C2H5OH,

Literary (Submission): Hakbang Patungo

4/07/2017 10:08:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

filipino,

Literary (Submission): Oy, Ikaw!

4/07/2017 10:01:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

Sana lang talaga!

english,

Literary: You Are Not My First

4/07/2017 09:56:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

You are not the first man to dare walk up to me,
And just say how lovely I am,
How you would love to make me your princess

You are not the first to give me gifts
Flowers once in bloom-
Roses, carnations, tulips, and promises
All soon withered

You are not the first to step with your best foot forward
And share with me visions-
Rather illusions

Yes, you will never be the first

But I will hope once again
And give a chance for love
Until I understand
How my heart wants to keep you,
I’d spend each day with you
When I started to see the best in you,
Your eyes, your poise, your grace
Where my heart wants to stay-
In your company,
Without pretentions, like home
What we really are
And what I want us to be
And why-
I want you to be my last.

barcode,

Literary: Ang Mga Taong Laging Huli

4/07/2017 09:50:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

Ang mga taong laging huli, takot sa mga numerong nagpapahiwatig ng oras

Takot silang pangunahan ang mga ito
Dahil pagod na silang maghintay
Sa pagpatak ng bawat segundo
Sa pagdaan ng bawat minuto
Sa paglipas ng bawat oras
Umaasa lang sila na darating ka na
                            Na darating ka pa
Kahit na hindi ka naman talaga pupunta
Kaya naman napagod na silang maghintay

Pero takot rin silang mahuli
Dahil pagod na silang maghabol
Kapag sila ay nahuli
Sa paglipas ng bawat oras
Sa pagdaan ng bawat minuto
Sa pagpatak ng bawat segundo
Humihiling sila na sana naghihintay ka
                             Na sana naghihintay ka pa
Kahit na ang totoo’y di mo na
Kaya papagurin nila ang sarili nila kakahabol sa iyo

Ang mga taong laging huli
Takot tumingin sa orasan
Dahil ayaw nilang malaman
Kung sila’y maaga pa o kung huli nang tuluyan

Kung maghihintay pa sa tamang oras
O kung hahabulin pa ang mga nasayang na panahon

At bilang isang taong laging huli
Sa lahat ng bagay
Sa lahat ng pagkakataon
Lalo na sa iyo
Isang bagay lang ang sigurado ako:

Ayokong tignan ang orasan
Dahil ipinapaalala lang nito
Na di kailanman umayon sa atin ang panahon
Pagkat nahuli ang pagdating ko ngayon.

english,

Literary: Aleph One

4/07/2017 09:44:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

With every chance that I offer,
Nothing less than what I still have
With every chance that I ask for,
Nothing greater than what I have known,

I continue to diminish myself
By giving you all of what remains –
Whatever is left of this heart
That granted you everything it had.

To believe in the answers you concluded
From the doubt you could never equate,
To fill in the blanks you have left
With the hesitance you could not quantify,

Will hopefully be enough to prove
That all of the love I will continue to give
Will grow yet to become greater
Than that of which is infinite.

emanon,

Literary: Hide and Seek

4/07/2017 09:39:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

34°C, the average summer heat. Though it is scorching hot outside, the temperature didn’t bother the children; it didn’t bother us at all. Summer is about the outdoor games, the sweat, the shared stories and laughter, and everything that will make our souls alive before it gets dark. I was 6 then, young, bold, active. You’d always pull your favorite chair under the tree in front of our house, grab today’s newspaper to read the news or probably solve a crossword puzzle, and watch me as I play on the streets. The heat was bad for your health, but still, you were persistent.

“When we play hide and seek, if you’re ‘It,’ you cannot peek. Try to find us, we won’t quit. Start to count, because you’re ‘It’!” You knew how much I loved this game, just like how much I love you.

“One.” You always gave me what I want. I’d sob on the grocery floor for not getting that Tomica that I already grabbed from the counter, but you were there whispering to me, “Don’t worry. I’ll get it for you,” and wipe the tears off my face. The things my mom and dad were unable to give me, you did, you always did.

“Two.” You never failed to prove your ‘I love you.’ From the simple good nights you gave, with a kiss on my forehead to top it off, to the times that I felt buried underneath the dirt. A hand was always there to save me from grief, a shoulder was always there to cry on, a hug was always there to keep me warm, and a heart was always there to love me.

“Three.” You were the best woman for me. The best dancer, with your vivacious ballroom moves. The best singer, with your mellifluous lullabies of classical tunes. The best cook, with your mouth-watering delicacies. The best comedian, with your over-the-top sense of humor. The best person I knew, for simply being ‘you’.

For countless times, you played this with me when I wasn’t able to go out. Once you start to chant, I’d run and hide away. You knew too well that I’d hide under the bed, behind the door of the living room, or inside the cabinets in your own room. Nevertheless, you were the best actress to pretend to not know; funny how you fed my ego.

Then, I always hid, but now, 10 years later, I’m ‘It’.

“One.” One big sigh.
“Two.” Two tear-stricken eyes.
“Three.” Three last words.
“Ready or not, here I come.”
You were ready, I was not.

You ran and hid too fast away from me. I wasn’t able to catch up. And when I did, I only questioned you for hiding too suddenly, hiding too well. You hid inside a white oak case, well-groomed and dressed, surrounded by aromatic flowers and plangent cries. Unconsciously, I fell to my knees and tears started to pour out of my eyes; I lost. I lost you, without being able to tag you to be the It, without being able to take away the pain your feeling, without being able to give you the warmest hug, without being able to make you smile, without being able to tell you how much I love you one last time.

