Boundaries

           “Nothing's ever built to last but that doesn't mean it's not worth building.”

            Fast forward upon graduation and into the field of work, what would be the things I would like to achieve? For others, towering skyscrapers and humungous buildings might be the fulfillment of their dreams. Nevertheless, change is but the ultimate enemy of everything. As a Civil Engineer in the years to come, my ultimate goal is to be inscribed in the pages of history neither because of fame or fortune nor with the Guiness Book of World Records Holder, but to be someone who could undeniably change the surface of the world.

            As technology allows the rise of gadgets and devices which lessen the human effort, the human race is now clearly forgetting what it really means to be a human. Syria reinforced, Iran at State of Emergency, China naval troops surrounding the unclaimed territory- these are some of the headlines nowadays, isn’t it? The cyber world is not also exempted from these monstrosities of the mass population. Cyber Wars, Flamings, scams, block mails and others filled the Internet during these times. The Earthlings are now forgetting the essence of humanity

            With these scenarios laid, I remember a line from John Lennon’s Imagine. “Imagine there's no countries. It isn't hard to do, nothing to kill or die for, and no religion too. Imagine all the people living life in peace” These verses struck me and molded my personality and goals. Years from now, I would build bridges connecting nation from nation - abolishing racism among people to unite us as one. I would destroy walls that separate the communities from another. Building structures for the betterment of all - defying the laws of boundaries to create union among ourselves.

            I want to reshape humanity. Most of our civil engineers nowadays work for the sake of fame and wealth - but my perception is different. I will build structures thinking that someday, my kin would make use of it. I will build bridges putting into mind that it will be the bridge that will strengthen the loose rope of nation-building.

            My ideas and to-do list seems to be like a dream of a kindergarten pupil isn’t it? But these dreams shall be the foundation of my personality, the bases of my education, and will be the tower of my career. 

Samyo ng Pasko

Malamig na simoy ng hangin, dumarampi,

Sa pisngi’t sa balat ay namamalagi

Hindi mawawaglit, hindi maitatanggi;

Ang samyo ng Pasko, parating ng muli!

Liwanag ng parol sa kakalsadahan

Liwanag na tanglaw sa dilim ng kagabihan;

Mga batingaw – himig Pasko- nag-aawitan

Tradisyunal na karoling, atin ulit mauulinigan.

Habang si Nanay ay nagbabalot ng regalo,

Sa mga batang, bibisita’t hihingi ng aguinaldo

At si Tatay naman abala sa pagluluto

Upang mamaya’y may mapagsaluhan sa bisperas ng Pasko.

Hinihintay niyo ba na si Santa Claus ay dumating?

Ang nakapulang lalaki, pasalubong ang dating,

Ngunit ‘di ba, may mas mahalagang pagtutuunan ng pansin

Ang kapanganakan sa sabsaban ng Panginoon natin?

Sa munting bayan ng Bethlehem,isinilang

Ang sanggol na magliligtas sa buong sambayanan

Tatlong Haring Mago, sa kanya’y bumisita man,

Upang magbigay puri sa hari ng sanlibutan.

Nawa’y isapuso natin, tunay na diwa ng Pasko

Buhayin at pag-alabin ang diwa sa ating puso

Ang araw ng pagsilang ng Hari ng mundo

Ang pag-aalala sa araw sa Pasko ng mga Pilipino

Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin (Book Review)

                Ang manunulat ng mga akdang gumising sa katinuan at sentido ng sambayangang Pilipino tulad ng “Stainless Longganisa”, “MacArthur”, “Ang Paboritong Libro ni Hudas”- si Robert Ong o mas kilala sa tawag na “Bob Ong”. Dahil sa sagisag panulat niyang ito, nakilala siya sa paggamit ng impormal na Filipino sa paggammit ng nakakatawa at sumasailalim sa paglalawaran sa buhay bilang isang Pilipino. Tulad na lamang ng pang-siyamm niyang aklat na inilimbag noong 2011 ng Visprint Inc. Na pinamagatang “Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin”.

                Kung pamilyar ka sa Precious Hearts Romance, mapagkakamalan mong ito iyon. Dahil sa kulay pink na pabalat na nagpamukha talagang isa itong pocketbook. Nakapagtataka talagang iyon ay librong ginawa ni Ong. Sa pamagat pa lamang ay maguguluhan ka na talaga kung ano ang bagong pampalasa ang isinama nya dito.       

Nahahati sa tatlong chapter ang librong ito. Ang una ay pinamagatang “Bala sa Bala”, ”Kamao sa Kamao”,”Satsat sa Satsat “. Ito ay pinagbibidahan nina Diego at Divina Tuazon. Isa itong romantic at action fil na kwento. Ipinakita dito ang normal na eksena sa mga Pinoy Films tulad ng laging may nangyayaring pag-iibigan sa pagitan ng mayaman at mahirap at may aksidente sa reception matapos ang isang eksena ng kasal. Ang kwentong ito ay nagpapakita kung paano tayo nahuhumaling manuod ng mga overrated na pelikulang Pinoy.

Ang pangalawang chapter naman ay ang “Shake, Shaker, Shakiest.” Tinalakay naman dito ang horror clinches nating mga Pinoy. May isang pamilya ang natrap sa isang haunted house kung saan doon sila magpapalipas ng gabi dahil nasiraan ng sasakyan. May mga haunted na bagay na pinagmumulan ng ating mga takot.

At ang huli ay may pamagat na “Asawa ni Marie”. Kwento naman ito ng isang bidang inaapi at kontrabidang nang-aapi. Isa lamang itong pangkaraniwang eksena sa isang romantic/drama film na may halong awayang ng magkapatid at magkakapamilya.

Sa kabuuan, ang librong ito ay ang pinagsama-samang kwento mula sa “ABNKKBSNPLako” hanggang “Kapitan Sino”. Ngunit ang layunin talaga nito ay ipaalam ang malaking epekto ng media sa mga tao. Lalo na sa mga kabataan. Ayon pa nga sa isang tauhan sa kwento ng pelikula, ang tao ay may tatlong magulang – ang ama, ina, at ang media. Kung hindi maganda at mali ang pagpapalaki ng ama at ina, ang media ang magpapalaki dito at gagabay sa baluktot na paniniwala nating mga tao at magdadala sa liko at maling landas ng buhay.

Kung kaya’t para sa naghahanap ng kakaibang istorya na paglalaanan mo ng iyyong oras, siguradong kapag nabasa mo ang akdang ito – mahuhumaling ka na sa ganda ng librong ito!

(c) Ang Bukal - Opisyal na Pahayagan ng JJRMHS

Alamat ng Sibul Springs

Sinasabing ang barangay Sibul Springs ay tunay na pinagpala dahil sa mga biyayang ipinagkalob mula dito sa Panginoon na lubos na nagpatingkad sa kagandahan nito. Nariyan ang Banal na Bundok na mistulang isang paraiso na unti-unting nagiging atraksyon samaraming tao lalo na sa mga taga-ibang nayon; Madlum, na sumisikat sa tinataglay ng Madlum Cave; Grotto na tinitingala dahil sa mga naglalakihan at tila higanteng mga santo at marami pang iba. Ngunit sa kabila ng mga ito, nagsisilbi paring isang napakalaking katanugnan kung ano ang barangay na ito bago tawaging Barangay Sibul Springs.

