits.

It was a few hours from dawn and yet none of us were unperturbed about the schedules each of us had for the day. I for one had a job to finish and send to my employer. Terry was also going for work in Bontoc. Armando, taking advantage of his good-looking physique was to attend his sibling’s wedding as a Bestman. Brett on the other hand, taking advantage of Armando’s presence was to accompany Armando to Aguid (heheh… just joking, Brett. Peace!) Wyler had to tend to 3 weddings as he was a part of the officiating clerics. Lester had a niece (or was it a nephew or a cousin) to look after and then later on get ready to head again for Baguio. I heard Karen was also attending a wedding of her aunt. I’m certain Nathaniel would have clients to accompany to the lovely tourist destinations embracing Sagada. Kim and Wilfredo had things to do, too since they’ve got to take care of the visitors lodged in their respective hotels. I’m sure Brent and Jacob had other things to do, too.

Yet here we were enjoying each other’s company and though the fire was reduced to ashes, still the atmosphere was warm enough to last us a winter. Sleep crept upon us and one by one I witnessed all my friends fall into deep slumber. Jacob and Brent have already left, as with Wyler and Terry. Brett’s (slightly drunk?) unremitting pestering of the comfortably snoozing Armando about the time since they still had a wedding to attend was the only sound you could hear from miles away apart from the crackling blaze of the fire near us.

Finally, before the sun could rise from the east, we started off towards home, walking the forest glade-like scenery of Kim’s wonderful abode embellished with the coarse expanse of rocks and vast array of lush green trees atop the mountains. And then it was the fresh scent of the early morning air and the sweet sound of birds humming their early morning songs which has made the very cold and early morning hours more wonderful to endure. With a new surge of energy and wide smiles of satisfaction pasted across our faces, we walked the path as we never had done before, bearing with us the latest memories and moments we created altogether.

Thanks for everything, guys. Once again you have laced my dusty, somewhat deteriorating unraveling memory with freshly-painted pictures of our moments together and the lovely sight of your faces. Endless thanks to all of you for spicing up my life with your presence, your colorful smiles, and your interesting stories and experiences.

Keep the faith, guys. A long as you have faith in yourself, in others and most of all in the Lord God, you’ll never walk astray and you’ll be able to move mountains.

Christmas in the Air

Whee… Merry Christmas, everyone. It, if truth be told, feels so good to spend time with your family during the holidays. It was for us a family get-together here in Mankayan, which is located in the northern part of Benguet, just neighboring Loo, Bugias. My grandparents were there, as well as my uncles and aunties and their families. Well, of course except for my two aunties who are now with their families in the States.

My excitement about our Sagada NHS batch reunion on the 27^th was furthermore augmented as this was my first Christmas with my maternal grandparents and relatives. We had our New Year here 2 years ago and the only thing I remember was the time when a shot rang out of the night to welcome the New Year. It was my uncle, then shooting blanks. Even then, it was still a scary thing to do. My greatest fear then was that what if it weren’t blanks and someone got hurt? And what if the night patrol would have come to arrest my uncle? Uso pa naman yung gunshot wounds doon due to stray bullets. 

Anyway, this was our first Christmas with our grandparents who just arrived from the States. My mother had spoke about us coming here for the Christmas vacation when we were children but I don’t recall any of that so I consider this my first Christmas with them. And it was fun, fun, fun.

It was electrifying and hilarious, come to think of it, trying to fit all 8 families in just a small house but then what mattered most was how united we were and how happy everyone was. It was music to my ears when I heard my cousins and nephews shout, laugh and cry. It was also a warm and ecstatic feeling to hear the pitter-patter of their little, little feet on the wooden floors of the upstairs bedrooms and sala. It was also an invigorating feeling to hear the laughter and untold stories of my uncles’ and aunties’ and also mom’s childhood. It was fun to learn how to cook from my kitchenwide-talented aunt of whom I learned how to cook a lot of dishes I’d love to share with you sometime.

It was also enjoyable and thrilling to know more about my cousins and bond with them more. My cousin is celebrating her 3^rd birthday and she looked so cute in her Igorot costume. Auntie and Uncle had brought us two big, big cakes and they were so scrumptious that we took one serving after the other. Yummy!

