“It’s more fun in Ilocos with the KANNAWIDAN”

“It’s more fun in the Philippines! ” , Yes, it’s the new slogan of the Department of Tourism in the country.  It attracts the foreigners to come, visit and experience the fun that the Philippines can offer to them. It’s just that the Philippines is more than a bunch of islands and old churches, it’s the fun, Filipino people that the complete Philippine tourism experience, it’s the people that differentiate us from other destinations.

            In the northern part of the country a lowly yet delightful people live, the Ilocanos. Whenever they start to feel the breeze of February, the fun rises along. The anticipation of the Kannawidan Ylocos Festival is much awaited. It is an annual festival that aims to create awareness on the preservation of the province’s rich cultural heritage, practices and traditions and a showcase of the different agriculture and industry products.  This festival is significant to every Ilocano in the province because they celebrate the foundation of Ilocos Sur as a province by virtue of the Royal Decree signed on February 2, 1818.  As a part of the feast’s celebration, the provincial capitol is conducting a trade fair along the Plaza Encarnation wherein all town and other neighboring provinces of Ilocos Sur showcase their One Town One Product for the consumers to buy. A display of native traditions and various talents of Ilocanos are also conducted to promote the Ilocano’s pride such as the Sarzuela Ilocana and many more. There’s also a prestigious night of glamour to showcase the true beauty of an Ilocana through the Saniata ti Ilocos Sur.  It’s been a tradition that the crowned Saniata ti Ilocos Sur will represent the province in the Bb. Pilipinas.

            Absolutely, the lovely breeze of February is more fun for lovers, Ilocanos, and foreigners because of the KANNAWIDAN YLOCOS FESTIVAL.

REFRACTION

Two more months and I would soon leave the slates of Ilocos Sur National High School. I would leave the chamber named Maxwell. I would soon leave my friends, my good old friends and I’m so not sure if I’m ready to move on.

In past times, experience and life have been my greatest professors and God with my family have been my never ending and over all protector, supporter, guider and instructor of my life as these days elude by. I think I would have jut to stroll at least another mile to finish another chapter of my life, my ultimate year in high school.

Great teacher have I met that taught me things I need to know. Great times have I shared with my friends as well as my enemies right here by my side. As an ordinary student, life is full of discussions, reports, lectures, and lessons here, there and everywhere. Sometimes I even consider it exhausting and very strenuous.

With all these days, plenteous assignments, quizzes, tests, projects, and accomplishments have I had which I consider as the immense and enormous challenges I have faced. I overcame and triumphed over them by the help of my aptitude, understanding, intelligence, and helping hands. The computer and Internet contributed a lot to me. This I have studied in my ICT subject how to make wonderful web designs and I’m very grateful for it.

I think I executed a good work for this second to the last quarter because I’m holding on to the fact that I’m doing my best and God will do the rest.

Moving on to the next quarter I would not only double my efforts but triple it for my future. I will have a vow, and a pledge that I would do better and ameliorate than before. So that in the future I would be much ready for my new destiny to come.

“So Proud to Have a Language like ILOCANO”

Dogs bark, cats purr, birds chirp, and lions roar. Even animals have their beautiful language in which they can understand their own kind. So do us humans, we are blessed with a tongue that can speak, that can make such many different sounds and can express what we are feeling.

Since we were born in this world we were raised up to understanding a specific language of our own race. Let me tell you a story, in the beginning, when the God made the world, people speak in one language, people understand each other eventhough they may be speakingin other tounges or languages, maybe they can also understand animals in those days, but one day in Ancient Egypt, they wanted to build a tower that would reach the heavens and God did not want that to, people seemed so ambitious and greedy todo that. God then punished them, when they were halfway in making the tower, God had made them spoke varying languages so that they would not have good communication, so they did not finished the tower of babylon and there started in where our local languages came from.

In the 7,107 islands of the Philippines there are more than 170 ethno-linguistic groups. There are Tagalog, Ilocano, Cebuano, Bikolano, and so many to mention.

The Ilocano language is fortunate enough to boast 7 to 8 millions peakers, making it still as one of the four major languages in the country. Many Ilocano people have adopted Tagalog or English as their second and third languages but still, they have not forsaken their mother tongue. Ilocano is the medium of communicatin in homes and localities in the northern part of the country. It’s good that the language is still on the rise but we may never tell.

Some of the Ilocano teens nowadays admit it to find it hard to read Ilocano words, and many cannot even write in straight Ilocano because of the archaic grammar and the spelling. Nobody can be blamed because since childhood kids are trained to write and speak Filipino or English. Some schools don’t even permit to speak the mother tounge inside of the campus! So what’s with that? Well, that must not be. That’s a big NO! NO! Since the Ilocano Language fared better than most of the languages here we must then be so proud and let us say to the whole Philippines and the whole world that, “ Nagsayaaten iti agbalin nga taga-Ilocos, padesen niyo nga amuen ti pagsarsaritami nga Ilocano.” 

“Mighta Zerie Nolasco’s Book of Life Chapter 16: 2012 With the Blessings of the Lord”

            Once a tree loses a leaf at Autumn, it will soon grow a new leaf in Spring. It’s the rule of nature. It is but natural.

 There is the word “old” and the word “new” in the dictionary. Same as through with life, the word new seem to exist. In the Roman Calendar, a year has a beginning and has an ending.

At the start of the year, we Filipinos have different beliefs when we speak of a New Year. Some starts a new life, some desires to change their attitudes, and some stay put and the same for another year.

