Poem: "Nasan ka na, bespren?"

Nag-iisa sa madilim na sulok,

Luhang walang tigil sa pag-tulo,

Damdaming matagal nang kinikimkim,

Himutok ng puso’y di na kayang damhin.

Nasaan ka ngayon?

Sa mga panahong bisig mo’y hanap ko?

Naririnig mo ba ako?

Dama mo ba kahit wala ako sa tabi mo?

O kaibigan, kakampi, kabaro,

Kakampi nga ba’t karamay?

Nakalimutan na nga ba ang sumpaang,

‘pramis, walang iwanan’

Tanungin mo naman ako,

Magparamdam, o tapikin man lang,

‘Ano bang nangyari’t maari ba kitang tulungan?’

Sabihing ‘narito lang ako para sayo, kaibigan.’

*This is a poem I wrote in Filipino. I wrote this out of my emotions, isolating myself from the outside world and stayed in my 4-sided room. (and yes, the drama is so  obvious HAHAHA)

I'm dedicating this poem to a "super friend" of mine. Where are you, dear? :'(

Opinion: Education in PHL by 2035

     President Benigno Aquino III cited in his last State of the Nation Address (SONA) that an additional investment in education was proposed within the 2016 budget.

     The government is eyeing the K to 12 Curriculum as the ‘solution’ to the problems that the education sector is facing. In fact, President Aquino said in his last SONA that the 10-year basic education cycle is not enough to prepare the youth in meeting the international standards and in bracing ourselves toward the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Integration.

     If the present administration focuses on enhancing this sector for the Filipinos, what would be the state of the Philippine education 20 years from now?

     It is believed that by 2035, education in our country will be fully developed. In a datum provided by the Department of Education (DepEd), 73.9 million textbooks were distributed to all public schools nationwide, and these will be followed by 88.7 other textbooks this 2015. And so, it is expected by that year all the learners’ materials would be revised and published. Also, many are anticipating that all the backlogs would be given attention to – such as hiring of well-equipped teachers, building of additional classrooms, providing of arm chairs, tables and other school supplies – that the government have started since the K to 12 has been implemented.

     In addition, education in our country would make a vast reform in uplifting our economic status. In a study that was made, 71.9 percent of the graduates of “Training for Work Scholarship Program” conducted by the government already found a job, compared to the 28.5 percent that was recorded before. And surprisingly, the electronics industry reached 91.26 percent employment rate this year, which was 8.74 percent closer to a hundred percent. Surely by 2035, the world market would ask greater necessities, especially when it comes to “Technical Vocational Skills.” Since the people’s knowhow depend on what they are taught in school, changing the face of education is a huge step to cope with the demands of that time. And now that the government made reforms in our curriculum, it is expected that our Senior High School (SHS) graduates by 2019 would have a higher level of credentials that are acceptable and applicable to the international standards, and they would be more globally competitive in terms of knowledge and skills.

     Furthermore, we also believe that 20 years from now, education will be more accessible to the Filipinos. As of 2010, an estimated 4.7 million added enrollees are anticipated until 2017. Also, the number of out-of-school youth went down by 1.7 million. These data show that the government is taking actions to make education reachable even for the unprivileged ones. And if this improvement will continue, we are hopeful that our nation will attain a higher literacy rate and a community with no “OSYs” in the future.

     We are positively looking forward to the continuous development of education in the Philippines. There are tons of opportunities that are waiting for us in our region and around the globe. And we strongly believe that we would be able to achieve the success of our country’s vision if we start to make a step towards a greater stage of education, 20 years at hand. 

*I wrote this editorial article for our school paper on 2015. This was our main editorial. 

Long time no blog :)

Hello, readers!

     It's been a long time since I posted my last blog. It is due to the beginning of a new chapter in my life - SENIOR HIGH, FOLKS! And as expected, we are so busy, hectic schedules are covering my planner right now and it cannot contain everything I write anymore. I have to buy a new planner HAHAHA.

