What I Just Learned From STS Class

STS means Science Technology and Society (MST 4). This is a subject wherein we're expected "to understand and appreciate the character and functions of science and technology and their interrelationships with society from a historical perspective; to be able to anticipate and comprehend the impacts and implications of scientific and technological developments to structure of societies and to day-to-day living; and lastly, to understand the key role of science and technology in social equity." - Prof. Verna Marie Monsanto-Hearne.

Before I go on with the things I would like to share to you, I want you to watch this heart-wrenching video of Judson Levasheff who suffered from Krabbe Disease. See how inspiring his life is to everyone.

"Krabbe disease is a rare, genetic, incurable, terminal disorder. It is one of several known leukodystrophies: genetic diseases that progressively destroy the white matter of the brain." Read more about this desolating sickness here. If want to learn more things about Judson's life, this is the site you must visit -- The Story of Judson.

Upon watching this video, I couldn't help but shed some tears. Judson remained bubbly despite his condition. You see, every parent wants a healthy and normal child. It's just sad to know that a smart kid like Jud only lived for a short while in this world. I would like to see it in a positive light because if I were Jud's parent, I wouldn't want him to suffer any longer even though it means losing him forever. My happy memories of him will forever be in my heart and mind.

This sad truth leads me to what I've just learned from my STS class. The last reporter talked about Genetic Testing. It is a DNA-based test that identifies changes in chromosomes, genes and proteins. Furthermore, Ixion Biotech explains that genetic tests are done to examine the DNA molecules themselves. Scientists try to find modified and mutated sequences in the DNA to explain the different diseases and conditions. We may wish to be tested if:

There is a family history of one specific disease.

They show symptoms of a genetic disorder,

They are concerned about passing on a genetic problem to their children.

There are also five types of Genetic Testing: (1) Carrier Screening for couples (2) Prenatal Screening for the fetus (3) Forensics/Identity Screening (4) Late On-set Disorder for adult diseases and the most important, (5) the Newborn Screening for infants. We've found out that there is actually an "Act Promulgating a comprehensive policy and a national system for ensuring newborn screening" here in the Philippines, and it's called Republic Act No. 9288 or The Newborn Screening System Law. This video will explain to us "what newborn screening is, its purpose, the test procedure, and what parents need to do if retesting is necessary." This video is a property of March of Dimes.

Newborn Screening (NBS) should be practiced for every newborn within three days of his birth to know what has to be done if in case the infant has certain harmful or potentially fatal disorders like in Jud's case, the Krabbe Disease. This test involves sticking the foot of the child for blood. With this blood test, doctors can often tell whether newborns have certain conditions that could eventually cause problems. Babies need to undergo NBS for five main disorders, namely: Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (G6PD) Deficiency, Congenital Hypothyroidism, Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia, Galactosemia and Phenylketonuria. Check out how these diseases can affect the babies normal processes and functions here.

Spoken like a geek? Thanks to these virtual references:

http://www.lbl.gov/Education/ELSI/genetic-testing.html

http://kidshealth.org/parent/system/medical/genetics.html

http://www.doh.gov.ph/ra/ra9288

http://www.babycenter.com.ph/baby/newborn/newbornscreening/

This is my take on Genetic Testing. I firmly believe in this test's promise to help predict risks of future diseases and to assist in choosing the proper medication or diagnosis. It is also an integral part of everyone's health care. However, in a third world country like the Philippines, I think Genetic Testing is still a hype of the rich. If we talk about the present time, only the well-off families can afford this. How about the financially disadvantaged? We all know that scientific tests require huge amount of money. They're way too costly, as they may also need re-testing if necessary. The impoverished ones also have the right for a healthy life, and monetary constraints shouldn't get in the way. My point? Affordable genetic tests should be supported by our government. Needless to say, they must also ensure the safety and quality of Genetic Testing. With that, I rest my case. Bow.

The visuals used in this post are not intended for copyright infringement.

10 Life Lessons I've Learned

This entry is a part of the 30 Day List Challenge I've been promoting. It took me so long to finally begin the blog challenge I personally made because of some mental and other kinds of constraints. Give me a resounding booyah for that! The first task, as what the title says, is to give a list of ten important lessons about life that I've learned so far. Here they are without further ado:

"You have to care much about yourself on the way down, as you did on the way up."

