Are You Truly Ready? Then, Act Now!

            Are you ready? This has been an all-too-familiar question we are often asked to ascertain our degree of readiness and preparedness in anything. The question sometimes finds us staggered and dumbfounded because we are simply not ready even with the question itself.

                Being ready is not just about waiting for a disaster to happen and deal with it as it happens. One very important aspect of preparedness which we must often forget is being able to do something to stop these things from worsening.

Who could be ready during this era of consequences? And, as we face the changing climate, and its pernicious effects on our lives, when can we say we are ready? Certainly, knowing what we should be ready for is an advantage we have over the other creations. In addition, it is the beginning of our salvation from human extinction.

The climate is changing and the clock is ticking. Rich or poor, young or old, we are all susceptible of the life-threatening effects of climate change. No one will be exempted. No one is exempted. Let us do something. Let us not wait for tragedies to happen before we act. Let us prepare NOW! Let us make a commitment – to achieve a balanced ecology for the present and future generations.

GOODBYE, SECOND QUARTER! HEY, THIRD QUARTER!

Time moves rapidly. Second quarter was almost over and third quarter is fast approaching. Would you dare to have a flashback with me on the noteworthy moments during the second quarter? Well, listen attentively or I should say, read carefully because I’ll turn your sense organs upside down.

Oh, yes! This quarter really made me feel/seem weary. Perpetually, I was out during our ICT classes because of the Sabayang Pagbigkas in celebration of the Solidarity Week and so with the activities of the Youth for Environment in Schools Organization (YES-O). You know, it was not that easy to cope up with my missed lessons yet I was quite overwhelmed because of the fact that I have learned so many lessons. With this hectic schoolwork, I have developed my leadership skills, being the YES-O President. And as a student, I have come to ponder on how to be more responsible furthermore, on how to manage my time wisely.

I guess, this is now the right time to bid goodbye on my second quarter memories but surely, I’ll cherish these always. In relation to this, I am looking forward for a more fortunate quarter to come. Goodbye, Second Quarter! Hey, Third Quarter!

UPHOLDING ENGLISH PROFICIENCY FOR COMMUNICATIVE COMPETENCE

 

English is the universal language, it is widely used. English proficiency, the ability to read, write, and speak in English is undeniably significant. With this, we can have fun relating with diverse people anywhere, anytime. Now, would you dare to be an English proficient?

While we use English, we will realize how our gift of knowledge does wonder. We will be able to express our thoughts, ideas, and feelings freely and clearly. We will develop self-confidence necessary in interacting with other people around us. And as we deal and communicate with them, we will be able to practice the proper communication skills and values. These skills and values will make us not only a responsible, and productive individuals but as a globally competitive Filipino for times and places.

How can someone be considered proficient? To be considered truly proficient, one should have advanced abilities in all the areas of communication. This means that the learners must not only be linguistically competent but also communicatively competent, having the knowledge of linguistic and related communicative conventions that speakers must have to create and sustain conversational cooperation.

So use English wisely and conformingly. Let us uphold English proficiency for communicative competence!

SCIENTRICITY: ENERGIZING SCIENCE CLUBBERS FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY

 

Energy is crucial for our survival. We depend on it for many of our daily activities. We need it to light our houses and to make electrical appliances work. We need it to operate cars, jeeps, buses, and airplanes. Without energy, factories and communication facilities cannot function.

The world’s population is multiplying, causing considerable strain on the world’s energy supply. A growing population leads to greater demands for energy. When the demand for a reusable energy is not met, a crisis occurs. And definitely, this would greatly affect the living of the present and future generations. So, why won’t we dare to extend our help in the sustainability of energy?

As a student, a science clubber, and as an end-user of energy, I dare to put the ball in my own court. I can help solve our problem in energy scarcity by using energy wisely. Conservation is the primary solution for this problem. Conservation does not mean non-use of resources, it simply means wise and efficient use of resources. By turning off the electrical appliances when not in use and by participating in the eco-friendly activities such as tree planting and the implementation of the 3R’s (Reuse, Reduce, Recycle),I can do my share in conserving energy.

Energy conservation requires the combined efforts of the different sectors of society – government agencies, the private sectors, and individual citizens. To all the science clubbers out there, let us energize ourselves for energy sustainability. We are young and we must care for the future or younger generations.

TEACHERS: NOBLEST AND GREATEST HEROES AND HEROINES

I do think that all of us have an idea already about what a hero or heroine really is. Well, I strongly believe that a hero or heroine is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself. And I do consider the teachers around the world as true heroes and heroines, in case you wanted to know. Anyway, what are the certain roles of teachers that make them be considered as heroes or heroines? Have you ever thought of the kind of world we would have if there were no teachers?

