Am I a Responsible Filipino?

In a democratic country, the absolute power to elect government officials rest on the hands of its citizens. The Philippines, being democratic, depends on its people to put into power the right politician for the job. This brings in the people’s Right to Suffrage or the Right to Vote.

 

Source: http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2013/06/17/954861/comelec-forms-committee-barangay-elections

Article V, Section 1 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution states that “Suffrage may be exercised by all citizens of the Philippines not otherwise qualified by law, who are at least eighteen years of age and who shall have resided in the Philippines for at least one year and in the place wherein they purpose to vote for at least six months immediately preceding the election. No literacy, property, or other substantive requirement shall be imposed on the exercise of suffrage.”

Suffrage is considered one of the most important civic responsibilities of the citizens of a nation. Being tasked to elect government officials into power is not an easy task. The power lies in the people’s hands during the day of election. But after elections, the people seem to lose their voice. Some no longer care what happens to the government and where the money goes. While some are active enough to get to the streets and protest the way government officials abuse their power, some are just contented to watch and remain silent. Our civic responsibility does not end after casting our votes, after the results are announced or even after the officials started their term. Why? After we have elected the government officials into power, another very important civic responsibility comes into action.

Being a democratic country, we have strong belief on the words “a government of the people, by the people, for the people.” Although this was delivered by Lincoln during the American Civil War, on the afternoon of Thursday, November 19, 1863, at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, four and a half months after the Union armies defeated those of the Confederacy at the Battle of Gettysburg with a different meaning intended, this quote has already been a sort of basis for what a government should be especially in a democratic country like the Philippines..

 

Source: http://www.rappler.com/nation/politics/elections-2013/28702-2013-philippine-elections-guide

After elections, the elected officials will be starting their term. For some, this will also be the start of abuse of power, graft and corruption. When Benigno Simeon C. Aquino, III ran and won as the 15^th President of the Republic of the Philippines in 2010, he promised the Filipino people the “tuwid na daan” system aiming to eradicate graft and corruption in the Philippine government during his six year term. The Filipinos believed in him and in his promise that is why he was elected to power. We expected the Philippines too rise from the ashes of a third world country and once again rise as the Tiger of Asia like that during the term of former President Fidel V. Ramos. We expected our economy to rise and bring a better life for Filipino people. We expected an improvement of the crisis on poverty, lack of housing, illiteracy and lack of jobs. We expected a more transparent, clean and honest management of the taxpayers money.

Now, after three years since PNOY started his term, where is this SO-CALLED “tuwid na daan”? What happened? The Philippines even seemed to sink lower and lower into the mud and quagmire poverty, graft and corruption, and other social and economical problems as stated above. As Filipinos, it is our duty to be watchful and vigilant on what our government officials are during. As citizens of this nation, we have every right to participative in forums, assemblies, meetings and court hearings to be updated on what is happening in the government. This is a bigger civic responsibility of every Filipino, young and old, male or female, educated or not.

The Constitution should have included in the checks and balances theory that the people should also have the right to put into check and scrutinize carefully the decisions of the three branches of the government. Remember that as citizens of this democratic country, the people have the power to elect our government officials into power. Therefore, our officials are accountable to the Filipino people.

Many Filipinos are not aware of this bigger civic responsibility which rests on their shoulders. This is a right provided for us by the 1987 Constitution. Many Filipinos would complain of how the government is being run but they are not doing anything about. Be more vigilant, be more participative in the affairs of our country and you will have every reason to complain. You have every right to do so. Always remember that your rights do not end after the elections.

STRESSED is DESSERTS spelled backwards

According to Wikipedia, Stress is a person's response to a stressor such as an environmental condition or a stimulus. Stress can be very bad on your body if you don't learn how to handle it. Stress is a body's method of reacting to a challenge. According to the stressful event, the body's way to respond to stress is by sympathetic nervous system activation which results in the fight-or-flight response. Stress typically describes a negative condition or a positive condition that can have an impact on a person's mental and physical well-being.

