purpleee~

January 12, 2020, the day when the peaceful residents of Batangas and Tagaytay got disturbed by the phreatic explosion of Taal Volcano which quickly escalated to alert level 4. Around 1:00 pm, the volcano started showing signs of unrest after 50 years of its inactivity. The alert level 4 remains, as this means that hazardous explosive eruption is possible within hours to days. PHIVOLCS (Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology) declared total evacuation of the Taal Volcano Island, Tagaytay, and Batangas, and other high-risk areas within the 14-km radius from the Taal Volcano. As of now, Tagaytay City has been approved for re-opening, but other areas within 14-km radius remains lockdown. Over the past 24 hours, PHIVOLCS confirmed that there’s a record of 673 volcanic earthquakes including 12 low-frequency earthquakes.

           Taal Volcano continues to be active for more than a week. PHIVOLCS released a statement that the eruption of Taal might took 1 week to 7 months. The activity of Taal Volcano in the past 24 hours has been characterized by steady steam emission and weak explosions. These explosions have generated ash plumes between 500 to 1,000 meters tall. This kind of calamity frightens residents within the area. As a Sebastino, we are taught how to help our fellow humans, and to develop core values which we always apply in our everyday lives. Last January 14, 2020, the day before my birthday, we went to visit my lola on my mother’s side to see what’s going on in our province (we are from Batangas). Although Barangay Malaking Pulo is not involved with the 14-km radius evacuation, my is still worried about them due to the continuous volcanic earthquake. My cousin, Cherylaine, informed me that she’s a volunteer for the Taal victims and that their organization is accepting donations, so I brought mine. I also made a list, I donated many old clothes as possible, I bought medicines and canned goods with my 500 pesos savings instead of buying it with another set of stationeries and brush pens, I donated my old toys and my unused writing materials (breaks my heart ‘cause I’ve been collecting them for years, but I still want to help those who are affected by this natural disaster). And I’m the type of girl who loves to buy rosary. When we visit religious places like Manaoag and Padre Pio, I always brought money to buy rosaries and give my circle of friends as a gift. I donated many rosary as I could, but I still got a lot with me.

Hello~! After 0987651243 years I finally write a blog again, and this is a performance task so I can’t assure you that I can write again another one (esp. anime reviews, stationery reviews, pen pal with me, study with me) I’m a very busy person and I also have priorities. So, I’m going to write something about my Senior High School life here in Philippines, as what our professor instruct us to do.

I experience a lot of struggles and pain during my senior high school life. This is when I start to experience the things that I didn’t have before, both good and bad. I can say that there’s a lot of uncomfortable things I did, especially when my body doesn’t agree with my mind. I’m not used to a co-ed school because I grew up in an all-girls school and with the super powers of my mom, I finally agree with her to enrol me to a co-ed school. I didn’t expect that in such a short time (maybe four months?) I’m finally used to the presence of the opposite gender. Well, not to that used to ‘cause they’re really a pain and they’re SO annoying, I can’t stand alone with them so I always distance myself and just be with my friends. Since bad experiences always comes first, then I will write something based on my VERY embarrassing experience which I considered bad.

Since I don’t really socialize with people even inside the classroom (I only talk a lot when I’m with my close friends) I really like it when I feel like I’m invisible because no one will judge what weird things I’m doing. Until a certain someone called me “bobo” when I’m just sitting there and watching them play ‘pass the ball.’ That’s when I stop talking to him and act like he didn’t exist inside the classroom. I just wanted to ask:

And then when he chat me to say hi and then he said he likes me, I’m like:

There’s a lot of bad things I experience and I don’t want to remember them and I want to  keep it to myself or else I won’t sleep tight every night and keep remembering it for the rest of my life.

I’m actually receiving notice from Japanese schools and it’s actually an exchange student program notice and my mom keep rejecting it because of financial problem and transportation. She is really an overprotective mom and I’m fine with it because Mom knows best. I can afford going to Japan with her someday, I will study and work hard for her and my family.

One thing that I really love is that I developed a very very very kawaii hobby and that is panpaling and collecting stationeries because they’re cute and addicting. I write cute themed or vintage themed letters and give them some extras like rare and pure Filipino products. By penpaling I found many friends from different parts of the world and we’re sending letters, stationeries and extras. Because of my hobby, I now have a box of teabags and keep drinking them ‘cause I really love teas.