You hid too well, to the point that I will never be able to seek you.

crescencia,

Literary: Sa Ikaapat

4/07/2017 09:33:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

Kailanma’y hindi ako natutong magbilang.
Parating sumosobra ng iilang hakbang.
Kaya’t nang makita nilang sumayaw,
Sumosobra sa ikot, alanganin ang galaw.
At gayong hindi ko sinasadya,
Kapansin-pansin ang pagkakapahiya.

Sila: Isa…
Ako: Isa, dalawa …

Kailanma’y hindi natutong magbilang.
Parating sumosobra ang dapat sakto lamang.
Sa tuwina’y pakikinggan nilang kumanta,
Ngunit nasisintunadong talaga .
At gayong pinipilit nang isip kong lumimot,
Batid ng lahat ang bakas ng lungkot.

Sila: Isa, dalawa …
Ako: Isa, dalawa, tatlo …

Kailanma’y hindi natutong magbilang.
Parati, sa iisang bagay nagkukulang.
Panonoorin mong bumigkas ng mga linya
Ngunit kakapusing bigla sa salita.
At gayong sinubukan kong labis na matuto
‘Di kinaya ng puso na habulin ang sa’yo.

Ikaw: Isa, dalawa, tatlo, apat…
Ako: Isa, dalawa, tatlo…

dimples,

Literary: A Year in Pain

4/07/2017 09:29:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

It’s been a year since you left
And ever since that day,
I have never been the same.

I’ve began treating pain
As if it was a normal part of my everyday

I’ve realized being tired isn’t just a feeling
For it has already become my state of being

I’ve let doubts and fears stay in my mind
Instead of happiness I cannot seem to find

It’s been a year –
365 days,
12 months,
48 weeks,
8760 hours,
525, 600 minutes –
Since you left

And ever since that day,
I was never the same again.

english,

Literary: Consequence of Enumeration

4/07/2017 09:25:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

It was one step away from that six-foot door
When the windfall
Of what happened between us last twelve midnight,
To never be, again
because on the fifth hour, on our bed
I watched you open your eyes
With irises showing clear intention,
In the glimpse of a second,
Gone,
For you were one step away,
From that six-foot door,
When I asked you to stay,
But the chances of you coming back,
Ran
Away.
Left
With this ticking clock,
and more than a thousand days to count
Because I was yours
Throughout the numbered days,

But you were never
Ever
Mine.

english,

Literary: None in a Million

4/07/2017 09:19:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

Out of the ever expanding universe,

A wide celestial galaxy,
A stellar solar system,
8 marvelous planets,
A number of heavenly bodies,
1 world full of life,
7 diverse continents,
5 frightening oceans,
196 countries,
4416 cities,
Everything is about you.

Out of every millennium that has passed
The centuries and decades,
The years and months,
The weeks and days,
The hours and minutes
And the seconds,
Still, everything is about you.

Of the 107 billion people who have ever lived,
And the 7 billion people who now walk the Earth,
Everything is still about
You.

We existed at the right time
And at the right place
Despite this
How unlucky of me
To still not have the stars in my favor

english,

Literary: Zero

4/07/2017 09:14:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

When I first thought of how I was going to die, I thought it would be heroic. I imagined myself in a stand-off with the local villain, only to die tragically as I used the last of my strength to protect a mother and child from doom. Sometimes, I'd go for the lamentable route where I'd die as a sacrificed myself by taking the bullet for my best friend in a crisis. Little did I know that in the end, it would all be so mundane.

Death didn't hurt as much as I thought it would be. It was as if I just closed my eyes, and it all ended in a flash. There was a tug in my chest, and butterflies filled my stomach, like every time I rode rollercoasters. The moment I opened my eyes again, I wasn't on my bed. I was greeted by the blinding brightness of Hollywood-style heaven. Complete with the children’s choir background music, and the countless angels, with all their wings and floating feathers, one of which fell into my gaping mouth and half-choked me to second death.

One angel in a dazzlingly white gown led me to a line leading up to the pearly white gates. I'm not even kidding, there were pearls as wide as fingernails set into the gates, and it even showed off this faint golden glow. All it was lacking was a large golden sign of Cupid pointing to "Heaven."

As I waited in line, I thought to myself that this was monumental. This was my time to face the one and only Big One, The Dude (or Dudette), The Ultimate Judger. Yet I felt a pang in my chest, the waiting filled me with dread. What if I'm not cut out for heaven? Am I good enough?

At last, I reached the gates and was escorted into a monstrous citadel. This is probably where God lives, I thought to myself. At the end of a hallway, we reached an unassuming wooden door. Even God needs budget cuts sometimes.

As I entered, I was shocked as the room was full of angels, sitting on high seats. I gazed up at them, for I was like a lion in a cage, and they were but spectators from above.

"Since before eternity, mortals have presented themselves at the end of their lives to this Council to be assessed; this is the Law and will continue until the end of eternity. You understand that you now stand before us, and your every move is your key and your betrayer for your chance in Heaven?” a booming voice called out before me.

"I-uh yes," I replied, without understanding what he just said.

"Let us begin," he called forth once more.

"You know, 37 years is quite pitiful an age to die. So young...and with so few achievements. Graduated fine, yet took numerous tries to get a steady job. Did get a job as an editor for a local publishing house after a while of searching. Married...and that’s about it. Your record says not much else,” blurted out a ridiculously condescending voice.

"What makes you think you deserve to be here?” asked one.

“Uh-,” I was tongue-tied. Before I could think of something, they already fired in quick succession.

"You see, there are those here who have won Nobel Prizes, saved hundreds of lives, or have won championships in the name of their country, yet what have you done? What makes you think you’re on the same level as them to deserve Heaven?" asked another.

"I believe the one who came before you died tragically from a stand-off with a local villain as he used the last of his strength to protect a mother and child from doom," commented one, with a grin.

