Filipino Vocabs

c/o Mr. Silva. Good luck, guys!

Mga Bokabularyo sa Fil III QE2:

 

panlipunan- social

nagpapahalaga- valuing

lumaki sa lalawigan- grew up in the province

agham- science

yugto ng pamumuhay- stages of civilization

kahulugan- meaning

kadluan- source

ninuno- ancestors

katutubo- primitive

pagsuri- analysis

sakupin- occupied

matingkad- strong

makatotohanang paglalarawan- realistic picture

pagpapatino- controlling

pusod- navel or center

malamang- most likely

panauhin- visitors

ipinaratang- accused of

kamangmangan- ignorance

katamaran- laziness

malasakit- care

paglaganap- spread

klima-climate

lebel ng pagpapahalag- level of valuation

katumbas- equivalent

baliktaran- vice versa

matuwid- righteous

kumakatawan- represent

liderato- leadership

kakanyahan- characteristic or property

lihim- secret

pagpapasigla- enlivening

tumugon- respond

pananakop- occupation

angkop- suited

inayawan- rejected

pag-akyat- increase

kinikita- income

palimbagan- publishing house

salin- pass on or translate

dayuhan- foreigner

mapanghahawakan- rely on

batay- based

gusali- building

behikulo- means

mabisa- effective

pagtatalo- bickering

nasasakupan- conquered subjects

mabagot- get bored

 

 

itinuturing- considered

pintas- criticism

puri-praise

tiwala- trust

tumutol- disagree

pagpapaubaya- submission

payo- advice

paninindigan- uphold

panuntunan- guide

lustay- spend

walang pakundangan- less caring

nabilanggo- jailed

pinakamalalim- deepest

pananampalataya- faith

nilalayon- objective

bumabalot- surrounding

paglalaaan- giving

hanapbuhay- job

taguyod- uphold or fight for

paghahambing- comparison

balik-tanaw- review

paglimot- forgetting

rehiyonalistiko- regionalistic

pag-unlad- progress

digmaan- war

pangkat- group

pulo- island

pagdaong- landing

takda- impose

alituntunin- rules

paninirahan- inhabiting

magwasto- correcting

kagalingan/kadakilaan- greatness

nanggagaya- imitating

kaayusan- orderliness

yumayakap- embracing

maihiwalay- separate

makabuluhang- meaningful

nagtatala- recording

nangingibabaw- dominant

babawiin- get back

maisasauli- return

silbi- function

angkop- suited

kumupit- stole

patutunguhan- result

mapang-api- cruel

hangad- intention

sulyap- glance

Fighting the Pro Life Cause.

School was a bitch the past few weeks, and nothing incredulously interesting (unless you count my discovery that I could still solve a Rubik’s cube in 45 seconds) happened until yesterday.

A few weeks ago, I received an invitation to a pro life Youth Congress in QC. I wasn’t too keen on going at first since I had long stop debating against the infidels about the RHB, but eventually decided to go. Long story short, after emailing a couple of people, I found myself with a role–that of a sharer. I had much trouble finding transpo (I’m a southerner), but again, long story short, I made it.

I was expecting something a bit more formal (e.g. air-conditioned auditorium, ID’s, conference kits), but I was not disappointed. The park was BEAUTIFUL. So many trees, nature in abundance, heck, there was even a lake!

The event started with some audience interaction, and then, Sec. Lito Atienza spoke a lot of words (it would be a misnomer to call it a ‘few words’.) He connected being pro-environment to being pro-life with an example I will always remember: The same people who go SAVE THE SHARKS! SAVE THE ELEPHANTS! SAVE THE EAGLES! are the same who go KILL THE BABY! Wait, what? Why do we save animals but not people? Think about it.

Session 1 was on Sexuality, and I really have to hand it to Tito Ed, who did a fantastic job. He said too many things to mention, and I fear that I may not do it justice if I do. However, I did learn something very interesting: we have 2 gay saints–Sts. Aelard, and Simon. Google ‘em.

Olongapo councilor JC De Los Reyes started off Session 2 with his sharing on how he proposed marriage to his wife 10 days after meeting her, among other things. Then, it was my turn.