Source: http://tfosuccess.com/stress-management/

The term stress had none of its contemporary connotations before the 1920s. It is a form of the Middle English destresse, derived via Old French from the Latin stringere, "to draw tight." The word had long been in use in physics to refer to the internal distribution of a force exerted on a material body, resulting in strain. In the 1920s and 1930s biological and psychological circles occasionally used the term to refer to a mental strain or to a harmful environmental agent that could cause illness. Stress as an explanation of lived experience is absent from both lay and expert life narratives before the 1930s".

(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stress_(biology))

          Each one of us experiences stress almost everyday due to many different factors, sources, stimulus or condition. We encounter stress at home, in school, in the workplace and well, practically everywhere. Stress has become a part of a person’s daily life, whether he or she likes it or not.

According to www.medicanewstoday, the most common causes of stress are: Bereavement, Family problems, Financial matters, Illness, Job issues, Lack of time, Moving home, Relationships (including divorce). Other factors include: Abortion, Becoming a mother or a father, Conflicts in the workplace, Driving in bad traffic, Fear of crime, Losing your job, Miscarriage, Noisy neighbors, Overcrowding, Pollution, Pregnancy, Retirement, Too much noise, Uncertainty (awaiting laboratory test results, academic exam results, job interview results, etc).

          However, a lot of scientists, doctors and psychologists have conducted tests and experiments in determining and studying stress and what causes it. A lot of studies was also conducted aiming to come up with better if not the best solution to combat stress. Since nothing is impossible with science, scientists and other experts believe that they can be able to come up with the best anti-stress formula.

          In the meantime, doctors and experts advise three methods in lessening and combating if not eradicating stress. These are Self-Help, Self-Management, and Medication.

 

Source: http://willgallucci.com/wordpress/?p=167

Self – Help Method

·         Exercise – exercise is very important in maintaining a stress free life after having been proven and tested to affect a person’s over-all we being. Exercise is one way of releasing stress trapped in the body. A 30-minute jog can help releasing stress.

·         Proper nutrition – eating the right food ensures that the body gets the right and exact amount of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients needed to combat stress.

·         Drugs and Alcohol – besides being harmful to the body, they do not give any benefit except satisfaction. Some think that by drinking alcohol and taking drugs, they can release the stress in their body. What they don’t know that alcohol and drugs can even add to the stress they already have.

·         Relaxation and Meditation – for me, this is one of the most effective anti-stress formulas. Whenever you feel stressed out, calm down and meditate. Do some yoga or have a massage and you will surely feel stress-free after a few minutes. Sometimes, stress is brought about by to much work. Conditioning your mind and body helps in combatting stress.

·         Time – have some time for yourself. Life is not always work, work, work! Take a few minutes off every now and then. Why not watch a movie by yourself or go on a trip.

·         Caffeine – coffee contains caffeine that aids in combatting sleepiness but not all the time. Remember, too much caffeine is not good for the body.

·         Division of Labor – do not ever take on more than what you can manage. Divide the responsibilities among yourselves. The more responsibilities you have, the bigger the stress.

·         Breathing – proper breathing aids in combatting stress. Learn some breathing exercises and put it into good use whenever you feel stressed out.

·         Talk – stress is caused by problems so try to talk to someone like your family, classmates, friends, or colleagues. Just let it all out and listen to their advice. Before you know it, you will feel stress free.

·         Laugh – remember, laughter is the best medicine. Whenever you feel stressed out, watch a comedy movie or go to a comedy bar. Laugh out loud and your stress will fly away.

·         Seek professional help – if all else fails, go see a doctor or a psychologist. They surely know what to do.

Self – Management

·         This are often found in books, medical journals or in the internet. Experts call this the self – management therapy. No need to go to the doctor. Do your research and put it into good use. You can also attend stress management sessions or seminars. Doctors also advise massage, reflexology, yoga, aromatherapy and acupuncture. That is if you are wiling to pay.

