A BOY’S TOUCH (short story)

This is one thing that I have learned after a tragic incident that befell us. When my brother passed away last year, it left us an unbearable pain and a very bog hole in our hearts. There were nights that I cry myself to sleep hoping that the emptiness that it caused me would fade away. I soon began to hide from the world’s lovely offerings. Afraid to get attached to something or someone that I would eventually lose, I refused to care about anything or anyone. I believe that if I do that, I would spare myself of the pain that my brother’s passing away had caused me.
Four months had passed and barely anything in our home has changed. My brother’s room was still as empty as our hearts were. Those bright faces that once greeted me every time I come home from school became now saddened and gloomy. That made it very hard for me to come home from school where I find myself out of the miseries that have long haunted us. I hate coming home and am welcomed with those sad eyes of my family. It felt that every time I come into the house, I am entering a very dark through. There were no more hugs from my mom or from any of my family members. It was never the case a year ago. They gave me nothing but a blank stare.
One rainy afternoon after spending a long tiresome day at school, I came home soaking wet and feeling very cold. The very second I entered the house; I came face to face with this boy whom I have never seen before. He was not more than three years old. He was thin, clad in shabby clothes, and looking very scared. His big round eyes kept staring at me. My mother who was sitting beside, him whispered something to him and right after that, he approached me and called me “Ate”. I got a bit confused about what was happening until my mother filled me in with what was going on. She told me that she adopted him and that we are the little boy’s new family. She also told me his story. From her, I found out that the boy was abandoned by his own mother when he was just a year old. The boy’s relatives took him in their keeping for two years and were treated no more than a house pet. Fortunately, a concerned aunt, out of pity for the boy, took him away from his relatives and gave him to my mother.
After learning his history, I felt a strange feeling towards the boy. A surge of protectiveness for him enveloped me.
We gave him the name Joross Joshua. At first, he was very aloof and was barely talking to anyone. There were times that he would grab me by the hand and would walk with me wherever I would go or he would just sit beside me as if he was trying to get security from my company. From being very thin looking very scared, Joross Joshua is now a healthy good-looking boy who, I’m sure, is feeling very loved and at home.
As each day passes, the dark corners of the house get brighter and brighter.
It was not only Joshua who underwent changes, but also us. Now, you could hear everyone laughing and bantering. I am glad that finally, sunshine now fills the once emptied room. And as for myself, I became always excited with just the thought of heading home after class.
Everybody would say that Joshua is very lucky for having us taking care of him. True, but I believe that we are luckier for having him as a new member of the family. It is because Joross Joshua brought us new warmth and love to our home. He was our lost brother who finally returned home.

FRIENDSHIP (essay)

Is friendship having a role in our life or it is only a decoration in our life? I think friendship have a very important role in our life. Happy is the house that shelters a friend!! A good friend who are always their to support and guide you in anyways, a friend who are willing to commit his/her time and love for you, who are their in sadness and happiness in your life and who give entertainment in every single day of our lives. A friend is like a brothers and sister who wish the best for us. The one help us to think the right things and right discussions that we made in our life. A companion and a person who understand us in time that we may think that no one can’t understand us and our hero in times of trouble. I’m very much thankful that God give me a wonderful gift and that is my friends. We have the same and unique attitude, beliefs and values in life but still we are good friends who respect each other. With them, I feel safe and comfortable. We give entertainment to each other without asking in return. They are my inspiration and angels of my life. Having a friend like them is a priceless gift that I ever had.
I n this world, two kinds of friends may encounter. A good one or a bad ones. Bad ones are a type of friends who is bad influence. They will put your life in miserable one. Friendship has large impact in ones life. It can change the perspective, attitude and values of ones life. Bad friends will give you from the start but leave you in the end and you will be the one suffering the consequence of the action that you have done when you are with them, however, choosing a friend is up to the person who she wish to be her friends. We just need to be wise in choosing a right friend to be your companion and angels of your life
In friendship, we can’t avoid having conflict of misunderstanding. Time will come that quarrel occur in one friendship however if you are a true friends you will not let the situation became the cause to destroy or break your friendship because conflicts are just a trial of hindrances that come in friendship to strengthen and to be strong the faith and trust in each other as your friends.