I won’t share all over again here. If you weren’t there, sorry. I will, however, tell you what I talked about. I talked about the history of the Facebook group I created opposing the RHB and the troubles I faced, how I had faith in the youth, and how everyone should get to experience the beauty of life.

I got the celebrity treatment after. Well, it actually started a lot earlier. When I got there, I was immediately introduced to the daughter of Sec. Atienza. Then, before my sharing, I was introduced to Sr. Pilar, the founder of Pro-Life Philippines. And then, afterward, two college girls asked to interview me for a project called Univ, which is basically a collaborative project done by college students all over the world. Then, I was asked to be a part of YouthPinoy (www.youthpinoy.com), and to write an article for their website (can this be the article? Haha!). Aileen (from YouthPinoy) also invited me to their event on Dec. 19, and got my number (but I haven’t heard from her yet. 3 day rule?) After that, I was asked to help give the Advocacy workshop. A lot of other people shook my hand and thanked me too. So this is how the celebrities must feel.

There were two workshops after, one on Relationships, and one on Advocacies. I wanted to listen to the one on relationships, but since I was asked to help out with the latter, I obliged, and talked about the importance of having an advocacy, and of fighting for it.

All in all, the day was really a great one. I learned plenty of new things (even if some were just anecdotes), and these are things that will help me fight for my advocacy–the pro-life cause.

If you’re not pro-life, you must be anti-life, because if you’re not for us, then you must be against us. And if you’re anti-life, then you’re immediately a hypocrite, because you’re alive. Stop being a hypocrite. Be pro-life.

Mother Teresa once said, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” If you can’t spread the pro-life cause to a hundred people, then spread it to just one.

Congratulations to the organizers!

One step backward, two steps forward.

Of the nine Filipino students who were offered the AY2010 Scholarship for Secondary 3 by Singapore’s Ministry of Education, only one decided to pass on the offer. And that one person is me.

Most people would consider this the chance of a lifetime. Imagine, an all-expense paid scholarship with boarding and allowance to a country with one of the best education systems in Asia, if not the world. But I decided, after much prayer and thought, that sometimes, what appears to be a step backward is actually a step forward.

The only time I really wanted to go to Singapore was when I clicked on the “Submit” button on the application website. After that, as I was slowly edged closer and closer to it actually becoming a reality, I realized that I wanted to go less and less. In fact, when the interview came, I pretty much knew that I didn’t really want to go. But I decided to give the interview my all, and see if I would even get the scholarship. Well, I did, and then I had to make the toughest decision of my life.

After much thought, prayer, and discernment, as well as talking to my parents about it, we decided that it would be best for me not to take the scholarship. There were many pro’s and con’s on either side. Of course it was a good opportunity, of course it would be great for my future. But did I really want to leave behind everything I started for others to finish? Because after deciding that I didn’t want to accept it, my next problem would be what to write on the rejection letter.

I thought about it. I couldn’t write things such as “I don’t want to”, “I’m not ready”, or “I feel that it’s not in my best interests”, simply because I don’t want to make it look that I just wasted their time by applying in the first place. In the end, I decided that I should write about the duties I had which compelled me to stay, and I’m hoping that that’s a good enough reason for me to stay off their blacklist (I’d very much like to go there for college.)

After crossing that bridge, I’ve now realized that there are so many opportunities which have opened for me. Going to Singapore would mean having to follow strict rules, schedules, and all. I would be independent, but not really free. But here, there’s a lot more I can do, and I believe that if I can finish all that I’ve started here (Plautus, Prom, YFC, etc.),  then that would be better than just leaving them behind right in the middle. I now have so many more opportunities available. I can still try to lead my class into winning the Plautus, help put together a spectacular prom, attend my sisters’ graduations, and be here for my friends and family.

I knew that I was capable of surviving in Singapore, despite all the rules, and systems they have in place there. I can adapt, so it’s not a question of whether I could. It became a question of whether I should, and I decided that it wasn’t my time yet.

