#8 Media's Touch

Famous Social Networking Sites

   The Media is unquestionably mundane to all. From our childhood days, we remember how we get to play outside with everything under the sun and see our parents use cellular phones with antennas still. But now, all of those seem to be a joke with the media being so advanced together with the technology’s rapid boom.

   Every day, we wake up to the news either on the television or the radio. And if given time, we would then log on to our Facebooks and check on what's hot and new. We are enjoying everything without even checking on what we hear, see and read. For example are the television ads. Basically, most manufacturers make such advertisements to promote their products and paint a perfect picture if its use and effects. We, the viewers, then believe in every fancy sketch the announcer encrypts in our minds without even having a background check on its consequences. This habit is surely a hazard not only to our health but also to future generations. Another thing would be the internet. People of different walks of life nowadays are highly dependent on it. Ironically, every student’s research work probably passed through Google's search bar. This clearly explains why young boys and girls would prefer to surf the net the whole day than to play outside which would seem to be such a laborious task. It instills laziness and erases the true essence of a playful childhood. Aside from too much independence, you could not imagine all the things you could explore with just a simple Google search. Internet literate kids are being exposed to matters inappropriate to their age and these very much influence their attitudes. Together with that, swear words are becoming too main stream and children would probably think then that they are normal to use.

Crushed Innocence

   Although media plays an important role as it is of great help to mankind, we could not rub out the fact that its negative effects are too destructive especially to future generations. But since we could not control its unimaginable growth, we may slow down its adverse effects by lessening our dependence on it.

The Place to Be

  I am actually not an Iligannon. And in fact, the only tourist spot that comes to my mind located at this city is the Maria Cristina falls. Ironic, but with the few months I had stayed in Iligan City, I have experienced and seen enough. Enough for me to feel at home.

  Iligan City is located in the province of Lanao del Norte, Philippines, and is the province's former capital.It is found in the northeastern part of the island of Mindanao, surrounded by the provinces of Balo-I and Linamon on the south, the town of Lugait of Misamis Oriental on the north, the lands of Lanao del Sur and Bukidnon on the east and Iligan Bay on the west. It has quite a number of scenic landmarks including falls, cool springs, fine beaches and caves more than enough for you.  Accessible by land, air, and water, Iligan is surely a worthy place to go. This little town is popularly labelled as "The Land of Majestic Waterfalls." It is so because it is home to 23 breathtaking, eye-catching, wondrous waterfalls, each with their own unique way of attracting travelers and making them ask for more.

The Limunsudan Falls, a sight to behold.

  To give you a peek to one of its countless natural attractions, I give you, the Limunsudan falls. A 27-kilometer trip from the city proper, the famous Limunsudan waterfalls claims to be the country's highest standing waterfall. The said waterfall is close to the boundaries of Iligan, Bukidnon and Lanao del Sur. It has an astounding full height of 870 feet that is surely a sight to behold. From afar, it's rushing waters are so magnificent to look at and seeing it appear in the midst of the opulent rain forest vegetation gives the sheer impression of a strange bliss and admiration that would surely catch your breath.

The busy streets of Iligan.

 But if you're not into long trails and the lush greens, you may rather have a fun joyride on a jeep in Iligan's energetic and busy streets. In the sidewalk, are fruit stands of all sorts and peanut stalls that would surely satisfy you. The night market is a street market which operates at night and is generally dedicated to more leisurely strolling and shopping. This includes dry goods and ukay-ukay, footwear, and general merchandise. Also, the night market is open to serve those who are hungry but on a budget with Halang-halang, bulalo and other yummy dishes that absolutely fills an empty tummy. To fiish it up, other services like reflexology, massage clinics and entertainment are allowed inside the night market.

I'm absolute you're now enticed as I am to spend your wee hours at the City of Waterfalls. May it be through land, air, and water, Iligan is just one ride away. Open for service are its tourist facilities accredited by the Department of Tourism such as the Maria Cristina Hotel, Iligan Day Inn Plaza, Casa Royale Inn and other high-rated establishments. 


I have only shown parts of this vast urbanized city. For sure it would be alot more enjoyable to experience it yourself. For an outsider, I believe that the beauty of Iligan is not simply felt and seen just on the 23 iconic waterfalls it possesses but also on the sense of hospitality and belongingness  you experience once you enter its premises. Promisingly, It's more FUN in ILIGAN CITY!

*An official entry to the Iligan Blogging Contest 2012*

#7 I HAVE SEEN WORSE :')

“Beautiful people get it way better. That’s just the way it is.”

   These were the words of the famous Kyle Kingson- the rich, popular, good-looking guy with a famous dad who is every girl’s dream boy at Buckston University. After winning his title as the Green Committee President, he comes across Kendra Hifelty and then bullies her, not knowing of her magical powers. She then magically transforms the flawless Kyle into a tattooed, bald, and scarred beast. She turned her into a monster as unattractive he was outside with the curse that if he does not find someone who loves him as he is by the next spring, he would stay in his very ugly state forever.