Then the atmosphere became even warmer as flames from the bonfire outside entered each of our souls as we camped around the fire, roasting marshmallows and hotdogs and barbecue. My mouth keeps watering just as I think of it. The night sky was so enchanting and cloudless that we could enjoy the exquisiteness of the eye of the night and the twinkling splendor of the silky stars up above. The scene further made the mood ecstatic as cousins, aunts and uncles, shared stories and laughed all the way to our hearts’ content. Even the neighbors came to join in in the fun.

I love reunions. They get your energy levels up and you’re ready to live beautifully and wonderfully and healthily again. They give you this feeling of comfort, security, love and belongingness. And that sensible feeling could be proven from Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. I hope we could come back again for a Christmas vacation next year.

Unfortunately, I have to end this manuscript here since my cousins are about to finish the last sticks of barbecue we made and I haven’t even eaten enough to satisfy my rumbling, barbecue-deprived stomach.

Have a Merry Christmas!!! Good night or good morning for that matter.

A Blast From The Past

Had a blast the past 2 nights...

Just got back from the best outing I ever had. Yes, the very best I tell you. I'll never be happier to be with anybody other than these guys. I'll never be happier to have a night like this with friends. I'll never even be happier to ask for more than what I have right now. Thanks to these guys I had 2 great, awesome, energy-reviving, breathtaking nights in a row! Yes, I'll never be more grateful to the people who had made my life complete and have instigated one of my most unforgettable experiences--Kimberly Likigan, Lester Bal-isen, Darwin Chalacan, Wilfredo Daoas, and of course, my very bestfriend and sister, Rosalinda Obfan. Special thanks to Marion Baldo, Maricel Manganip and Genevieve Pelayo for adding spice and flavour to indeed, a beautiful night.

1st Night: December 19

It was a magnificent night in the making. Everyone was so excited for this night to come. Kimberly was even more excited to join us just to travel a distance of 250 kilometers, a six-hour travel by bus from Manila to Baguio City. I had been waiting for her so I could meet her at the bus station before we could go to Rosalinda's to leave our overnight bags. We have planned to sleep where Rosalinda stayed. Rose on the other hand sent me a message that we have to be in town earlier for a little bit of shopping so I met her. Seconds after we met, I already knew tonight was going to be unforgettable. We then went to meet Kim before we all went to Rosalinda's beloved home. (Oh, by the way we met Mam Evelyn Balisong while we were out shopping.)

We rested for a bit while waiting for the others to get ready. We bonded right then and there. Females. You know how they are. Blame the hormones.

Just then, the boys (Lester, Wilfredo and Darwin) sent a message that they would follow since Darwin had a client to attend to. And so we, ladies (yes, we are) went ahead to find us a place to start the night out. We usually are not among the beer-bellied, liver abusive socialites we find these days, but then, what the heck? This was our first night out since high school. It's good to have alcohol running in your blood sometimes (Skeptical, huh? Read this: Health Benefits of Liquor). With that in mind, we tried out a few bars here and there until we found one that would suit our tastes--the Orange Bar. Prior to that, we have been following (not purposely but accidentally) our 'instincts' or maybe what the three of us call, 'our classmates'. And guess where 'our classmates' ended. Yes, that's right. The Orange Bar.

And that's how the night started.

It was to me, a night full of stories, short and tall. Darwin was already making some handsome bills from his business. Kim also was making a living out of churches' structural designs. Rosalinda on the other hand, also seems to have taken to her calling as a kindergarten teacher. Marion Baldo (who arrived a few minutes behind), Lester and Wilfredo are still pursuing their degrees in college. That leaves me as the lesser person of them all (Haha...). I can see the people of my age chasing after their dreams. While here I am left behind, trying to accept the irony of life, trying to reach even the soles of their feet, trying to be strong in staying loyal to my profession, trying to be contented with just the spare change I get from freelancing, trying to convince myself that I am happy and satisfied living my life as it is.