                Sa paanan ng bundok sa San Miguel, probinsya ng Bulacan, matatagpuan ang isang baryo na tinawag na Sibul Springs. Nagsimula ito sa kwento ng isang diwata.

                Noong unang panahon, may isang napakagandang diwata ang naninirahan sa isang kweba sa loob ng kagubatan kasama ang kanyang alagang puting usa. Sa paanan ng bundok, may isang nayon ang tila kakaiba sa lahat kung saan nakatira si Makisig kasama ang kanyang lola sa isang kubong yari sa sawali.

                Si Makisig ay matipuno, malakas, at tanyag bilang isang magaling na mangagaso. Dahil sa mga katangian niyang ito, lahat ng mga babae sa  nayon ay naakit sa kanya at nagkakagusto. Kung kaya’t pinagkasundo na siya ng kanyang lola sa isang babae sa kanilang nayon. Dahil dito, hiniling ng ina ng kanyang nobya na puting usa ang iregalo sa kanyang anak sa araw ng kanilang kasal.

                Sa kagustuhan ni Makisig na maibigay ang hinihiling ng ina ng kanyang kasintahan ay nagplano siyang umakyat ng bundok upang makahuli ng puting usa.

                Isang umaga, masiglang-masigla sina Makisig sa pag-akyat niya sa bundok. Ilang sandali pa lamang, ay namataan niya na may isang puting usa ang kumakain na nahaharangan ng nagtataasang mga damong talahib. Dahan-dahan niya itong nilapitan. Hindi sinasadyang nalalag ang dala niyang sibat na sanhi ng pagtakbo palayo ng puting usa. Hindi nagdalawang isip na habulin ito ni Makisig sa halip na maghanap na lamang ng panibago. Hinabol niya ito nang hinabol hanggang sa makarating siya sa kweba ng diwata. Sa hindi inaasahang pagkakataon, naakit ang diwata kay Makisig na sanhi ng pagtatagal ng binata sa kweba ng ilang araw.

                Nagsama silang dalawa. Dahil isa ngang diwata ang magandang binibini, lahat ng naisin ni Makisig ay kanyang ibinibigay tulad ng masasarap na pagkain na hindi pa niya natitikman sa tanang buhay niya. Sa kasamaang palad, naudlot ang pagsasama nilang ito nang isang gabi naalala ni Makisig ang nag-iisang lola sa kanilang nayon.

                Kinaumagahan, ay nilisan niya ang kweba kasama ang puting usa na ihahandog niya sa ina ng kanyang kasintahan sa nayon.

                Sumapit na ang araw ng pag-iisang dibdib ni Makisig sa kanyang nobya. Hindi pa nagtatagal ang kanilang pagsasama ay nagkasakit si Makisig ng hindi ordinaryong karamdaman. Hindi ito malunasan ng kahit sinuman kaya’t siya’y namatay.

                Makalipas ang ilang araw ng kanilang kamatayan, biglang bumuhos ang napakalakas na ulan. Nagsilikas ang mga taganayon. Umakyat sila sa bundok at doon nila nakita ang kweba ng diwata. Nagdesisyon silang manatili doon hanggang sa humupa ang baha at tumigil ang ulan. Paglabas nila sa kweba, hindi alintangang sumabog ang bulkan na malapit dito. Ngunit sa halip na mainit at nagliliyab na lahar ang ilabas nito, tubig ang binigay nito sa mga tao.

                Nakilala ang lugar na ito sa dalawang magagandang bagay na sadyang maipagmamalaki. Una ay dahil sa likas at natural nitong kagandahan at pangalawa ay sa pagiging natatangi nito dahil sa biyayang natatamasa ng buong barangay dahil sa napakadaming bukal na naglitawan na sa ngayon ay napakikinabangan ng mga tagabarangay Sibul at pinaniniwalaan pang nakakapagpagaling ng iba’t ibang sakit sa balat.

                ‘Yan ang barangay ko,  ang Barangay SIBUL  SPRINGS!

(c) Ang Bukal - Opisyal na Pahayagan ng JJRMHS

Warning

As I walked around the park

3 o’clock in the afternoon

Killing time

I sat in a bench;
For minutes, I’ve spent sitting there alone

No one had ever sat beside me that day in that bench.

Eyes are wildering everywhere,

Gazing unjustly,

From them I heard cackles and laughter

Thought something might be wrong with how I look

Until I can bear it no more

I stood,

Rage filled my eyes

But something caught my attention,

I was there – frozen, embarrassed,

And there I read the sign,

WARNING – Wet Paint

A Model

He suffered trials and hardship

Discouragement and rudeness

Bruises and wounds;

Calling pagans to renew their lives

A life with the Savior, Jesus Christ

Alas, his life ended tragically,

With a spear in his chest

Bearing God’s words;

The blessed martyr of bare innocence

Was proclaimed a saint on this year

Respect and odes are interceded to him

The 2^nd Filipino Saint

-Saint Pedro Calungsod

The Bully

As I walk pass the corridor,

Out of the blue, a quick jab hit me.

I fell to the ground,

Glasses broken.

He ordered me to give my money

Or else, suffering will I encounter again

No one around

No one to help;

No one to share this awful experience

Nothing to do, I gave what he wanted

And there I sat alone

When will I be freed from this hell?

TechPinoy

“The ultimate solution to stop global warming is now here in the Philippines.”

                We cannot deny ourselves that global warming is extremely alarming now on Earth. Sudden increase of temperature which continues up to the present, heat waves, hyperthermia incidents and drought –all of which are experienced naturally in this generation. With global crisis due to the insistent and continuous “heating” of the planet, Juan dela Cruz stood up and led the world to join hands to achieve a harmonious abode for us and for the next inhabitants of the Earth.

                Meet Roberto V. Celis, 74 years of age, invented a device which uses water as supplemental fuel for all kinds of internal combustion engines that uses gasoline, diesel, natural gas, hybrid and bio-fuel, eliminating deadly pollutants from spreading into the atmosphere. This invention, which took him 14 years to accomplish, was called “Hydrogasifier”.

"It utilizes the hot exhaust gases from the engine to dissociate water into hydrogen and oxygen gases that are immediately introduced into the combustion chamber to completely burn the fuel," Celis said in an exclusive interview with the Philippines News Agency in his shop in Marikina City.

Carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, chlorofluorocarbons and other major causes of air pollution are all greenhouse gases which trap infrared heat from the sun and retains it, which leads to global warming.