   After his father finds out about how his son had turned into a monster, he then sends him somewhere far from the city to hide together with Zola, his maid, and a blind tutor, Will. Kyle felt helpless and hid for months for he believed that no person in his sane mind would fall for his ugly face. But not until Lindy Taylor came. A girl whom he had kept a distance from his former school, Lindy was the type who saw through Kyle and loved him despite his hideous countenance. Beauty was not at all what she sought but what was in the heart.

  As I watched, I loved most the part when, as Kyle was about to give Lindy her CDs, he sees his photo with Lindy when he was still handsome wallpapered on Lindy's laptop. He asks her about the guy sha had taken a photo with and she then shares her deepest secret feelings for the guy infront of her. She shares that somehow, she felt a tiny chance that Kyle might like her a bit. Kyle was so brought by his feelings that he had no idea he had already said, "That's why I Like You." This is what happens...

BEASTLY is a story of romance, fantasy and drama. Its lessons were straight forward and could be applied in every teen’s life. It was a story of love- a love that goes beyond what’s underneath. Can you imagine that love?

#5 MING MING :D

What could be more heart-touching than a live dramatic play like Ming Ming? Nothing I guess, for a first-timer like me. Indeed what I saw has amazed me in the sense that I realized the big difference between watching drama live than that onscreen. In the four walls of the Mini Theatre, I witnessed a breath-taking 1-hour production of pure talent and skilled directing all encompassing 70 years of the life of three generations of a controversial and powerful political family. The act was deeply moving. Add the experienced artists who played their part so well. They were so professional that even their funny lines have not got them laughing. Not to mention the feel of the setting that brought shivers to my spine. Every line spoken by the artists were connected in some way and unraveling its hidden story is the most exhilarating part for us viewers.

All in all, it was exceptional. Salutes to the ever dynamic playwright-director, STEVE PATRICK FERNANDEZ! 

#4 17 Hours of Euphoria

It was 4 am when my roommate woke me up for our trip home. We had planned to do so since we have no classes because of the Ramadhan. I did some last minute packing and then we headed off to the terminal. After four long hours on the road in a bus, we reached Pagadian City by 9am. I rode a tricycle and was home by 9:30am. The trip got me so worn out so I went for a nap.

***

I woke up around 12 noon, just in time that my sister was preparing for a meeting with the High School-based YFCs. I got excited to see my YFC friends so I hurriedly took a bath and readied myself. But before heading to the CFC Center, we first had lunch at Sentosa and then we bought a shirt for my younger sister. I had to deliver the shirt to my sister's classroom first and after that I could go to the meeting.

***

By 2:30pm, I was already at the Center and was helping my sister prepare the hall for the meeting. I was so excited to see my band mates once again. And minutes later, the CFC center was slowly filled with different year-level YFCs and I got overwhelmed with a lot of hugs and greetings. Still, I waited for my old band mates to come. Of all the people, they were the ones I missed most. Alas, just a few minutes had passed and they arrived. And so there were endless talks and updates about each other.

***

The meeting ended around 6:30pm. We then headed off to the plaza and ate Kwek-kwek, Fish Balls, and all other street food we could swallow up. While eating, we decided to spend my only night in Pagadian together. We brainstormed for plans and finally came up with a decision- to go wherever our feet may lead us. This is where the fun part begins :)))) 

***

So to start, here are the stars of the night:

JAPHET IWAY *JOJI MARCO DIGAMON* NELSON DAYONDON
The Joker ** The Rocker ** The Sweet Guy

These three boys are my brothers in Christ and we had been through a LOT of super fun things together. Joji and Nelson (I call them Mongol and Kambal) are my band mates too so we've practically had a lot of enjoyable moments together already. On the other hand, Jap2 is the funniest person to be with in all YFC activities. Mainly, these three were my company that night.

***

What happened was, first we went to Sector (Jap2's Net Cafe) and played for a while. Then we bought Liempo and headed to Nelson's house so I could ask permission from her mother for our sleepover. Because of our convincing powers, Nelson was allowed and so right after that we went straight to Japeth's house and it was almost 9:00pm that time. I may not be able to write it but in between our walks and rides to different destinations, we have been the all time freaks as we are. Laughing and shouting around not minding our surroundings as long as we're happy. That's our usual selves anyway. After eating, we started looking for videos to watch. But sad to say, it did not work at first and we got tired of looking. So as to kill the boredom, we started taking videos of ourselves singing and dancing and basically shouting our lungs out. It was all but fun! Nothing could beat our laughs and shouts that night. We would then eventually stop and start eating. We baked hot cakes and placed raisins on them. There was even this time that we joked that those were cockroaches and Joji was so frightened that he automatically spitted the whole piece on the floor. We rolled on the carpet laughing about that. Throughout the night Joji was "the Very Scared One". He kept on hiding under the sheets which made us tease him more. Sometime later, we got in the mood to watch a movie. We looked for a very scary one and then we came across "Insidious". The movie is so scary that it got us to sleep. What a joke. That part of the night also got me laughing. Insanity Level: over 1000 \m/