No one will ever love you more in this world other than yourself. Don't depend much on others, or you'll just disappoint yourself. We should take care of ourselves first, before we give our heart to others.

"Nature so works it that everybody gets a turn at getting what they deserve in one way or another."

We shouldn't mull over what we don't have yet. It won't help us get what we want anyway. We all get our shot at something, but we just have to learn how to be patient in waiting.

"Don't let people just shit all over you. Don't ever become some man's personal toilet."

We shouldn't just let others bring us down. By that I mean we should make others feel that we are strong inside out. I've learned to do that ever since I've been involved in a big controversy w/ a Frat Sor in school.

"Disagreements don't alter a mother's love for her daughter."

My mother and I have differences, that we end up arguing most of the time. I hate it when we fight, because it feels like the world is also against me. But what I'm sure of is that my mother loves me no matter what.

"If you want your prayers answered, get up off your knees and do something about them."

There's nothing wrong about asking God what we want or what we need. What's wrong is when we only ask, but we don't work on it. Talk is cheap, so we have to take some actions as well.

"People don't fall neatly into the categories you put them in."

Nothing's perfect, as they cliche says. Even our judgments on others aren't perfect. We may say we know what kind of person someone is just by talking to them, but that's not enough to say who they really are.

"Don't allow yourself to rant about romantic problems."

It's not good for someone to just think about love problems constantly. There are other things that are more important than romance; and there are a lot more matters that are worthy of our stress and/or solutions.

"Don't dwell on what you lack."

We shouldn't make ourselves feel bad just by thinking about what we don't have or what we're not. Instead, we should comfort ourselves by nurturing our interests, and developing our strengths.

"Dress how you want to be treated."

Our outfit reveals our personality; and our outfit also provides information on how we want others to see ourselves. Whatever we choose to wear has to dignify us. We can't afford being disrespected, right?

"If you want to be ultra successful, put 10 000 hours on one thing."

We should know what we love to do and where we excel. Forgetting about our weakness will be our stepping stone towards success. Knowing and developing our gift will help us focus on our goals.

I have a lot more life lessons in  mind, but the challenge only requires ten. I don't want to bend my own rule for now. Some of those things that I shared are from books and inspirational TV shows. Credits to those inspiring people who taught me exceptional principles as well. Hit Mitch Albom and Paolo Coelho books, you will pick up a good number of great morals from the characters' experiences.

What important life lessons would you like to share, folks?

Simple French 101

credits to: learn-french-in-france.us

Last night as I was blog-walking, I happened to stumble upon Manon's blog who is now my new blogger friend. It's written in French, but I could say I did understand a few words. Why? It's because I had the chance to study that language for one school year under Professor Maria Araceli Dans-Lee when I was still a freshman. That was four years ago. I haven't practiced it at all after I finished the course. 


Some French statements I can remember are Je T'aime (I love you), S'il vous plait (If it pleases you), Excusez mois (Excuse me), Voulez vous coucher avec mois ce soir? (Would you like to sleep with me tonight?), Joyeux Noel (Merry Christmas), Bonne Anniversair (Happy Birthday) and a few other ones.


Here I'm going to let you read a French essay I've composed when I was still better at it a few years back. I assure you this was not formulated using the English to French Online Translator. Our teacher was strict. Okay, I'm done defending myself, so here's a little background about myself written in French. Don't worry I will be translating this later on. I apologize in advance for I am just a beginner. Spare me of your smirks and taunts just this once. LOL!

FRENCH

 "Bonjour tout le monde! Je m'appelle Katrina Angela Castro. J'habite a Puan, Davao City. Je suis nee le huit de Juin mil neuf cent qatr vingt dix a General Santos City. Je n'ai pas freres et trois soeurs. Je parle Anglais et Je parle Francais aussi. Je suis un ami fidele. Vous pouvez compler sur moi. 


J'aime la musique. Mais je prefere le rock. J'aime chanter. J'en fait le reve d'est avec une bande. Avec la musique, je ne creverai jamais d'ennui. Je deteste les sports. Je n'aime pas le que jeux qui fait me transpirent. J'aime massieds juste pendant qu'ecrivent quelques poemes.