“What is a hundred lives saved or the hundreds of other worthy applicants waiting in line to a measly life led by a no one like you? You are nothing. If anything you are a zero. It perfectly signifies your achievements,” sneered the condescending one yet again.
That’s enough! They’re beating me into a corner here. I mustered all my courage and exclaimed, "But ladies and gentlewings, a hundred couldn't possibly be greater than zero!”

"I must be going deaf if I just heard you say zero has any possibility of becoming greater than a hundred," muttered one.

"Oh but you've heard me quite clearly. You see I've lived well past several hundreds of days, survived hundreds of days of schooling, and took hundreds of requirements and tests. After that, I labored for hundreds of days and nights to persist in a society that has deemed me unworthy well before I have died. Yet there is no greater achievement than the zero birthdays of my parents I missed. A hundred is no better than the zero anniversaries I neglected, or the zero friends I have forgotten through the years,” I answered.

“That doesn’t make you any worthier than anyone else,” said one.

“I didn’t say I was. I only meant that although I have had less in my also short-lived life, I have gained triumphs. What of the lesser numbers that makes them inferior? I had one wife, but there could never be anyone for me than her. She is the only one who genuinely understood me, the only one I’ve ever truly loved. I only have one heart, or I had one, yet she will have it for eternity,” I blurted that out so quickly even I couldn’t keep up with what I said.

The hall was filled with silence.

“I’ve been married to her for ten years, it’s a little unfair really,” I continued. “You talk as if everyone gets the chance to live to a hundred. As if we all have the chance, the time, or the talents to live up to your divine expectations. But I’ve had 37 years, it’s all that I have been given, yet even now I would never trade it for infinity. There is meaning in even just one fleeting life, I know because all this time I’ve tried searching for it. You can even ask God, because he knows I’ve tried.”

Yet again, greeted with silence.

“You’ve got spirit, I can tell you that. You may leave the hall, you will return when we tell you to,” an angel says curtly.

I was escorted out of the room, and I hit my head on the wall with a sigh. What was I thinking, what if I looked like a lunatic? “You can even ask God?” Was I looking for a fight, I’m doomed.

I waited outside and I slowly lost my patience, has it been an hour? Or maybe only minutes? Does time exist in Heaven? Maybe I could ask an angel. If they let me stay here, that is.

Finally, the doors opened for me once more, and with a resigned sigh, I entered the hall.

“You have been given a chance, and this has now passed,” said the booming voice.

I felt a tugging in my chest.

“We have judged you fairly in the name of Heaven,” Is this what a person feels when they die a second time?

There were butterflies in my stomach.

“Everyone gets only what they deserve, nothing more, nothing less,” what if I never meet here again in heaven?

It’ll be finished in a flash.

“You will now receive our verdict.” Was it kindness in his voice or was it pity?

I closed my eyes.

corny blue,

Literary: Love Scheme

4/07/2017 09:10:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

None of the words that come out of his mouth are true
Nor that “genuine” gentleman he shows you
They were just made to lure you
Or worse, to make a fool out of you.

I made sure to list it all down
So that you won’t fall for another mischievous clown

First,
You would think you have a chance
When he flashes his most captivating smile
That’ll make your heart freeze and your mind crazy

Second,
You would think he’s into you
When he holds your hand so gently
That’ll make you feel that it was made only for you

Third,
You would think he’s serious about you
When he starts to make prosaic promises
That’ll make you think of living a fairytale

Fourth,
You would think he’s in love with you
When he starts saying those three magic words
That’ll make you fall for him even more

And fifth,
When it’s your turn to confess what you feel
He would smirk at you and make you realize
That he’s had his fun
And now it’s over.

english,

Literary: He'd Rather Die

4/07/2017 09:03:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

fiipino,

Literary: 1, 2, 3

4/07/2017 08:57:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

english,

Literary: 42

4/07/2017 08:52:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

‘43.7696, 11.2558; 7 days' The contents of an email I received from a nameless source. At first I was thinking of sending it to my spam folder, but in light of recent events, it seemed too much to be a simple coincidence.

It all began a few days ago, when a mysterious broadcast was heard across all of Earth’s frequencies. Unfortunately, we did not have the necessary technology in order to decipher the broadcast. Because of that, all that could be heard at the time was static in an infinite loop. Most people simply ignored it, thinking it was just a broken radio tower. However, I knew that it was more than that, that whoever – or whatever is causing it will not have gone through all the effort of broadcasting it everywhere if weren’t at all significant. I spent the last twelve hours observing the broadcast, monitoring possible changes or fluctuations, basically anything that would give me a clue to find out the truth behind it. Something like the email!

The numbers themselves were a mystery, but whoever sent it was very specific of the date. Seven days from now, December 22nd, the winter solstice. It took me a little more than a few minutes, but I think I started to understand the message. If my calculations were correct, my destination should be Florence, Italy, where I’ll be one step closer to the truth.

Preparations and the trip itself took four days, leaving me with three to solve a mystery I knew almost nothing about. “Great, I do love a challenge,” I thought to myself.

I looked around the surrounding area for anything that was out of the ordinary. However, my search proved to be unfruitful; I was relieved and at the same time a little disappointed. With that out of the way, I thought about what on Florence could pique the interest of someone capable of sending a ‘universal broadcast.’ “Of course!” I exclaimed.

Upon making my way to the workshop of a renowned inventor, which was now turned into a museum, I slipped passed the guards and got into the restricted area. Unsurprisingly, much of his work had been lost through the course of history. Luckily, blueprints and designs were left in his workshop, neatly compiled and arranged by the museum staff. After reading through the various schematics I realized that it was not that we did not yet have the technology to read the broadcast, but rather we no longer had it. I later stumble across one of the inventor’s journals, which pointed me to the next piece of the puzzle. It was hidden somewhere in the capital: Rome. 

“If man were to achieve enlightenment and tranquility, then even the edges of the universe would be within his reach,” read a passage I roughly translated from the journal. It sounded very philosophical, but it felt like it was a vital part of solving this mystery.

