16 Km West of Rizal

16 Km West of Rizal

          Temperature is hot. Night is alive. It’s a place of bright lights and giant cement blocks. Fancy colourful jeepneys shall lead you to your destination with, probably, an amount of pollution. Along the streets, you’ll see enormous buildings, man holes, and yellow water hydrants. Tourist and tourist guides are common. People are either in corporate suits, fashion trends or greasy clothes. I may say Manila is an urbanized city.

            I’ve never stayed to Manila but the times that I passed there really give me an idea of what that city is. If I would travel along from my current home to Rizal, I would get to see the business of Manila. Also I have relatives in Mandaluyong and Makati (formerly Metro Manila) so I’ve seen its changes and development. Aside from being a busy city, Manila had gone through difficulties in history which made me be amazed to the city. It gives me a diverse look at Manila.

          On the other hand, Rizal is also a hot province but at some points it’s windy because we reside near the bay. At night, people have their own lives. It’s quiet that you can hear the jeepneys outside alone. By the way jeepneys are the main transportation in Rizal aside from tricycles and other public vehicle. They are my favorite too, when it comes to uniqueness. Unlike in Manila, jeepneys in Rizal have out-of-this-world blow horns and instant club zone because of its bass-it-up sound trip. The streets in Rizal is covered with art structures as in Manila is more on architectural infrastructures. If Manila has the giant walls of Intramuros then Rizal has graffiti and wall paintings. I haven’t seen tourist in our place but there are jejes, gay toddlers and teens with agua oxinada on their hair. People prefer a simpler living with their sagwan and lambat or shirts and maong pants. Though Rizal is quite urban nowadays, you can still feel its provincial style of living.

          

           Manila is just a neighbor of my hometown Rizal yet I can see their differences. Time flies so fast that you can't barely see the changes on both beautiful places. Despite the differences, they are "compatible" for me.

                

Miniature Humans

Miniature Humans

 I have a brother named Koko. He’s a year and five months old. He is cute, chubby, playful, naughty and charismatic to people, which I know is quite common to babies. Most people are fond of babies. I wonder why babies have this sort of magnetic pull to people. Like for me, aside from my brother, I love seeing little babies; by the way my village have loads of them. They are so tantalizing that I want to cuddle them like teddy bears. Like in a famous line in “Despicable Me,” They’re so fluffy I’m gonna die!

We all know that babies can’t talk clearly yet. They do mumble and repeated one-line sounds. My mother, as I’ve observed, interprets these baby talks to common phrases. For me to understand my brother, I myself too is doing the same thing now. What if we have the wrong interpretations? In my experience, it will result to ear-busting cries. I feel pity for babies. I’ve seen some, because of their loud cries, get spanked. It’s true babies can’t speak clearly but they have non-verbal gestures and it’s called reflex. All we need are minds for understanding.

One more thing I observed is that people would say “ok lang, bata pa yan, ‘di pa nakakaintindi.” Yes, it’s true they’re babies physically but their minds have the ability to absorb things though they understand it or not. You wouldn’t know these babies will store things in their head and probably will store some forever. I may say babies are living humans in miniature form.

Babies have their sense too. How the way they are formed is just great. They may be a feeding to society but they may also be playing a definite role for us. I don’t know anything about them so I was like baby, "baby, baby ooooohhh!" Babies have their own worlds. They remain mysterious to me.

OEC Evaluation.. :)

OEC Evaluation.. :)

Outbound Education Class Evaluation

Intramuros Tour entitled "Walk This Way" by Carlos Cedran
October 23, 2010
English Class, section 3
Prof. Dianne Siriban



1.) Were the OEC's objective met? (Had it been effective in inspiring you and give you ideas as to how to accomplish your final output / set as model for research)


          Probably yes because it had given me some sort of ideas already but there were times that made me feel that it had gotten more complicated on to how I will do my final output (grin). I don't know maybe it's just me that made it difficult but all in all the tour's objective helped me. :)


2.) Did the OEC meet / exceed your expectations? Explain how or why?


          Yes, I never knew Carlos Cedran was such a great tour guide and I didn't expect it. The tour was fun and very informative. Every route stop had my attention. It's my first OEC and it didn't fail my expectations. I thought we would explore the whole Intramuros but it's okay, Celdran's voice and sense of humor gave it all. I just wished that it's longer because by that time I didn't notice that it's the end already.


