Damdamin,

Literary: Magsiuwi na Kayo

1/22/2021 09:00:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

Magsiuwi na kayong mga makata
Sapagkat hindi na kayo marunong tumula
Hindi na naipipinta ng inyong mga salita
Ang larawan ng tapang at pag-ibig.
Ang inyong mga talinghaga
Ay pawang mga tulo na lamang ng dugo
Mula sa mga sugat
Ng isang naghihingalong katawan.

Magsiuwi na kayong mga artista
Sapagkat wala nang naniniwala sa inyo.
Hindi na ninyo natatakpan
Ang kalungkutan ng mundo
Ng gawa-gawang pagmahahal.
Ang inyong mga kolorete
at magarbong damit
Pati mga pekeng yakap at halik.
Ay may bahid na rin
Ng tulo ng luha.

Magsiuwi na kayong mga musikero
Sapagkat di na kayo magaling.
Humaba na ang inyong mga kuko
At naubusan na kayo ng hininga
Sa paggawa ng mga dapat gawin
Sa halip na tugtugin ng simbuyo ng damdamin.

Magsiuwi na kayong mga mandirigma
Sapagkat mahina na kayo.
Malalim ang sugat
Mula sa pagsasakripisyo ng pagkabata
at pagbuhos ng luha, dugo, at pawis
Sa isang digmaang walang namang kalaban
Kundi ang kakulangan sa pag-ibig
At mga pangarap na hindi pa natutupad.

english,

Literary: Favorite Parts

1/22/2021 08:50:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

Waking up every morning at four
So early that the sky is still dark
Feeling the cold morning breeze
I never knew I’d miss these this much

When I journey every day
I love looking at the dark blue sky
Slowly brightening up
Little by little, the sun shows itself

Then I arrive
At this simple yet beautiful place
Its familiar warmth embracing me
Just as it has always done for the past 12 years

Inside are my favorite parts
Where I’ve had a lot of my firsts
And even a few of my lasts too
These places hold my most precious memories

Benches made of stone
Became our everyday lunch tables
A place where I often stay with my friends
And happily chat about each other’s crushes

A room with almost all the essentials
Always chock-full of busy students
Whether rushing to print important files
Or just staying to enjoy the cool air

Outside each room are students
Either sitting down or sleeping on the floor
Their backpacks used as pillows
For their sleepy heads, tired from the day’s work

Whenever we get hungry
There will always be turon and sandwiches
For us to buy and snack on between classes
They can be a little pricey, but they’re delicious

With all these places I mentioned
Places that I love and adore
Are the different people
Who complete my every day

Teachers who love us unconditionally
Staff who never get tired for us
And of course,
My silly but loving classmates

Every single one of these people and places
Helped me become the person I am today
I am happy, and I have grown a lot
Thank you for being my home

filipino,

Literary: 0001151292136

1/22/2021 08:46:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

Sa tahanan namin may apat na kwarto 

Anatheia,

Literary: Hanggang sa Muli

1/22/2021 08:38:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

Aking mga kaibigan dito
Ang ating kwentuhan tuwing hapon
Hinding-hindi itatapon
Aking itatago

Mga laro natin sa kwarto
Paghampas ng mga unan sa katawan
Mga kinagigiliwang asaran
Aking itatago

Mga pagkanta natin sa kwarto
Hanggang sumakit ang ating lalamunan
Kahit hindi na magsalita kinabukasan
Aking itatago

Sa aking mga kaibigan dito
Sa mga taong ating kinawiwilihan
‘Wag sanang pairalin ang karupukan
Ngunit ang nararamdaman ay ‘wag sanang itago

Anim na taon sa bahay na ito
Maraming alaala ang naipon
Ang pag-alala ay hindi kaya ng isang hapon
Hinding-hindi malilimutan hanggang dulo

Sa aming paglipat ng bahay ng pamilya
Bagong alaala ang mabubuhay
Kasama ang mga bagong tao sa aming buhay
Hanggang sa muli aking mga kaibigan

filipino,

Literary: Tahanan

1/22/2021 08:34:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

Bahay
Lugar kung saan pamilya ang kasama ko
Para sa akin, napakahalaga ng lugar na ito
Dito ko naipakikita kung sino talaga ako

