Thoughts on Thoughts

Katulad ng aking sinabi sa mas nauna kong post, ito ay ang aking talumpati na umuukol naman sa ating wika. Wika na nagsisilbing sandata. Sandata laban sa kasamaan , at paraan tungo sa maliwanag na kinabukasan.

Maraming nagsasabi na ang wika ay isang madali at payak na halimbawa upang mapagkilanlan ang isang bansa. Ito ang nagsisilbing sagisag natin sa buong mundo at marahil, ito rin ang magiging instrument sa patuloy na pag-unlad ng Pilipinas. Filipino – ang ating wikang pambansa. Ito ang pangunahing sangkap sa komunikasyong Pilipino. Bata matanda, may puntong Kapampangan o Ilonggo, saan ka mang bayan nagmula, basta Pilipino, marunong! Para sa ibang bansa, marahil ito ay tunog banyaga at kung minsan pa nga ay di talaga maiwasang mapagtawanan. Kabi-kabilang kutya ang iyong maririnig ngunit ang mga Pilipino’y marunong magbingi-binigihan sa mga kutyang ito. Ang wikang Filipino para sa ating lahat ay naturingang pinakamaganda. Karangal-rangal kung pakinggan, napakapayak ngunit malalim, ‘yan ang Wikang Filipino. Ngunit para sa atin, ano ba talaga ang papel at silbi ng ating wika, hindi lamang sa pansariling pagkokomunika, ngunit pati na rin sa ating buhay at pang higit na katuturan ang wikang biyaya ng Diyos Ama.

Tunay na kabilib-bili an gating wika. Kung tutuusin, ito pa nga ang nagpalaya sa buong Pilipinas. Sa paanong paraan ito nangyari? Ang pambansang bayani ng Pilipinas, ang nag-iisang Jose Rizal. Siya’y biniyayaan ng kagila-gilalas na talino. Ngunit, paano niya naman napalaya ang Pilipinas sa tulong ng wika? Ginamit niya ang larangan kung saan siya’y mahusay. Ang pagsusulat. Ang kaniyang mga nobelang naisulat ay sumasailalim sa marahas na karanasang natamasa ng mga Pilipino sa kamay ng mga Kastila. Ang mga ito ay napalimbag at di kinalaunan ay umabot rin ang mga ito sa Pilipinas. Tila ba’y mayroong gayuma ang mga naisulat ni Rizal at ang mga ito’y naging isang panggising sa mga nagsisitulugang mga Pilipino sa ilalim ng malupit na sumpa ng mga Kastila. Ito ang dahilan ng puspusang paghihimagsik ng mga Pilipino upang makamit ang kalayaan. Nakita niyo? Ganyan kalakas ang wika natin! Mahika kung sa biglang-tingin, ngunit kung susuriin, ito ang nagtuwid ng daan sa Pilipinas patungo sa kalayaan. Ang kalaliman naman nito ang nagbigay ng lakas at motibo sa atin upang ipaglaban an gating karapatan. Napakamakapangyarihan ng wika. Hindi man ito nakasugat sa pisikal na katawan katulad ng tabak, isang sugat na hindi agad-agad maghihilom ang naukit naman nito sa puso’t isipan hindi lang sa mga pagiging malaya. Ang Wikang Filipino ay haligi ng ating pambansang kalayaan.     

Wikang Filipino, gaya ng aking sinabi kanina, ito’y natiringang pinakamaganda. Nagtutunog banyaga ngunit sa atin ay normal na sa pang araw-araw. Ito’y payak, ngunit malalim. Ito’y sumasalamin sa nagbibigkas ng wika. Isang mensahe lamang ang nais kong iwan. Ang wika ay parang espada. Magagamit mo ito bilang panlaban sa kasamaan para sa kabutihan, subalit, ito ay maari ding mag-udyok sa mas mapoot na kasamaan. Gamitin natin ng tama ang Wikang Filipino. Ito’y pata sa pinakamaliwanag na kinabukasan, ngunit, kung mali ang paggamit nito, ito’y tutungo sa pinakamadilim na kinabukasang maaring dumating sa iyo.

Nais kong ibahagi ang isa sa mga piyesang aking ginawa at ibinigkas noong ako'y nasa high school palamang, na tumutuon ukol sa mga kabataan. Ito ay isang mensahe hindi lamang para sa mga kabataan kundi ito'y mensahe para sa lahat ng tao na bumubuo sa paghubog ng katauhan ng bawat kabataan. 

