THIRD YEAR SECOND SEMESTER

I perfectly understand how most of the people thought that a Junior’s life in UP is the hardest, indeed the most difficult semester to conquer. Immediately after the first half of my 3^rd year’s life, I wrote my accumulated experience that made the semester worth remembering. Right now, I bet that the just ended semester was the most exciting than the past semesters, the most emotional, challenging, and psychologically speaking, the longest semester ever during my being Pol.Sci Dungganan college life.

An interview at DYVL with my fellow Political Science coursemates

November 7 last year was the date when I came back to Tacloban. That was after my melancholic days when I came to think about leaving. Well, I always have that fuzzy feeling every right before parting goodbye to my hometown. Just few minutes after entering my solo room at the boarding house, I was asked to have an on-air interview at DYVL radio station about the ever-controversial Reproductive Health Bill in the country. The segment starts at 4:30pm and without any second thoughts, I grabbed the request. If only all the Filipino people know that a well-managed family will lead to a well-managed community, then why overthink and snob the very idea of population management?

My second day in Tacloban for the semester was more than great. Who could have thought that I learned to play Binggo ever in my whole life? Thanks to my friends Mark, Rodel, and Jayrick who were with me at the Robinsons that lucky afternoon! Define that moment when we won free tickets and Php700.00 after our first and second try in playing the game. Well, after all, we are not losers and in fact we had a sumptuous dinner at Mang Inasal.

This picture together with SK officers was taken right after the
 feeling program at Brgy. 69,Anibong, Tacloban City.

The ninth of November will always be so special! It was the Purple Ribbon Campaign in Tacloban where I engaged myself in a feeding program at Brgy. 69, in Anibong. Yes, it is my birthday! Of course, I won’t pass the day without simple treat which is sponsored by Shakeys. Just think more of a simple thanks to my friends. Later on, we had fun during the motorcade with Rep. Riza Hontiveros and ended up with my Political Science batchmates having dinner at a barbeque stall near Mcdo.

Debate! RH Now! 

Moreover, I was also one of those asked for a debate regarding RH Bill over a live telecast in PRTV. Thank God that it wasn’t a mess. Who could have gain confidence anyway if you are in a battle against “pro-life” lawyer, doctor, and some respected profession on that debate? Then right immediately in the afternoon, another time for Cong. Erin Tanada from the Liberal Party, where I asked about his opinions on conditional cash transfer in the country. What’s the use of this 4P’s anyway if there aren’t no equivalent production made in turn by the recipients? So these are money for education and health given to parents? Why increase the budget allocation instead of all these basic social services?

UP Tacloban Debate Society members with Senator Trillanes!

Those were the best days. Those       were the happy moments until we caught up in a mess. Just because of a mere right to a collective change of matriculation to another English 10 section, we turned to face the dark age of our lives. Those very simple actions were all painted into many colors and reasons that were all beyond our imagination and concerns. To the hell for those who are not a party to the situation but which continue to meddle and complicate the turned-out problem. If not for this, I couldn’t have second thoughts of transferring to another university. However, I choose not to. It was indeed a collective effort from my course mates to conquer the situation that deeply affected us.

So much more for that serious “faculty conflict” which we are already out from it, the open forum for Senator Antonio Trillanes IV was one of the big successful events which I was part of the organizers. That was a good ender of my first month in the semester.

There was this lunar eclipse on December 11. Before that day turned into night, I still remember the culmination of the Human Rights Day where we had a film showing about an internationally acclaimed movie entitled Sigwa by Joel Lamangan. After was a torch parade around downtown area. Then lastly, we had bonding with my board mates as we savor the night under that eclipse. Before December ends, I can’t forgot the fun we made with my former fellow debaters. It was with them that I first experienced Christmas caroling in a few selected areas in Tacloban City. Also, who could have thought an overnight at Leyte Park after our Christmas party, then went to Andoks, and braved the rain around 4 in the morning to go to Sacred Heart Church for a misa de gallo? That was indeed a crazy experience.