***

The next day we woke up at around 9:00am. We all looked so exhausted and still sleepy. But breakfast was served so we headed to the dining table. Right after eating, we had another crazy idea for boredom killers- make music videos. Yea. You heard it right. If you come right down to it, we had to go find a stupid song, sing it together, and look stupid in front of the camera. Ironically, that's still what we did.

Not minding the song choice, the voices and the faces. We had the time of our lives and nothing could beat that euphoric moment. Indeed, my two days back home and my seventeen hours with these three gays- I mean guys, were all so worth it!

Time check-11:30are. I'll be leaving Pagadian soon, and I was so happy that I got to keep with me, these memories that would make me smile in times that the skies are rough. :)

Videos coming soon. :D

#3 Too Far-fetched

   This blog is my opinion to a said text assigned by our English teacher. The text was entitled "That Sweet Unforgettable Day". It circled around how the writer and her father felt the presence of their mother who had passed away a year ago. It happened on the day of the wedding of their long-time houseboy to the cook, in the bleak of Korean winter. The climax in the story is that they smelled a very unusual scent right before the first guest arrived at the wedding and that scent was their mother's perfume. Mostly, the author gave emphasis on how that day was the very first time she felt her mother's company again.


   For me, it was usual that they had been all out on the wedding despite their big loss. It's because there really are some people who would use their time busying their selves to overcome the pain and slowly move on. And the wedding was a big opportunity to get busy and lift up their spirits.


   What was unusual though, was the latter part where they smelled the mother's scent. How come the scent would not cross the dining room when there wasn't even a door to separate the two rooms? And of all perfumes, how was it that it coincidentally was their mother's? The story have a lot of holes that currently got me questioning. If you had read the story, you would probably relate to my confusion too.
   
   Another reason why I think the story is too far-fetched is because I myself had not experienced something relatable to the text. And I don't actually believe in spirits roaming around, and stuff. Well, that's what i think and I believe I have the right to my own opinions.

#2 Meet Miss Laughs-A-Lot

   Hello! I'm NICOLE ABELLO TABACULDE, an MSU-IIT freshie taking up BS Electronics and Communications Engineering :)

   I was born at Waterous General Hospital, Metro Manila on June 29, 1995. Well of course, through my Super Mom and Dad :D Both my parents are fun, loving and understanding. They are always super supportive in everything I do. And if they alone keep me moving, then having my three other siblings would just be an additional bonus. My Ate, is a graduate of BSBA Mgt. in Accountancy. She is the sister who never runs out of advice, I tell you. My Kuya, on the other hand is the "one-word" type. He is currently a 2ND Class cadet at the Philippine Military Academy, Baguio City. My baby sister is as cute as a teddy bear and she is like a twin sister to me :) She knows almost all my secrets and I know hers  too. But my puppy's cuter! An additional family member is our house dog, Shiver- who, sad to say, have passed away just last summer :( Still, I won't forget the memories we had together :) Anyways, I'm so grateful having them all and for these I say, "Thank you Lord for a house full of people that I love." --

   I finished my elementary years at Pagadian City Pilot School where I met different intelligent individuals. It is where I started being competitive in my studies. Elementary for me was a very enjoying ride and it was the building blocks of my personality. Being surrounded with very happy people made me cheerful as well. High school then improved my personality even more. Enjoying my high school at Zamboanga del Sur National High School- Main Campus, I met four awesome persons who eventually became my Barbies. We called it that way 'cause there was this time when we cried so hard before graduation because we're going to miss each other and we thought it was very corny and so we called it "The Barbie Moments". LOL. We are composed of 3 Barbies and 1 Ken:

(L-R) Jarre T. Jusay- The Arty Barbie; Fatima Marwa T. Maghinay- The Crying Barbie; Rom Trishtan T. Perez- The Bookworm, Model, Linguistic Barbie; Me- The Laughing Bubbly Barbie

   Another thing I wouldn't forget during high school was being a part of the most prestigious school publication of Pagadian City, "ANG BUSILAK". The four years we have struggled together to reach National levels and make our publication award-winning strengthened our bond, and it was all irreplaceable.