In a few years, when I graduate from high school, there will be plenty of organizations offering college scholarships to high school graduates. I hope and pray that I can get a scholarship which is really tailor-suited for me, something which I really want, and really need. The only way I can get a college education abroad is if I get a scholarship, and I will do whatever it takes (well not anything) to get one. If I was able to do it now, why can’t I do it again in the future, when I’ve worked harder to achieve more, and when there are many more options to choose from.

I didn’t take a step back for nothing. I took a step back for two steps forward. I know I’ve made the right choice, and I have no regrets.

Disclaimer: I do not intend to sound so full of myself, proud, or arrogant. I am merely trying to share my thoughts, since this is, after all, my blog.

Yo, Ondoy!

Ondoy has really taken its toll on Metro Manila, but I thought I’d make something to lighten up everyone’s mood. You may repost this, but please credit it to me by linking back to this site. (www.laaance.wordpress.com).

The Southridge Servers’ Society is collecting donations for the flood victims in cash or in kind. You may email me at lancekatigbak@gmail.com for more info on how to help.

Thanks a lot!

New running toys! (with pictures!)

I just came from a seminar in Batangas, and my parents have returned from their trip to the USA, and I now have plenty of new running toys. Hehehe! I am now the proud owner of…

1. iPod Nano 4th Gen- This was actually the first of many pasalubongs, and actually came from my ninong in the US, as quite a surprise. When I put it on my wishlist, I didn’t really think I’d end up getting it. But I did, in a nice silver, and it’s now full of my favorite songs, including some custom running mixes with voiceover by coach Jay Blahnik.

2. Nike+iPod Sensor- What’s the use of having an iPod if you don’t have the Nike+ iPod Sensor? It’s a cool chip which you put into your Nike+ shoe (which I don’t have yet) and then connects to your iPod. It’s amazing!

3. Nathan Shoe Pouch- Since I don’t have a Nike+ shoe yet (although I really want the Lunarglide+), I’ll have to stick with this, which is a small shoe pouch which you strap onto the shoelaces of your shoes. You can also put in things like a very small ID card (or a dogtag), just like a RoadID.

4. Nike Armband- I looked for something like this for my Creative Zen before, but the one I found was really bulky. This, however, is one thing I love about the iPod, and it’s that there are so many accessories made for it, this one being one of the best. It’s tight, thin, and lightweight. It feels like nothing!

5. Adidas Climacool Shirt- I originally wanted a Nike Pro compression shirt, but this will do! It’s gray with orange stripes, and has a great feel.

In full porma-ness, I’ll be in a mix of Nike, Adidas, Underarmor, and Greenhills Chipipay Shorts. I just have to train harder, train stronger, and I soon hope to run fast, long, and all while looking awesome.

And the news has arrived.

This post is actually a day delayed since the news came yesterday, but I decided that since I’ve been blogging about the scholarship status, so this is really worth blogging about.

I got a letter yesterday, shipped via DHL from the Singaporean Ministry of Education, reading: “You are being offered the ASEAN Scholarship for the Philippines for Secondary 3 for AY 2010.” (or something to that effect, I can’t remember the exact words) I guess I should be happy, and I am. I’ve been trying to avoid this moment, even though I guess I knew it would eventually come, because with this letter comes probably the most important decision of my life.

Should I leave behind my friends, family, and everything else in order to better myself? I know it’s a great opportunity, and it will really open a lot of doors for me, but I don’t know if I want to leave right smack in the middle of third year, right in the middle of planning for Plautus, Prom, and so much more.

Do I wanna leave behind my family, and try a life of my own? I love independence, I love being by myself and exploring new things. I don’t know why I don’t love this.

When I first applied for the scholarship, I was extremely eager to go to Singapore. It’s been my dream to go there and to splurge on their gadgets, explore their transport system, and try to live in a city with no gum. I was already dreaming about what I would do with the S$2,200 allowance they’d give me, or what kind of people I would meet. But now, when those things are within arm’s reach, when all I really have to do to get those is to sign and mail a letter, I’m having doubts, I’m having second thoughts.

I’ve been praying a lot, and thinking a lot, trying to weigh the pros and cons of everything. It’s been a tough time, and I don’t know what I’ll make of it. The logic I’ve worked on, and most people will agree with me is:

If I can get a scholarship now, while I’m in the middle of high school, why can’t I get another one after I finish high school, when I’ve had more time to gain more achievements, to get better grades, and to finish my high school life.