A CURSE OR A GIFT (poem)

Life is precious, and the sky is blue
But for me, I don’t believe it’s blue
By living in such a filthy place
I feel like my life is put to waste.

So why don’t you just bleed
Cause I won’t do what you plead
Life is such an insane game
So don’t put yourself to blame.

Which do you prefer? Living here or in hell?
Don’t ask me because I can’t tell
Life is what makes people drift
So what do you think? Is it a curse or a drift?

Critique in Cordillera Autonomous Region

Different provinces are included in the Cordillera Autonomous Region. Some of their tradition,culture,way of living and others are similar with the other people living in the different places in CAR region, however they have also unique characteristics and they also different in some ways.

First is the Isneg. They are one of the resident of the CAR region. They lived in Kalinga-Apayao. They possessed a righteous attitudes like being kind,hospitable and generous. Being hospitable are one of the best qualities that a Filipino have. They possessed with the spirit of self-reliance and courage and clearly artistic in their temperament. They are close neighbors to the Kalinga,Tingguan and Ifugao. They have cultural similarities and only the language differ. They practice a headhunting society and they believed in a good or bad spirits. Isneg are industrious person and they have an old style of courtship. The parents of the girl allow to take place courtship in their house unlike today that courtship is not important for the people who are in love.

Second is the Tingguians. Abra occupies the western portion of the Cordillera Region in northern Luzon. Most Tingguians are farmers, who tend rice in kaingin and their economy is agricultural based. Their major crops are rice,corn and they have also commercial product as coffee and coconut. Until now some of them believed in ancient and supernatural spirits however many of them are Christianized and Catholicism.

They are the most prominent of the mountain people. They are the Ifugaos which inhabit the most rugged and mountainous part of the country. Their ancestors are the one made the famous rice terraces. The American made friend with them and change the Ifugao's way of life. Agriculture is the main source of their livelihood and also engage in poultry and hunting. Like in Isneg and other tribe, Ifugao believed in spirits and dities. They expressed in various rituals which they performed in any occasion. Even the rice planting and rice harvesting include the important ritual of the Ifugao. They have also their own musical instrument and songs. Some of their instrument are made in bamboo and rattan. Ifugao people are very creative and industrious. They have a louge chair "hagibi" a symbol indicating the status of the family. They are divided in aristocracy and the lower class.

Bontoc are the only people in he area of CAR known to have laws on welfare,including the making of peace and pacts. Their skills in fighting discouraged the Spanish missionary work and military penetration. Bontoc believed that their laws 2were given to them by Lumawig,their culture hero. They have also social classes like the Ifugao,they are divided in 3 classes,the rich,middle class,and the poor. Their livelihood is the same with the other tribe,however they engaged in fishing. The Bontoc also believed in the anitos and spirits of their ancestors and in spirits dwelling in nature but they are essentially monotheistic. They have also christian baptism and courtship is just like the Isneg.

The Kankanays are the third largest cultural community in the mountain province. They are called Lepato Igorots both southern and northern Kankanay. Family is the basic social unit of the Kankanay. They practiced a monogamous relationship and all the members of the family are expected to do their responsibilities related to economic and ritual activities. They have also social classes like the Bontoc and other tribe. Their supernatural world recognizes male and female god features as well as spirit beings. Hunt and fish are their primary source of food,some of them engaged in seasonal jobs like carpentry and pottery. They have the traditional G-string which men wear and ornamentation by tattooing of the arm is popular for the both sexes.

Lastly,the Kalinga. When the Americans came,they provided the mountain people with vocational training and the mountain tribes remained loyal to the Americans when the Japanese came. The Americans teacher and missionaries changed the belief of the Kalinga that the Illnesses were caused by bad spirit. They also have a social classes that divided in 3 classes liked the other tribes. They practiced arranged marriage except among the wealthy families in southern Kalinga. Their literature consists of riddles,legends,chanted or sung myths and ballads. Most of their epics feature romance and magic and bravery. Their characteristics was reflected in their literary words.

From the different ethic groups in CAR we can compare them with the other tribes and their different way of living,their characteristic their religious belief and literary works today. We learn from their background that they are all industrious,creative/artistic kind and possessed good qualities. Their characteristics were reflected in their literary works and from there we can get information and lesson and we can easily traced them according to their unique qualities.