I’ve been to so many places, but Baguio is one of the most beautiful and astonishing places I’ve been to. At the age of 16, it’s my very first time to go to Baguio. I experienced a long road trip. We went to Manaoag, then we went to Baguio after visiting the ancient church there. I was so happy that my mom’s co-worker and boss invited us to go with them. So, that day come and we woke up earlier than ever before. We woke up at 12:00 am and we arrived to Baguio around 9:00 am because we went to Manaoag first. Of course, my great older brother didn’t come with us because of his work. I found mom’s co-worker and her family inside the bus. I was with my mom and dad.  

Since I only slept for 4 hours, I continue my sleeping inside the van. Heck! Nobody told me that we need to get up at 12 o’clock in the morning! But it was worth it anyway. Of course, we ate first at chowking before going to our very destination. After eating, I feel so dizzy because of my motion sickness. I like to travel and that’s the only problem when we got long road trips. I can’t enjoy the view and the beauty of things outside because of that sickness. I can’t even remember how I sleep inside the van. While we’re inside the van and finally arrived in Baguio, I was mesmerized by the beauty of the City. It’s so cold and the fog is thick. I’ve never been to such cold place like Baguio.

When we arrived to our first destination, the SM Baguio. We ate there first since the road trip is long enough to make us hungry. Since I brought my money with me, I bought many stationeries as I can. I love their designs! Then after eating we went to the Mines View, and it was beautiful there! I can see the beauty of their culture and the most of all, the beauty of the view. Too bad, it’s raining out there but I really enjoyed it. We take pictures and we discover more about the cultures and of course, discover more about the City. We also bought jars of strawberry jam, peanut brittles, and lenggua. Lenggua is a piece of art, it’s so tasty and I literally emptied the whole jar. After our visit to the Mines View, we went to Burnham Park. It’s was fun and exciting! I experienced riding on a boat with strangers, but it was really fun! That’s the only thing we did there since we have to go home early.

I-Witness: Ang Lihim ng Lumang Tulay

Aired: May 20, 2013

May isang panahon sa kasaysayan na ang Pilipinas ang pinaka magandang bansa sa Asya. 300 na ang nakalipas simula ng tawagin ang ating bansa na 'Perlas ng silangan'. Kung nais mong balikan ang bakas ng nakaraan, maaari natin itong hanapin sa mga lumang estraktura, sa mga simbahan at tulay na itinayo ng mga kastila. Nandyan at nakatayo parin ang ilang simbahan pero ang iilang mga lumang tulay, nasaan na? At saan na natin makikita?

Matatagpuan sa bayan Mahayhay sa Laguna ang isa sa pinaka matandang simbahan sa Pilipinas. Ayon sa kasaysayan, kilala rin ang Mahayhay dahil sa isang misteryosong tulay na minsan ring banggit sa akda ni Dr. Jose Rizal na 'El Filibusterismo'. Ang tulay na kung tawagin ay 'Puente de Capricho' na ginawa noong taong 1851.

Pero sa panahon ngayon, konti nalang ang nakakakilala sa tulay na ito. Ayon sa mga taga-Mahayhay, may alam daw silang tulay ng mga Kastila pero hindi Puente del Capricho ang tawag nila dito kundi Tulay Pigi.

Ang totoong pangalan ng tulay na ito ay Puente del Capricho, pero ang tawag nang mga tao dito ay Tulay Pigi.

Ang tulay na ito ay malapit sa tambakan ng basura sa Mahayhay. Hindi natuloy ang pag-gawa sa tulay ito noong pahanon ng kastila kaya hugis arko lang ang natapos. Ang ginawa ng mga tao, gumawa sila ng foot bridge na gawa sa kahoy o kawayan, sa parehong dulo para makadaan ang mga tao.

Kakailanganin pang tahakin ang masukal na bangin para makita ang kubuuan at kagandahan ng tulay. Kahit na matagal na itong ginawa at hindi ito natapos, nakatayo parin ito at lumalaban sa bangis ng bagyo at lindol. Talagang nakakamangha ang tulay na bato dahil para kang bumalik sa nakaraan, isa itong saksi sa kasaysayan noong unang panahon.