Leaving in the middle of high school is just so… weird. I’ll have to leave in the middle of third year only to take third year again, and then have two more years of junior college before having to take university. I know these things shouldn’t matter, but they do. If I wait two more years here and try my luck again, who knows what can happen? Maybe I can get into the National University of Singapore, or maybe even a better school. Is High School in Singapore really all that? What’s wrong with Philippine education? (That’s a rhetorical question, by the way.)

Must I leave now, or should I stay? Sometimes, you must take a step backward, in order to take two forward. Is staying behind that step backward? If I can finish high school in Southridge with flying colors, that’ll open a lot of new doors for me. Singapore’s also offering scholarships for the University level too. Same government, same scholarship, just a different coverage.

What do you think? Should I go, or should I say? I know I’m a Carpe Diem type of guy and normally, I’d take advantage of opportunities like these, but this time, I’m not so sure.

Exceeded Expectations.

ASDC is only halfway done, but we’ve already exceeded our own expectations. Round 1 was on the first day, and we went up against Ateneo 6. We beat them by a clear margin, and it was exactly the confidence boost we needed to push us on.

Coming into the second day, we wanted to start strong. However, we were set back while debating a topic (homosexuality) which I’d done well in in the past. We lost to St. Scholastica’s College 2 by a close margin. Knowing that there was no need to let one loss push us down, we capitalized in the next round, winning by another clear margin against Benedictine International School 3. The last round of the day was the most dramatic, the most intense. We were pitted against a fellow Southridge team, a higher one at that, in Southridge 2. It wasn’t that we weren’t confident that we could beat them, it was that we didn’t want to have to cannibalize so early in the tournament. It was a tight debate, and a very close one, but we ended up winning by a close margin. I personally felt bad for SR 2, but all is fair in the debate field.

In order to qualify into the next round, we needed six points. We had three, and we came into today, Day 3, needing to win at least two more rounds.
Round 5 was against Miriam College 2. It was a pretty good round, and we won with a clear margin. With four points, we knew that we would have to win at least one of the next rounds (which would be silent rounds, meaning the winner would not be announced). In Round 6, we were originally pitted against Xavier 1, one of the more powerful teams in the tournament.

However, after resolving some issues, we were rematched with Ateneo 2.
Ateneo was a tough opponent, mainly because one of their members was a part of the Philippine Team which competed in the World Schools Debate Championship. Throughout the whole debate, which was on drunk driving, there came a point in which, even before the debate was over, I already conceded defeat. Of course, this was all in my head, and I knew that we would have to fight until the end. I wasn’t even convincing myself anymore! I knew that we lost the round, and that we would have to win the last round in order to break.

I decided to pray. My lola told me before the tournament to pray the rosary and the Prayer to the Holy Spirit whenever I could. I prayed the rosary going to the tournament, and realized that, with thirty minutes left till the last round, it was an opportune moment to pray the rosary. So, I walked down twelve flights of stairs, and back them up again as I prayed the rosary, entrusting everything to God.

As we went back into the convening room to wait for the match-ups for the last round, I tried psyching myself, and the team, up. As they showed the match-ups, my eyes gauged themselves out of the sockets. We had apparently won the last round! Since we moved up in the match-ups, this meant we were going to a higher room. I couldn’t believe it. Was my prayer answered that quickly? I wanted to err on the side of caution, and went into the last round, against Woodrose, with a must-win attitude.

The round was on, interestingly, women. It was a very heated debate, which was on the verge of becoming personal, and the debate could really have gone either way. We knew that Woodrose 2 would be a tough team since they had won five straight rounds coming into the competition.

We headed straight to the Break Night Party (which was literally a party, dancing, games, and all) to await the decision. After a couple of failed attempts to dance, I decided to just hang around and watch people. I’ll blog about that another time, since it’s getting late.

And then, it was time to announce the breaks. First break, South Korea. No surprise. Second break, Ateneo 1. No surprise. Third, fourth… fifth break, Southridge 3. We all cheered and literally jumped for joy. We were the fifth best team in Asia, as of the elimination rounds!