 

Source: http://www.briody-fitnessnhealth.com/stress.html

Medicines

·         When all else fails, you no longer have any choice but to consider going to the doctor and asking for a prescription which can help you combat stress. Although you have to remember that too much dependence on medicines can affect or might damage your body.

Stress can be avoided if we take good care of ourselves. At the end of the day, it is still all up to you on how you will manage and combat stress. Live a healthy lifestyle!

“I got STINKY, I got DIRTY, but see…I LEARNED!” (NIDO)

"Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinangalingan ay hindi makakarating sa paroroonan."

-       Dr. Jose P. Rizal

Since Rizal’s death, his famous quote has been one of the Filipinos’ guiding principles. Dr. Jose P. Rizal is simply telling us that in order to reach our destination, we need to look back from where we come from, look back to our past.

According to Wikipedia, “past” is a term used to indicate the totality of events which occurred before a given point in time. The past is contrasted with and defined by the present and the future. The concept of the past is derived from the linear fashion in which human observers experience time, and is accessed through memory and recollection. In addition, human beings have recorded the past since the advent of written language.

When talking about the “past”, another famous quote usually comes into mind. What is this famous quote? Aren’t you familiar with “Past is past”? I am quite sure that almost all of us have quoted this quote every once in a while. I was unable to find the origin of this quote in the internet but they say it was used by people who are brokenhearted or “sawi sa pag-ibig”.

Comparing and contrasting these two quotes, which would you choose to believe in? Although they both talk about the past, they are different in meaning.

For us Filipinos, Rizal teaches us that looking back to where we come from is very important. We should remember that significant things had happened in the past and still we treasure and we should treasure those things until now. We always give time to celebrate important moments from the past and even we would say “Past is past”, what comes into our minds is that ‘at least I’ve learned something fruitful from my past’.

 

Source: http://www.jamesleonhardt.com/vision/

The past is like a gateway of molding us to become who we are now. We live from it, learn from it and love it because it is already a part of us. We usually tend to look back to those good memories that we have especially when we were still little. We laugh to those happy seconds of our time. We feel sad for those mistakes that we have done. We feel regrets for those promises that we have not accomplished. The beauty and the beast of the past are still circling around our head and it helps us grow stronger. It helps us to make good decisions. It helps us in all aspects of our lives.

Past, it is a broad term relating to one’s memoirs. Some believed that forgetting their past will release them from those bad situations that had happened to them but, you will only make it worse. Instead, we need to accept these kinds of things because we cannot change what happened in the past and it will remain constant no matter what we do. Holding on the past is like keeping a sacred thing and you must consider it as one of your keys in opening a better life in the future.

We need to think of what Rizal’s famous quote has left for us. It paves the way to have a beautiful and successful future. The key is looking back. When we’ve done stupid things in the past, remember that we have tomorrow as our second chance to do the right thing. Doing a mistake twice will not help you grow up, that is why God created the future to give us chance in life.

Source: http://awrightworld.tumblr.com/post/4109827414/letting-the-past-control-your-future

“Past is past” can sarcastically mean that we should ignore the past and not analyze its importance. It is totally a mistake when we do such thing. The past should not be and should never be ignored. We need to live a life as what Rizal has said. We need to treasure what the past has brought us. It has brought us freedom. Even if we relate this to the past events that had happened in our country, it gave us one special thing that we are using and claiming as of today, FREEDOM.

Keep the past closely in our hearts because someday it might be helpful to us. Without our past, we will never be in where we are today.

"Bukot Burugasan, Bukot Paranubli-on"

Source: http://antique.gov.ph/

“Twenty-eight years ago, a murder was executed in San Jose, the capital of Antique in Panay Island that outraged the Filipino people struggling to free themselves from the clutches of a dictatorship.

The assassination of Evelio Bellaflor Javier (EBJ) on Feb. 11, 1986 sparked the flame of democracy that burned bright in the succeeding days and culminated in the historic February 22-25, 1986 People Power that ended the 20-year Marcos dictatorship.”