                As a bonus, when he finished the innovation of the “Hydrogasifier” as an anti-pollution device, it also turned out to be an engine enhancer, increasing the efficiency of the vehicle at the same time cutting down the fuel consumption.

                To prove the perfection of the invention, Celis conducted test drives; he installed the device in a public utility bus, a jeepney, and a private-owned car.

                Test results showed that the 174 horsepower (abbv. As Hp, a unit for measuring the power of engines), of the bus increased to 199 Hp, while carbon emission measured form  the exhaust pipe decreased enormously from 9.6K down to 0.21K, cutting down emission by 94%; the jeepney, from 83 Hp to 87 Hp and from 9.9K to 0.82K, a reduction of 90%. On the other hand, the car installed with “Hyfrogasifier” saved fuel by 40% in city driving and by as much as 87% in highway driving, recorded by the Land Transportation Office (LTO).

                Celis appealed to the Philippine government to extend financial assistance in the filing of international patent "for this important invention to guarantee the Philippines of exclusivity in manufacturing this Filipino technology."

"It is my humble contribution to the world in containing global warming which is threatening man's existence.”

St. Pedro Calungsod

                “A new model for the young Catholic community…”

                Born on July 21, 1654 in Ginatilan, Cebu, the young Pedro Calungsod’s early life is of few details, prior to missionary works and death are known. Probably received his basic education at a Jesuit school, mastering Catechism and fluently speaking the Spanish language when he was around 14, he was chosen among the exemplary young catechists to accompany the Jesuits in their mission to the Ladrones Islands (Islas de Los Ladrones or “Isles of Thieves”).

                Pedro’s travel, together with Fr. Diego Luis de San Vitore, was difficult – jungles and terrains to conquer, frequent typhoon visits and the scarcity of food – but even with that, the mission still persevered and were able to convert a significant number of locals from paganism to Christianity.

                While preaching and baptizing the residents of the islands, a Chinese by the name Choco, began spreading rumors that the baptismal water used by the missionaries was poisonous. Evidently, some sickly Chamorro infants, the inhabitants of the Ladrones Islands, who were baptized eventually died. Choco was readily supported by the maranjas (local medicine men) who despised the missionaries.

                Having learned that the wife of Mata’pang, the village chief of Tumon, Guam, gave birth to a daughter, they immediately went to baptize the child. But due to the spread of Chinese man’s fallacy, Mata’pang strongly opposed.

                Meanwhile, during the absence of the village chief, San Vitores and Calungsod baptized the baby girl, with the consent of her Christian mother.

                When Mata’pang learnt of this baptism, he became furious, violently confronting the two. He hurled spears first at Pedro, who was able to dodge them and can escape from it easily but not wanting to leave the priest alone, he did not left San Vitores’s side, which caused him to be pierced by a spear at his chest. It was acclaimed that he could defeat the aggressors with weapons, if only the Jesuit missionary did not prohibit him from doing so. As Calungsod fell to the ground, a companion of the chief sprang forth and finished him off with a machete blow to the head. Their feet were tied with large stones and were thrown into the ocean on April 2, 1672.

                He was beatified on March 5, 2000 by Blessed Pope John Paul II. Last October 21, together with six other exemplary Catholics, our very own Pedro Calungson was canonized and declared as a saint by the Holy Congregation of Rome and Pope Benedict XVI. He is now considered the 2^nd Filipino saint, after Saint Lorenzo Ruiz.

FACT OR FALLACY? Guyabano – an end to chemotherapy

             Guyabano fruit is a green, pear-shaped fruit covered with soft spines. Matured guyabano or soursop fruit weighs about 2 to 5 kilograms. It is ovoid and large, up to 18 centimeters long, with thin skin and the soft edible whitish pulp that is fleshy and fibrous and has inedible black seeds. It has also a distinct sweet-sour flavor that tastes like pineapple and strawberry with a tang of sour citrus taste.

The Story:

What would you do if you have just earned yourself the right to retire from government service after more or less 60 years and just relax on your resthouse, only to be told that you are dying of cancer? Seems like heaven disallowed its joyous rays to cast upon you?

Rose Palacio, a post government employee, had developed dermoid cyst, which is malignant, which led to her being diagnosed of cancer last October 2009.

“I was asked by my doctor to get a second opinion but the second opinion confirmed her findings and the second doctor also recommended that I be operated on the soonest possible time if I still wanted to live,” she said. Of course, she was barely alive then, suffering from long bouts of stomach pain and her inability to urinate for several days. She was hospitalized when she was no longer able to bear the pain of cancer seeping through her entire body, but the anxiety coming from the fear of where to get money for her mounting hospital bills made her decide to beg her doctor to release her.

“He said if I don’t get the operation then I was as good as dead but realizing that I had decided not to get the operation for financial and other reasons, he asked me to buy all the guyabano I can find in Bankerohan Public Market,” she said. “Sabi n’ya Rose, bilhin mo lahat ng guyabano na makita mo at inumin mo oras-oras (Rose you buy all the guyabano you can find and drink it every hour).”

                She then drank guyabano shake every hour, even alarming late at night just to continue her hourly dosage. Supposedly, ripe guyabanos which are sweet are to be taken, but due to the scarcity of ripe ones, she drank even the bitter raw guyabanos just to comply with her requirements, even without sugar because sugar contains chemicals that may lessen the potency of the guyabano.

                In less than three days, she was able to urinate and had regular bowel movement.The pain also lessened and while I had but pains regularly before, it was reduced as the days went on, she said. Two weeks later, her colleagues in the media could not believe it when they saw Rose covering one of the press conferences in the city, looking healthier and as if nothing happened. When asked what she did to get rid of her malady, she would gladly utter one word — guyabano.

The Pros:            

Researchers have confirmed that guyabano contains Annonaceous acetogenins or chemicals with very strong anti-tumorous properties. The beauty of these chemicals is that while these are toxic to cells with cancer, it does not affect the healthy cells. One of the reasons why cancer patients like Rose refuse to undergo chemotherapy is because of its adverse effects on healthy cells. With guyabano, only the cancerous cells are affected.  An unreleased report by the US National Cancer Institute in 1976 has included guyabano or Graviola in the list of plants that were found to be effective in killing malignant cancer cells. Research shows that a lot of clinical studies have been made on the anti-cancer properties of guyabano but it has yet to be tested on cancer patients.

The Cons:

                The idea that graviola is an effective cancer fighter evidently stems from research (published in 2008) conducted at the Purdue University’s School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences on the unique substances known as annonaceousacetogenins that have been extracted from the graviola tree. The Purdue investigators found these substances to be potent inhibitors of cancer cells while leaving normal cells alone. They also found the compounds to be effective against drug-resistant cancer cells.

But these studies were conducted in vitro, i.e., conducted on cancer cells in test tubes. These are a long way from clinical trials that determine the efficacy and safety of these compounds in people with cancer. In fact, there were not any human study found on graviola and cancer.