Mga kabataan, tayo raw ang pag-asa ng bayan ayon sa dakilang bayaning si Dr. Jose Rizal. Paano magiging pag-asa ng bayan ang maraming kabataang halos araw-araw ay nababasa sa pahayagn, napapanuod sa TV at naririnig sa mga balita sa radyo na nasasangkot sa iba’t ibang uri ng paglabag sa batas? Paano magiging pag-asa ng bayan ang mga ganitong kabataan na halos ay maituturing na “salot” ng lipunan?

Mahal naming mga magulang, mga guro, mga taong simbahan, mga taong pamahalaan, mga taong lipunan – lahat kayong mga responsableng mamamayan, tulungan po ninyo kaming mga kabataan. Lumalaapit po kami sa inyo, handing making, hanadang gumawa ng kaukulang pagbabago, handing mahalin at magmahal, handing gawin ang lahat tungo sa pagbabago at kaunlaran n gaming mga sarili at ng bayan. Palakasin po ninyo kaming mga kabataan tungo sa matatag na kinabukasan.

Palakasin po ninyo kami sa inyong pagmamahal.Hayaan niyong madama namin na mahal ninyo kami kaya kailanagan niyong disiplinahin. Ipaunawa po ninyo sa amin na ang tamang disiplina ay kailangan sa ikaaunlad naming at ng bayan. Bahaginan po ninyo kami ng inyong mahahalagang oras. Isama po ninyo kami sa paglilibang, pagsasaya at pamamasyal. Pakinggan po ninyo kami at damayan sa panahong kailangan naming kayo. Patnubayan po ninyo kami sa aming pag-aaral. Bususgin po ninyo kami sa mga panagaral. Pakitaan po ninyo kami ng magagandang asal na maari naming tularan. Ang inyong pagmamahal ay isang mahalagang paraan ng pagpapalakas sa aming mga kabataan.

Kailangan din naming ng wastong kalusugan, di lamang pampisikal kundi kalusugang sosyal, emosyonal, at ispiritual. Tulungan po ninyo kaming lumago at tumatag sa pananampalataya. Hayaan po ninyo kaming makisalamuha sa mga mabubuting tao at kaibigan. Bigyan po ninyo kami ng karanasang hahasa saamin sa mabuting pakikitungo sa kapwa, mapapaunlad sa talentong meron kami at mga gawaing magdudulot sa amin ng kasiyahan at kapanatagan ng isip at damdamin.

Mga kapwa kong kabataan, naririyan sila. Marami. Handa sa pagpapalakas sa ating tungo sa isang matatag na kinabukasan. Kilos na kabataan, oras at panahon na natin ito. Kumilos tayo ng tama. Maging masunurin tayo sa ating mga magulang, mga guro at sa batas. Magtapos tayo ng pag-aaral. Itakwil natin ang droga, alak, sigarilyo, sugal, masasamang barkada, at lahat ng masasamang bisyo na sisira sa ating mga kabataan at sa ating bayan. Patunayan nating tayo nga ang pag-asa ng bayan. Panindigan natin sa tulong at pagpapalakas sa ating mga kabataan tiyakin natin na sama-sama tayong tutungo sa isang matatag na kinabukasan.

Ito ay aking isinigawa at ibinigkas noong selebrasyon ng aming paaralan para sa Buwan ng Wika. Sa susunod kong post, ipapapakita ko naman ang aking talumpati ukol naman sa Wika. Itong mga talumpating ito ay hindi ko malilimutan sapagka't ang mga mensaheng aking ipinaparating ay importante hindi lamang saakin kundi sa bawat mamayan ng Pilipinas.

New Year is one of the most awaited day and wonderful holiday in a year. It is the time for people to start their year with happiness and joy, welcoming the happiness and blessings to their homes, friends, family, and selves. Every New Year’s Eve, is the time were people usually use different kinds of firecrackers. This New Year’s Eve was quite different from the past years because never in my life it rained during New Year’s Eve. Our neighbors, who usually use a lot of firecrackers every New Year’s Eve weren’t able to use all their firecrackers because of the rain. This is also my first time that I spent most of my time of the day doing my school works. We actually have tons of school work that I can’t finish in one sitting. It’s also my fault I didn’t make sure that I would finish them ahead of time/day. Well, I was able to finish one subject that day so it’s already a big step for me. 