December 21st, one day before the winter solstice, one day before I’d had to have the answers. I was stuck, the perfect word to describe my current situation would’ve been “donk." I translated another line from the journal, something about soaring to the stars through the eye of the universe. But I simply didn’t have enough information, not if I wanted to have this wrapped up by tomorrow.

I took a couple of deep breaths, hoping it would clear my mind. I took small sips of my water and all of a sudden, I got an idea. It was a long-shot, but it was a guess as good as any.

“The fountain! Why didn’t I see it sooner!” I hated myself for not immediately seeing the connection, now I had less than a day before God knows what happens. I rushed to the Trevi fountain and searched the premises for something with the liking of the Vitruvian Man. After a long search, there it was. Lost amongst the countless coins thrown into the fountain from afar, it looked like any ordinary coin, but upon closer inspection, it could be seen that its maker paid close attention to detail. “This can only be his work” I thought to myself. I also seemed to be on the right path. “Now that I have the key, I wonder what door it unlocks?” After a moment of thought, I continued, “Soar to the stars through the eye of the universe...could it be?”

Today was the day, the 7th day from when I first came across the strange email. I hurried over to the Pantheon, because somehow, I knew that finding the key was far from the final piece of the puzzle. The sun was already setting by the time I arrived. It was the winter solstice after all. I entered the building and the sun’s light shined gently through the sky roof. Pacing toward the middle of the Pantheon, I found a groove on the floor, which seemed to be exactly the size of the coin. The ground shook as I pressed the coin into the groove, revealing a massive stairway to a basement which held all of his lost inventions.

I was more than amazed at first, but seeing how close I was to solving this mystery, I couldn't waste any more time. The machines themselves seemed to be a little off for the purpose they were initially made for, however, the journal mentioned that they all fit together, forming a mechanism that was "beyond magnificent."

It took quite a while to figure out how each individual piece of the mechanism fit together. “I think I got it,” I thought to myself as I peered up into the roof of the Pantheon, revealing a starry night sky. I sat the aerodynamically unstable helicopter, pulled the trigger, and the mechanism went to work. Each piece helped build the momentum for the final push, which launched the machine into the air. I whispered to myself, "Roll the dice of destiny, where it lands, you'll know soon enough."

I soared right through the Pantheon's sunroof, straight to the stars, through the eye of the universe. Soon after, the sound of a familiar static was picked up by the machine's radio, except that after a few seconds, it was seemingly translated. It turned out to be a distress signal from an extraterrestrial ship. "Stuck in planet's orbit! Will crash soon; Mayday, mayday!" stuck in a loop. I honestly had no idea how to fly the vessel, but fortunately, it seemed to hone in on the source of the signal. After a while, the image of the town below me became smaller and smaller until it completely disappeared from the horizon, whereas the stars seemed to be just as far as ever.

Upon exiting the atmosphere, my ship was caught in the tractor beam of another, much larger ship. It wasn't like those UFOs one may see on TV. It looked more like a sailing ship, slightly modified to traverse in a three-dimensional manner. I was invited to board the other ship, an invitation I gladly accepted.

"My old friend! Glad to see you again!" said an unfamiliar voice as I entered the ship's bridge. Standing in the middle was an ordinary human, sprouting clothes that were akin to those in the renaissance period, however something about him told me he wasn't what he appeared to be. We stood in silence for a while. "I don't think we've met before," I managed to reply.

The man was nearly as confused as I was. "Were you expecting someone else?" I asked him. "Well of course I was! That is his ship after all," he said. "It doesn't matter now, does it? If you're an associate of his and he sent you to help me fix my ship, then the sooner we begin, the better." he continued, trying to act composed despite his still obvious confusion.

"About that..." I said, trying to find the best way to explain the situation. "I think you may be a hundred years too late, because the man you're looking for has been dead for just about as long." I proceed to share my adventure, from the mysterious broadcast and email, to finding a launching mechanism within the Pantheon. "So what you're saying is that you know nothing about fixing a space vessel?" he asked at the end of my tale. "That would be the logical conclusion, yes."

Our eyes met as we both reach an understanding: we were now both stuck in this, and only a miracle would get us out. As the 22nd nearly came to an end, the ship started to descend from orbit, and began crashing into the Earth’s atmosphere. "So this is it, huh?" I mused.

"Yes. Final destination: 34.0232 N, 84.3616 W. I believe I've had a good run. How about you?"

"Well I have always been curious about something, but I guess it's a bit too late now. I’ve always asked myself, ‘What is the meaning of life?’"

The ship accelerated faster and faster as it descended further into the atmosphere. The hull barely holding itself together . Despite all that, the man just smiled and said "That's your question? Well of course it's..."

faber castell 0.7,

Literary: Pagmumuni-muni

4/07/2017 08:44:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

english,

Literary: π

4/07/2017 08:36:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

3rd time’s the charm.
To get my point across
I’ll tell you about the 1st time I tried.
It was marked up 4 loss.

I still remember the 1st time
We stayed together from 5
And I waited with you ‘til 9.
The 2 of us talked ‘til your father arrived.

To my surprise, suddenly, 6 were waiting.
Not counting you, 5 were there sitting
Then 3 went away at 5 o’clock,
‘Til 8 or 9, we sat there on the rocks.

Friendship befell us around the 7th month,
But you had chosen someone else before the 9th had struck
For I had decided on that month, I’d tell you 3 words
But for the 2 months that were left, I had no luck.

So those 3 words, I told someone else,
But for 8 months, it wasn’t for me to tell
The first 4 were spent moving on from you
And then 6, yet it still wouldn’t do.

