Christmas Special

Christmas is fast approaching and everyone is certainly excited for all the cheers and the happiness that the season gives off.
Bring out the Christmas trees, the lanterns, and the belens. Family members are back home and the atmosphere is cold but comforting. The feeling of pure bliss during Christmas season comes from the solidarity you feel when everyone comes together to celebrate Jesus' birthday. Though it is unsure when Jesus' actual birthday is, it is still important that we celebrate him.
That's what Christmas is really about; giving Jesus thanks and showing love to everyone you encounter. Sure Christmas caroling and Christmas parties are fun, but let's not forget who's day it is.

"CLIMATE CHANGE"

"Too often are we told to save Mother Earth, and too often have we taken it for granted."

Typhoons, landslides, tsunamis, and earthquakes are a few of the causes of the tragedies we have been experiencing. These supposedly natural phenomena bring us shivers. Millions and millions of people have died.

The question is, are they really to blame? No. We are. We are to blame for the tragic stories that this generation has lived through. We have forgotten our responsibility, to nurture the universe we live in. Toxic chemicals in our bodies of water, garbage everywhere, and careless use of our resources are just a few of the things our world has resulted into.

Climate change has already been synonymous to global climate. In Wikipedia, the definition is "Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions, or in the distribution of weather around the average conditions (i.e., more or fewer extreme weather events). Climate change is caused by factors such as biotic processes, variations in solar radiation received by Earth, plate tectonics, andvolcanic eruptions. Certain human activities have also been identified as significant causes of recent climate change, often referred to as "global warming".

Scientists actively work to understand past and future climate by using observations and theoretical models. A climate record — extending deep into the Earth's past — has been assembled, and continues to be built up, based on geological evidence from borehole temperature profiles, cores removed from deep accumulations of ice, floral and faunal records, glacial and periglacial processes, stable-isotope and other analyses of sediment layers, and records of past sea levels. More recent data are provided by the instrumental record. General circulation models, based on the physical sciences, are often used in theoretical approaches to match past climate data, make future projections, and link causes and effects in climate change."

So the next time you think of throwing your "pinagkainan" anywhere, remember all the people you have/you will indirectly kill.

Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities

Our generation is endorsing "gender equality." No one is to be judged based on their sexuality.

Men used to be perceived generally as stronger that women. Because of this, they are able to get more opportunities in life. But in time, women slowly and slowly fought for their right to have the same opportunities as the men.

Now, women are no longer confined in the four walls of their homes. They are now doing the same work load. But gender equality doesn't mean that you have the right to punch or disrespect a woman when you are a man. Your moral responsibilities of being a gentleman and being lady still remains.

What changes though, is the fact that a woman has the same rights and chances to become a CEO of an industrial company as a man having the same rights and chances of becoming a well-known dress maker.

Going Global Through English

All my life I have heard the words, "English is the universal language." It is a given fact. Because of theses words, my parents made sure that I learned to speak the English language fluently. They sent me to school with the expectations of me speaking the said language. True enough, I did learn to speak English well enough to have a conversation. The thing is, I didn't learn to converse in English at school, I learned it from endless watching of foreign TV shows (mostly Disney Channel).

When I got to use my "skills" in le English language, I impressed the shoes out of my tito's and tita's feet. They're in America and whenever we called them, I would take the telephone and speak to them in my trying-hard-English-accent. I would even talk to random tourist in English, and they would smile at me. Silly, I know. A few of them thought I was adorable (not to brag or anything). I felt like I was on top of the world.
My point is, it is easier for you to conquer the world if they are to understand you. One must converse in a language understood by people to be heard. Communication is such an important factor in a person's social responsibility.

Hopefully :x

2nd grading is over, and the next grading awaits. I don't think I did too well this grading. I'm a bit late in posting on my blog, and a still have activities left undone. It's because there was so much going on this past months. Science Month, Teachers' Day, Buwan ng Wika, and even Solidarity. A whirlwind of events indeed.

Even though I was very busy, I found the topics in our ICT very interesting. We learned about the HTML (Hypertext Mark-up Language). It interesting because it's new to us. Ma'am Vera Cruz discussed the basic, from the parts of an HTML tag to their uses. All the kids know a days are all techie, that's given. I know this topic made us all interested because it was connected to the internet and to web designing. The topic, basically, isn't that hard. It's just that we haven't mastered it yet, that's why we have had mistakes in a few of our activities.

Hopefully, next grading we have already mastered out HTML tags so we can move on to more intricate lessons about HTML. Maybe next grading, I would finish my posts early and do all my activities on time. I don't want to make promises, just hopes.

My Teacher, My Hero!

I cannot express how thankful I am to my teachers. In my life I have met a great deal of wonderful teachers that I will surely remember no matter where I am. I am thankful to them for touching my life and making me feel like I am their own child.