In the middle of catching up with each others' lives and having fun with each others' company, Maricel Manganip came with 'Manung' to join the fun. Maricel was an online tutor. Whew! Seems I'm still the lesser person. Just then, Genevieve Pelayo and her 3 friends came but were seated at another table, incidentally, the one just behind us. Genevieve was a Korean tutor and is now teaching ESL at a certain company. Right then and there, I know I had to change how I'm living my life-- that I may regain the respect I had of myself, reinstate the confidence I had of myself, and most of all, replenish the faith and belief others had in me. Kumbaga, parang 'Itaga niyo sa bato, sa akin parin ang huling halakhak--The Movie'... Coming Soon... Haha... Echos!

Marion left early, Maricel followed with her 'Manung' a little bit later. The six of us were left to enjoy the rest of the night. Genevieve came to join us and introduced each of us to the 2 guys and 1 girl at their table. Well, I think the alcohol kicked in a bit and everyone was just having so much fun.

Then just as I thought the night (it was actually an hour past midnight) was going to an end and for us to leave, Wilfredo (Or was it Lester?) suggested we should go and eat. What?! After all the plates and plates of pulutan* we ordered, they still wanted to eat? After joking around, the plan to eat came to be unfeigned. Genevieve and her friends left minutes earlier but then we found them on our way to eat so they came with us. Our feet led us to Good Taste Restaurant (the best there is when you've got a tight budget, more than 10 friends with you and you're 'it').

I really don't know but now that I think of it, it was an amusing sight to behold. Others were eating, some sleeping, some joking around. I really couldn't explain how I felt that night but I know I was happy. I've never been that happy and excited for a long time. I loved how it felt. I loved the company. 

Well, the night here-ended as it was already the crack of dawn and some of us still had to take their examinations later today. Well, hey, if you believe you can pass the subject, you definitely will. Right? (=^_^=) Rose also had to get home since she would be proctoring for the nurses' licensure examinations in about 4 hours and here we are still wide awake.


Genevieve and her friends got a taxi first. Come to think of it, Wilfredo went with them. Darwin and Lester got a taxi next and here we 3 ladies were left alone waiting for a taxi to pass by. Good thing one had just dropped of a passenger and then we were inside the taxi's interiors, taking in its warmth and coziness. We arrived at Rosalinda's abode still relishing in the thought of the first night out.


* Pulutan (from the Filipino word pulutin which literally means "something that is picked up") is a term roughly analogous to the English term "finger food". It originally was a snack accompanied with liquor or beer but has found its way into Philippine cuisine as appetizers or, in some cases, main dishes, as in the case of sisig.
 

Deep fried pulutan include chicharon (also spelled tsitsaron), pork rinds that have been salted, dried, then fried; chicharong bituka or chibab, pig intestines that have been deep fried to a crisp; chicharong bulaklak or chilak, similar to chicharong bituka it is made from mesenteries of pig intestines and has a bulaklak or flower appearance; and chicharong manok or chink, chicken skin that has been deep fried until crispy.

Some grilled foods include barbecue isaw, chicken or pig intestines marinated and skewered; barbecue tenga, pig ears that have been marinated and skewered; pork barbecue which is skewered pork marinated in a usually sweet blend; betamax, salted solidified pork or chicken blood which is skewered; adidas which is grilled or sautéed  And there is sisig a popular pulutan made from the pig's cheek skin, ears and liver that is initially boiled, then grilled over charcoal and afterwards minced and cooked with chopped onions, chillies, and spices. chicken feet.

Smaller snacks such as mani (peanuts) are often sold boiled in the shell, salted, spiced or flavored with garlic by street vendors in the Philippines. Another snack is kropeck which is fish crackers.

Fried tokwa't baboy is tofu fried with boiled pork then dipped in a garlic-flavored soy sauce or vinegar dip that is also served as a side dish to pancit luglog or pancit palabok.

2nd Night: December 20

Tonight was again earth-rocking. It was just a split-second decision when we decided to have dinner with friends. Veritably, another night you'd wish to experience once more!