     I'm happy that I am able to write a few sentences again in this blog tonight. I may be a bit busy, but there's one thing I can promise my readers: stress will not be a hindrance to my passion in writing. I'm not a perfect writer, but then again, THIS IS RANDOM THOUGHTS - and I just want to share some pieces of my ideas to you.

xoxo,

Angela LHM

The Power of Communication (Reflective Journal)

   Imagine the world without communication. It is like seeing the world in total darkness, looking at a picture with no subject, or writing on a paper by the use of a pen with transparent ink – there’s no life. It seems so impossible to live life without it.

     We watched two very informative video clips from TED.COM at Centrex. From these, I learned that “Communication is life itself.” According to the speaker, it was not just a use of language, but it was also all about obtaining and giving ideas through good speaking and listening as well.

     The discussion enlightens me until now that the art of communication is the most important life skill that every individual must attain. The main aim of communication is to uplift understanding between people. It doesn’t matter how we express – it may be verbal, body gesture, sign language, written or even eye to eye – as long as we can comprehend each other’s thoughts, that is communication. Without this, we cannot express our thoughts and feelings to other people; we will not be able to transfer and receive knowledge; and most of all, we will not be able to resolve conflicts.

     However, communication requires listening. It is all about conducting an exchange between us and others – giving and receiving. Good communicators know how to listen. This is a mental process where we ‘extract’ everything significant from what we heard. By this process, we are not just making ourselves clear to other people – we are also relating our life challenges on the situation that they are going through. Understanding despite of differences is uplifted by listening.

     The last week’s topic actually made an impact on me. The overall session made me realize that sometimes, I must get out of my comfort zone and be a competent leader. I admit that I was once a shy-type person. I hated speaking in front of many people because I was a pessimist – thinking that people around me would judge me. But I was wrong. When I learned proper communication, it led me to a lot of opportunities inside and outside the school; it helped me express my true self and gain true friends who accept me as I am; and most of all, it helped me build strong bonds with my fellow students and fulfill my responsibilities as a student leader.

     In a quote by James Humes, a former presidential speechwriter, “The art of communication is the language of leadership.” Communication is not talking alone. It is an extraordinary “art” that can empower people and change the world.

*I wrote this journal last year (2015).

     

Paradox of Thrift: Five main reasons why we should start saving in banks (2-minute Video Presentation)

MUST WATCH:

Why should we start saving in banks

and not in piggy banks?

*This was an official entry to the FECY Video Contest 2015 conducted by the Central Bank of the Philippines. I made this video together with my classmates last year.

Come to an End (A poem, sequel of "The Misery")

The world will come to an end,

The rivers and the seas will stop on raging.

The flowers we see will stop on blooming,

This life will end and we’ll start a new beginning.

The world will come to an end,

Soon it will stop on rotating and revolving.

The lands, the waters, the universe will vanish,

And in heaven we’ll feel God’s embrace eternally.

The world will come to an end,

Sufferings, sorrow, and pain.

Time will come we’ll grieve no more,

Love will be felt, Joy will reign.

*I wrote this poem after a few months when I wrote "The Misery." This is the GOOD NEWS. Thank you LORD JESUS for your undying love for us!

The Misery (A poem)

Beneath the place of bliss,
Is a world of volatile peace,
Things pass by and fade,
Mystifying roads to take.

Choices, bewildering choices,

Questions in mind that won’t cease asking.
Thinking priggishly may lead you to mess,

But as you fail, you learn to value things.

Living life full of challenges,

Seeking answers to given riddles,
As I cross the bridge, I fall.

This is life – so I tell myself to ‘stand tall’.

This is a world of pitiless people,

Brimful of selfishness and arrogance.

To give the needy ten dimes,

Is like owing them, thousand times.

A world of envy and bitterness,

Feeling no contentment but insecurity,

People define money as their happiness,

Not knowing that believing this is foolishness.

One takes his first breath,

But the other breathes his last.

Aching hearts begin to tear,

For he lived his life too fast.

Everything in this world will perish,

Lives of the living, provisions of men.

This is the world of no eternity,

This is our world today – this is reality.

*I wrote this poem last year (2015). It is about the "other side" of our world today. I hope that all of us will make a change towards the betterment of our society.