"Nariyan sa probinsya and Puente del Capricho na ginawa ng isa naming kapatid na Pransiskano. Hindi ito natapos dahil sa pinintasan ng mga marurunong na tao. Mahina raw at mapanganib Ngunit sa kabila noon, nariyan pa rin ang tulay lumalaban sa lahat ng baha at lindol."

Ang mga katagang ito ay nasa unang parte ng El Filibusterismo. At ang tulay na tinutukoy ni Dr. Jose Rizal na Puente del Capricho ay ang Tulay Pigi sa bayan ng Mahayhay sa Laguna. At ayon mismo sa libro na tinayo ang tulay na ito noong 1851 sa ilalim ng pamamahala ng Pransiskanong si Padre Victoriano del Moral, sabi rin sa libro ay malupit daw ang paring iyon. At kaya hindi natapos ang pag-gawa sa tulay na ito (isang arko lang ang natapos) ay dahil sa nag-aklas ang mga Indio laban sa Prayle dahil sa kanyang pagmamalupit.

Tulay Pigi ang tawag ng mga taga-Mahayhay dito dahil hindi makabuhat ang mga tao noon, hinahampas ng mga Kastila ang mga Pilipino gamit ang kawayan sa pigi para magtrabaho. Dahil noong unang panahon, alipin talaga ang mga tao ng mga Kastila. Naalala ko noong kinukwentuhan pa ko ng nanay ko tungkol sa lola niya. Kapag dumating na ang mga Kastila, nananago na ang mga Pilipino pero sa oras na mahuli ka nila mapipilitan kang mag-trabaho ng wala man lang bayad.

Sa taas ng Puente del Capricho, hindi ko lubos maisip kung paano nagawa at nakaya ng mga ninuno ang pag-tayo sa lumang tulay na iyon, ng mano-mano. At doon ko naintindihan ang lihim ng tulay, na dahil sa Capricho ng isang Prayle maraming Indio ang kailangang magdusa sa pigi.

Naglibot ang Arkitektong si Manuel Noche sa buong Pilipinas para pag-aralan ang mga unang tulay sa ating bansa.

"The construction technique is classical to a certain extent. So, ito yung mga technique na ginagamit pa sa mga lumang simbahan sa europa, mga technique na ginagamit pa sa mga lumang gusali, that stands until centuries now in europe. Yun ang dinala ng mga Kastila dito." —Architect Manuel Nocha, Author of "Puentes de España en las Filipinas"

Sa pag-aaral ni Architect Manuel Nocha, malaki ang papel ginampanan ng mga tulay sa panahon ng pananakop. Tulay rin ang naging daan upang makabuo ng mga pueblo, na kalaunan ay naging dahilan ng paglaganap ng Kristiyanismo. Kaya naman kung saan may tulay, kadalasan nandun din ang simbahan.

Pero hindi lang Mahayhay ang may ganitong klaseng kasaysayan. Noong panahon ng mga kastila, may isa pang bayan na minsan ding pinaglagian ng mga Espanyol. Isang bayan na kung tawagin noo'y La Muy Noble Villa de Tayabas.

"Isa sa mga inayos noong panahon ng mga Kastila ay ang mga tulay/daanan. Dahil kung magmumula sila sa Bicol papunta ng Maynila, ang karwahe—ang kabayo nila dadaan ng Tayabas, at mag-hihimpil sila ang usual na pahingahan nila ay ang Mahayhay. Kaya kung mapapansin mo rin, maganda pa rin yung mga tulay hanggang Mahayhay. At malaki din ang simbahan ng Mahayhay. So, ito yung regular na ruta noong panahon ng Kastila." —Ryan V. Palad, Historian, Tayabas, Province of Quezon.

Noong panahon ng panunungkulan ng mga Kastila dito sa Pilipinas, meron ring pinaka mahabang tulay. At ang tawag doon ay Puente de Malagonlong na tinayo noong taong 1840, na matatagpuan sa Tayabas, Quezon.

"Puente de Malagonlong built 300 years ago is the longest spanish colonial stone bridge in the country."