I was aiming to get five wins, and we got six. I was aiming to break as one of the bottom eight teams, and broke in the top five. What else could be better? What, did any of us make Top Ten?

Props go out to Pempen and Julian, my two teammates, without whom, none of this would be possible. Congratulations also to Southridge 1, RJ, Marty, and Justin, who broke third! And of course, to our whole team for their support, and those who trained us, Mikki, James, and even Ely, whom I learned a lot of useful stuff from in one day.

Please pray for our success tomorrow. We’re up against Philippine Science, whom we know we’re more than capable of putting up a fight against. God is Good!

10K… Check!

Today was the day I finished my first 10K run, in 15 minutes less than I expected to do it… 59:40!

I really wasn’t sure whether or not I’d even be able to finish, since it was my first time to run a 10K EVER. The farthest I’d ever gone in practice was something like 7km, and I was already on the verge of collapsing then. But I had faith, and I told myself that I’d just do my best to finish under 1:15.

I got side stitches during the first kilometer, but I kept to our coach’s motto (“Suck the pain!”), and they wore off eventually. I wanted to go at a slow pace so as to preserve my energy, since I was in a “filling-in” process, trying to figure out if I could really do a 10K. I finished the first loop in around 29:30 (which sets a new PR for me), and took a four-minute walking break. I started to run a faster pace the second time around, and although I began walking a few times to catch my breath, I generally tried running the whole thing. As I saw the finish line nearby, I began sprinting, and crossed the finish line with a few seconds left till an hour. Not bad!

I think I can do a 50-minute 10K in the future, if I can train a bit more, and take less walking breaks. Now that I know I’m capable, it’s all a matter of pushing myself to go faster.

I’m proud to present my J.O.G. race review.

PROS:

• Accessible water stations
• Generally flat route
• Accommodating people
• Timing chip!
• Goodie bags!

CONS:

• Race kit complications
• Started late
• Lack of trash cans/collectors (the road was littered with cups)
• No intrinsic 10K route (it was simply two 5K loops)
• Shirt instead of singlet (design was boring, too)
• Inaccurate route distance (5k was only 4.3k) Thanks to Luis for pointing this out!

But then again, for a race organized by a school, I think it was a job well done. I commend all the organizers.

RATING: 3.5/5

Ten Tips For First-Time Runners

Not considering myself a veteran runner since I’ve only run in two races, but I thought I’d share a couple of tips I picked up from some real veteran runners (as well as my track and field coach) in order to ensure a safe run on Sunday.

1. Eat plenty of carbs (pasta, rice, bread) two days before the race (that would be for dinner today, but if you’ve already eaten, breakfast or lunch tomorrow will suffice).
2. Do not run the day before the race, in order to preserve energy for the actual race day.
3. Be sure to wear something comfortable for the actual race. Make sure to bring a bag with extra clothes, water, and your valuables in it, which you can leave inside your car, or somewhere else during the race.
4. Get up about an hour or two before the actual race and have a light breakfast, such as graham crackers,  a sandwich, and a glass of milk. Bananas are awesome, too.
5. Properly hydrate yourself before (drink two glasses of water when you wake up), during (use the water stations!), and after (a bottle or two of Gatorade works) the race. You can bring a bottle of water or sports drink with you as you run.
6. If it’s your first time running in a certain distance (even if it isn’t your first time running), your goal should be to finish the race, not to win it.
7. While it’s very important to push yourself to your limits when running, if you start getting dizzy, things start appearing blurry, or you really don’t feel well, feel free to stop, rest, and drink a lot of water.
8. Unless you really know what you’re doing, don’t run off as fast as you can once you hear the gun shot which signals the beginning of the race. Start slowly but surely, and build up your pace consistently after every kilometer.
9. Be respectful to your fellow runners. It’s okay to overtake runners, but don’t shove or push.
10. Most importantly, have fun! Running is meant to be a fun and exciting sport. Run with a friend or two, so that you don’t get bored.

Good luck!

The Interview.