There is this quote that says "It's amazing what a teacher can do with a blackboard and a piece of chalk." Truly it is. Teachers do not simply teach, they are people who are gifted with a talent to inspire and move others. They don't give up on you, even if you have already given up on yourself. They see a light in your eyes that no one else can see. They see potential in you, just when you think you good for nothing.

Let us also not forget that our teachers are human too. They get angry, and sad, and disappointed just like us. But unlike us, they don't put it out in the open. They try to control it, that is why we only see a minimum of their rage when we put them to their limit.

It's amazing that teachers, even after all we have done to make them angry, still love us. They are simply one of the "ideal people" in this world. I salute them for everything they are going through and have gone through just to guide us in the right path. Thank you teachers! I hope you never get tired of nurturing us. :)

Hero //

My "Modern Day Hero" is probably your "Modern Day Hero" too. They are that GREAT. Multi-tasker as I'd like to call them. You know how they say "You can only focus on one thing. That is why it's called priority." well this person contradicts it.

My hero? My hero is my Mama. She proves to us, everyday, that she can focus on us, work, and the house. She is one of the greatest people I know. She endlessly loves me, though I disrespect her at times. She comforts me whenever I have self doubt. My Mama has always been my shoulder to cry on, since I was born up to now.

She would always be there so save me, whether I'm the damsel in distress or the villain. She would swoop in and help me get through my teenage problems. My Mama never fails to be by my side even though she start to go to work from 7 am to 7 pm, and at times in between she even does some household work.

I bet your Mama does the same. I think all mothers are amazing. That is why I am sooooooo thankful to have been born with my Mama on my side guiding me all the way. I love her and I thank God for a wonderful hero.

Let's Make It Happen!

Science Club celebrates the month of September with the theme: Unravel the causes. Build the solution. Empower science clubbers to action. Sets of activities were done to truly bring out the science enthusiast in each and every one. 

Now let's further analyze the theme. The thing is, you can't solve a problem without knowing its cause and the factors that affect it. My whole high school life my Science teachers have taught me through and through the scientific method. One must always be systematic and organize. In unraveling the causes we must be systematic. We must have the details from the smallest to the most important. Let us not leave anything behind. 

Let us take in consideration the problems that our Earth in encountering now. The root of these problems lead to us. We are the causes. We are the ones who took for granted the beauty given to us

Next step, build the solutions. We learned in math and in true life that every problem has a solution. Some solutions are easy to grasp, while some requires time and effort. The problem of our Mother Earth right now is one that requires time and effort. Since we caused it, isn't it just and right that we build the solutions? When we say "build," we mean we slowly make a good foundation based on endless research of ways to eradicated the problem. We do not simply "do," but we plan and build. 

Last, we empower science clubbers into action. We must not only empower the science clubbers, it also more on empowering ourselves for a better purpose. We must keep in mind that we are responsible for our own mistakes. Let us make a change. Empower ourselves and others to save our Mother Earth. So come on, and let us make the change happen!

WIKA NATIN ANG DAANG MATUWID

           Every year, we celebrate the Filipino language on the month of August. We go back to our roots, we enrich our knowledge on our language, and we remember the sacrifices that our ancestors made for us to have our own language.

            We are welcoming the month of August this year with the theme: “Wika Natin ang Daang Matuwid.”

Kung una mo maririnig ang tema ng Buwan ng Wika sa taong ito, isiisipin mo “Parang may kulang.” Hindi ito tulad ng mga nakaraang tema kung saan may tugma at tila ibinibigay na agad ang lahat ng impormasyon ayon sa tema.

            Ngunit sa taong ito, hinahayaan na tayo mismo ang mag-isip n gating sariling interprasyon sa tema.

            Ating suriin ang mensahe ng katagang ito. Bakit nga ba naiugnay ang daan, sa wika? Siguro ang unang sumagi sa utak mo ay isa ito sa mga adhikain ni Pnoy. Pero, yun ngalang ba ang rason?

            Though we are reminded yearly of the Wikang Filipino, sometimes we still tend to take our language for granted. Some of us are more fluent in English than our own dialect. This should not be. We should express ourselves with respect to the heroes we praise and study about.

            We should continue the legacy of our ancestors. We should be aware that we have the responsibility to fight for our right to speak. And that we must speak our rights in our own language.

            As said above, when August comes along, we go back to our roots. That is what we need to do. Go back to our Filipino roots where spirit of bayanihan, our natural hospitality, and our love to lead and to serve for others prevail. Our language is so rich in history, and not using it would be turpitude.

            Our language was once a symbol for freedom. It made us free of the foreign countries who took over us. We do not anymore use their language, but our own.