Pamilya
Sila ang laging nariyan upang sa akin ay mag-aruga
Tuwing kasama ko sila, ang bawat oras ay mahalaga
Sa bawat pangarap ko, tuloy ang kanilang pagsuporta

Paaralan
Dito ko natagpuan ang aking mga kaibigan
Dito natuto ako ng maraming bagay na sa bahay ay ‘di ko natutunan
Kahit pansamantala, naramdaman ko rito ang kasiyahan

Kaibigan
Madalas kong kasama, sa kasiyahan man o kalungkutan
Sa mga problema ko, sila ang madalas kong sinasabihan
Mapalad akong mabatid, tunay silang mapagkakatiwalaan

Tahanan
Dito naramdaman ko ang halaga ng isang pamilya at kaibigan
Kahit magkaiba ang papel na sa buhay ko’y kanilang ginampanan
Sila pa rin ang bumuo sa lugar na tinatawag kong tahanan

english,

Literary: She

1/22/2021 08:26:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

there is this entity
who only knows
to roam through deserted places
all by himself

when he soars
through a tenebrous sky
the lone moon brightens up
this black and blank canvas,
like how her pearl-like teeth
stand out among his tales of woe

later he descries
the depths of an ocean abyss
and finds some
stories she used to tell
about shipwrecks and airplanes
nosediving their way
into this bizarre place

after that glimpse,
he returns
to the ocean surface
where he is in between
the worlds he visited,

tides rise even higher,
waves synchronously
flow with his psyche,
helping him ruminate

suddenly, he grasps
the idea of
it not being
a deserted place after all,
how he discerns
an image of her
inside his mind
makes him feel like
loneliness is non-existent,
that her death
did nothing but
separate the alignment
of their timelines

she makes those
unusual places
feel like home-
maybe “she”
was just another word
for home

Chanel No. 5,

Literary: What Love Was

1/22/2021 08:18:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

I gave,
and I gave,
and I gave.
I got nothing
In return.

I loved,
and loved,
and loved,
and I always
wound up
getting hurt.

I cried,
and I cried,
and I cried.
But no one
heard my
tears.

I thought that
was the thing
about love.

You give,
you love,
you cry.
And all it brings
is heartbreak.

Love.

I never really
understood it.
I never really
understood why
people do it, when
all it returns is
tears,
pain,
and sacrifice.

Tears.
Pain.
Sacrifice.

Yet people keep
doing it.
People keep loving.
Despite all the
heartache
and hurt it gives.

I never really
understood love.

And then you came.

And I gave,
and gave,
and gave.
But it’s alright,
because I loved you.
And all the things
I gave you was
worth it,
because you loved
me too.

I loved you.

filipino,

Literary: Pahinga

1/22/2021 08:08:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

Panahon na upang magpahinga.
Tahanan ang nais matamasa.
Malayo na ang aking nalakbay.
Pasalamat at ako’y ‘di bumigay.

Panibagong taon, panibagong saya,
patuloy pa ring umaasa.
Panibagong taon, panibagong mga pagkakataon,
sumasabay pa rin sa buhay na puno ng alon.

Angat-baba, angat-baba,
ang buhay ay puno ng kaba.
Anong mayroon sa panibagong taon?
Utak ay punong-puno ng tanong.

Talon dito, talon doon,
iiwan ang malulungkot na panahon.
Punas dito, punas diyan,
pagagalingin ang masasakit na mga sugat.

Maraming mga nangyari,
ayoko nang maulit pang muli.
Kukunin ko ang mga karanasan,
at mga luha’y aking iiwan.

Ako’y nasasabik nang maramdaman ang tahanan,
pamilya’t kaibigan ay muling mahahagkan.
Puno ng mga taong ika’y dadamayan,
Yakap ng bahay ay hindi mapapantayan.

