a pat on the back

Finally, the first semester of the school year 2005-2006 ends. Here’s some bits of information of my days spent in the past semester. Here we go…

Learning while having fun, Is it impossible? Now I realize that I don’t have the right attitude in studying. Yes, believe me. I don’t need to wear a mask that tells you IO’m doing fine. I have a problem about my study habit. When I’m reminded of this, I really feel uneasy. I want to study hard to earn good grades. During examinations, I set my alarm clock at 3:00 so that I can study. But when it rings, I just ignore it, and suddenly my conscience would remind me, but it’s too late, it’s already 5:30. So, what is suppose the moral of this story? I must have the right attitude in studying, self-control and habit- formation. I must do a breathe of prayer for help for Jesus. I do it but as what one cliche said "Nasa Diyos ang Awa, nasa tao ang gaw". Tsk!

I found myself during our intramural meet when I just go to school for the sake of attendance. O f course, you have to pay Php100.00 if you missed the check-in and check-out. Moral of this? Students life is not all-academic. God made as unique, for us to mingle with other. He gave us raw potential for us to exist. Involvement is participation, not spectatorship. More than existence, for it is alive, keeping in touch with people.

Those are some of the wrong deeds I’ve done during my struggle in the first sem of the school year. But as I write this piece of work, I come to realize many values that I should do. Brilliant, unusual and haunting. Focues on life and reality marks the so-called world of challenge. Has been created to develop deeper outlook of every individual a strong spirit of determination and courage in the game called life.

Do I reap praise out of these…? I don’t think so…

But aside of all those negative eek eek. Consider what I’ve done during the first sem, has been hapenned to the history of struggle. And you know, why? Here it is…

I found myself successfully hurdled the challenge imposed to me even at the start of the sem in venturing Math which I perceived as tough and challenging subject when I’,m one among students given the previledge not to take the exam for getting 90-100% range of grade in the final exam.

I have also the courage to apply in an extensive recruitment drive for the formation of our school peer counsellors, a spin-off of the attempt of the school guidance to widen it’s fold of counsellors.

Being a nursing student, I proved myself one actually studying hard and show integration to fundamental concerns in the community at the same time after chosen  the one who will make the conclusion, evaluation and implementation in our recently concluded Community Extension Service of our group.

etc.

REPOST… BENG: AN EXCEPTIONAL FILIPINA
(IN REQUEST OF A FRIEND)

It was yesterday when the Arroyo government declares non-working holiday (naguguluhan talaga ako sa pabago-bagong desisyon.. Okay lang naman, ikanga "Save by the holiday" kasi may three exams kami and I’m not ready… ) for the celebration of the National Heroes day. So, it’s my task today to elevate the social consciousness of the masses. I’ll present to you a person whom for me, a heroine.

I read an article and it’s all about Benjaline Hernandez and I was about to realize. Her friends, colleagues and acquaintances oftenly called her Beng. She was a simple, honest, down to earth woman and the Vice President of the College Editors’s Guild of the Philippines for Mindanao wayback 2001. She became a victim of a summary execution at Sitio Bukatol, Brgy. Kinayawan in Arakan Valley on April 5, 2002 and died together with some of the farmers after being tugged as members of the New People’s Army (NPA). She is a martyr and must be given enough tribute and recognition for her own simple ways, she made a mark to the hearts ofthose who aspire for peace, justice and human rights from the government that is now called a growing monster who kill it’s own people because of the politicians who are starving for power and greed.

I did not have the chance to met herbut it made me think that I somewhat I knew her through her poem "Ang Bata". She wrote it on August 3,2000.

Noong ako’y limang taong gulang,
Ako’y mataas na sa lengguwaheng magsasaka.
Naiintindihan ko na ang ibig sabihin
ng gutom, bantito at renta.

Nagpapaligo na ng kalabaw, nagiigib na ng tubig
Nagbabantay na ng kapatid, naghaharbes na ng mani
Nanghuhuli ng palaka upang ulamin
at kung anu-ano pa…

Walang puwang ang laro sa baryo namin
Sapgkat ang buhay dito ay di nakakatuwa,
Tanging ligaya kapag may anio at pagkain.
Walang bata dito, lahat magsasaka

Noong ako’y sampung taong gulang
Ako’y mataas sa lengguwaheng militar.
Kabisado na ang putok ng armalite, garand, carbin at M14
at M79

Hindi dahil ang laruan namin ay ganito
Subalit dahil normal nang pagala-gala
Ang mga militar sa aming baryo.
Sundalong parati na lang galit,
Parating nakasinghal, mga mukhang aswang,
kung aswang nga ba’y totoo?

Hindi na ako nag-aaral
‘Di rin naman ako makapagtapos
Hindi naman makakain ang test paper
At di tinatanggap ni Bantito ang mataas na grado.

Noong ako’y kinse
Ako’y mataas na sa lengguwaheng Agraryong Rebo,
Naiintindihan ko na, ang ibig sabihin ng Bantito
at panginoong may lupa ay walang ipinagkakaiba sa pasismo.

Yumaman sila, hindi dahil sila ay matalino
kung hindi dahil sila ay mapagsamantala.
At humihirap kami, hindi rin dahil kami ay tamad,
kung hindi dahil   kami ay magsasaka.

Iyan ang batas ng pyudalismo.
Problemang sintado ng 75%
"Panahon na upang palayain ang mga magsasaka!"
Yan ang turo sa akin ng mga sundalong nais lumaya.

Ngayon na ako’y dise-otso
Ako’y mataas na sa lengguwaheng armadong pakikibaka.
Ako pala ay kailangan ng rebolusyon
Upang tapusin ang daan-daang tunggalian.

Magpapaalam na kay Nanay at Tatay,
At pati na rin sa aming baryo.
Sasama na sa mga kaibigan,
at magiging isang Pulang Hukbo.
Mababawi na ang lupa mula kay Bantito
Mapuputol na ang kadena ng imperyalismo,
pyudalismo at barukrata kapitalismo.
Mababago na ang ating lipunan
Kapag tayo mismo ang kikilos at sasanib sa hukbo.

Wala namang dapat pagnilay-nilayan pa,
sapat na ang 20 taong pagsasawalang-bahala
Ako man ay may murang edad,
Subalit kung wawariin ay kay tanda na.
Dahil kahit kailan, ‘di totoong nasa edad ang pagkamulat.
At kahit kailan, ‘di batayan ang edad sa pakikibaka.

Gets the pic"(and I don’t mean the pictures above)? On how Beng fought in her struggle as could be seen  in her poem? She is just one among the millions of people who still seek for justice and peace. Everyone of us faces serious condition and we can’t understand why there are deprivation, oppression and discrimination in society. Where rich people became more richer and poor people became more poorer.

I stand firm in my belief tht one should strive to survive to fight for justice and for acceptance. Those who were blindfolded and refused to see the truth were a great losser.

Now I know, that no matter how difficult, we have to do something different that we can prove to the world that we are not a losser. We should fight for the right we deserve. And we must continually strive to achieve the peace, justice and human rights taken from us. We need to be free. Ano ba’ng slbi ng ating mga bayani, if this is the case? We need to escaped from the cage that treat us as puppets. We must fight in order to win, for this is a battle….