Another possible reason for this might is that, the intake might just be a placebo. The placebo is clearly evident in the famous phrase, “mind over matter”.  It is a simulated or otherwise medically ineffectual treatment for a disease or other medical condition intended to deceive the recipient. Sometimes patients given a placebo treatment will have a perceived or actual improvement in a medical condition, a phenomenon commonly called the placebo effect. That means, an individual given a placebo, in this case, a  guyabano, as an anti-cancer medicine will induce a psychological effect and belief that guyabanos are really effective; deceiving the human brain to allow the human body to surpass sickness and diseases and may have the capacity to develop therapeutic claims and physiological healing.

Conclusion:

Even without due scientific evidence and global acceptance, it wouldn’t be that bad to try taking guyabanos as an anti-cancer fruit. Practically thinking, nothing would even change whether the dosage of guyabano would work-out or not – if drinking the guyabano shake should not compensate the cancer  present, then chemotherapy is the only chance of survival, if the latter choice would cure you of cancer, then even better.

Bwakaw - a story of a grumpy old gay and his loyal dog

If you are looking for something that would inevitably touch your hearts and raise your feet off the ground laughing, the award winning Indi-film, BWAKAW, is the right movie to spend your time on.

Filipino cinema veteran, Eddie Garcia gives a career-capping performance as Rene, a 70-year old single gent in a quiet provincial town, as he resigned to seeing out his days together with the company of his loyal canine companion Bwakaw (Princess). Rene has his secrets but is refuses to share them until he befriends a tricycle driver, played by Rez Cortez. Employing frequent outrageous humor, jokes, and gay acts, director Jun Robles Lana elegantly captures the quality of everyday life in the undeveloped areas while crafting a superior character study of a grumpy old man who has allowed most of his life to pass him by until an emotional jolt emboldens him to go where he’s never dared to venture before.

Coming to terms with his homosexuality late in life, Garcia's hunched hero is all kinds of frustrated. It's implied that he's never even been with a man (or a woman), grouchily refusing the boy-toy offerings of a local transvestite pimp (Joey Paras) while slowly forming a relationship with a gruff, straight, married cab driver (Rez Cortez).

The emotions running through the film are surprisingly and refreshingly rich, especially given the thicker attempts at comedy Lana indulges. As seriously as Bwakaw takes the issue of Rene's own sexuality, it elsewhere treats the gay members of his small town as flamboyant and clownish. Perhaps their ability to be so flamboyant and clownish reveals the larger culture of acceptance in this backwater berg, a generous reading betrayed by the community's skepticism of Cortez's tough-looking cabbie. At one point, while turning down another svelte, apparently mute boy prostitute, Rene comments that he's "not that kind of a gay man." While the film is fairly diligent in probing the character's lonely, delimited conception of his own sexuality, it also weirdly seems to place pride in his shuffling existence as a hard-nosed celibate, the weight of his exasperated desire his cross to bear. It is until the timely coming of Bwakaw’s death, and how did the gay role of Garcia ended up interestingly.

The Film Academy of the Philippines (FAP) announced on Sept. 17 the official selection of “Bwakaw,” as the country’s entry to the Best Foreign Language Film category for next year’s Academy Awards. Likewise, “Bwakaw” competed in the 2012 Cinemalaya Independent Film Festival where it won the Audience Choice and Netpac Awards, as well as Best Actor (for Garcia) under the Director’s Showcase segment.

No wonder, the movie BWAKAW was listed by Time Entertainment as “one of the 10 films to watch” at New York Film Festival, one of the most eminent international film events anticipated by critics and avid fans worldwide.

Finally, the wonderpiece of Lana will be for everyone; as children or adults will surely rate this one thumbs-up, with the content as  for general audiences. This will surely be the most memorable human-animal relationship you will ever see! 

The Martial Law of the Digital Era

By Justine Lloyd Bautista

                Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.

Republic Act No. 10175 ,formally known as the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 and was signed last September 12, this law grants the Philippine Government the power to place under surveillance and shutdown Internet properties, will it be your mail account, Facebook profile or anything uploaded in the cyber world, even without the consent of the owner.  According to the cybercrime law, the government has every right to impose criminal punishments for libel and violations made online. Aside from that, the new law authorizes both the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) to terminate private websites that dishonors the law and the right to collect computer data without the need to provide warrant or court order.

                Advocates of the said law clarify the net community of the beneficial claims of its legalization. Cybersex, the exploitation of pornography via Internet, will be completely terminated as web streaming can be viewed by the government itself. Cyber bullying, which is the act of flaming of flaming or defaming someone on social networking sites will also be prevented. Politicians and showbiz stars like Senator Vicente “Tito” Sotto, Senator Pia Cayetano, and Asia’s Song Bird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid declared their sides in favor of the law. “Puwede ka nang magdemanda, eh, at nahahanap sila. It’s good to have parameters; it’s good to have rules and regulations.”

                But behind these “benefits” of the amendment of the law, what are the real consequences of the Anti-Cybercrime Law?

                Four decades ago, former President Ferdinand Marcos declared the infamous Martial Law. Proclaimed on September 23, 1972, this law restricted the Filipino citizens of their practiced freedom. The military law shut down the media.  Televisions and radios were only permitted to advocate the goodness of the government, cracking down the opposition.  It constricted the minds and the hands of the Filipinos but not their burning desire to for liberty. Forward to the present circumstances, is the Anti-Cybercrime Law the Modern Martial Law of the Digital Era?

                Remember the figures in the five hundred peso bill? Husband and wife Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino Jr. and Corazon Aquino. Will their sacrifices be forgotten? This law strongly deprives the nation of their liberty. Where is the Freedom of Expression now? But the most controversial was the signature and consent of the very own child of Mr. and Mrs. Aquino, President Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino himself. Yes, the son of which lives were sacrificed for freedom allowed those mindless senators’ sensitive egos to take over them and sealed the thoughts and opinions of the Filipinos and arrest those who dare to oppose.    

 

                In reality, the members of the online community are none too pleased with it. Imagine twelve long years of imprisonment and a fine of not less than one million pesos would be charged to a single post of defamatory on Facebook, Twitter or any social networking site. Aren’t they thinking?

                I have read a post on Facebook about the Cybercrime law: There were three inmates talking with each other. The first man asked two of his fellow inmates, “What crime did you committed and how long will you stay in jail?” The second man answered, “I raped three gorgeous models in three consecutive days – three years in prison”. The other man said, “I robbed five banks and brought home a total of 100 million pesos in cold cash; that is nine years in prison.” The man began to cry. His comrades asked him why he is crying. The first man said, “I have rather raped those three gorgeous models and become a multi-millionaire myself, then I would be in jail in twelve years if only I didn’t INSULTED PRESIDENT NOYNOY ON FACEBOOK.

                Obviously thinking, the logic would be:  for an instance, the percentage of population actively participating on the Internet is fifty million net-users that population would post a flame and a common prison cell can hold a maximum of 10 detainees, therefore 2.5 million new prison cells are needed to hold the 25 million inmates just because of a single post.