May tawanan dito, may yakap doon.
Wala nang nais kundi maparoon.
Pagmamahal ng buong pamilya ang iyong madarama.
Tila ba’y nalilimutan ang mga problema.

Kaya panahon na upang magpahinga muna.
Ako’y uuwi at sarili’y ihahanda.
Aasang ang bagong taon ay parang tahanan,
komportable, maliwanag, at puno ng kasiyahan.

Amelia,

Literary: I was my Home

1/22/2021 08:04:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

Happiness makes me feel at home.
I’m happy when I’m being me, a jolly person.
I am my home.

I once walked a path,
where I could do whatever I want.
When suddenly entrants came and
they started to ruin me.

They‘ve always seen me
as a weak person.
They kept telling me
that I am not fit to be anywhere.

Then there I was - a girl,
who was always locked up in a room,
crying in bed all alone.
My home was shattered.

After some time, there I was - a girl
who met someone
whom I can trust and
who helped me rebuild my broken pieces, my home.

Dalisay,

Literary: My Home

1/22/2021 07:42:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

I wonder how long it would take me
to find my way home again
to feel the warmth and safety
I wonder how and when

I wonder if its walls are still
that slightly golden shade of brown
or if its bright lights and welcoming aura
are still known all across the town

I wonder if my home
still wonders about me too
or has it moved on when I moved out
and now shelters someone new

I wonder if it remembers
all the pleasant moments we shared
Even when I never said I did,
I hope it knew I’ve always cared

I wonder if it will forgive and let me
in the confines of its walls one last time
to feel its gentle, warm embrace
and maybe once again be mine

english,

Literary: Hearth

1/22/2021 07:38:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

A glow in the darkness
Pulls my fortunate soul close
To a refuge unsung and unwavering
A hearth of concrete and brick-stone

The fire may beckon me closer
To come nearer its golden blaze
Its passionate thrill and perilousness
May so easily catch my gaze

The world beyond may call forth
To discover what is yet unknown
It may lead me into winter’s blue
And apoplectic tempests on my own

Yet I remain bound and grounded
My love is far but not lost
Like a string that pulls through
To each moon and journey back
My evergreen redwood
Whose roots tangle into me

Oh dear one,
You may weep or wander
Dither or stray
But you always find your way home
Quickly and soon enough
You are led back to where you belong

Before brick-stone I sit
Nothing quite compares
To the warmth of the hearth

Eclipse,

Literary: Asahi Cafe

1/22/2021 07:32:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

Everywhere she looks is bleak and unwelcoming, very much in contrast to the bright digital billboards around her flashing the words “Welcome Home!”

Violet clutches her luggage tighter as she sits down in a chair in the airport’s waiting area, deciding that she’d grab a few moments of rest before her flight is called. As she observes the surge of people rushing around her, it feels as if she is stuck in time—static in the middle of the current of blurred faces moving on with their lives.

As she tears her gaze from the influx of travelers, her eyes land on a small red envelope placed right next to her. On the back, the words “Asahi Café” are printed in a clean script with a little drawing of a sunrise beside them.

Violet probably shouldn’t pick it up as it could’ve been someone else’s. But something in her gut tells her that she has to open it and read its contents. She’ll just return the envelope if there is something important written inside. It’s not like she’s going to lose anything—she’s leaving home and leaving everything behind anyway.

Dear whomever:

By the time you read this, I’ll probably be away on a plane travelling somewhere far from where I last left this letter. You’re lucky for actually opening this red envelope; most people would just leave it be or throw it away. As a gift, let me tell you my story.

I used to own this quaint little café called Asahi Café right in the middle of town. Asahi means “morning” or “sunlight” in Japanese, so I decorated my café as such. It was warm and welcoming, the orange and yellow tones made everyone who came to the café feel as if the sun was hugging them from the inside.

The drinks, too, revolved around that theme. Many of our customers enjoyed our drinks because they said that they were special. When I asked about this, they told me that drinking our Sunlight lattes was the feeling of serenity in seeing the sun rise every morning, the quiet moments of peace before the entire world woke up. Our Midnight coffees were the many sleepless nights of feeling the cool breeze tickle their skin as they stared at the shining stars above.