Je deteste les endroits bondes. Je serais plutot seul. J'ai un ami. Il me fait hereux. J'aime suis avec lui tout le temps. Il est l'homme que je toujours ai voulu. Je espouser un jour. J'aime aussi les mysteres resolvant. C'est frais.


Je n'aime pas que n'importe quoi a aime par tout le monde. Je le deteste quand les gens aiment que j'aime. Mais si j'ai un nouvel ami, je cherche nos similarites aussi. Je deste les gens parlant de moi sur mon dos. Ils sont des hypocrites appelant me nomme. Peutr-etre ils m'envient juste.


J'aime aller aux parcs de nature. Ces endroits me donnent la paix d'esprit. Un jour je veux avoir mon propre parc de nature. 


J'espere que vous avez appris beaucoup de moi."

ENGLISH

"Hello everyone! My name is Katrina Angela Castro. I live in Puan, Davao City. I was born on the eighth of June 1990 in General Santos City. I do not have brothers, but I have three sisters. I speak English, and I speak French as well. I am a faithful friend. You can hang on to me. 

I love music, but I prefer the rock. I love to sing along. In fact, I dream of being with a band. With the music, i never get bored. I hate sports. I do not like those games that make me sweat. I love writing poems instead.

I hate crowded areas. I would rather be alone. I have a friend. He makes me happy. I like being with him all the time. He is the man that I have always wanted. I want to marry him one day. I also like solving mysteries. It's cool.

I do not like anything that is liked by everyone. I hate it when people like what I like. But if I have a new friend, I also want us to be similar. I hate those people backstabbing. They are hypocrites calling me names. Perhaps they just envy me.

I like to go to nature parks. These places give me peace of mind. One day I want to have my own nature park.

I hope you learned a lot about me."

How I wish I could go to France so I can practice speaking this language of romance with conviction. Can somebody teach me for free?

Sorry for that lousy composition. That was four years ago, and I admit I was a bad writer that time. Although I still don't claim to be a good writer up until now. I still want to improve. I'd like to be better, and I believe it's never too late for that. Okay, that's it for my simple French 101.

A Dog Story

When I first heard of the movie Hachiko from my highschool friends, I didn't care about it at all. I just said, "Nah, it's just the same old dog story again." I doubted the beautiful feedbacks they gave for that film. I wasn't excited to know what it's really like. Days passed and I forgot about it. Yesterday, my mother brought along some DVDs for us -- there are 3 Idiots, From Prada to Nadaand Hachiko. I've already watched the first one, and I'm not interested with the second. I watched the latter one with my sisters instead. Now, I understand where the "beautiful feedbacks" my friends had for that movie were coming from.

Hachi (English Title) is a true story of faith, devotion and undying love as its tagline goes. Hachi was actually an abandoned puppy who found its way to its master, Mr. Parker Wilson. As his wife said, Parker didn't find Hachi, cause it was Hachi who found Parker. This movie is definitely a perfect tear-jerker for pet lovers like me. It touched my heart so bad I couldn't help but cry. In fact, this is the only film that got me weeping from start to finish. I didn't know a dog can love its master that much that long. That must be true love from a pet's point of view. If you ask me, I don't see Hachi as just a pet. I see him as a man's best friend indeed.

Watching this film would make you want to have a pet who would love you like Hachi did. I am not that much of a dog-lover, but now I definitely am. Hachi faithfully waited for his master everyday for nine years even when his master already died. Who wouldn't be moved by that wonderful story of loyalty? It was like Hachi's love for Mr. Parker was life for the dog itself. If not because of its strong and imperishable love for its master, Hachi would not last that long. With that, I would like to share you this line Mr. Parker's Japanese friend told Hachi when he found it patiently waiting at the train station after many years. I got this from IMdB:

(Talking in Japanese) It's been a year, hasn't it? I wake up sometimes in the middle of the night and think about Parker. He was a good friend. I understand how you feel. Hachi, my friend, Parker is never coming home. But if Hachiko wants to wait, then Hachiko should wait. You want to wait for him, don't you? Have a long life, Hachi.