3.) What aspects of the OEC did you enjoy or benefit most? What aspects did you not?


           Actually all parts, even though it's getting hot and exhausting. I feel sorry for myself because sometimes I wasn't able to understand what Celdran is saying because of either I'm sweating, there's noise, he's too fast or I'm just out of my mind but I enjoyed the tour a lot starting from the tour guide himself, the not-so-bad new route, the kalesa ride, the halo-halo treat up to the van were I can feel the tiredness of my fellow blockmates. Too bad I can't make wild inside because they're sleeping and I feel so wasted too. :)


4.) What suggestions for improvement or consideration can you give for future OEC's?


           I suggest that maybe the future English 1 classes may have OEC's in other places that would really make the students feel how great a hometown is or it can be a road trip to nearby provinces in Luzon so that they would compare and contrast or gain more knowledge to other hometowns. Only food, gas, transpo would be the budget. It's like Dora the Explorer adventure hehe :) and ONE MORE THING .. maximize the time :) because it may only happen, I think, once, for some.


5.) Rank or rate this activity in comparison to other OEC's or alternative classes you have had so far in DLSC? (1 being the lowest or least remarkable/helpful and 5 being excellent or most helpful in terms of relevant learning)


           It's my first time to have a OEC so for now I will rank the overall tour 4. :)
           
           3 - time
           5 - educational/information
           5 - fun
           4 - weather
           4 - van/transportation
           4 - van's atmosphere / people's craziness
           3 - SPICY Beef Teriyaki! (my fault)
           

"Pantalan"

"Pantalan"

Shining like the light from the sun, Rizal, a surpassing hometown of mine had never failed to give me a vision of how living is just as good as eating ice cream.  All its noise and color are like notes that must be in my staff. Residing in the waters of Laguna de Bay, fishing is part of its people’s way of living. This body of water is a soldier to the ­province. Beside the bay are some mini ports – a piece of land extending from Rizal. They are like little helping hands that connect the bay and the people. It’s like powerpuff girls for me – everything is sugar, spice and everything nice! 

One port is at Luklukan Street. By the way, we call it pantalan. Among the ports, this one is my sanctuary. Many changes had already happened here. The not so long, car wide, rocky rough path is now smoothly flat. The ones been a pool for refreshment is now a solid ground for play caused by global warming. Either way, it’s still nice. The tide never brings me down, neither high nor low. The breeze by day greets me warmly. The breeze at night calms me. Everything would be great by just sitting at a concrete. Through the end, you’ll have a view of the world.

Every morning the warmth of the lucid sun touches my skin, enough for it to be tan. The water lilies are like un-winged fairies that lay gracefully at the top of the water, giving it a design. By jumping off the concrete, excitement starts. Its walls are giant barriers six feet high. At the bottom, Lilliputians rock the world. There are the basketball players, the gossipers sitting at a dark rock about 20 meters far, the Chinese-garterers, the Pamela one-ers and the backtayb-ers. At night, the white round plate really gives the best luminosity. The smell of evening induces peace. The silence is as loud as listening to Paramore. Day and night pantalan is living.

Mixed people are in my port – normal villagers, fishermen, gun shooters and the king, Kuya Manong Fishball. He’s bald, tan, a bit thin and around 5’8” in height. By the beginning of the night you’ll see him at the middle end of the pantalan with his buddy, the kariton fishball. I’m like in heaven, eating the luscious kikiam and feel my every bite of the mouth-watering fishball. Combo up with some cold sweet iskrambol with tangy milk taste and local cocoa madness that melts in your mouth – really make you gulp with gusto. It is street food yet it is gourmet.

Pantalan is a puzzle piece of Rizal. It’s so strong that even Alzheimer’s can’t obscure it from my memory.

Remember, everything would be great by just sitting at a concrete. Through the end, you’ll have a view of the world.

-Cha :)

AC Robots in Christmas Animation

AC Robots in Christmas Animation

Nothing is as good as Christmas in the Philippines. The spirit of Christmas is present every night. The way Filipinos celebrate can’t be described. All the parols, lights and decorations really give color and joy to every street. What I like about Filipinos is their perseverance. They would always come up or pursue things especially during Christmas. It would be in various ways but no matter what it is, you would see the will to celebrate.

