Unforgettable Encounters

July 24, 2011 (Sunday night):

Quezon hall

• We, Wilbert and Ace, together with our blockmates, Daniel, Vigel, JC, and MJ (coincidentally the Group # 4 + Euan) went to Quezon hall at UP Diliman to attend a film showing and evening vigil for the next day's activity, PNoy's 2nd State of the Nation Address at Batasan.
• It was slightly a rainy night so the organizers changed the venue to Vinzons hall also to accommodate the placards, and other paraphernalia needed for the so-called SONA ng Bayan.
• There we met kuya Mico, a member of the Center for Nationalist Studies. He welcomed us and let us help cut the materials (particularly for the mask, see picture below)

Pasista, Inutil, Pahirap

• We had a somewhat educational discussion about the said activity. We learned many things like the disadvantages of foreign investments and how superpowers control the economy of their neo-colony. Some of the Anakbayan activists told us about PNoy's useless projects. One of those is the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) in which 8 out of its 10 contents talk about the Public-Private Partnership. Also stated in that plan is about the free market and how it became a failure. Another project is the CCT or the conditional cash transfer where the government took a huge amount of load from the Asian Development Bank.

• Afterwards, we watched a short film entitled Ang Sandaling Sadya nina Lire at Isa (Lire and Isa's Unforgettable Encounter, hence the title of this post). The film is about the children named Lire and Isa who met and known each other's talents on their way to a barrio to send a message. They eventually discovered the real troublesome community they live in where revolutionary forces are in control. And to that, they should be responsible enough to be conscious of their acts.

Ang Sandaling Sadya nina Lire at Isa

• We then went home at quarter to 11 PM. The next day, Vigel, Andrea, Euan, and Patrick joined the march to Batasan to watch and know the truth about our nation's state.

What You Think of Me

Most of the time, I tell myself not to care about what others think of me. Although I am conscious of myself sometimes, I believe it's not worth thinking and worrying about. But I know there are things that others may see in me that I am not aware of. Or perhaps they can see only the masks I wear sometimes.

I didn't really expect that college professors would ask their students to make something like describing yourself, or making me think what they think of me. I thought all they do is just enter the classroom, teach some lessons, and then leave. This reminded me somehow of some of my high school teachers who try to know who his students really are.

What You Think of Me (Photo not mine)

Probably, Ms. Louj Sonido will think of me as an ordinary and quiet student. I don't really participate that well in class. I only recite in her class when she calls me or when it is needed. And when I am speaking in front of people I don't know, my body shakes. I can assume that she thinks that I am a shy person. And because of these, I guess Ms. Louj doesn't really have an idea of who I am, or maybe she is having a hard time getting to know me. This is how I am every start of the school year. But when I get used to my teacher and know my classmates more, I participate in the class well.

To tell you the truth, I am different when I am with my family and close friends. For them, I may not be the shy or quiet person, but rather a talkative man. However, I prefer more listening than doing all the talk especially during class hours. And I think I have some reasons for this. I mentioned one already and that is I am not used to the teacher and the class. And because of this, I am afraid that when I speak in front of them, they will laugh and make fun of me. This is when my conscious part comes in. That is why I keep telling myself not to care about what others may think, so as to overcome my part that is preventing me to become a better person.


(Written by Justine Ace Santos)

The Truth Behind the Signs of the Times

See the picture above? It says "Safety ends here." What exactly does it mean? What kind of danger awaits us? Are we supposed to do immediate actions or just wait for someone or something to happen?

Last Thursday, July 07, we (Wilbert and Ace) and our blockmates went to Vargas Museum in UP Diliman to view an exhibit entitled Placard: Signs of the Times. At first, we were amazed with those artistic and wonderful placards but as we go on, we realized that they convey striking messages. It's like they are speaking to us and telling us what we have to do. They are basically an eye-opener that inform us of what kind of system we have in our country.

Here are some of the placards we've seen:

Placards taken at Vargas Museum grounds

So, in the first picture, it says "This rug is absorbing all your blood," which is written behind the American flag. In the second, it says "They can't fool us all the time..." Clearly, it tells us that the Americans are just deceiving us and benefiting from different kinds of our resources. On the lower left, it says "End impunity now!" It really describes what kind of system of government we have now. A lot of people are having exemptions from punishments which shows the injustice we had since then. And, on the lower right, it awakens us from the recent killings in the media and other fields.

These placards depict the signs of the times we have been experiencing the wrongdoings of those in control. When do you think these will end? Or will these really end? As the upper right picture says, "Peace my ass," we think these actions are intolerable. It's like we are used to it. But when should we act; when we are most affected? Of course not. We should also voice out our opinions and rights.

The people are not blind for they see the truth. The deaf could also hear the cries of their fellowmen, and the paralyzed or disabled will surely be moved by the pains the country is experiencing. This placard exhibit is an instrument for the dissemination of information. By the way, these are the works of the young, UP students showing the Filipinos' condition. Each placard shows different stories and representations. Some are those that will tell you about the flaws in the government, the domination of the America over the Philippines, and the problems and issues brought by the previous administration. There are many people out there that it is not that they don't care, it is just that they don't know. It's a good thing there are those people who use their skills and talents in art not only for promoting our own culture but for making the Filipinos realize and see the truth. That is one of the best kind of art we can be proud of.

Sample

First post. 

So, hello there! Haha! This will be our blog for the English 1 class at UP Diliman mentored by Ms. Louj Sonido for the First Semester AY 2011-2012 . Blablablabla sample sample sample.