That quotable quote really made my tears fall. How I wish I'll have a dog like him. Now, let me talk about my top favorite scenes from this film. The first one was when Mr. Parker was training the little Hachi how to fetch a ball. It was the time when Parker's wife was about to sell the dog, but when she saw how much her husband loved it she changed her mind. The second one was when Hachi was already two years old. Hachi accompanies Mr. Parker at the train station every single morning, and waits for his return at the same spot every afternoon. The third one was the morning before Parker died. Hachi never fetched a ball but before its master died, he managed to do it for the first time which made his master really proud. The last one was when Mr. Parker died while at work. Hachi still waited for him at the station despite all the hindrances that came its way everyday for nine years.

Every single scene in this heart-warming film is very memorable, I have to say. You will never regret watching this. Prepare to shed some tears, folks! Be sure to bring tissues with you.

To watch the trailer of this dog's tale, just click this link.

The photo used in this post is not intended for copyright infringement.

Season of the Witch

I found another favorite movie. Thanks to my sister, Miko who is very much a movie buff. If not because of her I wouldn't be updated with the latest films. As I said before, I hardly ever watch movies because I find it a waste of time. I can’t stand staying put doing nothing but to watch the scenes pass by. Honestly, there’s a one out of three chance that a certain movie can get me staring transfixed at the motion picture going on. And now, Season of the Witch obtains a part of that 1/3 chance for a film to get me hooked.

As far as I understand, the story revolves around the servants of God and this girl who is thought to be a witch. The monk strongly believes that she really is one, because she spoke in a language that nobody understood. One more thing is that a plague afflicts every town two days after she passes by. Those things don’t make her a witch, but the monk said those are signs that she is one. The soldiers and the monk were tasked to bring the girl to the place of the monks to give her a fair trial to prove her innocence or guilt. You should watch it for yourself to know the shocking (at least for me) twist.

I don’t want to talk seriously about the characters of the story, so let me just talk about who among them got my admiration the most. I love Nicholas Cage’s role because he wasn’t stricken by the deceptions done by the girl. Although in the last part of the movie, he made her happy by doubting God. Good thing though that his friend was there to rescue him from his drawback. I also love the altar boy’s role not only because he’s handsome, but also because he... oh, let me not spoil the story.

I really love movies that are set in the old era, with all those damsels in archaic wardrobes, chivalric knights on noble steeds, honorable monks on old-fashioned coats. Most of the movies I’m totally into are set behind the times. I’m a big fan of the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Harry Potter saga, for an instance. The only thing I found unattractive about the cinematography was when Nicolas Cage and his friend were talking while on their way. I noticed that the background was not real, but that’s forgivable anyway. It’s not a major thing to dislike the entire film.

What moved me about this film is when the monk warned everyone that the mischievous girl sees their weakness, and uses it against them. There’s this one soldier who remembers his daughter whenever she looks at the girl. She uses it to knock him down. Another thing is I realized that we should never give up in everything that we do because God will never abandon us. That’s what I learned from the monk. We must never doubt his ability to help us get out of the dungeon of darkness. The least we could do is to trust in Him faithfully.

Season of the Witch is a must-watch film indeed!

The photo used in this post is not intended for copyright infringement.

Katrina's Thought Bubbles IV

+ I don't approve PDA when the people doing it look like they're just showing off. That's what you call, a phony love affair. How pathetic.

+ I am ultimately immersed in the food industry. I live & breathe it, dream & scream about it. I'm so ballistic on discovering new foodspots!

+ Disrespect is tacky. It definitely cramps personal style. Respect: don't leave home without it. It's the best companion you'll ever have.

+ Food for the thought: One key cause of painfulness is our demanding desire. If we try to resist desire, we remove sufferings as well. :-)

+ Most people in our era strive hard for things that have monetary value. We loaf working out errands for free. What we want equates to money.

+ I feel so sad whenever someone asks me to help him/her, but I couldn't because of some circumstances. It kind of frustrates me too much. :-(

+ Don't make fun of your friends always. Not all the time you make them happy with your teasing. Be sensitive. Keep them away from pain. :-)

+ This is one of the hardest part I have to face every morning. I see a closet full of clothes, but I have nothing to wear. I'm confused! :-(

+ We're living in a society where waiting equates to boredom. I envy people before. They don't need to do anything just to get rid of boredom.