Our special, though, was the Sunset juice. It was an all-time favorite of our customers. In all honesty, in spite of being the owner, I never understood the hype about it. They said that despite the drink being iced, it warmed them inside in a way that would remind them of being wrapped in a hug—homey, cozy, and snug. For some, drinking Sunset juice was like walking home and seeing the sky—pinks, purples, oranges, and reds, all blended together in the vast expanse above. It was the fulfilment that made their hearts burst and made them think that they were so lucky to be alive right at those moments.

Many have told me that my café had a “magical air” around it. I didn’t really get it. But I’m glad that I gave people a sanctuary from the unrelenting and cruel world.

I served many customers in Asahi—from young, loud, obnoxious children who greatly enjoyed our sweet pastries and hung out at the café while their moms chitchatted at another table enjoying their lattes, to quiet, stressed-out, yet hopeful teenagers who would type away on their laptops all day, trying to catch up on their schoolwork.

I’ve learned their stories—of heartbreak and love, of feeling lost and being found, of being alone yet having enough company, and of being a part of a crowd yet feeling too lonesome. I’m glad that Asahi worked its magic somehow, and made this quaint little café a place for them to call home. How do I know this? Well, I saw the prominent change in my customers once they entered the store. Sometimes it was the small bounce in their steps as they walked to the cashier, or the way their eyes sparkled when they ordered a drink. Most times it was the way their smiles widened as they conversed with their friends while hanging out at the café, or just the way that they looked: like they weren’t carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders—like they could finally breathe and be at home.

The thing is, though, while Asahi was home to these people, it was never that to me. I suppose it’s because "home" is used so broadly in a sense that most of the time, we forget what it really means. People confuse it with this tangible four-walled place that they sleep in and call a house—or in this case, Asahi Café.

Maybe seeing my customers treat Asahi as their home was what made me realize that home isn’t really a place, or a drink, or a spot in the café. It’s not a place that’s open from Mondays to Sundays 6am to 12am, nor is it a space that one can simply leave and come back to whenever they feel like it. I guess that was my mistake; I saw Asahi simply as Asahi Café and not Asahi Café—a home for those who needed it.

I now realize that home is a feeling. It’s the feeling of warmth that spreads throughout the tired office worker’s body whenever they get to relax in the café’s quiet corners after a rigorous shift. It’s the nervousness and excitement rushing through the veins of those two teenagers on their first date, whispering in hushed tones and looking at each other with stars in their eyes. It’s the feeling of security that blankets the sleeping child as his mother sips her third coffee of the day. It’s the blazing heat from that group of friends whose boisterous laughter and chatter fill the café with a sense of unity and friendship.

Anyway, I’m glad Asahi was a home for them. It just wasn’t that for me. That’s why I left: I needed to find my home too. To feel the warmth that my customers felt while sipping our house special. To feel the magic of home. And maybe then, I’ll return to taste our drinks, so I’ll finally find out what all the hype was about. Or I’ll open up a branch some five thousand miles from here. Wherever it may be, I’m sure I’ll eventually find home.

But for now, here I am, writing a letter and hoping that you also find your way home, because I know that you’re lost too. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have picked up this envelope in a busy airport. I hope you find it—your Asahi café. But if not, try finding a branch! Maybe it’ll show you home. Safe travels!

From

Asahi Café’s past owner

Ps. Don’t worry about the café! I left it to my best friend. I know that it’s home to her too.

Violet carefully folds the letter and slides it back into its faded red envelope. It’s been almost three years since she picked it up at the airport some five thousand miles from where she’s currently standing. She grips her bag tightly as she looks at the sign on the window. Violet recounts all the years of finding and all the research that she did. She didn’t find much except that it was a quaint little café in her old town.