The government promotes “Think before you click”, but to those congressmen, senators and most of all, the president, who approved this unreasonable law – THINK BEFORE YOU SIGN.

               

JUAN DELA CRUZ BILANG PANGULO

Ako nga pala si Juan Dela Cruz. Simple, payak, at mapagmasid na labinlimang taong gulang. Pangarap? Oo naman, lahat siguro mayroong pangarap ngunit iba ang aking pangarap di tulad sa mga bata sa aming lugar. Paglaki ko, nais kong mamuno at maging Pangulo ng Republika ng Pilipinas.

Maraming natatawa sa aking ambisyon; maraming nakapanunutyang hagikgik ang aking naririnig sa tuwing ipagmamalaki kong banggitin ito. Hindi naman ako nagpapatawa? Pati nga si Inay ay mukhang naasiwa na sa tuwing sasabihin ko iyon at angmasaklap pa, ang tanging nakaiintindi lang sa akin ay ang aking alagang asong si Tali.  Ngunit kahit gayon pa man, walang papatay sa apoy na sumisiklab sa aking puso sa tuwing mangangarap ako ng ganito.

Kung tatanungin ninto ako kung ano ang aking magiging plataporma sa pagka-presidente, marami akong nakahandang gawain at ibabahagi ko ang ilan dito.

Sa paglaganap ng karahasan at pagdanak ng dugo sa lupain ng silanganan, maraming buhay ng sibilyan ang nadadamay. Nakapanuod nga ako minsan sa kapitbahay ng isang balita tungkol sa Magindanaw Masaker at mga armadong lalaking nandurukot ng bata at ibinibenta ang laman loob. Dali-dali akong nagtago sa saya ni Inay at tumabi at pilit sumisiksik sa kanya sa pagtulog; sa takot na may biglang dumukot sa akin ang pagpirapirasuhin. Subalit, dahil na rin dito, poot ang naramdaman ko samga karumaldumal na pumapaslang na iyon. Kung ako ang magiging president, marapat na lamang na isabatas muli ang Death Penalty. Para sa akin, ang mga kriminal at mga manggagantso, lalo na ang mga tiwaling opisyal ng gobyerno, ay tulad ng isang nabubulok na kamatis na kailangang tanggalin upang hindi makahawa. Sila ay cancer na dapat alisin sa lipunan upang hindi na makaimpluwenisya pa. Dapat silang alisin, ihiwalay, at itapon sa nagbabagang apoy upang tuluyang mawala sa mundong ibabaw. Ito ang magsisilbing punyal na babalot ng takot sa sinumang gagawa ng mga kahindikhindik na mga krimen at paglabag sa batas. Ugat na rin nito, bababa ang kinakailangan nating mga sundalo, pulis,mga armas at  mga makinarya tulad ng tangke, helikapter, at iba pa. Kokonti na rin ang mga naibiblanggo. Unang una pa lang, bakit ba kailangang paglaanan ng salapi ang mga nasa kulungan? Araw-araw pinapakain, may silungan at mga aktibidad pa – swerte naman nila? Ang marapat sa kanila ay kitilin na lang ng bumaba ang populasyon at lumaki ang espasyo ng bansa na nakalaan sa mga kulungan.  Ibig sabihin pa nito, magkakaroon pa ng mas maraming pondo para paglaanan sa mga proyekto ko para sa ikabubuti ng bansa.

Sa larangan naman ng kalakaran, nais kong itanim sa isipan ng mga magsisipagtapos sa kolehiyo ang kahalagahan ng negosyo. Marami kasi akong naririnig na mga magulang na nagpapayo sa kanilang anak na mag-aral ng mabuti upang magkaroon ng magandang trabaho. Bakit ganoon? Bakit hindi na lang sabihin na mag-aral ng mabuti upang magkaroon ng magandang negosyo? Bakit kailangan mong magpaalipin na lamang kung maari ka namang magtaguyod ng sarili mong korporasyon? Makagagawa ka pang mabibigyan ng mga trabaho at ikaw pa ang masusunod. Isa pang punto, nais ko ring taasan ang mga sahod ng mga gawaing pisikal tulad ng dyanitor, mekaniko, at mga basurero. Sa aking pananaw, mas karapat-dapat laanan sila ng pondo dahil sila ang mga naghihirap, mga produktibong mamamayan na mahirap na nga ang kalagayan sa buhay, kakarampot na sweldo pa ang natatanggap. Hindi ba parang lohikal naman na isipin na kung sino ang naghirap ng husto, ay siya rin makatatanggap ng ibayong benepisyo?

Sa hinahapuhap ko, magiging isang napakaunlad at mapayapang bansa ng Pilipinas. At dahil dito, dadami ang mga dayuhang bibisita sa bansa, tataas ang piso at bababa ang dolyar. Ang magiging epekto nito, syempre, hindi na kailangan pang umalis pa ang mga Pilipino para magtrabaho sa ibang bansa. Naawa na rin kasi ako sa kalaro kong si Brenda na anak ng isang domestik helper sa Taiwan. Gabi-gabi na lang siyang umiiyak dahil nami-miss na raw niya ang kanyang nanay.

Sa mga proyekto kong ito, tiyak na ang Pilipinas ay ang magiging nangungunang bansa sa buong mundo.? Magiging posible rin ito sa darating na panahon. Hindi pa huli ang lahat. Handa na akong baguhin ang Pilipinas –hawak ang isang pirasong papel at isang lapis habang papasok na sa unang baitang sa elementarya.

Class Prophecy for Batch 2012-2013 of JJRMHS

Class Prophecy

By Justine Lloyd V. Bautista

Krriinggg….Krrriiinnng….Krrriinnngg…

                Oh! I really hate that sound. I hurriedly snoozed the alarm clock and went back to bed again. I would like to commend all physicists that the place on earth where gravitational pull is strongest is on bed. I wanted to nap a little more yet it was a call of duty. Also, I’m excited to return back home in our country, after earning a living here in London.

                If you are thinking what I am doing in this place, I just happen to co-find a company and established its headquarters here with worldwide branches. Together with Miriam Nieva, we decided to officially institute the iCon Telecommunications after graduating as Electronics and Communications Engineers. After the fall of IBM and Apple, the Microsoft Corporation, headed by Allen Arvin Binuya and Ronald Anastacio, reigned over the world of computers, distributing software around the globe. Together, we passed the British Board of Engineering following our graduation at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Consequently, we’re neighbor with Edselneil Dela Cruz and Paulo Delos Reyes, currently owners of a French theme restaurant, Lé Grandé Bouffe du Amour. Nearby, is a 5-star hotel started by Cheyne Irish Mercado and Kledd Chesley Maquiling. The Lé Vengeance du Poussoir’s cuisines are prepared by the finest chefs headed by Genesis Angeles whose cooking surely will entice your hearts and drown you into a delightful taste.