+ Remember, respect should be earned not imposed. Bad mouthing people to bring their ego down doesn't make you a better person than them. :-)

Creative Juice (My Intense Devotion for Art)

I have this innate passion for art. My childhood life revolved around it. Believe it or not, I began to draw people, dresses and mansions when I was seven. I could say I did pretty good sketches and designs compared to the second-rate stick drawings of other children my age. I drew my pieces with intense conviction and eagerness. It was like someone was possessing me whenever I get a hold of my pencil and drawing book. I was too focused on my craft that I really felt my imaginations encapsulating my whole being, and taking me further from reality. My family couldn't even come close to me whenever they see me doing what they think as my hobby. For me, drawing was more than just a hobby, it was my life.

I've already let my heart out. With all those emotions I've poured, maybe now you trust that my adoration for art is not a make believe at all. It was real, and as big as life. I swear, I'm not kidding you (LOL). Did I sound so desperate for approval with that? I'm just trying to goof off to balance drama and comedy. Anyway, let me continue with my testimony on art by talking about what I learned about it two semesters ago.

According to an art historian in the name of Barzon, humanities are man's spiritual creations. Under this discipline are: philosophy, literature, language, religion and ARTS. Studying humanities makes us human, cultured and defined. Humanities believe that man is an individual. It is highly subjective, and it values judgment.

Let me share you this term I learned from our professor, Sir Julius Quiz: Aesthetic Sensibility. In layman's term, it is called taste or preference. Sophisticated term, isn't it? You might want to use it instead. Our aesthetic sensibility has something to do with exposure to the arts. We can not say that something is artistic or unrefined without knowing what is true beauty. You can not grasp something until you don't experience it.

Among the many defined expressions of art, there are four art styles I prefer the most: Renaissance Art, Baroque, Surrealism and Abstract Expressionism. Classic Art is the foundation of Western art history. The characteristics of Renaissance (Rebirth of Classicism) Art are rational, objective, simple, restrained and finite. Renaissance Art follows philosophy, ideals and harmony. Its philosophy includes rationalism, humanism and idealism. An art can not be considered art if one of the three is missing. Its ideals include proportion and balance. According to Plato, "Beauty is a simple quality of a thing which is undefinable. For a thing to be beautiful, it must possess order and proportion."

CLASSIC ART: Nike at Samothrace found in the Louvre Museum, France.


RENAISSANCE ART: La Gioconda (Mona Lisa) by Leonardo da Vinci found in the Louvre Museum, France.


RENAISSANCE ART: Venus de Milo found in the Louvre Museum, France.

Another art style I love is Baroque (17th Century). It started with the Reformation of Martin Luther and Calvin. It is expressed with sensuality, dynamism, movement and decorativeness. It is very different from Classic Art which is devoid of any emotions. Baroque artists used their masterpieces to allure back the Protestants to Catholicism. My favorite Baroque artist would have to be Bernini. He is said to be the most famous sculptor of all time. He was actually the official sculptor of Vatican. If you have watched the movies Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, you will see most of his artworks e.g. St. Peter's Basillica, 4 Rivers and The Ecstasy of St. Theresa which is a controversial piece because it's considered as a metaphor of sex. It was the most scandalous sculpture displayed in the Vatican, that's why it was exiled to Chapel de la Victoria (farthest chapel in the Vatican).

BAROQUE ART. The Ecstasy of St. Theresa found in Chapel de la Victoria.

Modern art is a defiance of what is CLASSIC. We will only understand modern art in reference of what is classic. Surrealism is a 20th Century Modern Art. It started in poetry. Surrealists say that they allow their subconscious to manipulate their hands. It was actually influenced by Sigmund Freud's psychoanalysis, but we will not delve into that. In this style, unrelated objects were juxtaposed. There is irrational arrangement of figures. Scenes in surreal artworks are dream-like. Surrealists believe in the omnipotence of the subconscious, that is why the works under this expression are free from the constraints of REASON. There are two types of surrealism: veristic and autistic. Subjects are derived mostly from lucid dreams in veristic. It is very representational. Autistic surrealism, on the other hand, is abstract. It is oftentimes confused with Abstract Expressionism.

SURREALISM. Marc Chagall's Love Above Town found in the Museum of Modern Art, New York.


SURREALISM. Marc Chagall's Love, a Hat and a Song found in the Museum of Modern Art, New York.