 Teachers are undeniably considered as the greatest and noblest heroes and heroines of everyone’s lives. They are just ordinary individuals who find the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles and extraordinary tasks allotted for them to accomplish. They are the ones who understand the responsibilities that come with their freedom. They are the men and women who do the best of what they can. They are selfless and generous in spirit. They are the ones who give back as much as possible. Teachers are like candles – they consume themselves to give light to our learning world. In other words, they are ready to sacrifice everything for the sake of their fellowmen. They open the door of knowledge for the students. They lead the students to the door of success. They save students and they are the ones who really deeply care. Shaping the lives of everybody is their noblest responsibility. They mould someone to be a better if not the best individual in the future. Teachers are the ones who always believe in me. They taught me to see that life was filled with possibilities. They inculcated in my mind that problems or challenges are not the hindrances or obstacles for me to pursue my goals in life. They are the greatest beings to have lived on earth. It’s true, a few others provided insight, yet they laid the foundation to keep me upright. They’re the men and women of great dignity, honor and strength. Their merits are noble and of admirable length.

I just want them to know that I’ve always been proud of them. Because of their love and faith in me, I have become the lady that I was meant to be. The precious memories we have shared together will always be a source of strength to me. I am inexplicably blessed to have them and in return, I’ll treasure them forever. My immeasurable thanks to you... Teachers, you’re unquestionably the greatest and noblest heroes and heroines of my life.

THE HERO AND HEROINE OF MY LIFE

 

Literally, a hero or heroine is a man or woman of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his or her brave deeds and noble qualities. He or she is a person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model. In case you wanted to know, I do consider my father and mother as my modern day hero and heroine.

A parent is a caretaker of the offspring in their own species. In humans, a parent is of a child (where "child" refers to offspring, not necessarily age). The society of human beings is really a complex system. Then what is the basis, or say, the smallest unit of such an unwieldy system? People will say "family" with one voice. Usually, family is considered to be the most essential element of a society. Literally, the word "family" is simply defined as "a group consisting of parents and children". Then, we can come to a conclusion that the relationship between parents and children is the most basic one among all the interpersonal relationships that exist in the world. And there is no doubt that it plays an important role in our society. I strongly believe that my parents are the most important factor in my life as a daughter. Whether they are with me two hours a day or sixteen, they are very special to me. They make the most difference during my childhood. Furthermore, they make the great impact on the rest of my life. As I have mentioned above, my parent's love towards me is a strong feeling that it is even beyond life. But usually they keep this beyond-life feeling deep in my mind. What my parents usually do most for me is extraordinary. It is true that my parents are my first teachers. They, as living examples, influence me little by little, step by step. Mostly, they help me conduct my daily living, mold me with good manners and right conduct, help me distinguish the sense of right from wrong, of justice and morals. They teach me in the ways that I can understand, for instance, through discipline, play, explanation and talking. I’ll cite a more concrete example. When I was a little girl, my mother trained me to be responsible enough with all the things assigned for me to accomplish. This helped me to know "to gain something, you should also put in your work". And when I grew up a little, my parents let me feed a dog at home. At the same time, I learned about the responsibilities that come with ownership. You see, it was through these small and common things, I have learned the codes of conduct and developed my attitude towards life.

My parents can only give good advice or put me on the right path, but the final forming of my character lies in my own hands. Undeniably, I love my parents so much. I owe them a lot because I am within their custody. And, I am very proud to say that they are the best hero and heroine of my life.

Tatag ng Wikang Filipino, Lakas ng Pagka-Pilipino

What do you think is the reason why oneness exists among the different groups of people in a certain country? How is their own identity being formed? Well, I do think that this is not because of their looks or the way they dress up and this isn’t even because of their acts and deeds; instead, this is because of their own language. If you try to ponder on this thing, the people of a certain country unite because of their national language. Philippines and the Filipino language is the best example for this.

Many chapters had been molded from the history of the national language of the Philippines. If we try to trace its history, we will discover that the Filipinos were really hard up in their adventure towards the success of their national language’s establishment. Philippines is an archipelago, this is one of the reasons why the Filipinos were not united at the very first point. The people in every island, region and tribe, have a unique culture with its own dialect. Because of this, the Filipinos had a difficulty in understanding one another. Aside from the geography, diverse cultures and varied dialects of the Philippines, the Filipinos were hard up in the establishment of their own national language because of the Spaniards. The Spaniards supersede them; they took away the freedom and rights of every Filipinos. But, when the Philippines had freed from being a colony of Spain, it wasn’t still enough for the Filipinos to just have a government. They needed a certain language which will be used as an instrument in attaining nation’s unity, in order for the gap between the regions to be eradicated. Because of these hindrances, the Filipinos have gone through many arguments before they had established the said national language. In the end, according to the 1986 Constitution (Article XIV, Section VI), Filipino is the national language of the Philippines. It was established as the national language of the Philippines through the help of Manuel L. Quezon, who was known as the “Father of National Language”. After long years, the Filipino language has become the reason why the Filipinos have now their own identity. The Filipino language isn’t just important in communication. It is also very significant because it is the instrument for the Filipinos to express their ideas and insights which leads to the Philippines’ oneness.

The more than 7000 islands of the Philippines are now united and the oneness among the Filipinos was already attained. Thanks to the Filipino language. Mabuhay ang Wikang Filipino, Mabuhay ang sambayanang Pilipino!