Every New Year, we usually go to my grandparents’ house, light up a fountain then went straight ahead to my relatives in Alabang. For this year, we weren’t also able to go to my grandparents’ house because they told us that they would sleep early so we didn’t bother to wake them up. Instead, we went straight ahead to Alabang to celebrate New Year with my relatives (father side). We spent our New Year with them and we went home around 4am already. The next day, we have to wake up early and get back to our condominium before 1pm because someone rented our unit again. It was very tiring and though it’s quite different from my past New Year’s celebrations, I still had fun. I was able to greet a simple “Happy New Year” to those who’ve been part of my wonderful 2015. I just look forward for another and many more years with them and new people as well.

 

Happy New Year everyone!  

❤ Justine

One economic principle by Mankiw states that “There is no such thing as free lunch”. That’s why people work so hard to earn money and of course they earn money in different ways, depending on what work they have. For the people who live near the Taal Volcano, they earn money from sailing a boat, taking pictures of tourists, placing an entrance fee for every tourist, being a tour guide, a caretaker of horses and selling hats, face masks, drinks and more. Last December 27, we went to Taal Volcano, because of that I was able to know what kind of living does the people have there. Upon arriving in Talisay Batangas, we met kuya Mike who owns a boat. Their regular rate for the boat ride is 1,500 pesos good for 6 persons but kuya Mike gave us a discount.

 

I think it took us 20mins before we arrive at the Taal Volcano. You have to pay 50 pesos for the entrance fee upon arriving there. Well, this is for the consumption fees of the people in the barrio for taking care of the surroundings of Taal Volcano. You have to choose between 450 pesos worth of horseback riding or 500 pesos for a tour guide to get to see the crater of the Taal Volcano. At first, my mom and dad chose to walk while my sister and I rode a horse but suddenly they couldn’t take the dust and the long walk so they called for another horse for them.

We didn’t expect that we would be riding horses and go for 5km just to reach the crater of the Taal Volcano that’s why we weren’t ready for dust and for the sunlight exposure but it’s not a huge problem for the tourists because people in that barrio also offers face masks, hats and drinks. If tourists can’t take a picture while riding the horse or walking for 5km, it’s not a problem at all because the people in the barrio also take pictures of you and try to sell those pictures to you for 40 pesos each.

 

It seems that they have lots of ways to earn money, yes they have but it’s actually not enough for them. We were able to interview our guide and he said that they do not earn that much for the horses. He said that they do not own the horses, they only rent them and take good care of those horses. They only get 50 pesos from the 450 pesos worth of horseback riding. He said that they pay the remaining money for the rental fee. They also don’t get to go outside Taal Volcano that much because it is too expensive for them. The only time that they get to go outside the Taal Volcano is when the government provides service for the children for them to go to school. We also asked if they’re afraid of living there (because we all know that Taal Volcano is an active volcano), he said that they were already used to live there since he was a child and PHILVOCS always update them regarding the status of the volcano so they don’t worry that much.      

Seeing how hard it is for them to earn for living, I was able to reflect for a short while that I’m very blessed enough to have what I’ve already have. Be thankful for all the blessings that we received and receiving. If you guys have time to have a vacation, try visiting Talisay Batangas and discover the wonders of Taal Volcano!

I’ve mentioned a concept of a story about parent – child relationship in one of my posts during my first week of blogging and I also said that you guys should stay tuned with it because of course there will be a continuation. So as for the continuation of that post, here’s another concept of a story that inspired me from the Korean TV series “Sassy, Go Go”. This time it’s all about friendship. 

My second to the last sentences in my previous blog post entitled “Some Feelings Are Left Unexpressed” were “It’s complicated. But there will always be a person or people who will not leave you alone, which is where other aspects of your life come in.” That person or people who will not leave you alone that I was referring to are our friends or best friends. We all know that our friends are actually like our second family. They are like our brothers and sisters. We are very comfortable with them, trusting them with our most precious secrets because they rarely fail us for they are the ones who are always there for us whenever we needed someone. They are the ones who usually know the other side of you. But have you ever had a feeling of desire to have what someone else has, materially or not or maybe academically or family relationship or love life? Or being pressured of what they already have and you don’t? What if you have the chance to take away what your friend or best friend had that you’re really jealous of, will you take it or not? If you ever took that chance, how can your friendship be still the same after what you did? Will your friendship be stronger than anything else or would it destroy your relationship with one another? Who would let his or her pride down and make things work again? Will your trust for each other still be as strong as before?    

Yes, it’s still complicated. But again, there will always be a person or people who will not leave you alone, which is where other aspects of your life come in.

Stay tuned with it once again! ❤