Earlier today, Kim and I woke up to find Rosalinda already out of bed. Well, why not when she had some proctoring to attend to and it was already 11:30AM? Come to think of it, she might already be on her way home. And then as if she really had paranormal and psychic abilities, Rose sent us a message informing us where the rice was and for us to cook if we got hungry (hehehe). Now that I think of it, I was wondering how Rose fared while proctoring? Hmmm... With just maybe an hour of sleep, not to mention being bothered by a rather loud and quite unpleasant sound resulting from the vibration of respiratory structures, due to obstructed air movement during breathing while sleeping, Rose may now be knocked out cold in front of her class by now. I found out later she was fighting with her eyelids (tee-hee).

Anyway, Kim and I were eating leftover food from Good Taste, of which we took home since there was a lot left, when the idea of having dinner just popped out of her mind. We then waited for Rose to come home and then we broke the news to her. As was Kim and I, she was delighted by the idea. We then informed the others. We convinced Darwin to buy us dinner (Kim and Darwin actually were debating on the matter of who among them was to pay). What we thought was to be a futile effort came to be a success as Darwin and Kim agreed to supply what the other lacks.

Darwin picked us up for dinner and then we picked Lester and Wilfredo up in town. We first decided to go to 50's Diner but thought again of it and so we ended at Mang Inasal's at SM City Baguio. I wanted to try 50's Diner but then my luck may have fallen out. It's not the end of the world and there are many days to come where Wilfredo or Lester would buy us dinner, too. Hehe... In the near future. Right, guys?

It was again another night full of fun and laughter. Kim was going down to Manila tonight and so we roamed around the mall and made the best out of the company. We even went and try out our hidden talents in singing. And guess what? We were... perfect! hehehe... Thanks to Kim's, Darwin's and Lester's God-given talents. 

But I wouldn't just be all words and nothing else. I wouldn't just want to tell you everything that happened. I'd also want to show you.

Christmas Batch: Single's Night Out

Priceless Smiles

I just gotta let you know

what it is that won't let me go... It's your love...

Hala, Darwin, birit!

Yeah, love the pose... And the smiles...

If you'd want to view more of our captured moments, please visit Christmas Batch by Kimberly Likigan.

And so, the singing went on until it was time for the mall to close.  We were about to  send Kim to the bus station when Darwin did the cutest little thing (to me, it really was). Pa-simple kumbaga but still, cute. At first, I was wondering why he brought out his driver's license. Then Wilfredo was asking about when it was bound to expire. And there it was, right in front of our noses. Birthdate: 12/21/1986. Darwin was turning  24 in just less than 3 hours! Was it a coincidence that we just made a split-second decision to convince Darwin to buy us dinner or had Kim had her third eye open? Instincts, instincts, instincts... You never know how they work.

We then shepherded Kim to the bus station and waited for her to get her ticket before we took off. This is it, guys! It's hard to say goodbye but then I take comfort in the fact that I would be seeing all of you in the near future. I'll forever cherish what we have shared the past 2 nights. Nothing compares to what we have shared these nights--the laughter, the jokes, the stories and most of all, the camaraderie... Thanks, guys. I owe it all to you... See you on the 27th! I miss you all... Love you all, guys! Thanks for making this happen...

Happy birthday, Darwin! Thanks for everything-- the dinner, the free ride, your company.  I wish for you all the success and the good things in life... Matagu-tago ka!

Goodnight, everyone! Indeed, it is a wonderful feeling that I am to go into yet another dimension as I force my still energetic and euphoric self into peaceful slumber... and tomorrow... tomorrow... ZzZzZzZzZz...

Real Answers from Wowowee Contestants

Just found this random post as I was surfing the internet. This really, really made my day. Thanks to https://maicaliboon.wordpress.com/2010/04/05/real-answers-from-wowowee-contestants-sad-but-true/

These are questions and actual answers of contest participants!
1. Q: “Ano sa Tagalog ang teeth?”

    A: “Utong!”

2. Q: “Kung ang light ay ilaw, ano naman ang lightning?”

    A: “Umiilaw!”

3. Q: “Kung vegetarian ang tawag sa kumakain ng gulay, ano ang tawag sa kumakain ng tao?

    A: “Humanitarian?”

4. Q: “Sina Michael at Raphael ay mga.”

    A: “Ninja?”

5. Q: “Ano ang karaniwang kasunod ng kidlat?”

    A: “Sunog!”