That was my 2nd time, I knew it was bad.
After 6 weeks had passed,
I knew that my heart was still 4 you.
Telling you those 3 words was way overdue

So here we are, 3rd time’s the charm.
Over 8 months, but my heart still feels warm.
3 words I want to tell
And they’re just for you.

I love you.

I hope you love me 2.

filipino,

Literary: Limang Minuto

4/07/2017 08:27:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

Huli na ‘to.

filipino,

Literary: Liham

4/07/2017 08:22:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

english,

Literary: Undefined

4/07/2017 08:17:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

I grew up summing up the marks
On pristine, white cards,
Printed and unyielding.
My grades were auctioneers
And I deemed them adept at
Placing value on my being,
As if my merit could be bought
For so little a price
That I now know
Is barely half of who I am.

I grew up staring at figures
On flimsy, blue covers,
Encircled in red and unchanging.
My averages were traders
And I deemed them fit of
Appraising my value
As if my life could be sold
With hardly any tariff
That I now know
Was a cruel bargain for me.

I grew up counting the numbers
On loose sheets of paper,
Inked and enduring.
My scores were connoisseurs
And I deemed them capable of
Belittling my qualities
As if my features could be quantified
By a measly penalty
That I now know
Isn’t even a fraction of my worth.

I grew up thinking
That these figures
Were the things that gave me worth
But when I finally took it upon myself
To let the numbers be just numbers
I found out
That my worth
Could not
And should not
Be counted.

english,

Literary: Value

4/07/2017 08:12:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

Have you attached yourself
To the numbers
Well enough that you
Have stripped yourself off
Of your genuine worth?

When grades lose measure
To your intellectual prowess,

When waistlines lose figure
To that coveted shape,

When pricy shoes lose step
To the miles your life will stride,

When numbers lose count
To man’s real worth,

Would there still be something left
Of your worth?

english,

Literary: Count

4/07/2017 08:07:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

Just count from one to five and I’ll be gone.

One, close your eyes. Remember the day we met. The way your eyes sparkled as I was illuminated by them. My smile as wide as the vast oceans and seas, my hope as bright as the summer sky.

Think of me at two. The way I held your hand just right to make you feel that you are safe and that someone will catch you if you fell. And you did. We both did.

At three, remember the best days of our lives. The weekends, the late nights, the sunsets. The smiles, the laughter, the fun. The good old days, our good old days, now gone.

Four, believe that “us” is no longer a combination of you and I. The dark clouds shrouded the bright skies. I stayed in the rain, while you kept yourself warm—wrapped in another's arms.

And five, open your eyes. I'm not there, and I'm not going to be there for you anymore. We blew it. You blew it. So stop remembering. Keep counting. Life doesn't end at the count of five. Move on.

filipino,

Literary: Sanlibo't Saya

4/07/2017 08:02:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

Ako lang ba ang nakakamiss sa dating tayo?

Nakakamiss ang isang libong mga letra mula sa mga labi mo na nagsasabing magiging “okay” rin ako.
Nakakamiss ang isang libong minutong paghihintay ko sa pagdating mo sa labas ng bahay ko.
Nakakamiss ang natatanging yakap mo na nakakapawi ng pagod ko mula sa buong araw na trabaho.

Sabi na nga ba,
Dapat na hindi ako nasasanay sa mga bagay na nagmumula sa inyong mga lalaki.
Dapat nga ay hindi ako naakit sa maskara mong “too good to be true”.

Oo. Natauhan na ‘ko.
Siguro nga’y ‘di na talaga natin mahal ang isa’t-isa.
Siguro nga’y pawang nakasanayan na lamang ang mga ito.

Aminin man natin o hindi
Ang relasyon natin ay pawang isang ilusyon na lamang.
Nakakatawa kung paanong

Sa isang libo nating pagkakamali,

At sa isang libong pagbabati,

Isa lang pala ang ating kahahantungan,

Ang hiwalayan.

filipino,

Literary: Relate ba, Gurl?

4/07/2017 07:57:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

english,

Literary: She Is

4/07/2017 07:52:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

She is perfection
     Of auburn hair and jet-black eyes
     Of grace, poise, and elegance
     Complemented with the perfect smile

She is the first sight
     I look for in the morning
     The eyes I shyly search for in the middle of the day
     And the last one I remember as I fall asleep

She is the brightest star
     Radiating in the celestial sky
     The moon pales to her in comparison
     And outdoes the others with her incandescent light

She is all the seasons in one
     The vibrant spring and summer
     The reticence of winter
     The magic of autumn

And she is love
     In all its forms and metaphors
     And I hope she is the one with me
     From now, 'til the end of life’s journey

english,

Literary: One Wish

4/07/2017 07:48:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

A little bit of nursing
A little bit of teaching
A little bit of parenting
They all add up to everything

I grew old looking up and looking bold,
My dreams having an infinite threshold
For I had someone like you to look up to
For years and years and through and through

When we got the chance to talk
We didn’t see the time on the clock
"You have to be odd to be number 1,"
Simple words you told me before we were done

But now that you're gone
I look at the sky at dawn
Reminiscing the countless moments we had
Hoping for even just 1 day to add

You never fail to make the world a little softer
For you make my world alone kinder
Even when my heart is filled with anger

It's been 365 days, and I still wonder
If it’s possible to spend 1 more day with my grandfather
Just 1 day to make everything better
But I guess the answer will remain in my dreams forever

To mi abuelo who’s already in heaven
On a scale of 1 to 10, you'll always be my eleven
7 days a week, 4 weeks a month, 12 months a year
And here I am wishing you were still here

english,

Literary: Important Things

4/07/2017 07:42:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

I’m bad at numbers—terrible, actually, but there’s something about them that makes me remember the important things.