Critique in Biag ni Lam-ang

Biag ni Lam-ang is a story of a boy who has a super natural strength. A myth and a fictitious one. A story where in some of the cultural practices of Ilocano are reflected and possess by the characters. Lam-ang is a brave person. A son of Don Juan Panganiban and Namongan. A husband of Ines Kannoyan. Don Juan Panganiban is an arrogant and a brave man. A father of Lam-ang. Namongan is the mother of Lam-ang and an understandable and loving mother and wife. Ines Kannoyan is the wife of Lam-ang. Daugther of one of the richest man of the town in Kalanutian. The dog and the roaster are the friends of Lam-ang and he used them in his magic. Sumarang is the enemy of Lam-ang on his way to Kalanutian and Sarindang is the one who tried to seduce Lam-ang. The setting of the story is in tribe, where in their living is hunting animals,wearing a "bahag" and their house is like a tent. They plot of the story is when Lam-ang left his mother to look after his father and to found out the Igorots who killed his father. On his way to Kalanutian, he find the girl he loves and they got married.
Some of the values that I get from the story are the following...being brave,friendly,lovable son and have an own beliefs,decision and "paninindigan" in his life. He care for his parents specially with his father who are not their in his side and have a good heart. He loves animals that's why they are very close of his animal Friends. A wonderful story that will give entertainment to the readers,containing values and can relate to the living and characteristics of Ilocanos. The character of Lam-ang represent the qualities that Ilocano have, however some words are hard to understand especially if you are not Ilocano. It is hard to pronounced some words if you don't have an idea with the dialect of Ilocano people.

What you see, is what you get!!!That's Laiza Macol

I am 19 yrs. old,a residence of 427 Joel st.annex 41 Brgy.Sun Valley Paranaque city. Only child of my parents and a third year college at Rizal Technological University, taking up Office Administration major in Office Management.


If you can see my mother,you will say that I am a carbon copy of her,because most of my physical apperance I inherited from my pretty mom. We have the same brown eyes,a flat nose,a rouund shape face,chubby chicks and small forehaed. I am 5"2 tall and 100 lbs. I have a flawless skin and I dont have a sexy body cause I am slight chubby and sexy in my own ways.


I dont like people who are plastic and boastful. If I encounter individuals who possess such qualities, I just listen to them and then later on, I forget those thing that they told to me. Sometimes we cannot avoid people who are like that, however to avoid being vulgar, I just listen and smile afterwards, I keep it only to myself that I hate him/her to avoid conflicts, then in the next time that I meet them again I avoid talkning with such people. I just accapt thier attitude however wiyh my friends I tell it to them,for them to change and improve it and in return they also tell it to me the same thing. II am a true person. What you see is what you get,thats the real me. I dont need to pretend to anyone just to pleased them to be my friends. I dont like people who are pretending to be good but they are not. Also I am a cheerful person,a smiling face. I dont want to be lonely,however sometimes due to many things that I encounter with my life I feel frustated and depressed. With my friends, I treat them as a sister and brothers. I dont want them to be hurt by others. I am sensitive with regards to my freinds and I see to it that I give my best to work uor relationship and last forever. I love chating with them,reading filipino and sometime english pocket books. Eating,going to mall and answering puzzles are also my past time. When the night comes, I love watching the skly,the moon,the stars, because I feel relaxed,comfortable,at peace specially with I have problems. While watching the sky, I talked to God,tell him the things that happened in that whole day. I am not a religous person but I see to eat that my faithfulness to him is always their. I go to church every Sunday to attend mass. I feel unhealthy and the start of my week is not good if I did not go to church. He is my beloved best friends,because he is the one can understand me when the time that anyone cannot understand me. He is always there to listen and put away my hatred and give me strength to be strong to face all the trials that I am facing with my life. I know I can survive in this life with God.
My goal in life is to finish my studies,to have a stable job in the near future. I will build a house for my mother and hopefully can have a one happy family, because I came from a broken family and it is not a problem for me,because my mom is there to protect me,guide me and responsible for me. I am so thankful to God that he give me a good kind of mother.

So, I hope you have an idea about me!!!!!!!!