Well, today was the day. I skipped the whole day of school in order to go to the Singaporean Embassy in the Fort. However, that wasn’t the only thing I had to do.  I went to Woodrose to pick up the J.O.G. race kits of the eight people my mom registered. However, since a lot of the information was missing, I couldn’t get any of them (although I did get my shirt), and I’ll be getting them all tomorrow. I’m particularly excited for the timing chip. You gotta love those cool screens which show you every little detail about your race.

After driving thru McDonald’s (Sausage McMuffins are <3; eew, how gay, but really, they’re delicious!), I went home and got ready for Singapoh. I decided to go semi-formal. I had to drop by Southridge to get my recommendation letter, after explaining about four times where I was going, we went to the Embassy. Traffic was crawling along the service road, and I was afraid that we wouldn’t make it. I had to be there at 10:15, and it was already 9:45. I can’t remember what happened next, because I fell asleep, but I woke up somewhere along C5, and we arrived at the Fort at exactly 10:15. However, I still had to look for the Embassy. I’d seen it before, but wasn’t quite sure how to get there. After going around for ten minutes, we finally found it.

It was the first time I’d been to an embassy, and I had to log-in, give my phone, go through a metal detector, and all that, but when I ran into the building itself, I’d arrived about just in time. I had already been marked absent (because I was ten minutes late for the call time!), but when they saw I was there, they still allowed me to be interviewed.

The embassy was a striking work of art. I’m not an architect nor an interior designer, so I can’t explain it with interesting terms such as art nouveau of Renaissanceish. It was very plain, with everything made of wood (or synthetic wood), and the bathroom was awesome. The moment I opened the door, the lights turned on. Amazing! I don’t know how that form of technology was developed, but I literally said, “Wow, amazing!”

After waiting for about twenty minutes or so, I was called into the room. A man and two ladies sat opposite me on a small conference table. They asked the usual questions.
“Are you nervous?”
“Tell us more about your school.”
“How do you balance your time?”
“What do you think people will expect from you as a scholar in Singapore?”
“Have you ever failed a test? How did you feel?”
“What are your priorities?”
“How’d you find the math portion of the exam we gave?”
“Do you have a best friend? If both you and your best friend got the scholarship, and only one of you could go, what would you do?”
“If you go to Singapore, you’ll be with people fifteen years old while you’ll be seventeen. What do you think about that?”
“Do many teenagers here have girlfriends?”

And all that. I received a very interesting comment though:
“Just a comment, your handwriting is very terrible.”

I think I nailed the questions pretty well. They were, after all, very simple, and anybody who knew how to make bola could’ve answered their questions. I left feeling sort of confident. After all, there was never an incident wherein I had nothing to say at all, and they even laughed with me in some parts, so I think it was all pretty good.

To treat myself, I had lunch in Starbucks, and I bought a pair of running socks in RUNNR. Then, I had to accomplish another task, which was buying an inexpensive black long-sleeved polo for ASDC (six more days!). I first went to SM Southmall. All the polos in Shoemart were either out of my range (I was trying to go for something less than P400) or not in my size. I went to the Surplus shop and found one for P200, but 1) it was more a dark grey than a black 2) it felt like it was made of some cheap stuff.

So, I went to Festival Mall and traversed through Robinson’s and all the surplus shops. Once again, nothing. There were plenty of nice polos in the surplus shops, but they were all P690+. Robinson’s was the same story as SM.

I decided to try ATC. Immediately skipping Rustan’s, I tried the surplus shop on the second floor, and found that they didn’t sell polos. I tried all the stores on the road to National Bookstore, and found nothing again. I tried Tieline, and found that they were all P1000+. So, I tried Cinderella. Cue the angelic choirs singing their halleluiahs, because I found a polo! A very simple black and white striped polo from Attitude which was on sale at only P490 (from being P950). It would do, and after fitting it, I bought it.

I went to get a haircut in Tabbs (which is now newly renovated and looks very beautiful, although haircuts are now P150.), and on the way there, I saw that the barbers in Bruno’s had a polo with the same design as the one I’d bought! Bleh, I didn’t care. I got my haircut (which came with a free head massage after), and, after picking up my siblings, I went home.

What a day. Thank God it’s over. My feet are aching, and I would love a nice massage. But then again, I love days like these. Haha!