Things like:
The 525,600 minutes in a year,
The 8 hours of sleep I need,
The 3 hours of sleep I actually get,
09212014: the day I told her I loved her,
The 26 letters of the alphabet,
The 1000 words I need for an essay,
The amount of cash in my wallet: 0,
The 647 pages of my book,
Her phone number,
The 2 ½ cups of flour needed for my mother’s cookie recipe,
The 56 songs in my playlist
(And 47 of them are about her)
1:06, the chorus of her favorite song,

The 596 photos on my camera roll,
The 280 pesos we both paid to see Beauty and the Beast,
The 3 texts from her at 3AM,
The 13.3 kilometers from her place to mine,
Our 500 hours of Skype calls,
The 3 planned trips that stayed on paper,
Those 2 misunderstandings,
That 1 night,
022316: the day she left me
The 57 days I took to get over her

14 of these 23 things are about her
It’s been 6 months since I last saw her yet
90% of the time I still wonder why
She will always be the best part of me.

teaser

There is only one way to let you know

4/06/2017 08:22:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

english,

Feature: What We Really Learn In School

4/06/2017 08:12:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

From the age of three to five, we have been going to school for this main reason: to learn. For years, teachers have been educating us about the different concepts in Science like the beginning of Earth, anatomy of humans and animals, gravity, elements, environment, and more. In Mathematics we are taught the basics such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division that are used to do even higher levels of analysis and computation. In English, we are familiarized with different kinds of words, the correct way of writing sentences, and correct grammar, among others. While in Filipino, we are reminded of the importance of our own language and made to read novels like Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo to develop our nationalism. There is also Social Studies where the past and present are reviewed and discussed to show us how our history connects with current events in our society.

Simply put, school is mostly about students sitting in a classroom for 10 hours listening to instructors. Most students find this boring and usually resolve it by browsing through their phones, talking to their seatmates or sleeping. When given a difficult question, for example, a Math problem, a number of students (myself included) would say things like “Ano bang silbi nito sa buhay?” or “Saan ba ‘to gagamitin?” I realized that maybe these kinds of things may not be useful for now, but in the future, they will be. When we go to college, these will be beneficial as these may be helpful in our future careers.

Aside from academics, there is another thing that we get from school that we cannot read in any book: a series of life lessons. These life lessons are not directly taught, they are experienced.

Socializing with People



In school, we meet different kinds of people. People who come from different socio-economic divisions, religions, nationalities, races, and more. As we find out more about them, our perspective grows wider.

We find out that there are other species of sea creatures in the ocean, aside from us. We establish the belief that there are people who have interests different from ours, that there are others who are molded in a different manner. We find out that there are people who take chances and people who are afraid to do so. There are people who are religious and people who don’t believe in God. There are also people who think that life is complicated and people who think that it’s just a game. They may make us mad, confused, scared, or happy. Whoever they are, they are sure to leave a mark on us and will forever change us. Because of this, we become aware of how diverse the world is and the people in it are.

Dealing with Different Kinds of Situations



Since school is a melting pot of people with various backgrounds, different situations are also presented to us every day. There may be times when we are faced with challenges like peer pressure, bullying, and losing relationships. When these problems happen, we learn how to adapt.

If our friends are convincing us to do something that we don’t want to, what do we do? If we tell them no, will they still be our friends? If a person is making fun of us, how do we respond? How will we manage the heartbreak of losing a friend or a special someone?

As time passes by, we will be influenced, we will be persuaded, and we will have to decide. We will feel hurt, rejected, belittled, betrayed and more, but it depends on us and on how we are going to handle it.

The Real Success



What we absorb in school is just a part of how we are going to be successful. A big factor that affects our success is how we reach it. School exercises our determination and hard work. One example is the grading system. If we regularly pass our assignments, study for tests and participate, we will be rewarded with a high grade. If we develop values such as patience and determination, we will understand that with perseverance, we will be able to reach our dreams, and eventually success.

It’s All Up to You



Above all, we realize that everything is up to us! We decide on our own. We make our own path. We write our own destiny.

In school, we have exams that test the knowledge of what we have taken in. But in reality, the test is life itself. It’s all on us if we pass or fail. //by Layla Wadi

english,

Feature: Recalling the Last ‘Big One’

4/06/2017 08:05:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

Known for being the Summer Capital of the Philippines, Baguio is located in the heart of the mountains of Benguet. It is an elevated plateau that rises 1500 meters above sea level, giving it an average of 18-20 degrees centigrade climate. It is also a place where tourist attractions such as The Mansion, Camp John Hay, Wright and Burnham Park, and the ever-famous lion head are located. Affordable and readily available fresh fruits and vegetables, delicious strawberry taho, and the Harrison Road night market are only some of the many reasons why this place turned into a popular summer getaway. A lot of us might have already visited and felt the cool Baguio breeze, but what most of us might not know is the scarring story behind the city’s present beauty.

Almost 27 years ago on July 16, 1990, at 4:26 p.m., people there were caught off guard.

An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 literally shook people residing in Central Luzon and provinces around the Cordillera Region. It was recorded that the epicenter of the quake was in Nueva Ecija and the shaking lasted for about a minute that resulted to 15 billion worth of damages and a death toll of around 2,412. Among the provinces that were affected, Baguio was the most drastically damaged.

Buildings such as the 6-story building of Christian College collapsed, trapping around 250 students inside it. Rescuers spent days trying to retrieve bodies that were under the ruins of various buildings and about 1000 bodies were recovered and a thousand more people suffered from serious injuries. A few of them were found alive but many of them died of dehydration.

The famous Hyatt Terraces Plaza suffered the most casualties among all commercial buildings, killing 50 people as its terrace fell down to the lobby. Also, the Nevada Hotel was unbelievably ripped in half and the Baguio Park Hotel was a complete wreck. Even the University of Baguio (UB) didn’t survive the quake after the building’s supporting structure crashed to the ground, killing 23 people who were mostly students. Skyworld Condominium, Commercial Center, The Royal Inn, and the Baguio Hilltop Hotel were also destroyed aside from the residential areas that surrounded the whole city.