SURREALISM. Salvador Dali's Persistence of Memory found in the Museum of Modern Art, New York.


SURREALISM. Salvador Dali's Hallucinogenic Torreador found in the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Abstract Expressionism is also a Modern Art. Artists of this style claim that the painting is not important, it is the act of painting that matters the most. It is very subjective and non-representational. The painter is the only one who knows the real meaning behind his masterpiece. They show and release their tension through this style. It is highly characterized by the energetic lines and restlessness. One of the famous abstract expressionists is Jackson Pollock. He was the one who painted "No. 5", the most expensive painting in the world which costs approximately $137M.

ABSTRACT EXPRESSIONISM. Jackson Pollock's No. 5 found in the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Learning about different concepts of art is truly one of the best ways you can reward yourself. Being knowledgeable with art can help us boost our ego, because not everyone has the diligence on getting to know the different artists who made a mark on the civilization of our world. Imagine that you're in a museum, in Louvre or Museum of Modern Art for an instance, someone asks you about a certain work of art. Wouldn't it be nice if you say all the interesting things you know about it with confidence? Think about it. Don't ever let go the chance of feeding your brain with anything about art.

To sum up all the things that was taught to us in Arts and Society class, I learned that Art is not nature. It is because art is made or influenced by an individual (there is human intervention), while nature is God-made and/or biological. Art is everywhere. Art is an expression. Art is an experience. Most importantly, art is a form of communication.

All images in this post are not intended for copyright infringement.
All facts courtesy of my AH 5 lecture notebook.

Conquering Just One: Samsara

Samsara is a spiritual and at the same time, a sensual film which centers on the desire and destiny of a man of sacred mental disciplines who is struggling to attain enlightenment by renouncing mundane aspirations and yearning. What’s striking about this movie is that, the viewers focus more on Tashi’s trials on giving up everything around him to reach Nirvana, forgetting about what sacrifices her wife, Pema, might have to do just to keep her love and life with him and their son.

As stated in the documentary The Life of the Buddha, one key cause of painfulness is our demanding desire. When Tashi began to experience profound sexual awakening because of a girl named, Pema, he also went through some distressing and unpleasant moments. Because of his unrelenting desire to have a sexual affair with Pema, he decided to forsake the restrictions of being a celibate by leaving his spiritual life behind. His pet dog even left him the moment he chose to come in contact with the world. He also lived through some sufferings like toiling for his family. His patience was even tested by people who wanted to afflict his life.

In the latter part of the story, Apo sent a letter for Tashi. One memorable and stirring hypothetical question he raised was, “What is more important: satisfying one thousand desires, or conquering just one?” If I were to answer this, I would say I would want to satisfy one thousand desires, for honesty’s sake. But of course, I know it’s always best to think deeply and seriously on what desire among those one thousand is more important. It’s not good to have all those desires satisfied, but still you know that deep down you are not contented with what you have. We must know what one thing really makes us feel complete and blissful, that even without any other things, we are still unfathomably delighted.

Samsara has a lot of metaphors that made our mind ponder. One of the metaphors that I like the most was the one written in a stone tablet in the desert, which says: How can you prevent a drop of water from ever drying up? The answer is to put it in the sea. I never thought of it. Another riddle says: What will happen to a twig if it’s thrown to the river? The answer is it will go with the flow until it gets to the ocean. Those are just simple questions that require simple answers. And yet, we think too hard that we tend to forget the little details that might help us figure things out.

If I were to choose for the continuation of the story, I would want Tashi to return to Pema. He shouldn’t just leave his wife and his son just for his selfish reason of being enlightened. He left them without a trace of where he will be, and an explanation of why he had to do it. That’s not acceptable. It’s not right to shift from one desire to another just because you feel like going back again. Tashi should not be egocentric. He must bear in mind that he should also be mindful of what others might feel towards his decisions, not just being aware of what his body wants to do.

The image in this post is not intended for copyright infringement.