   I am a also an active member of Youth For Christ. It is a worldwide Christian movement working with young people around the globe. Motivated by our faith in Jesus Christ, we share the good news of God with young people :) I'm a member of it's Music Ministry and I play the bass. This is where i also started practicing my guitar skills. Aside from enhancing my talent, YFC taught me things in life that molded me as a Christian and taught to never lose hope in any situation. Not only does it strengthen my faith, but also my ego. YFC, is simply the BEST thing that happened to us! \m/

   High school played a great part in building who I am today. It was here where I learned to be mature enough to handle problems and stuff myself. It has shaped me as an individual and it gave me lots and lots of experiences. Undoubtedly high school would be the best part of a teenager's life. I thank God for surrounding me with great people who would be there for me all throughout those four years. My classmates, I love them to bits and the years we shared were surely treasured moments. My bandmates, although we had superbly different attitudes, still had managed to rock our hearts out together. All for fun and freedom. My Tropang Ulan who were from different year levels proved that age doesn't matter in friendship. Yeah ;) My YFC family and all my friends, they fill up my life with moments of sadness and MOSTLY laughter :D Everything really has a purpose that's why God had placed this little angels with me to live life to the fullest!

   But life doesn't end at high school. I still have to go and face college. New school. New faces. No barkada to accompany me. Challenge Accepted >:]

   When I first entered IIT, I had the gutsy feeling that it would be so hard to find a new set of friends. I was scared that I would be the odd one out, having to eat alone and be left out. But all this presumptions were discarded on my first week experience as a freshie. I was walked along the hallway looking for the English Department so I could read any announcements regarding our room number. Outside, stood two boys and a girl which I recognized were my blockmates. I passed by them and went straight to the bulletin. After reading, I was about to leave when the girl, I didn't recognize at first, called out my name. She asked me about our english schedule and then introduced their selves. We started chatting about things and joked around. After talking there, we decided to go to the canteen and hang out. And that was how I met Dinah, Den & Pao :) Later on, when we would come across some of their friends, they would automatically befriend me. Soon our circle got bigger and bigger. Some leave, some stay. Although we have just shared a short time together, being with these awesome persons is SO MUCH FUN. They make me laugh nonstop even on nonsense things and I find joy just being with them. This made me think that maybe, finding friends in a new environment ain't that hard after all. I'm getting all excited on the coming weeks to come and the many things I still have to discover. I say, college fun is now beginning :))

   And that would be my story for now. Where God would put me next, I do not know, but one thing's for sure- I'll enjoy every step of the way. :) 

"Don’t only look forward in life.

Look around and enjoy the ride.

It will never happen again."

#1 I Stopped Saying "Thank You ___ "

   It was a very hot day and a trip from Pagadian to Iligan on a bus just sitting for four whole hours wasn’t a joke. Worn-out, I and my mom went to a boarding house where we planned I would stay for the coming semesters. It looked good outside and the housekeeper was very accommodating. However we hadn’t had much time checking at it because we quickly went in since our feet were already throbbing from walking while carrying huge bags. Inside, my mom talked to the landlord, made final adjustments and personally put my stuff in their place. Since it was running late, she stayed in for the night and planned to leave the following day.

   The moment my mom got away, the thought of having to live independently was so exciting. No sisters that would ran through my things and no one to keep on reminding me to clean my bed and stuff. All those sweet thoughts of having control of my life got me all excited. But that belief did not last for long. Slowly I began getting tired of having to prepare things for my own- washing my own clothes and plates, having to go out of the house just to buy food, catching up with the curfew and all. I've been going through the most incredibly strenuous weeks of my life- adjusting to college and learning to live on my own. Every day, I had to take care of myself, my own needs and to budget my money wisely.

   I was getting so caught up in the problems and trying to work things out that I forgot to eventually text my mom every now and then. I used up all my free time studying because I’m actually not so good in math and I only remembered to text whenever I had problems with my budget or if I have basic questions about chores and stuff. I know I’m not expressive and all since, as Sir Frondoza would say, we are in the rebellious years as teenagers. Not to the extent that I would go off doing mischievous things but for me, it just felt awkward getting all mushy through texts and stuff.

   Weeks passed and my mom still texted me every now and then, getting updates about school, and monitoring my condition at the boarding house. I would then reply with the usual, “Ok lang po.” And then she would start reminding me about things I should accomplish, or ask if I’d been to the Laundry Shop and all. I was about to reply again with my typical “Opo. Ok lang po.” But something sort of told me not to. I read my reply once again and a flashback of all the times my mom patiently updated my status away from home struck me. I was so stalled by the whole college adjusting thing that I can’t even put a little effort to just even thank my mom. I realized I had actually stopped giving her tribute for her unbounded efforts to get me to college and for simply being an awesome mom. \mm/

   I cleared the screen, typed my message and placed the words I’ll never ever forget to say again- “Thank you Mom.” :)