Up till now, Violet was convinced that Asahi Café didn’t actually exist. After all, she lived in that town for at least eighteen years. Surely, she would’ve seen or heard of the café. Perhaps it was a magical place meant only for people who could feel home. But then, the letter said that the owner themself couldn’t feel home. It baffled—and still baffles—her, so she decided to push it to the back of her mind and just focus on travelling to look for home. Through those three years of leaving what she was once familiar with, the letter was a constant reminder for her: it said that she was lost. And maybe she was. At first, Violet wasn’t all too sure of what she had to search for. But thanks to the letter, she realized that she too was looking for home. And if the café was a magical place meant for those who felt home, then, it would show up eventually. She just needed to find her home first.

Now, she’s here, after three years of searching. After countless early morning dawns to feel the serenity of seeing the sun rise, many sleepless nights of feeling the cool midnight breeze tickle her skin as she stared at the shining stars above, and the numerous days of walking home and seeing the sky--pinks, purples, oranges, and reds, all blended together in the vast expanse above—she’s finally face to face with the place that served as a home for so many people.

Asahi Café. Open Mondays to Sundays 6am to 12am.

She takes a deep breath and steps inside.

Instantly, warm air greets her. The café has orange and yellow tones that make Violet feel as if the sun is hugging her from the inside. Her small, cautious steps towards the counter have a little bounce as Violet recalls her journey.

Throughout those years, she felt the warmth that spread throughout her tired body as she hugged her dog after a rigorous shift. She felt the nervousness and excitement rushing through her veins as she sat across her date, whispering in hushed tones, both of them with stars in their eyes. She felt the blanket of security as she wrapped her jacket tighter while she walked around campus on particularly cold nights. She felt the blazing heat from her group of friends whose boisterous laughter and chatter filled every corner of her dorm with a sense of unity and friendship.

Everywhere she looks is bright and welcoming, very much in contrast to the bleak surroundings before.

As she reaches the counter, she holds the envelope a bit tighter. Her eyes glisten with unshed tears as she decides what to order.

That’s when it hits her—the reason why she didn’t know that there was an Asahi Café in her hometown was because she didn’t feel home yet. Asahi Café isn’t magical. It’s a normal café that she once passed by countless times, but failed to see because she was too lost. But for those who have felt home, it has always been there as one of those places that sheltered them from the harsh world and brought the feeling of home a thousandfold. That was the reason why the owner also didn’t see and understand Asahi’s magic. Because they saw it simply as a café when in reality, Asahi is a medium to remind people of the feeling of home.

And now that Violet has experienced what it’s like to feel home through her three years of travelling, she’s finally found it. Asahi Café.

Violet asks the person behind the counter if she can see the owner, but he just shakes his head and tells her that the previous owner had left. Violet asks the boy for an envelope instead and after a few minutes, the boy hands Violet a red one with the words “Asahi Café” printed in a clean script on the back, and her ordered drink—Sunset juice.

Walking to a nearby table, Violet grabs a piece of paper and a pen from her bag and starts writing.

Dear Owner,

By the time you read this, I’ll be another few thousand miles from where I left this letter. I’d like to thank you for showing me what home is.

It’s the feeling of being alive—that is what home feels like.

I’m glad to have been guided by your letter in truly finding home. But for now, here I am, writing a letter and hoping that you also find your way home, because I know that you’re lost too. I hope you find it—your Asahi Café. I hope you’ll eventually return to feel the magic of home, to taste your drinks, so you’ll finally find out what all the hype was about. Because they’re right—your customers. They are magical. I found home, so I hope you find it too. Safe travels!

From

Violet.

english,

Literary: When I'm Home

1/22/2021 07:28:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

When I’m home
In our living room
I feel hyped
I want to dance
I want to sing
I want to go wild
In my room
I feel relaxed
I want to do nothing
I want to --
I want to --
In our bathroom
I feel --
I want to laugh
I want to cry
I want to go crazy
In our kitchen
I feel insecure
I want to lose weight
I want to pig out
I want to be confident
In our home
I feel safe - somehow
I want to hide
I want to talk
I want to --
In our house
I feel like it is not a home
I want to run away
I want to stay
I want to never come back

dandelion,

Literary: Abandoned Home

1/22/2021 07:24:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

The old house stands alone and abandoned
A place where life used to thrive.
Its rooms and hallways, which once echoed with laughter,
Are now void of any sound.