6. Q: “Magbigay ng sikat na Willie.”

    A: “Willie da pooh!”

7. Q: “Ang mga Hindu ay galing sa aling bansa?”

    A: “Hindunesia?”

8. Q: “Anong hayop si King Kong?”

    A: “Pagong!”

9. Q: “Magbigay ng mabahong pagkain.”

    A: “Tae!”

10. Q: “Saang bansa matatagpuan ang mga Canadians?”

     A: “Canadia!”

11. Q: “Kumpletuhin – Little Red.”

      A: “Ribbon!”

12 Q: “Ano ang tinatanggal sa itlog bago ito kainin?”

    A: “Buhok?”

13. Q: “Magbigay ng pagkain na dumidikit sa ngipin.”

     A: “Tinga!”

14. Q: “Anong oras kadalasang pinapatay ang TV?”

     A: “Pag balita?”

15. Q: “Ano ang tawag mo sa anak ng taong grasa?”

     A: “Baby oil?”

16. Q: “Saan karaniwang ginagawa ang mga sweets na ginagamit sa halu-halo?”

     A: “Sweetserland?”

17. Q: “Sinong higanteng G ang tinalo ni David?”

      A: “Godzilla?”

18. Q: “Ano ang mas malaki, itlog ng ibon o sanggol ng tao?”

      A: “Itlog ng tao!”

19. Q: “Anong S ang tawag sa duktor nag nago-opera?”

      A: “Sadista?”

20. Q: “Blank is the best policy.”

     A: “Ice tea?”

22. Q: “Saan binaril si Jose Rizal?”

     A: “Sa likod!”

23. Q: “Fill in the blanks – Beauty is in the eye of the ____.”

     A: “Tiger?”

24. Q: “Ano ang kinakain ng monkey-eating eagle?”

     A: “Saging!”

25. Q: “Kung ang suka ay vinegar, ano naman ang Inggles ng toyo?”

      A: “Baliw!”

26. Q: “Anong tawag mo sa kapatid ng nanay mo?”

      A: “Kamag-anak!”

27. Q: “Saan nakukuha ang sakit na AIDS?”

      A: “Sa motel?”

28. Q: “Kung ang H2O ay water, ano naman ang CO2?”

      A: “Cold water!”

29. Q: “Sinong cartoon charcater ang sumisigaw ng yabba dabba doo?”

     A: “Si scooby dooby doo?”

30. Q: “Heto na si kaka, bubuka-bukaka.”

     A: “Operadang bakla?”

31. Q: “Ilan ang bituin sa American flag?”

     A: “Madami!”

32. Q: “Ano ang tawag mo sa taong isa lang ang mata?”

     A: “Abnormal!”

                                                                                            

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Slips of the Pen

Life is absolutely not a walk in the park. It’s more of a walk on the plank. 

Everyday, a student puts himself through a lot of risks: hypothermia from ice-cold baths, eye-pain from burning the midnight candle, headache from finding the value of x in y(x3+y/x­­2)=xy2/3y if y=5, nosebleeds from trying hard to understand the English language, classroom narcolepsy, suffocation or poisoning from a classmate who’s afraid of hypothermia… 

I was once a student just like you—umaasa sa baon, pumapasok para may magawa (hehe… joke… pumapasok para may matutunan). My life is not scripted. It just goes with the flow. I have my dreams just like you. I wanted to be rich, stay rich and get even richer (hehe… mukhang pera ba? Nope. just being practical.). I’ve done everything I was able to think of just so I could learn, pass and graduate with flying colors. I finished every project, have always been present (though I was usually late coming to school), and have been attentive. in fact, I could even win the “Student of the Year” award (if not for my tardiness). 

Sometimes, I don’t really understand how life works. But before I proceed to what I am to say next, I would like to warn you, my younger brothers and sisters, not to try this at home (hehe). I know you watch television at night but don’t let watching destroy your study period. 