This disaster traumatized the citizens of Baguio to an extent where they slept outside their houses for fear of being pinned down by huge blocks of cement from infrastructures that could possibly kill them. They never once thought that a place as innocent and as peaceful as Baguio, could have ever experienced such a nightmare.

With everyone’s life at stake, city-wide earthquake drills, such as the Metro Manila Shake Drill, were held on July 22, 2016. It was organized by the Metro Manila Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (MMDRRMC) in its desire to “promote a culture of preparedness among Metro Manila residents” after the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) alerted the public with the possible occurrence of the Big One.

According to the director of PHIVOLCS Renato Solidum, in a news report from the Philippine Star, “The Big One” is a 7.2 earthquake that will arise from the West Valley Fault, predominantly affecting Metro Manila and the provinces surrounding it. In line with this, it was also stated in the report that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for PHIVOLCS and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) conducted a study in 2004 which shows that an earthquake with this magnitude could kill 34,000 people and harm 100,000 individuals.

It only implies that what happened in 1990 is not without a doubt, a possibility here in Metro Manila. And the effects that this potential earthquake have could be even worse, given that cities within the 100-kilometer fault line have more high-rise buildings and infrastructures compared to what was in Baguio back then.

That is why we should all be prepared and knowledgeable enough to be ready in times of sudden calamities like this, even more now that nearly two days ago, an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.4 was felt in different intensities in cities and provinces near Manila. Although no damages and deaths were reported, let it be a wake-up call to prepare us for the uncertainties that might come unexpectedly in our ways.

That is why we all should remember what happened in Baguio. Because it only proves that no one is safe from Mother Earth’s wrath and we are all powerless in choosing our own fate when it’s her turn to decide. We should always be mindful of the fact that earthquakes and other disasters aren’t just a thing of the past but possibilities that can happen right now, in the present, at this time, maybe even while you’re reading this.

We all should remember what happened in Baguio 27 years ago. Because it only proves that no one is safe from Mother Earth’s wrath and we are all powerless in choosing our own fate when it’s her turn to decide. We should always be mindful of the fact that earthquakes and other disasters aren’t just a thing of the past but possibilities that can happen right now, in the present, at this time, maybe even while you’re reading this. //by Jo-ev Guevarra

Sources:
http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/02/14/1672066/prepare-big-one
http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/earthquake-wreaks-havoc-in-the-philippines
http://www.philstar.com/nation/2016/11/10/1642404/magnitude-5.0-quake-felt-quezon-metro-manila-tarlac
http://www.cityofpines.com/baguioquake/quake.html
http://www.baguioboard.com/geography.php
http://www.dilgcar.com/index.php/baguio-city
http://ph.rappler.com/campaigns/shakedrill/2016/
http://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/html/update_SOEPD/2017_Earthquake_Information/April/2017_0404_1258_B1HYDRA.html

blade saliva,

Sports: UPIS teachers and staff to participate in Sports Fest

4/06/2017 08:02:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

WARM UP. UPIS teachers stretch in a circle as they get ready to play a game of Ultimate Frisbee for the preliminary games of the Sports Fest. Photo Credit: Prof. Grace Sumayo

The UPIS Health and PE Department (HPE Dept.), together with the UPIS Faculty Club, will hold a Sports Fest for UPIS teachers on April 17, 2017 at the UPIS Grounds.

This one-day event will feature sports such as ultimate frisbee, floorball and other modified-fun games that will put the physical aspect of teachers to the test.

According to Prof. Grace Sumayo, head of the HPE Dept., promoting the good health and wellness of the faculty, representatives, and staff is the main objective of the activity. Fostering camaraderie in the UPIS community is also one of its goals.

Preliminary games were already administered prior to the event where Prof. Shiela Pineda and Prof. Paul Mabaquiao oriented some of the teachers on how to play ultimate frisbee. They played some rounds of the game in the process. //by Nathan Ramos, Blade Saliva and Julian Taloma

em gacad,

Opinion: Medalya o Diploma?

4/06/2017 07:59:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

Photo Credit: Jem Torrecampo

Ang makatapos ng hayskul— 'yan ang isa sa mga pinapangarap ng lahat ng estudyante, saanmang paaralan sila magmula. Hindi lamang ito nagbibigay ng karangalan sa kanila, bilang katibayan ng kanilang kakayahang pang-akademiko, kundi nagsisilbi rin itong simula ng pagkamit nila ng tagumpay sa buhay.

Pagdating sa mithiing ito, hindi naiiba ang student-athletes, sapagkat gayong ehemplo sila ng kahusayan sa napili nilang isport, kailangang magaling at ehemplo rin sila sa pagbabalanse ng oras sa paglalaro at pag-aaral.

Hindi isang perpektong tao ang student-athletes. May mga pagkakataong kinakailangang nilang pumili sa pagitan ng pag-aaral at ng pagiging atleta. May mga pagkakataon na may naisasakripisyo ang isang manlalarong mag-aaral.

Ano nga ba ang mas karapat-dapat na pagtuunan ng pansin? Ang pagiging huwaran sa pang-akademikong larangan o ang pagiging magaling sa napiling isport?

Kung ang pagkakaroon ng medalya ang pag-uusapan, hindi maikakaila na bilang mga atleta ay mahalagang bagay ito’t malaki ang maitutulong sa kanilang athletic career. Ang pagsali nila sa iba’t ibang kompetisyon ay isang oportunidad, sa halip na obligasyon, na kanilang nakukuha bilang student-athletes. Ito ang nagbibigay sa kanila ng pagkakataong mahasa sa pinili nilang isport at nagsisilbing ambag nila sa karangalan ng kanilang paaralan.