Sometimes, there are people who work even if it’s Christmas season. Just like in COD, the people there spent time in creating a great show for every holiday. Christmas on Display or COD is an attraction in Cubao, Manila wherein a show of moving mannequins is done. “Actually they shy from the word robot. The figures are ‘mannequins,’ and the in-house word for moving displays is ‘animation’... So etymologically, animation can mean ‘the art of giving life to objects’.” (Ermitaño. 

2002, p. 25-26) 

         COD’s unique way of giving entertainment gives an impact to it's audience. “... robotics, while also a form of animation, involves things like computers, servomotors and pneumatic cylinders – technologies too rich for COD’s thinning blood. COD animation is motors and knife switches and aircraft landing lights salvaged from the junkyards of Clark. It’s cables and cranks and levers and bicycles stripped for their gears and pulleys chopped out of wood and okay, some puppetry.” (Ermitaño. A Clockworld Christmas. p. 26) You see, people in COD may not have brilliant knowledge in it but they still manage to make the show presentable to people. The manpower and labor will not be obvious in the show but the goodness of the show represents it. You would feel the passion in their every work and would you imagine that a show is a year in the making. “There have always been people who believe the money might be put to better use, but COD hasn’t missed a year since they put on the first show in Avenida ... Francisco Corpuz, the original COD animator, is not only tech to have grown and died working on the show” (Ermitaño. 2002, p. 26). So basically if there’s a will, then there would always be a way. If you love what you’re doing then that’s it.

Reference:

Ermitaño, T. (2002, December 2). A clockworld Christmas. FLIP: An Official Guide to World Domination (Vol. 1 Issue 5), pp. 24 – 27.

Rizal In Zenith And Living ...

Rizal In Zenith And Living ...

          Rizal Province or simply Rizal was named after Philippines' national hero Jose Rizal. It is located in the CALABARZON region, east of Manila. It is a mountainous province lying at the feet of Sierra Madre. Rizal boasts its tourist spot cities like Angono, Binangonan and Antipolo, the province's capital. 

          Angono City is labeled as the "Arts Capital of the Philippines." In fact, it is the hometown of the famous national artist, Carlos "Botong" Francisco. You can't blame its beauty because it's pretty much obvious around the town. You would see sculptures, wall paintings along the road and even "boom boom box" jeepneys which makes Rizal province alive. It is also known for its art galleries like the Blanco Museum and the Carlos "Botong" Francisco Studio. Angono also celebrates the feast of St. Clement every 22nd and 23rd of November with various festivals like Higantes, to name one. Higantes Festival has the traditional "higante" or giants made up of bamboo and paper mache that are included in the parade of bands and dancers. For a short history, the "higante" was the Angono villager's way of protesting to the Spanish colony by forming the giants like them with their arms on their waist. Other than that, Angono before was a barrio but now it is a first class urban municipality of the province.

          Next is Binangonan. Binangonan in English means "first established town around the lake." Prior to this, the city lies along Laguna de Bay, the country's largest lake. It is known for its fish ports and fishing industry. This city is a major supplier of freshwater fish to Metro Manila and up to Batangas. One famous church in Binangonan is the St. Ursula Parish Church.

          Lastly, Antipolo is the capital of Rizal province. The Hinulugang Taktak waterfall is a popular tourist spot that is located here. Many towns of Rizal have Spanish time-old churches but the Antipolo Cathedral is the most eminent. Antipolo is also dubbed as the "Pilgrimage City of the Philippines."

           Rizal people love their food! During merienda or afternoon snacks, people dash on to street food carts loaded with different street food like fish balls, kikiam, dirty ice cream and iskarambol (flavored crushed ice). During nights, binatog (cooked corn with coconut), kalamares (breaded squid rings), jaribi (breaded chicken wings and neck) and barbeque are the best. Also you can still buy a 50-cent worth of candy here and would only spend as low as 15 pesos for a whole belly-loaded complete snack.

        All in all, Rizal is quite an urbanized province. It is the country's least poor province with a poverty rate of 3.4%, which is lower than NCR and Metro Manila. It is also where Philippines' riches town is located. For me, Rizal is at the zenith of its progress and I must say that it remains to be a lively and rich-cultured province! 

-Cha :)