                I dressed up for this day, packed my baggage and rode a cab en route to my appointment. By the way, today, I was cordially invited by the cruise ship owner, Mr. Yousef Dimaano. The S.S. Pearl of the Orient surmounts the Titanic in size and in glamour. Staring at the sidewalk, I noticed a poster right at the Crestfall Station. “Cold Beat Live in London”, says the poster. If you’re going to ask what that Cold Beat is about, Cold Beat is just the Most Requested Band of 2027 and bagging 7 international awards for Best Group Performance by a Band. By their lucky stars, now, Evadne Veluz in vocals, Jose Marie Leynes on lead guitar, Emmanuel Yambot on bass, and Vincent Ernesto Guerrero IV on drums, are on their world tour.

                I dropped by a store to purchase something for the kind invitation of Mr. Dimaano. Entering a Louis Vuitton shop, I was surprised to see Melanie Datoon, currently the owner of the said shop. She attended to my needs and giftwrap a Sellier Dragonne. While waiting for the package to be wrapped, I turned on the television. Consequently, Neil Francisco and Felinie Ramos, the news anchor of ETV News, were beginning to bring the latest news. “Goodmorning England, now we bring you the latest and hottest news around the globe. The Nobel Peace Committee is awarding 4 outstanding teachers for their unmatched contribution in the field of education. These individuals are Mr. Jaypee Gacias of the University of the Philippines, Mr. Marvin Lipana of St. Paul University at San Miguel, and both from John J. Russell Memorial High School, Ms. Cyril Jean Bernabe and Ms. Marianne Dela Cruz. They will receive the prestigious award to compensate for their persistence and dedication in teaching. Truly, these remarkable individuals are the role models of our society. We may also remember that last year, Ruth Yambot, the principal of JJRMHS won the Nobel Peace Prize for Leadership. This exceptional institution bagged awards and was listed in the Top 5 public instutions in Asia.”

                “And for the latest news in sports, Hardcourt superstar Cherald Maniquiz dominated the Miami Heat for the Semi-Finals of NBA 2028. Maniquiz rampaged the arena with 8 three points, 20 points inside the arc, 20 rebounds and 23 assist, leaving the L.A. Lakers the winner, 121 – 93. In racing, MotoGP World Champion Jayson Andaya brings home the bacon as he claimed the First Place at the Las Vegas Racing Arena. Andaya reached the finish line at 2 minutes and 14.75 seconds, 14.23 seconds earlier than former world champion Valentino Rossi. In due time, Andaya will face the Intercontinental MotoCross Champion Dexter Angeles for a back-to-back race to show who really will reign as the King of MotoGP.”

                “For showbiz news, Miss Universe 2027 Princess Carla Adelante will team up with Miss Universe 2026 Arlyn Francisco for another Hollywood box office hit. Director Kristina Domingo, who produced world class movie hits, said in an interview that the duo, together with their leading man, Erick John Orteza, would play in an action-filled romance plot. She added that this movie will surely entice you with death-defying stunts and heartbreaking love triangle between them. World renowned contemporary artist Joyce Anne Salvador will receive her 5^th Turner’s International Artist Award for her painting of “The Miserable Joys of Life” which depicts the emotional depression of Japan after the massive earthquake on 2015. She will receive the honored award in celebration of the International Artists’ Day this coming July.  International Singing Sensation Princess Dela Cruz and the Dancing Diva Kimberly Joy Dellula will team up to bring the house down for their world tour. The Grammy Award Pop Stars will showcase their talents first at Vancouver, Canada. Tickets were almost sold out a month before the actual concert. This will be a one-night only shows so don’t miss it.”

                Ms. Datoon came back with a box and I paid the bag. I hurriedly went back to the cab for another 15 minute drive. I turned on the radio. Incidentally, I heard a familiar voice. Oh, it’s DJ Maica Angela Urlanda of PopBloc FM. She spends her leisure time employed as a disc jockey here in England. Currently, she is the editor-in-chief of the London Inquiries and co-founded theworldwithin.com, with her twin sister, Twinnie Urlanda. The website is an organization of essayist and writers around the globe, sharing their thoughts and opinion on worldwide issues, stretching out their views, and fearlessly criticizing the government. The cab arrived at the Royal Lancaster Resort, owned by now a successful entrepreneur Mariel Joy Viudez, where the cruise ship is based.  Upon entering the magnificent vessel, two men approached me immediately. Captain Nelson De Guzman and Chief Officer Aldrich Morales greeted me kindly. They are now the respective deck and the masters of the ship. I happen to meet Joana Marie Manuel, the owner of the largest medical organization in the Philippines, the Medical Estate. We had a lot of conversation about our former lives and our classmates. She had told me about our classmates who are currently employed in her hospital. Anjenette Garcia is the hospital’s head doctor, Twinnie Urlanda is the institution’s medical facilitator and a psychologist, and Conie Victoria is the head of the facilities and a pediatrician. Aboard the ship were Mary Rose Estarez, who was on a business trip as the representative of her corporation as the financial manager, and Colleen Cloie Ann Batac who was a prominent figure in photojournalism, circling the globe for another historic shot of a lifetime. Captain De Guzman escorted me to a restaurant inside the ship.  The StarDucks Café held by businessman Albert Campana, whom with his superb perseverance and dedication, now owns several branches globally. But due to competition, a business rival arose. The McBee Food Corporation, owned by Ching Melanie Busalpa, rivals the StarDucks in fame. The delicious meal was served, and after our breakfast, while the ship sails, I was guided by Gladys Dela Cruz, the chief deck stewardess of the ship, to my cabin for a tiresome travel for a rest.

                After about 2 days, the shipping vessel arrived at the Manila Port. At last, after finishing my studies abroad, I set foot again on my motherland. Out of the blue, a parade of cars passed by; vehicle by vehicle. At first, I didn’t notice anything suspicious, but when a lady in Filipiñiana stepped out of a limousine, right away, I knew who she was.

                The lady who was approaching, Her Excellency President Roselyn Reyes, stood in front of me.  As a personal friend, the president was cordially inviting me for a dinner with her cabinet members and his Honorable Renz Hernandez. I gratefully accepted the invitation of her majesty and went inside the presidential car. We had fun talks about how our lives change after our graduation at our school and even before we thought of it, we had already reached the Malacañan Palace. The dinner table was already set upped. The cabinet members were lined up for the arrival of her Excellency. First was Department of Education Sec. Crissologo Rosal, whom clearly boasts of the education in the country when he successfully implemented the K-12 Program flawlessly. Department of Justice Sec.  Leslie Sebastian demonstrated her dedication by triumphantly carrying out peace talks and unifying the government and the opposition and the rebels.  Arnel Orosco, Secretary of Department of Tourism exhibits his unmatched commitment to his work after placing the Philippines as the Top Tourists’ Spot Destination in the whole world. Department of Public Works and Highways Sec. William Evangelista famed the construction of Luzon National Rail Transit which allowed the Filipinos to travel easily back and forth across the main land of Luzon. Mary Jane Centillas promulgated the economy of the country by being the top exporters in the Asian continent with her unparalled adherence to her augmented task as the Department of Trade and Industry executive. Sec. Venice Orteza of the Department of Labor and Employment, together with Department of Foreign Affairs Sec. Melissa Cinco, achieved greater heights when they endowed the million of OFWs with respective jobs here in the country yet with an increase of salary paid and additional benefits. With this, no Filipino citizen would experience leaving his/her family for the sake of earning a living. All of these achievements will not be put into perspective without the leadership of the President and the Vice President.