Isang halimbawa na lamang ng mga ganitong pagkakataon ay ang paglahok taun-taon ng iba’t ibang varsity teams sa University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). Dito nila naipapakita ang kanilang talento sa napiling sport sa pamamagitan ng paglaban sa iba pang paaralan para mag-uwi ng mga medalya. Sumasali sa mga kompetisyon sa loob at labas ng bansa ang ibang student-athletes upang ipamalas ang kanilang hindi matatawarang galing. Gayundin, sa pamamagitan nito’y nabibigyang- karangalan nila, hindi lamang ang paaralan kundi ang buong bansa. Marami rin sa kanila ang nabibigyan ng pagkakataon mula sa iba’t ibang unibersidad upang ipagpatuloy ang paglalaro sa kolehiyo kahit na hindi pa sila nakatatapos ng hayskul. Talagang hindi na nakapagtataka kung ang student-athletes ngayon ay nakakatanggap ng ganitong mga oportunidad. Sa kanilang husay at determinasyon sa napiling isport, marapat lamang na matanggap nila ang mga ito. Ginagamit nila ito upang mapabuti pa lalo ang kanilang mga kakayahan sa paglalaro ng kanilang isport.

Subalit dahil paminsan-minsan lang ang paglalaro sa ibang bansa, karamihan sa mapapalad na nakakatanggap nito’y hindi na ito pinapalampas. Sa kabila nito’y hindi rin dapat itangging bahagi ng kanilang pagiging atleta ang pagka-estudyante. Sa katunaya’y nagkaroon sila ng pagkakataong maglaro dahil sa institusyong kanilang kinabibilangan. Sa gayon, inaasahang magtatapos sila ng kanilang hayskul sa kanilang paaralan.

Ang binanggit sa itaas ay ang siyang dapat na nakapangyayari subalit hindi ito ang realidad. May mga atletang higit na pinipili ang alok ng ilang unibersidad na maging manlalaro sa kanilang paaralan kahit pa hindi pa nakapagtatapos ng hayskul sa ilalim ng K-12 program. Sa sitwasyong ito, dapat nga bang ipagpalit ang pagtatapos sa hayskul para sa pagkakataong mapalapit sa kanilang mga pangarap?

Tulad ng sports, ang pag-aaral ay hindi mapapantayan ng kahit na anuman, ngunit ang dalawa ay may malaking pagkakaiba. Para sa ilang atleta, ang pagtahak sa larangang ito ay nangangailangan ng mahabang pasensya at maraming pagsubok. Sa panahong nasa rurok ng tagumpay ang isang manlalaro, maaaring maisip nilang hindi isang pagsisisi ang pagpili sa pagiging atleta, kumpara sa kung magtapos ka ng hayskul. Pagkatapos kasi ng hayskul, mayroon pang kolehiyo, at kung hindi ma’y magtatrabaho ka— at unti-unti’y matutuklasan mong nagsisimula ka pa lamang sa tunay na buhay. Subalit sa oras na mawala na ang kinang ng iyong medalya sa pag-aatleta, marahil ay mapapaisip ka kung ano na ang susunod na maaari mong gawin.

Kung makatatapos ka ng hayskul higit na malaki ang posibilidad na makapasok ka sa kolehiyo. Sa pagtatapos, makatatanggap ka ng diploma bilang katibayan ng iyong sapat na pag-aral. Ang pagtatapos ay patunay ng ilang taong pagsusumikap ng isang mag-aaral. Higit na maraming oportunidad ang magbubukas para sa iyo kapag tinutukan mo ang iyong edukasyon, hindi ka na malilimitahan sa larangan ng sports. Ang edukasyon ay magagamit kahit na nagtratrabaho ka na sa ibang larangan. Kaya naman ang pagkamit nito’y katumbas na rin ng isang napakalaking hakbang papalapit sa iba pang mga pangarap ng isang estudyante.

Mawala man ang isport sa landas ng ating buhay, ang mga aral na natutunan sa eskwelahan ay hindi maiaalis sa ating buhay. Para sa mga atleta, importante ang kanilang larangan sapagkat ito ang nagbigay ng oportunidad papalapit sa kanilang mga pangarap, ngunit dapat tandaan na ang inyong edukasyon ay makapagbibigay ng tiyak na kinabukasan.

Hindi masamang tumanggap ng mga oportunidad na makakatulong sa pagkamit ng mga, lalo na kung ito ay magdudulot talaga ng pagbabago sa buhay ng student-athlete. Subalit sa pagkuha natin ng mga pagkakataong ito, kaakibat nito ang mga bagay na maaring hindi natin makuha. Maaaring sabihin na ang pagiging magaling sa sports ay nangangailangan ng maraming oras at sakripisyo, ngunit hindi ba’t ito rin ang inaalay ng bawat estudyante para sa kanilang pag-aaral?

Ang pagkakataong magtagumpay bilang atleta ay hindi mauubos o mawawala basta’t matiyaga mong hinahasa ang sarili sa napiling isport. Sa kabilang banda, ang pagkakataong makapagtapos ng hayskul ay hindi basta-bastang nakakamit. Ang hirap at pagsusumikap na inilalaan ng bawat estudyante nang maraming taon para sa kanyang pag-aaral ay hindi dapat ipagpalit sa mas madaling paraan ng katuparan ng pangarap.

Totoong hindi dapat palipasin ang mga oportunidad na dumating sa ating buhay lalo na kung ito ang magiging susi sa tagumpay. Gayunpaman, hindi rin dapat sayangin ang sakripisyong ibinibigay natin sa pag-aaral, dahil ang pagtatapos ng pag-aaral at pagkuha ng diploma ay hindi matutumbasan ng anumang medalya. //nina Maica Cabrera, Em Gacad at Jaggie Gregorio