Even though I review, quizzes were either too easy, difficult or not in my notes at all. In other words, I may have been physically present during the lectures but I was mentally absent, daydreaming, that is. I was much of a daydreamer back then, though I always tried to catch up with the lessons. There were even times when I was forced to copy assignments from my classmates because I stayed up late the night before watching CDs or DVDs and Koreanovelas. I even tried once not to review for the periodical exams just so I could watch the ‘abangan’ part of F4 Meteor Garden (I was so crazy about the legendary F4 back then). You might be wondering how I fared during the exams. Well, what do you expect? I got low scores. All I relied on was stocked knowledge, though I think I had nothing stocked then. I had been daydreaming during lectures and all the answers to the test questions were discussed during the lectures. It never came to my mind back then to cheat. I don’t think I was a good girl back then, but I think it was respect for my teachers which kept me on the right track. That’s why I got low scores and had to cope with the next periodical exams. 

The mere fact that I failed changed my life. I’ve learned that big changes in our lives are more or less a second chance. I realized I don’t have photographic memory. I’m not a photocopy machine or an audio transcription machine which can just replay all the lessons learned. I learned then that I needed to study, take notes, and participate in class to earn my grades. It is us, students, who earn our grades and not our teachers who give them to us. In fact, we can say that our teachers are just our secretaries who record what we earn.

I’m not perfect. I’ve had my shares of failures. I’ve shed tears, been depressed, got mad and felt embarrassed afterwards, failed quizzes and exams, stared blankly into space, squinted my eyes and put my eyebrows together, but yet I still showed my sportsmanship. I’ve showed my sweet smiles and contagious laughter, shared the little knowledge I have with my classmates. In other words, being a high school student to me was fun, melodramatic, confusing. 

Despite these failures, I also had my best moments as a student. I have enjoyed these challenges. They made me strong. In my 14 years as a student, I’ve had the best years of my life at Sagada National high School. 

I know these are just simple things I have learned during my stay at Sagada National High but they helped me a lot in college. All the things I have learned here would maybe take a novel for me to discuss them all. I would like to share some of these things to you. 

At Sagada National High, I learned things I never expected I could apply when I went into college. Here I learned to play basketball, volleyball, softball, table tennis under Sir Makellay’s MAPEH class. From him, we learned to dance the different cultural dances of the Cordilleras. Believe it or not, I was one of the highest pointers in these games and dances in college. 

Here, I learned how to memorize facts and history not only of the Philippines but of Asia and the world. I remember the drills and quizzes Sir Estangki had been giving us about the different countries and capitals, and the different personalities involved such as the conquerors, the religious figures, and many more. I had been able to understand Asian civilization easier in college due to these. Not to brag, but I got exempted from taking our final examinations since I perfected the quizzes and even perfected the blank map of Asia (oh, yes, one of my shining moments… heheh..). 

Here, I learned the story of Crisostomo Ibarra, Maria Clara, Padre Damaso, and Simeon from Ma’am Padayao and Ma’am Sibayan, which made it easier for us to understand what usually lies behind the Noli Me Tangere and El filibusterismo in college. Here I learned how to improve my English language comprehension and skills from Ma’am Balisong. The stories I heard from her were a great help in my English Literature class in college. 

Here, I learned how to be artistic and industrious in Sir Caligtan’s TLE class. I remember when each of us went building a miniature hydropowered light emitting turbine (a miniature model of how a dam powers electricity). We went for a field trip at Bokong Falls to test them out. I could see the huge smiles of satisfaction as water flowed through our turbines and the bulbs attached lit up. Some were disappointed that theirs would not light up, but still we had a great time. I also remember making house plans and designing houses out of them. Sir Caligtan also taught us the hows on silk screen printing. All these knowledge earned me ‘wows’ and amazement from my classmates and instructors in college. 

Here, I learned from Ma’am Sumedca that acid turns  litmus paper into red and alkanine or base turns litmus paper into blue. I also learned from her that Avogadro’s number is the number of particles found in one mole of a substance. It is the number of atoms in exactly 12 grams of carbon-12. This is also constant at 6.022 x 1023 particles per mole. 

Here, I learned from Ma’am Baniaga about Earth science—that the lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere correspond to rocks, water, air, and life. From her we also learned about the different formations of rocks formed by the movement of water, the changes in the Earth’s interior, and the occurrence of Earthquakes.