We sat down as we eat the heart-whelming meal. We had conversations and enjoyable conversations commemorating our past memories as students in John J. Russell Memorial High School when all of a sudden, an earth-shattering blow banged along the dining hall. The whole crowd was in panic. I kept myself calm but deep inside, I knew it was trouble. Shouts, wails, cry – these were the sound that filled the room. Suddenly, someone screamed what seemed to cause this distortion. “Sunog! Sunog! Sunog!”. Those were the words that struck my heart the most. Is it the end? Is this the final destination, the final step of our lives? The fire took up and propagated rapidly inside the building. On spur of a moment, a bell rang. Krriinggg….Krrriiinnng….Krrriinnngg… It was the same sound again.

Krriinggg….Krrriiinnng….Krrriinnngg…

Krriinggg….Krrriiinnng….Krrriinnngg…

“Sunog! Sunog! Sunog!”.  The wails continued to barge our hearts with fear. The ceiling began to crumble. People ran everywhere. I had nowhere to go. With a strange twist of fate, a debris is fast approaching – nearer, nearer. About a second or two, my life will end. Unexpectedly, a brilliant light blinded me. All I remember when I have awoken that day, I heard sunog again. And how stupid am I, my teacher and classmates stare and laugh at me. I suddenly realized, all was just a dream and I just fell asleep again during class.

               

               

                

Sisa

“No painter’s brush, nor poet’s pen; injustice to her fame, has ever reached half high enough to write a mother’s name.”

            Being a mother is the most hardworking field women would enter. It is a job that requires patience and perseverance nevertheless; it is the highest salaried occupation since the payment is pure love. It is giving up even the bread which you are about to consume just for your children to be satisfied – a life-long gift and curse. Motherhood is sacrificing everything you have – jewelries, clothes, fame and fortune – merely for your offspring to be happy.

            Our national hero, whose letters and deeds are inscribed on the pages of history – Dr. Jose Rizal –, had clearly stated on one of his diaries the greatness of mothers. “Without her (mother) what would have become of my education and what would have been my fate? Oh yes! After God the mother is everything to man.” These words show Rizal’s reverence and importance given to them. Her diligent mother, Teodora Realonda Alonzo y Quintos, taught him how to read, she taught him how to stammer the humble prayers which they addressed fervently to God and imparted him morals and values which he lived in every day of his life. The boy Rizal grew up to be one of the most influential personalities in history.

            His devotion is expresses not by bloody war or swords clashing but by his wisdom and quill pen and he was able to come up with two great novels – Noli Me Tangere (Touch Me Not) and El Filibusterismo (The Filibustering or commonly known as The Reign of Greed). These wonderful masterpieces portray the status of the Philippine Islands during the Spanish regime. It is a story about the oppression of the Spanish friars and government officials whose main role is to torture and to treat Filipinos or “Indios” as they call them, as slaves. With this, Dr. Jose P. Rizal placed notable characters on his wonder-work. One of them is a woman with great love for her family. Noli Me Tangere would not be complete without her portrayal. This role was one of the retribution of Rizal to the women of that time. He made this character a significant part of the life of Filipinos.

            She was a simple woman but with great faith to God. Words that fall from her lips were not harsh languages nor scandalous verbalism but prayers and humble thoughts. She lived in a small cottage outside the skirts of the town. The characteristic Rizal painted for her was to be a martyr - a woman who had endured many punishment, embarrassment and tribulations for her dearest family. She was someone who would offer her very own life for her precious treasures. She wanted the best for her children.  Hard beatings and not loving embraces did she received from her husband, yet she still loved him. The woman treated her wedded man as her master and her children as angels.

Rizal made use of this character to illustrate the love of mothers. An unconditional love who does not care even if her own life would be ruin, one who does not seek one self’s pleasure but for the dearest to her - the mother who would kneel before everybody and humiliate herself - moved by her emotions towards her family. These similarities given by Jose Rizal represent the Motherland herself, the Philippines.

             The Philippines is the mother of all Filipinos, the benefactor and the caring. Rizal disguised her by one of the main characters of Noli Me Tangere. The Gurdia Civil and Spanish friars’ insulting words and terrible punishment signifies without doubt, the situation of the Mother Country. She was tyrannized and humiliated as her sons were persecuted too. The country was once rich, a beauty of nature, but when the foreign invaders colonized and influenced her, she lost her complete sanity. The Spanish people kept the Filipinos – her own children – away from her. She longed for them, uncertain of the misfortunes that befall them. Her sons imply the characteristic and personification of the Filipino citizens. They maltreated them and bade them to do unbearable tasks. Life would much be easier if these greedy aliens will give what is just to the Filipinos.

            I can align my life with the good examples of this character even as a student. She represents pictorially a portrait of the idea of patriotism. She wanted to witness how her sons and daughters would someday rise up to be successful individuals. Similarly, the Mother Country herself, desires her children to rise up from the underestimation and insults of the foreign countries. As much as I do, I wish the Philippines would be listed as a nation united together and a country prosperous throughout the world. Our land would be the center of economical progress and livelihood education. We, Filipinos should commit ourselves in the apostolate of the religious to empower the underserved to claim their human dignity and their right to total human development.

            Being a hardworking pupil, I can express my deepest devotion to the loving Motherland through pastoral works that encourages and uplifts religious commitment which is the ultimate deed above all. Also, through excellence in communicative and reflective skills in the facets of life as a result of relevant and meaningful learning experiences, I can impart the knowledge I obtained to instruct the ignorant for the improvement of individuals and the academic community.

            The reign of Spanish colonization illustrates the iron fists that clasps the fetter attached to the Mother Land. They kept her as a prisoner, a mother suffering from the unjust verdict of the foreigners. Cold death will be much sweeter than to stay with those unruly outsiders.

            The country still suffers to the relative to the values of the foreign powers which had previously subjugated them through colonization and is commonly known as colonial mentality. This is one of the influences the foreign left us. Colonial mentality is the thinking that foreign talents and products are always the good, the better, and the best, and that the local ones are of poor or no quality at all. Colonial because our Spanish and American colonizers, during their four-century rule of the Philippines, instilled into the Filipino mentality the belief that foreigners and anything associated with them were the superior, and that Filipinos and anything associated with them were worthless. But it is not true that we Filipinos admire and patronize nothing but foreign talents and products only. We watch local movies and television shows. We adore our movie stars, singers, television personalities, artists, scientists, athletes, professionals, magnates, leaders, and other talented countrymen. We use Calabarzon-manufactured household appliances, read Manila-printed books, wear Marikina-made shoes, drink Batangas coffee, own Laguna carvings, and display Ilocos pottery.