Christmas Party in the boarding house. All in the picture are my boardmates! :)))

Exchange gifts ng Debate Society!
Thanks Shawn for the t-shirt and wallet! :)

UP Tacloban Team B! With me are Ate Mikee and Gaby!
Thank you guys! That's my last debate competition already.

So much for my old another Christmas and New Year celebration, the resume of classes is as early as January 2. Though it wasn’t realized, I still find time to leave early from my hometown. Well, January was more of an academic month and that was so boring. February is definitely triumphant. I remember how unforgettable my Visayas Universities Debate Championship was. Even if our team did not broke, we still ended up challenging and fierce debates. I had a short time with Jacob, who was my high school buddy. We met primarily because their campus was the host of that big debate event. It was also the main event where I won someone’s heart. Well, February really served its purpose as the month of hearts. For without it, it could have been another old February again for me. But days turned so fast as I accepted the offer of my political party to run as its standard bearer. With all those reasons I pointed out in my resignation letter forwarded to the Debate Society, I had shifted myself into another world, which I think will also help me grow as a person and finds it with a heartfelt gratitude as I forward  the students’ interests.

    

Here is Kristian, my classmate in high school.
We are both incumbent Vice Chairperson in our
respective UP campuses and both ran as
standard bearers in our respective political parties.

The best tarpaulin I had! Credits to Jandi and Franz
for making all our campaign materials!

It was very busy month as we collectively put our efforts in order to win in the Student Council. Majority of my party mates are freshmen students and it takes double effort to boost up their confidence as they face upperclassmen in the university and for them to have well orientation about the problems not just in the education sector but also in the society as a whole. We strongly believe that campus problems are binding to the neoliberal policies of international financial institutions, which also took effect in the skyrocketing prices of oil, budget cuts on social services, and other dumb policies of our government.

Atlast! Our efforts were never wasted. Majority we clinched the seats in the Student Council. Yes, I’m so proud to belong to the red parties in the whole UP System! Anyway, one bizarre thing I learned during these days of campaigning is to sleep on the top of the table for like 9 consecutive nights or more and have blue bay tuna as my dinner without using plate and utensils, just using my bare hands and a piece of bond paper as my plate.

First Chairperson of PULSO way back in 1993.
Atty. Bibar sponsored the recording of our campaign jingle! :)

At the proclamation rally.

Our jingle campaign! Thanks to Serc, Ferdinand, JP, Matz, and Junz for playing the music! Galing nyo!
Best band from Batch Harangdon :)))

Victory Party at Tolosa. Marami pa kami diyan, yung iba natulog na.
I think past 3am na to.

This is my very last Final Exam. We are all tensed.
It's a one-on-one oral exam inside the room. Yeah, all bags are scattered.

Having good time with the PULSO people. With me is Franz,
our campaign manager

Then my heart with pleasure fills on March when I just received the sweetest “yes” ever despite the hell week or should I say the hell semester of my entire college life. Most people thought that we were deviant, puzzled by the idea on how we were able to handle all these things inspite of being  hooked up by extremely difficult finals week and other complicated requirements.

Who say that you have to deprive yourself from enjoying your last month in college? I don’t think one can progress by accommodating all the problems forwarded by the people that surrounds us. Perhaps, one must just be wise in dealing with such problems. This is the craft which I learned from my friends who are my buddies staying most of the times at the Student Lounge.

So much for going recreations with friends, Student Council demands, PULSO Party commitments, serious faculty faction issue, and sweet love affair, I’m still so glad and honored to be part of the College Scholars list- an honorific scholarship known as Dean’s Lister in some other universities. This is the semester which I incurred more number of absences relative to my previous semesters. That was when I joined the competition, then I got my right eye infected and covered by plaster for days, then we had our intensive room-to-room campaign. My UP life is getting harder, one more step in next academic year and I do really hope to emerge victorious! The challenge for the next few days is clear...and so, the challenge is accepted.