            This time around, our language is a symbol for the straight path that we wish to walk on.  The straight path which will lead us to worthwhile victory. Let us remember our language’s history, and take in the importance of the Wikang Filipino. 

Pinoy's SONA.

President Benigno S. Aquino III's 4th State Of the Nation Address last July 22, 2013 is his longest since being elected last 2010. It was held at the Session Hall of the House of Representatives, Batasang Pambansa Complex, Quezon City. His SONA was 55 pages long and it lasted for 1 hour and 40 minutes. 

The President emphasized his gratitude toward his bosses (a term he uses to call out  the Filipinos). He was ecstatic that out of the 12 candidates he endorsed, occupied the 9 seats in the senate. He referred to them as “mga kasangga patungo sa tuwid na daan.”

Mr. Aquino  also stressed out his accomplishments for the past 3 years of his administration. Here are the higlights:

1)     TESDA-DOLE Scholarship

·        A total of 503,521 students have received the scholarship.

·        An estimated 6 out of 10 scholars landed a job.

·        From the 28.5% employment rate last 2006-2008 to 70.9% because of the IT-BPO program.

2)     Pantawid Pamilya Program

3)     Education Reforms

·        K to 12 Program

·        Addressed deficiencies in classrooms and textbooks.

4)     Agricultural Reforms

5)     Health Programs (Increased coverage of and benefits from PhilHealth.)

6)     Readiness in Calamities

·        Joint effort of the Geohazard Mapping and Assessment Program and Project NOAH of the DOST.)

7)     Housing Programs

8)     Enhancement of the Armed Forces and Police

9)     Secure and Fair Elections

10)Peace and Order Situation in Mindanao

·        Bangsamoro Framework Agreement

11)Enhancement Tourism Industry

12)Economic Growth

13)Issues that he thinks need to be done:

·        SSS Pension Scheme Modification

·        Fake hike in MRT and LRT to decrease the subsidized fare and allot it to other government services.

Though many Filipinos are doubtful about Pinoy’s administration, I believe that he has achieved a lot in his term. I am hopeful that he will continue his strive for the “tuwid na daan.”

                                                                                                                      

National Nutrition Month Celebration: Gutom at Maltnutrisyon; Sama-sama Nating Wakasan

For the past 3 years, I have enjoyed the fun-filled month long celebration of raising awareness towards our health. This is possibly through the pursuant of the Presidential Decree 49, the Nutrition Act of the Philippines, signed June 25, 1974.

This year's theme "Gutom at Maltnutrisyon; Sama-sama Nating Wakasan," though does not rhyme, sounds like the best theme for the past 3 years.

We need to realize that we cannot expect the malnourished to cure themselves. If we say "It takes a village to educate a child," then we may also say "It takes a village to end starvation and malnutrition." If we all work together, we can achieve any goal.

We also need to be reminded that just because the food is expensive, it is already nutritious. Good food does not need to be expensive to be healthy. Also, vegetables and fruits are not the only healthy options out there, and they simple are not enough. We need the Go, Glow, and Grow foods in order to become completely healthy. Our lifestyle also affects our health. We need to practice a good routine that helps our body maintain a good balance.

The TLE and STEP club is successful in making the student body of Ilocos Sur National High School become aware of their role in ending starvation and malnutrition. They did this through different activities such as Nutri-Jingle, Essay Writing, Nutri-Quiz, and many more activities.

Letter to the President

Dear Mr. President,

        I would simply like to tell you Sir, that I am thankful for all your hardwork. Thank you for taking the responsibility to lead the Philippines.
        I know you are doing your best. But I would like to send you my thoughts. I will try my best to make this letter as informal as I may for you to see things in my perspective.
        I am a graduating student from a public school. I am a witness to the advantages and disadvantages of a public school. The lack of proper conduct and discipline and learning materials are just a few of the disadvantages. Having good teachers that make it through the lack of learning materials is what makes studying in a public school worth while.
        Some students in our school are random. They come from all walks in life. Some are really ill mannered. I have seen the amount of students that are called upon the Guidance Office everyday. The other problem of our school is that we lack learning materials and bathrooms. We do not have enough laboratories and laboraorty apparatuses for the whole populace.  Our bathrooms are unsanitary because we cannot afford a lot of janitors for cleaning.
       The advantages still outshine the disadvatages. Our teachers make everything worthwhile. They get the job done efficiently. I do hope that you give more importance to them. "The youth is our future. Let them be guided by good education"
        The quote above sums up my letter, Mr. President. I hope you the best at serving our country.

                                                                                                                          Yours truly,
                                                                                                                           Mia Sharlotte Florendo

Koali! Goedendag! Bonjour! Konnichiwa! Hi! Welcome to my blog.

   
                                                                                                           from Vigan, with love.