(http://ph.news.yahoo.com/blogs/the-inbox/antique-celebrated-evelio-javier-day-145325733.html)

The Javier name in the Province of Antique has always been associated with heroism. Every February 11, the island of Panay remembers the heroism of the late Antique Governor, Evelio B. Javier who was killed on this day in 1986 while guarding the ballots in front of the Antique Provincial Capitol. This day was declared a holiday through RA 7601 by President Corazon Aquino in 1992.

He was the champion of the poor and well loved by the Antiqueños. Whenever the song “Impossible Dream” is being played, people will always remember Evelio or Beloy as he is fondly called. The most famous line of this modern day hero was “Ang pulitika bukot burugasan, bukot paranubli-un” or in English, “politics is not a food source, not an inheritance”.

But what is disheartening about this line is that after Beloy’s death in 1986, his brother, Exequiel, joined politics bringing the name of the former with promises of progress and betterment of life for the Antiqueños. Since 1987, Exequiel has held power as Congressman and Governor for many terms. After his last term in 2010, he turned over his Congressional seat to his son, Paolo Everardo Javier, while he ran and won as Governor of the Province.

          What an insult to the legacy and the name left by Beloy! Where now is the essence of the famous line of Beloy in the actions of his brother who in the first place, won by bringing the former’s name? He even uses the song Impossible Dream as his campaign jingle just to encourage the Antiqueños to vote for him and his son.

          Ever since Exequiel had been in power, numerous accusations of graft and corruption were hurled at him left and right. Supporters of the Former Governor Salvacion Zaldivar – Perez were removed with no further notice. The Christmas bonuses and 13^th month pay of the Provincial government employees were not released for the past two years that Exequiel is in power.

          The father and son tandem has again secured the posts of Congressman and Governor of the Province. With their political machinery and huge budget for the campaign, they were able to retain their positions. Massive vote-buying has always been the situation in Antique during election time.

Source: http://antique.gov.ph/

          A huge tarpaulin in the town plaza of the capital San Jose de Buenavista shows the pictures of the father and son bearing the slogan “25 years of faithful service” to the Antiqueños. A similar tarpaulin can be found beside the bridge just outside the Poblacion of the town of Hamtic.

          But who says that “crime does not pay”?

          Now, his Excellency Boy-Ex Javier is facing charges for illegal suspension of Valderrama Mayor Mary Joyce Roquero, wife of the former’s political rival Ray Roquero during the 2013 gubernatorial elections. The Commission on Elections has sided with Mayor Roquero on the matter.

          The Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has dismissed for lack of merit Javier’s motion for reconsideration and affirmed its September 3 en banc decision indicting the governor for violating the Omnibus Election Code. A jail term of one to six years awaits him. (Panay News)

          The Civil Service Commission has also sided with Provincial Information Officer Eric Otayde who was removed from his office when Javier took over the Provincial government from his close political nemesis former Governor Sally Perez. The CSC ordered Javier to reinstate Otayde and pay him his back salary amounting to more than 1 million pesos.  

          Last February 11, Panay Island commemorated the 28^th Death Anniversary of the Antiqueño Hero. But what is disheartening is that “Sadly in Antique, Evelio Javier’s legacy is becoming a distant memory” (Alex Delos Santos).

          Even in the other Provinces of Panay, less and less people can recognize the name of Evelio Javier.

Over the radio program Crazy Cris of Love Radio Iloilo, a listener asked who Evelio Javier was and why was that day a holiday. The host candidly answered that he was just as clueless but obviously googled EBJ immediately and read out the information. (Alex Delos Santos)

Source: http://ph.news.yahoo.com/blogs/the-inbox/antique-celebrated-evelio-javier-day-145325733.html

There is an old saying that when you are confronted with two evil choices, you should choose the lesser evil. We hope that the Antiqueños would be able to see beyond the veil that covers their eyes. Politics is neither a food source nor an inheritance especially to the brother of the very same person who uttered these words.