            Our task in terms of the national economy in our homeland should be to think FILIPINO FIRST, as other nations rightly do think of and for themselves in their own homelands. But of course, our "Filipinism" has to be different from the selfish individualism (lacking in social concern) of the native businessmen/entrepreneurs of the past who used nationalism to advance solely their own private interests. This latter danger can be prevented by nationalistic mass education; since knowledge should not be an exclusive domain of the middle class and socioeconomic elite.

It is only with a nationalistic consciousness in his mind and heart will the Filipinos be able to fight, deal and work with utmost determination for our own betterment, those of our children and grandchildren; and consequently of our homeland.

            

Salutatorian Address

Salutatorian Address

By Justine Lloyd V. Bautista

“Beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad; it’s what you do in between that count the most.”

                Alas! Time had come inevitably for us, as we are now venturing the portals of another dimension – a dimension of hellos and goodbyes. The last few years have just flown by, leaving behind the loving memories of high school. Four years ago, we started on our adventure and this adventure shaped the modern-day us. Four years ago, moro-moro and taguan served our past time, but now, computer games, social networking sites and the never ending rock concert in our class replaced them. Four years ago, we didn’t mind taking even a look at oneself in the mirror. Kahit pawisan man, mabaho o kakagising pa lang, ayos lang. Lollipops were our lipsticks, Stick-O our cigarettes and ChocoMani wrappers were our braces. But in these days, one cannot leave their house without putting on make-up, applying powder on his/her face and spraying on some perfume. We became conscious of who we are. Four years ago, we were only immature kids playing a role as adults – but those were all four years ago.

                High School life is the most complex stage in education - the hardest part yet the funniest. High School is pure irony. At first, we spend our school days wanting to graduate yet in the end, we yearn for those days to be back. Our schooling may be over and our adventure had just reached a milestone. Nevertheless, education still continues. We stand these days as single and unique individuals. We are pursuing our dreams, creating paths toward the future. We may have left the vicinity of the school; still, pieces of our hearts will remain at JJRMHS.

                Gratitude is a must. Acknowledgement is needed. Repaying is our obligation.

                To my teachers and the whole faculty and staff of John J. Russell, kindly accept our sincerest gratitude from the deepest chambers of our heart. Without your perseverance and patience, we are nothing. You are the artists who modeled and fashioned us. Our parents in the classroom - siblings outside. Truly, you’re the heroes of this community. We can never be thankful enough for your sacrifices and unparalled dedication to your work. Also, we can never think no more of those joyous time we spent together. Simula pa lang sa first up to the last subject, kasiyahang walang humpay. Sisimulan ng paniningil ni Ma’am lot,kasama ang pagiging active ng aming adviser, sunod ang “you are the because of my like this” na ang ibig sabihin pala ay “ikaw ang dahilan kung bakit ako ganito” ni Ma’am Fely, ang mga enjoyable activities tulad ng C.A.T., jogging, at movie marathon sa MAPEH ni Sir Rollie, at for the last subject sa umaga, ang small but terrible na teacher sa Physics, Ma’am Lanie na paniguradong babanat at mapapatawa ka. After lunch, hindi ka aantukin sa makasaysayang pagtuturo ni Ma’am Flora, sa pangaral pa lang, matatauhan ka pero pag nasimulan na ang biruan, sasakit ang tiyan mo sa tawa, next ang active na active na si Ma’am Donna na ang tipo ay naka’y Ate Bambi pa lang ay nag-grigreet na. Ang El Filibusterismo, que se joda, at mga nakakarelate na kwento ni Ma’am Liw sa time ng Filipino at last but definitely not the least, ang comic talent, story teller, at poet na nagpasikat ng “The Door at Lumberjack” na walang iba kundi si Sir Ahdz. And for all those teachers who served as our foundations, a million thanks wouldn’t really be enough.

                To the mother of our school and our Alma Mater, Mrs. Leonora P. Manalastas, we thank you for the unending support and striving to give us the best what our school can offer. You paved a path for us to reach the destination with ease. We are very grateful for having you as our principal. Kahit lagi kami talagang matitigas ang ulo, sa mga pasakit namin, hindi parin po kayo nagsawa at nadala sa amin. You continued to show your dedication. Being a principal was not really your job, it is your devotion. Even if we grew up as distinguished individuals in the near future, we will still look back where we came from. Isang invitation lang po, may guest speaker na kayo.

                To our parents, thank you for inspiring us to be what we are today. Valedictorian and Salutatorian honors should not be bestowed upon us, for all the crowns and glory are all for you. Salamat po sa pag-aasikaso at syempre sa palagi naming hinihinging baon. Thank you for your understanding, kahit puro gastos, puro gala, group project naman po yon, kahit hindi.

                To my classmates and fellow graduates, salamat sa pagiging mga tunay na kaibigan. I never thought that you would accept me as your own. Thank you for all the times of laughter and sorrows. You have left me with memories to cherish until the very last day of my life. Nandyan yung group project kuno pero gala lang ang habol. Tapos kapag uwian naman, kanya-kanyang lagay ng bato sa bulsa, para daw hindi mapagalitan. Hindi mawawala ang joker sa classroom. Napapatawa lahat kahit walang ginagawa, at kasama niya si Look-Out, ang savior ng lahat. Kapag narinig na ang hudyat ni Look-Out na “Andiyan na si Ma’am”, upo at biglang tahimik ang lahat. Hindi din mawawala ang mga nakalahad namga palad nasikat tuwing recess at lunchbreak; mga nakararaos ng gutom sa pamamagitan ng hingi. Hiraman ng polbo,suklay at ‘di pa nasiyahan, pati pabango. Sa sobrang close nga eh pati lollipop, isahang gamit ng lahat. Syempre hindi makakaliutan ang kinatatakutang listahan ni Ma’am Lotus ng hindi nagsusuot ng footsack. Kahit sira-sira at kahit hindi kanila o hindi magkamukha, sige lang, basta wag lang malilista. Umaabot na nga sa puntong, nakarating na ng canteen, doon na lang malalaman na nakasuot pa ng footsack pala. With this laughter, I bet no one can forget the friendship and closeness. We may forget the names and faces, still, the presence and memories will never subside.

And now, we are on are separate ways. Different individuals we shall meet; new persons to mingle, new persons to share memories with. Achieve your dreams.  Always remember the only place where success comes before work is in the dictionary. Just remember, you can’t climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pockets. Follow your passion, stay true to yourself, never follow someonelse’s path unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost and you see a path then by all means you should follow that. Stick to what you think is right. Most of all, remember, when one door closes, a window opens. But if no window opens, build your door for opportunity knocks to those who seeks for it, not the one who’s just waiting for it.

Thank you and Godspeed.