If only these empty rooms could give up their secrets
So many stories I'm sure they would tell
Of my once-vibrant home
And the childhood that I simply cannot let go

My memories begin to clutter
Unknowingly, I’m brought back to a pathway
Hearing a familiar sound, a mutter of a lawnmower
That used to keep this place prim, proper

However, what used to be a well-trodden path to the doorway
Has completely vanished from the sight of its former owners
Now overgrown with the passing of time
Seemingly a jungle of tall grass

The garden where, as kids, we would play
Savoring the cool breeze of wind while on my favorite swing
The bright morning sky beaming, mirroring my toothy smile
Now only a broken swing and memories remain

In this monochromatic quarter
I used to lay in deep sleep, when the clock struck nine
My dreams filled with rainbows and unicorns
Peaceful, content in my little haven

Now it lays silent, forlorn and bare
My dreams confined in its four corners
The only witness is its silent borders
And its shattered boarded-up windows

filipino,

Literary: Balay

1/22/2021 07:20:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

Inspired by true events

Maliit na tahanan,
Saksi sa buhay at samahan
Ng pamilyang nanirahan
Buhay nila’y batbat ng kahirapan
Ngunit pitong mga bata ay puno ng kasiyahan,
Dalawang magulang ibinigay ang buong kakayahan,
Maibigay lamang kanilang pangangailangan,
Makaraos mula sa kahirapan

Maliit na tahanan
Gawa man sa kawayan,
Sa pagbuhos ng mga bagyo’t ulan,
Nanatiling matatag mula sa kinatatayuan,
Pamilyang naniraha’y sa pagsubok din ay dumaan
Sila’y kinutya’t pinagtawanan
Ng mga taong nakapaligid
Tila raw ba’y hindi na nila maaabot ang kinabukasan

english,

Literary: Your True Home

1/22/2021 07:12:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

We all dream of a place we can call our home.
Home is where we go when we feel low.
It lifts us up every time we fall,
the reason why we keep going
and why we keep on trying.
It’s where we feel the most secure
and the most comfortable.
We can truly be ourselves without people's judgement.
It is a place that feels warm and inviting,
a place where time flies without us noticing.
I am blessed to have something so precious.
Not everyone can easily find where they truly belong.
They keep on searching for the right design and interior,
but are these what matter the most?
Some people call it home,
but I simply call it family.

english,

Literary: Night Through Morning

1/22/2021 07:08:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

My mother reads to me
One story every night
To set me fast asleep
In dim and muted light

One’s sung in a slow tune
Made up just for my ear
Her sweet voice fills the room
My favorite to hear,

“I’ll love you forever,
I’ll like you for always,
As long as I’m living,
My baby you’ll be.”

I am swayed into dreams
Swaddled in loving arms
I drift away in peace,
Incomparable warmth

My father then wakes me
To his chirps I listen
In his smile my eyes meet
A sun that has risen

I walk around, about
Stood up on tippy-toes
His two arms held out,
Where I go he follows

His laughter rings loudly
We dance to the kitchen
His hand holds mine warmly
My favorite rhythm

Night and morning may seem
Faraway, unalike
One is bathed in moonbeams
One is drenched in sunlight

But there lay more in-betweens
Than can ever be known
Both are good, both can gleam
With the comfort of home.
The third stanza of the poem is an excerpt from the book "Love You Forever" by Robert Munsch.

english,

News Feature: Get to know Take Off 2021’s startups

1/22/2021 12:40:00 PM Media Center 0 Comments

Grade 12 students of the UPIS Business and Entrepreneurship (B&E) Track are making the most out of their internship despite the pandemic by launching Take Off 2021, a month-long, space-themed online fair for the entire school’s community to enjoy.

Venture into space and have a close encounter with these three exciting new products and projects led by B&E Batch 2021:

Acres Harvest Quezon City