Maam Liked It

Maam said this speech is my best so far. She didn't give me comments. That was all she said. I hope I can do better than this the next time. Here is my speech.
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Honored guests, welcome to the 12th Founding Anniversary of the University of the Philippines Mindanao. This another year to witness another milestone unfolding in our premiere institution. Truly this is an absolutely perfect moment to celebrate the day the country was blessed for having another UP constituent to nurture the minds and hone the skills of the Mindanaons.
Eighteen years back, the vision of having UP in Mindanao metamorphosed during the 3rd regular session of the House of Representatives on April 30, 1990. It was 1st District Representative Prospero C. Nograles who paved the way for the House Bill No. 30358 known as an “Act to establish the University of the Philippines in Mindanao.” Mr. Nograles seemed to foresee Mindanao's success if UP is by it's side.
This intense conviction for the endowment of a UP constituent in Mindanao was finally enacted into law on February 20, 1995 through the Bill, Republic Act 7889. On the same year, the Board of Regents submitted an official declaration of the creation of the University of the Philippines in Mindanao.
Time has passed so fast and UP Mindanao has retained its undisputed prestige for more than a decade of existence. It has proven its excellence and dignity in just a short span of period. I believe that it will carry on until the day the world stops needing it which is totally impossible.
I am one of the proud and honored residents, or Iskolar ng Bayan as they say, who once dreamed of being here and now I am one of those who made the wisest decisions. Being a UP student is indeed the greatest way to make our lives in the future a notch higher. That is why this day, we commemorate a very special moment, the 12th Anniversary of the University of the Philippines Mindanao. Let us celebrate together and hope for more fruitful years coming ahead. Good morning and God speed.

Inaugural Address

This is my sample Inauguration Speech. I got 67 over 70 with this. I lack proper posture and my intro wasn't that right according to our professor. Here it is.
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To my colleagues, co-journalists and mentors, I stand before you to take the oath of the presidential office in our organization, the Philippine Society of Campus Journalism. With wisdom, bravery and humility, I heart fully accept the responsibility and privilege to handle everyone for the betterment of our services to the public, especially the budding campus journalists.

It’s definitely a great honor to have everyone of you believing and trusting in me. I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude, in behalf of the newly-appointed officers, to our adviser Ms. May Ann Jumuad who put us to where we are now. We assure you that we will exert extra effort in unleashing primal energy to sustain the prestige and success left by the previous administration.

It’s difficult to search for the perfect words and speak especially when you’re at the height of your emotions. When I gave Ms. Jumuad my confirmation on her appointment to me as the president , up until this moment, I am still processing the thought of what I have decided. It’s not an easy task , isn’t it? That was why I refused at the beginning. I was so afraid to take on the challenge. This is an up a notch chance to prove my skills.

When I had the time to think through things that was going on, I realized that if I don’t grab the chance, I will never ever have another chance to share my passion and expertise to others anymore. So when Ms. Jumuad talked to me again about the same matter, I answered my immediate and resounding yes. I accepted it, and I know you’re there to help me out. We are team. Right isn’t it?

I had high hopes on helping other aspiring campus journalists achieve their dreams, and now we’re here for them, as big as life. That’s our priority. Sharing others what we have learned. So, in the future, they will be continuing our duties. Let us all together pull everything off for a better society.

I let go of my inhibitions just like everybody else did, and that made a significant turning point in our lives. Just like saying “I took the road less travelled and that has made the difference”. Let us encourage everyone to call the shots- to do what has to be done for the good. We ought to strive hard enough to retain the accomplishments handled with care by good hands. We must not fail each one of us especially the ones we are serving-the public. We are one and we are all in this together.

On a lighter note, I am pleased to tell you that the office is starting to plan about the publication office that will produce the master pieces of our professional and aspiring journalists. That highlights the year 2009 for all of us. We will all work hand in hand to show that we, the journalists, can do for our fellow men.

I remember way back then when some of my classmates and I joined press conferences to compete with the other schools in the city. That was one of the memorable moments of my life. We attended workshops and seminars, and felt like we wore the chosen ones. We were pressured but that was a nice feeling though. I just laugh at the thought of it, because journalism isn’t about fame. As journalist, we write to express, not to impress.

All of those experiences have always remained seared in my memory. From then on, journalism has been my world. I’m glad I’ll be sharing the rest of my journalistic years ahead with everyone. I believe that this union will be bound by our passion and eagerness to succeed. We will work together as one. If we may fall, let us work things out in peace and unison to put everything back to how it should be. We must strive to finish the tasks we are in. To God be the glory. To everyone, Godspeed.