Sampung taon pinantay ang Puente de Malagonlong, ang pinaka mahabang stone bridge noong panahon ng mga Espanyol. Gawa ang tulay sa malalaking tipak ng bato, at kung susuriin ay ginawa lang ito ng mano-mano at ng hindi gumagamit ng makina. Hindi tulad ng mga tulay ngayon na may makinang taga-buhat pa, pero ang mga tulay noon ay mano-mano lang ginawa ng mga ninuno nating Pilipino. Noong panahon, wala pang semento at iba ang ginagamit ng mga ninuno natin pangdikit sa mga malalaking tipak ng bato para makabuo ng isang malaking tulay, yung "Apog" na tinatawag nila. May mga misteryong sulat rin na naka-ukit sa ilalim ng arko ng tulay. Kung sino man ang umukit non ay parte sila ng mga mang-gagawa noong binubuo ang tulay na ito.

Ilang lindol at baha man ang lumipas matayog paring nakatayo ang Puente de Malagonlong.

"Ang pinaka ipinagmamalaki talaga ng Tayabas ay yung Malagonlong, dahil siya lang yung pinakamahaba at pinakamaganda tulay sa buong Pilipinas. Ito yung identity ng mga Tayabasin, dito namin pinapakita na kakaiba yung bayan—kakaiba yung pagiging worker ng mga taga-Tayabas at kakaiba rin sa pagtatayo ng mga tulay." —Ryan V. Palad, Historian, Tayabas, Quezon City.

Ang tulay ng Malagonlong ay ilalaban dapat nila na UNESCO World Heritage Site, pero ang problema hindi na daw ito pwede kasi meron pang nakatayong tulay sa gilid nito, na pinatayo pa daw ng gobyerno.

"Dapat na-preserve yung buong area ng tulay. Malaking potensyal nung bridge kasi nga nung walang ganon dito sa Pilipinas eh, destroyed na yung visual setting niya eh. Hindi na siya authentic na sasabihin mo yung buong area niya ay na-preserve." —Ryan v. Palad, Historian, Tayabas, Quezon City.

"Puente de Malagonlong was started in 1841 and finished in 1850. During the incumbency of Gobernadorcillo Don Julian S. Francisco ." —History of Malagonlong Bridge.

Dahil sa pag-unlad at progreso ng Pilipinas ngayon, nalimutan at naisabahala na ang dating proseso sa pag-gawa ng mga tulay dahil may mga makina ng pwedeng pag-gamitan ng tao para mas mapadali ang pag-gawa.

Matapos kong mapanood ang buong episode ng I-Witness, matapos mamangha sa mga angking ganda ng mga estratura ng lumang tulay noon, at matapos malaman ang kwento sa likod ng bawat isang arko, nalaman ko na ang saysay ng tulay ay hindi lang para makatawid sa patutunguhan, kundi para rin maitawid ang mga kwento ng nakaraan. Ang bawat arko, bawat adobe at bawat bato ay parang libro ng kasaysayan. Patunay kung gaano kagiting ang ating pinagmulan at kung saan tayo dadalhin ng kinabukasan kung marunong lang tayong magpahalaga sa nakaraan.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Q2WU_gvSaU&t=747s

It’s good to see such beautiful view. This kind of scenery is good for people who needs to feel relaxation, the desire of finding themselves again, and those who need to take time on their own. The white clouds embracing the clear blue skies, creating such beautiful ambience. The light blue sea meeting and greeting the countless white sand, making it more attractive to other people’s eyes. I wanted to exclaimed while walking down the sand beach, roaming my eyes around, admiring the beauty of the island.

 Everything felt like paradise. The cool, saline wind flew smoothly, carrying the sea’s saline scent, the waves clashed with the lovely sand that annoyingly makes way into my heel even though  I was wearing flip flops. I turned on my heel while adjusting my eyes when the wind, carrying the saline scent of the sea passed by, slapping my hair, causing for it to sway swiftly. I was captivated by the breathtaking view, I can’t stop myself from looking around. A sweet smile formed on my lips when my eyes met the beautiful sea, the water sparkling proudly against the heated rays. Sure, it’s such a breathtaking sight to see.