Speed Demons: A Growing Menace

Having a car is already a necessity for some people. Having a car gives you an edge against those people taking public transportation. You can get to your destination quicker than those riding a jeep or a tricycle. You can pass through shortcuts unlike jeepneys that have to follow a designated route.

However, having a car can also be a factor for vehicular accidents. You have to admit that not all drivers are careful in driving. Some would drive as if they are the only people on the road, speeding up to 100 Kph on a 40 Kph road. We call them speed demons.

These speed demons do not think of the welfare of other people. Are they aware that they are courting danger through the way they drive?  Why are there such drivers? More and more drivers add to this list every day. Thus, more and more vehicular accidents happen every day.

These speed demons deserve to be placed on a stationery car parked in the middle of the road which will then be hit by a speeding ten-wheeler truck. What would they feel if they are in this position? Will they also feel the fear and the dread? Will they also grab the rosary in the dashboard and pray incoherently? This kind of people should have a taste of their own medicine. They contribute a large percent to the increasing number of vehicular accidents.

What is the Land Transportation Office (LTO) doing to lessen the number of vehicular accidents? They should be more critical in their efforts to maintain the order in the roads especially near populated areas where accidents of pedestrians being hit are increasing. They should advocate responsible and safe driving. More so, the traffic enforcers should be strict in enforcing the traffic rules and regulations.

Bullying...a rising problem in schools

Merriam – Webster Dictionary defines school as “an institution or organization for learning which provides instruction or what we call as education“.

          Simply put, the school is supposedly the second home of a child while he is growing up. Starting from kindergarten up to college, a child goes to school to learn, discover and achieve. Teachers are highly trained in order to teach these children what they need to know. These very same teachers serve as a child’s second parents in school. They become the moulders of the children’s future.

          But this definition of school is slowly being challenged by the emerging problem in elementary and secondary schools in the country, Bullying. Webster defines bullying as “the act of intimidating a weaker person to make them do something against their will”. School becomes the survival of the fittest and the strongest, and downfall of the weakest.

          Why did I choose to write about this topic?

          It is simple. I was also a victim of bullying when I was in elementary and high school. Yes, this is true. I might be what you can call a “siga” nowadays but I was also once a bullied kid. School bullies especially those big bodied kids, the rich and popular kids would usually pick on me when they get bored. Since I was sickly and fragile when I was in elementary, I became one of the favourite pastimes of these bullies. They would tease me, make fun of me and get my things.

          I was raised by my parents with extreme care as if I was an egg and they are afraid that I might break. I was never taught and trained how to fight and answer back against anyone who would bully me. My mother especially never believed in violence and she tends to keep me away from factors that might encourage or influence me to engage in violent activities. I was taught the value of NONVIOLENCE.

          This was one of the reasons why I never fought back against the bullies and would just avoid them, if I can. Every time they would bully me, I would just walk away. But still, the hurt is there inside and the emotional pain would haunt me.

          It was only when my mother felt that I need to protect myself that she enrolled me in a taekwondo class which I enthusiastically look forward to every Saturday. I learned all the different kinds of punches, jabs, and kicks offered by this Korean martial art.

          One time when I was in Grade 5, I was bullied by one of my classmates. When he got tired of doing so, he turned away. Apparently, I could no longer hold back my anger and I landed a karate chop on the back of his neck. Thankfully, he has a thick neck so I was not able to damage any vital organ like his spinal cord. Another time, I kicked my classmate on the back because he keeps on bullying me. During these times, I felt contented and happy because I can finally protect myself and invoke justice in my part.

          However, I began to realize that what I am doing was not the right thing to do. Giving back the hurt that you receive is not good. Jesus once said “If someone throws a stone at you, throw a piece of bread at him.” As I remembered this line, I also realized that the value of HUMILITY is a weapon for me to succeed.

          The next the bullies picked on me, I just turned my back and left. Because of this, I was able to survive my elementary and high school years.