New Year? As for me, New Year is just a new chapter of the book of my life, the title of book is “Mighta Zerie Nolasco”, with 16 chapters and the most recent chapter is “Chapter 16: 2012 With the Blessings of the Lord”. I got to write something wonderful in this chapter, no matter what. In this book God is my Teacher and Publisher.

2011 had just passed by. Another year had come to pass. 2-0-1-2, another 366 days waiting to come to me.  A leap year after the last 4 years. It’s good that it still comes to my mind the things that I did during the first seconds of the year. Well, it just came to me as a simple and beautiful day. The darkness still surrounds our lowly house and the bright yellow stars can be seen overhead. Noise, Music and Silence seem to collide. Cute fireworks display shimmers in the sky. I didn’t sleep so that I could welcome a new day, a new month and a new year of my life.  10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1!!!!! 1/1/12!! What a wonderful blessing to still be on this earth. I started my New Year with a prayer. As soon as the clock struck 12:00am, I run to my bed, knelt down and prayed. I thanked God for all the blessings he gave me in the past year. I thanked him for the Love, Blessings, Protection and Guidance he gave me. I also asked him to continue loving and blessing me and never leaving my side.

The past year had been so good to me and I hope that, I mean,

 I have faith that this year, God will bless me more. I also hope that 2012 would be good to me. After all, I don’t have New Year’s resolution, I don’t like the term actually, but I have something like plans and to do’s this fresh and brand-new year and I bet that’s not a new years resolution instead a will power or a vow. I have so much prayers and wishes for this year and I just pray that all would be answered by the Lord and granted by the shooting stars my eye had witnessed.

So, welcome new chapter of my life. I hope you will be best.

CRUX OF CHRISTMAS

   

Watching busy shoppers rushing about in the cool breeze of the month, sparkling lights all over town, children’s carols in the air by the Christmas tree, cold breezes blowing in the night and at dawn, kisses under the mistletoe, exchanging and giving wonderful gifts,  with these signs alone we could tell what month and celebration it is. It is December. It is Christmas.

Many people much awaits for this season, it depends on their belief and religion. They always, oftenly, usually, say “Merry Christmas!”, but do they really know what they are talking about? Maybe some do know and some also may not really know.

The essence of this celebration is said to be the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, but it is known to some that the date is not really the true day when Christ was born, so its nonsense, nonsense because we could celebrate Christ’s birth everyday and in fact if you are reading your Bible, Jesus didn’t even celebrated his birth, no! Not even once. There was also no commandment of God, to celebrate his son’s birth.

Although some reiterates that the true essence of this season is Love. It is a day to show love because God gave us his only begotten son to die for us on the cross of Calvary because God loves us so much. We as they say have a responsibility to show our love to others. Another is sharing. It is the time to share things with those you love. Reconciliation is also one. Forgiveness is achieved. It is to reconcile men to God and highlights the importance to let go of the hurt that has been met out unto us.

Whatever we believe, we must stand and abide by it. We are all different people, we have different point of views, and the essence of this celebration depends on the person who feels it. We do not necessarily just conclude on things like this because the root and the spirit of Christmas depend on each and everyone’s heart.

LIFE ALTERS WHEN IT’S ALTERATION FINDS

                In our world everything changes. Look at the small plant at your backyard, it had grown to fruit bearing tall tree now. Look at the green grasses at your garden, they grow. Look at the simple shrub in the pot, it had grown red fragrant roses. Look at your puppy with cute fur and eyes, it have become a good dog as tall you. Go and look at your kept pictures in the cabinet when you were young, then go look at yourself in the mirror and you will see the great change and difference that had happened. These are just few evidences of change in this universe.

                In our everyday lives, we have been constantly facing changes. Change has been so pervasive in life that it almost defeats description and analysis. Some of us have experienced more changes than others. These changes cannot be avoided but can be enjoyed. Sometimes it’s the smallest things which are the one’s that can change a life forever. Changes have been giving us lots of opportunities and a new life to open a new world for us to discover. Change is just a way to improve our recognition to our lives and personalities.

                Some may think that these are just but little bits of changes, but it really affect life up to the day you will die. Such little changes can greatly affect our simple yet meaningful lives. So, thank God for all of these changes.

                  

PARITY FOR EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

             
   Often people say that we are all equal, may it be rich, poor, young or old. Everybody in this earth is born without any clothes on, we were all born of the same birth and would also die the same death.

                In our society nowadays could we tell that there is equality and fairness? We could hardly tell. There is discrimination here, there and everywhere.  Whether it be gender, age, status or what, we can never avoid to be unfair. Even in different places there really is inequality, at home, at school at the market and even at the pedestals.

                Let’s return back to the time long ago, before women were discriminated. Women were not permitted to study, they stay at home and just do the household chores. They are subjected to what men tell them. They must obey them because they were afraid of men back then. It’s good that today at our times there is what we call gender equality and gender awareness. Now, women are free, nobody holds them by the neck and they can fly as high an eagle could even soar.

                In the financial status, this factor is where discrimination invades. Rich people look at poor people lower as them. They hurt their feelings and show them that they are much higher than the poor and brags on their wealth! They look at the poor people that they could just step on them and step on their rights. We are all people! We were created by God equally! From dust we were all made and to dust we all will also return! Look at our justice system, the rich people could just buy justice even if they were the one who did the crime. This must not prevail in our society because it devours our country.

                In order to build a great, just, fair and humane society, it is of utmost importance to arouse people to join the struggle that will ensure equal rights, and equal opportunities. Genuine equality between all people must be realized in the process of a just, equal and humane transformation of our society as a whole. As it is said in Galatians 3:28,  “There is not a male and female, for you are all one in Jesus Christ. Let us follow the example of God, to be perfectly fair and just at all times.