Reflection

              This quarter a lot of things happened just like the past grading. Definitely we learned still from all of these happenings in our lives. Right? In the subject ICT IV, I have learned to manage my time. This quarter, we encountered problems again. First, because of so many activities in the school, we didn’t have enough time to discuss and have our lessons. I’ve learned also to do things quicker but still in a brilliant way. We’re running out of time so every minute is very significant to us that moment.

                In our existence in this world we can’t run away trouble sand challenges right? There is no particular person who doesn’t have any struggles in life. In this subject, first problem that we came across is the conciseness of the time, second is the net. Why? Because if there is no net we can’t do anything, we can’t do our activities or we can’t post on our blogs.

                In all our problems there will still be solution to it. So the problems we encountered has solutions, because we were running out of time, Mrs. Vera Cruz discusses the topic faster. If there is no net in school maybe we can post it on our houses.

                In the next grading, I will do better than I did this time to have a higher grade and verify to myself that I really can perform better.

Keeping in mind our Mother Tongue

          Itangtangsit ko nga Ilokano ak!

          Translated in English as, "I am proud that I am an Ilocano," this words always inspire me, giving me thoughts of what could've happened in my life if I weren't born as one native of Ilocos. Being so gives me the running pride inside, giving me reason to fight for my Ilocano people for as long as I can.

          One way of doing so, in my opinion, is being proud of speaking Ilocano itself. This dialect itself is very important for me. Why? It is the way of speech that I've grown up with. It was my companion towards communicating with my fellow natives. Well to give more brightness to the thought, it made me feel like I am one with all my native people.

          And so loving our mother tongue is a must. Let me recall to you what everyone had been declaring last Linggo ng Wika. As I can see, we've always thought that if there is unity within speech, there is unity within everything. To elaborate more, when we are one with our own language or dialect, we could all be united through exchange of thoughts itself. And how do we exchange our ideas? Communication, yes! And what do we speak to communicate? Exactly! And if we have unity as a weapon, we can overcome dominating kingdoms!

          One mind-snapper is Japan. We all know that Japan itself a small country. A small country for us means lower chance of growing up, isn't? Also, this country is indeed not so fluent when it comes to speaking the International Language, English. All they know is their own language, Chinese. But why is it that this country became so powerful despite its small size that it even once planted dominion in our very own Philippines, changing the Filipino History?

          And so, loving Ilocano dialect for the Ilocos Natives would be the same as loving Filipino for the Pinoys. That is why it is very important for us to love our own dialect.

          How about you? Are you a native dialect-lover?

Essence of Christmas

          It is better to give than to receive.

          That should always be part of every Christians' mind whenever it is the Christmas Season. We often think of Christmas or the coming of the Lord as a time in which easy money comes. A lot of us also think of it to be the time when we are able to wear new jeans and stuff. Some say Christmas is a time of carolling and stuff. The bad thing is people don't realize what Christmas really is.

          The true essence of Christmas, as everyone knows, comes out when we taste the awkward feeling when you give everything you have to make multiple faces smile. Not only that! Christmas is indeed Christmas when the Lord's people are happy, celebrating His coming. When Jesus sees us with happy faces, surely He is also pleased. Pleasing Him is the least thing we can give for Him as a present.

          The coming of Christ, as we all know, only comes to those who believe in Christ. Our brothers and sisters of the Iglesia Ni Kristo sect don't celebrate Christmas, as I have known just this Advent. Not only them but of other religions like in Buddhism, Islam, etc. But not because they don't celebrate it in their sect, doesn't mean they don't deserve to be happy. In the Christian sea, everyone has the right to celebrate Christmas. Everyone has the right to be happy. Everyone has the right to smile in December 25.

          That merely explains the true essence of Christmas, but what really lights up our world in advent are both the bright lights hanging in neither our houses nor the lanterns and lamps blooming with beauty, but the goodwill in generosity - the act of giving without any exchange. That is why Christmas is worth celebrating. That is why Christmas is essential for everyone. And that is what the Lord would surely want for His birthday - goodness in everyone's heart.

Make the difference

        Live the dream…Make a difference!
        That Capuchin saying gives me the boom-boom-pow feeling to go out to the world, shouting around that I can make a difference and change the world. But what does it mean really to make a difference?
        In my humble opinion, making a difference doesn’t mean something like possessing such talent that could take down the likes of many or things like that. But instead it seems to me like making the difference is more likely to become something, though unpopular, but is a good person making the difference not through talent but through necessary contributions that could make a change in the community. Or is it just simply making the change itself.
        And so as we struggle along the road towards excellence, we do not aim into being one who wants only to benefit for his life but one who benefits for the economy, for the country, and for the world.

New Year, New Me

        New Year’s Resolutions – annual thoughts that come out our minds which are ought to do some changes about ourselves. Some sure does give benefits, but some remain unremembered. Honestly speaking, the forgotten one’s come out to be the important ones.
        That’s why for me, a New Year’s resolution should be one that comes sticky to the brain and one that gives the best benefit of all, like a bubble gum. One solid example is the resolution to become a better person, which is my present resolution. What matters now is “how I become a better person” throughout the year. Although it sounds a bit nonsense, nothing is worth judging until you know of certain the one that is to be judged. I am certain though that throughout the year, I will undergo great changes – changes that’ll help me become a better person as I promised myself like being a generous person as I learn to share my blessings.
        I’d keep myself comfortable with that kind of resolution, fighting more and more to become the best of what I can be. Promises are made to be broken, and promises to the heart are promises itself.

"Equal rights, equal opportunities"

The theme for International Women's Day this year: "Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all" re-emphasizes that equal rights and opportunities lead to improved health outcomes for women and girls.

Discrimination towards women and girls, or what is known as gender-based discrimination, is one of the most pervasive human rights violations. It severely limits the ability of women, girls and the communities they live in to protect and promote their health.

Gender-based discrimination is irrevocably connected to negative health outcomes for women and girls. Its associated poor health outcomes are often compounded by other forms of inequality related to socioeconomic status, ethnicity, sexual orientation, religious affiliation or geographical location. While these challenges are imposing, and often encoded in "normalized" ways of living, International Women's Day renews our commitment to denounce violations in human rights and to challenge unequal systems, structures and practices that perpetuate health inequalities across the world.

Gender equality is good for health.

Climate Change

Climate change is a problem that is affecting people and the environment. Greater energy efficiency and new technologies hold promise for reducing greenhouse gases and solving this global challenge. Climate includes patterns of temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind and seasons. "Climate change" affects more than just a change in the weather, it refers to seasonal changes over a long period of time. These climate patterns play a fundamental role in shaping natural ecosystems, and the human economies and cultures that depend on them.

Because so many systems are tied to climate, a change in climate can affect many related aspects of where and how people, plants and animals live, such as food production, availability and use of water, and health risks.

For example, a change in the usual timing of rains or temperatures can affect when plants bloom and set fruit, when insects hatch or when streams are their fullest. This can affect historically synchronized pollination of crops, food for migrating birds, spawning of fish, water supplies for drinking and irrigation, forest health, and more.

Some short-term climate variation is normal, but longer-term trends now indicate a changing climate. A year or two of an extreme change in temperature or other condition doesn’t mean a climate change trend has been "erased.”

Worldwide, people are paying serious attention to climate change. In Washington State, climate change is already disrupting our environment, economy and communities. We can help slow it down, but we must take action now.