Here, I learned from Ma’am Tauli about biology which came in handy in my course as I understood the mechanics of life. She taught us that cells are the fundamental unit of life. She taught us how genetics work and how genes are transferred from parent cell to daughter cell through the Punnett square. 

Here, I learned from Ma’am Umaming that trigonometry deals with relationships between the sides and the angles of triangles, and with trigonometric functions, which describe those relationships and angles in general such as those of sine, co-sine, tangent. Her knowledge earned me a very good standing on my statistics and basic algebraic subjects in college.

Here, I learned from Ma’am Bakisan that the theory of demand and supply is an organizing principle to explain prices and quantities of goods sold and changes thereof in a market economy. This states that as the demand goes up, supply goes down, therefore, is inversely proportional. Knowledge she imparted to us in Economics made me understand the law of supply and demand of nurses in foreign countries.  

Here at Sagada National High, I learned how to make friends and keep them close, how to love, how to live life to the fullest. I learned that the pains of going to school practically everyday have far-reaching advantages. Despite the hardships, criticisms, and challenges I have encountered, I am proud to say that I am one of the products of Sagada National High—one of the products of the ever-energetic and mind-empowering teachers of Sagada National High. 

And now, I am proud of how far the school has gone since 5 years ago. I’ve seen the struggles the school went through and I know how lucky you are today, my younger brothers and sisters. At least, you have the internet for additional research work. During our time, we only had the library and books at home for our resources. We had our reports and projects hand-written or type-written then. Now, you have computers to help you with your work. We didn’t have a computer lab where all the students could have a chance of learning how computers wok. However, being one of the members of the school paper, I was one of the lucky students to ever use a computer. I feel for our fellow students who had not experienced this since I saw how hard it was to pass our computer science subject in college. You are also lucky to have new buildings to conduct your classes in. Before, we had the makeshift building which pours on us students when it rains hard. We also borrowed the room from Sagada Central School near the district office.

Nevertheless, the school and the Sagada National High family braved the pains and difficulties just as regularly and withstood the daily burden and struggles just as normally. They exerted more effort than we can imagine and rendered a fight more than we can describe. Yet look at Sagada National high now—accomplished, dignified, and highly respected. 

This just goes to prove that dreams can come true. We can dream. We can hope. We can succeed. We can make it happen. We have our parents and teachers to thank for the effort. Not only have they been there to inspire. They have also dreamed—of a new building for classrooms, additional facilities, quality education. They have hoped for a better Sagada National high School and they made it happen. See the result? Now you, my younger brothers and sisters, could enjoy the luxury of the sweet scent of sweats, of the undying dreams, and utmost efforts of our dear parents and teachers. It’s not only them who share the glory. We also share their life, dreams, pains and triumphs. The present SNHS evolves from a mere combination of industry, hope, faith, success, and a communion of souls who dared to share. Sagada National High is not only a public high school. It is a celebration of humanity, of unwavering optimism. 

You, my younger brothers and sisters, should consider yourselves very lucky. So, don’t forget to take good care of what you have right now—the new classrooms, the computer lab, the science lab, the library, every facility you have right now, and most of all, your teachers. Be thankful that you have them to guide you as you go through all your failures and achievements. Keep in mind that you are doing yourselves a favor by respecting and taking care of what you have because this is a way of paying back your parents and teachers for a job well done—a way of cherishing the dreams planted by them for your future and the future of others. Let it be your ultimate legacy to leave behind something others would cherish too. 

And now, it is your turn to dream and to cherish these dreams. Don’t let go of them. And if you dream, dream big. You’ve got nothing to lose because it’s free to dream. Don’t let failures stop you from dreaming. ‘We are but humans,’ but out of this flaw comes our constant struggle towards success. And with every fall we encounter in pursuit of this noble goal is an opportunity to transcend our humanity. Every page of our life contains encounters we experience in pursuit of our unending hopes, and undying dreams. Our failures need not make us pessimistic though. Rather, let them be springs of inspirations. 

Sand castles may fall with the rising tide but as long as there is hope, dreams thrive. As long as we have faith, we succeed. We can make things happen—make our dreams come true.

a moment is the answer to all of lifes mysteries!