           Because of what I have been through, I promised myself that I will help those people who are being bullied. Every time a friend of mine is being bullied, I would immediately take his/her side. I began to practice the value of EMPATHY.

Bo Sanchez, a famous Catholic writer and Publisher of the Kerygma Magazine has this to say about bullying: http://bosanchez.ph/awaken-the-giant-within-you/.

Anyone here remembers Christopher Lao? He became the target of heavy bullying when a video showing him complaining of the inefficiency of the Philippine government went viral on Youtube and Social Networking Sites (SNS). As a survivor of bullying, he is now a full-pledged lawyer and an advocate against bullying. (http://www.rappler.com/move-ph/ispeak/40792-road-bully-free-philippines)

Last September 12, 2013, President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino, III signed the Republic Act 10627 or the “Anti-Bullying Act of 2013” which requires all elementary and secondary schools to adopt policies to prevent and address bullying in their institutions. (http://www.philstar.com/education-and-home/2013/09/19/1226601/anti-bullying-law-enacted)

This Law was authored by the feisty Dragon Lady of the Philippines, Ilongga Senator Miriam Defensor – Santiago.

This was highly welcomed by the Department of Education which began drafting the rules for implementation of the new law.

With the passing of this law, I hope that bullying will slowly be eradicated in the elementary and secondary school system. Bullying at a very young age affects the mental, emotional, social and intellectual aspects of a child’s growth.

Hopefully with this law, the school can once again be the second home of the child, a home away from home.

Twitter: Boon or Bane?

Social Networking Sites like Facebook, Friendster, Multiply, Plurk and Twitter have been invading the internet since the start of the 21^st century. Take Twitter for instance which has been around since July 2006 and has been a trend in countries like the United States where it originated. It instantly became famous with Hollywood celebrities, politicians and even ordinary people.

However, twitter only became a trend in the Philippines sometime on the year 2009. Some say twitter became a replacement for social media site Friendster who slowly became obsolete in the later years. Twitter consumption in the country is rising every year.

Tweeps (twitter users) are very much surprised upon reading a tweet from COMELEC Spokesperson James Jimenez last September 7, 2012 that COMELEC Chairman Sixto Brillantes, Jr. has already joined the world of Twitter which the latter confirmed the following day. This was even featured in GMA News online with the title “Never too old to tweet: Comelec Chairman Brillantes now on Twitter”.

Imagine, at the age of 72 years old, Chairman Brillantes showed Filipino netizens that having a Twitter account does not have an age requirement. To think that in the present age, senior citizens are already considered as way past the internet age. But what is impressive that more and more old people become active in SNS despite their age. Despite their apparent lack of computer skills, senior citizens are turning to SNS as a hobby.

From 4 to 34 followers in less than 4 minutes, Chairman Brillantes is really attracting more and more tweeps to follow him on Twitter. Comparing to this generation who started using the twitter at such a young age, 72 years old is already way past being a senior citizen but still Chairman Brillantes was able to grasp how Twitter works.

With SNS, everything is possible for whomever, whenever, and wherever.

Party - List System: Marginalized or Personal Gain?

Marginalized sectors in the Philippines include the self-employed or those working in family workshops, jeepneys drivers, rural workers like fisherfolks, farmers, urban poor, indigenous cultural communities, elderly, handicapped, women, youth, and such other sectors as may be provided by law, except the religious sector (Section 5(2), Article VI of the 1987 Constitution; Section 5, RA 7941). The nature and operation of their work are beyond the scope and reach of government legislation and regulations on labor as there are no employer-employee relationships.

The 1987 Constitution clearly provides the marginalized sectors a chance to be represented in the House of Representatives. Each party-list group is required to pass a list of nominees who will represent them when they won in the election. In addition to the usual requirements like being a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, a registered voter, able to read and write, the nominees must belong to the marginalized sector they represent (Section 9 of RA 7941).

(C) http://static.rappler.com/images/housereps-partylist-complete-20130622.jpg

These rules and guidelines should be followed to the letter. Failure to pass the requirements should be subject to disqualification. COMELEC has the authority and the full implementing powers to disqualify these party-list groups.

Through the years, the party-list system has been repeatedly abused and misused. Either the marginalized sectors being represented in the House of Representatives are not so marginalized anymore or the Representative is not as marginalized as he thinks he is.

Last year, the Ang Galing Pinoy party-list have been disqualified by the COMELEC due to failure to pass evidence to justify their accreditation and participation in the May 2013 elections. Ever since after the filing of candidacies and the May 2010 elections, Ang Galing Pinoy has been under heavy fire for its first choice nominee, Mikey Arroyo, son of former President and now Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Detractors accused the son of using the party-list to secure another term in the House of Representatives. Facts clearly show that he is not even a security guard or a driver that APG is representing. Even the other nominees of APG do not fall under the category of the marginalized sector. This made others speculate that the party-list is just a front for the Arroyos.

The party-list system has truly evolved as a money-making scheme for some politicians. It has deviated from its original purpose of representing the marginalized sector. AGP and Representative Mikey Arroyo should be disqualified and the slot be given to other party-list groups who are more deserving and are really serving the marginalized sector they represent.

(C) http://cpcabrisbane.org/Kasama/2003/V17n3/PartyList.htm

COMELEC should be vigilant and strict in giving party-list groups the authorization and go signal to participate in the elections. They should constantly check the status of these organizations. Party-list groups should pass their accreditation papers before given the authorization to run for election.

Time will come that the party-list system will really live out to its mission of representing and serving the marginalized sectors. Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, give to the marginalized what belongs to the marginalized.

Night Out: Stress Reliever or Addiction?

College is the last part of an individual’s education. This is the final stage before he or she goes out into the world, find work, and raise a family. They say that college will define you future because whatever decision you make in choosing your course will make an impact in your life after graduation in choosing a job.

Everyone would agree when we say that college is not easy. It is full of challenges and problems which are not present in elementary and high school. All your decisions in college is very important as it can affect your education and your grades. A person can only breathe easily when he or she is wearing the black toga of a graduate and receives his or her diploma.

What is the hardest part of college anyway? A question with many answers, as in many answers. But majority would answer this question with exams. Prelims, Midterms, Finals define the learnings that a student has made within the semester. Whatever answers a student has in his or her test paper shows what he or she was able to comprehend from his or her lessons. That is why students consider exams as a huge problem in college life. All are busy in studying and preparing for the exams especially final examinations. No malling, no shopping, no watching of movies, no recreation! Just books, notes and photocopies!

(C) http://gallery.asiantown.net/v/t3yg/Exams-are-more-fun-in-Philippines

But the fun part always starts right after the last exam. It has already been proven and tested that right after examinations, hang-out spots here in Iloilo City are always filled with students enjoying themselves to the fullest. Smallville always overflows with students from different universities right after exams. It is truly a night out without any school works to think about. No more exams, no more assignments.

(C) http://www.bonzon-travel.com/2012/06/we-decided-to-take-night-trip-out-in.html

This has already been a culture here in Iloilo City. A culture easily adopted by students of all ages. Even first year students are already into this culture. Young as they are, they can already bear witness that what I have written is true.

Try to observe the students during the last day of exams. As early as the morning, they are already planning on where to go and what to wear. I doubt if the test is in their minds while taking the last exams for the day. I know that. I’ve been there, done that.

We can’t blame them, it is already the culture of even professionals to go and hang out with friends after a stressful day at work or at home. It is already normal to see young and old alike hanging out especially in urban areas like Iloilo City. What more in Metro Manila.

(C) http://nm2u.wordpress.com/2013/01/10/230/

A culture that is hard to break but not hard to avoid. If you have the discipline in you, then you would choose not to go or otherwise. But it won’t hurt to go out with friends once in a while. It refreshes your mind and makes you forget your problems. 

However, this becomes wrong when you do it daily. It is already an addiction. An addiction which truly is hard to break and much harder to avoid.