Kannawidan: The Ylocos Festival

            Ylocos Sur has a rich heritage and unique culture. However,  it is observed that many of these traditions, songs, dances and other Ilocano culture are no longer familiar with the younger generations. Children of today prefer the modern and novelty dances they see on television shows than the traditional ones.

There is a need to preserve our rich heritage and unique culture. With this in mind, the provincial government of Ilocos Sur has conceived a festival that highlights these culture and traditions and attract local and foreign tourists as well. Dubbed the Kannawidan Ylocos Festival, it is also a commemoration of the anniversary of Ilocos Sur as a province.

          A royal decree dated February 2, 1818 separated   Ylocos. The northern part became Ilocos Norte while the southern part became Ilocos Sur which then included the northern part of La Union and all of what is now the province of Abra. In 1854, the province of La Union was created out of the towns that had heretofore belonged to Ilocos Sur and Pangasinan. Soon thereafter, Abra likewise became independent.

On January 29, Kannawidan Ylocos opened with a celebrated mass held at the St. Paul Metropolitan Cathedral followed by a procession of the patron saints of the 40 parishes as well as images of Jesus Christ and Virgin Mary around the province’s capital city, a testament to the deep rooted religiosity of the Ilocanos.

In his homily, Rev. Fr. Roque Reyes, parish priest of Vigan City, said that this festivity is the time to thank the Almighty not only for the abundance He has showered for the province but also for the rich heritage of the province including the strong ties among the Ilocano families.

Residents and even the local and foreign tourists partook of a delicious dinner held at the Plaza Salcedo after the procession. The big crowd enjoyed the fireworks display after the meal.

The Bayanihan Dance Company regaled the Ilocanos with their world class performance showcasing the beauty of the Philippines through dances, music and sounds. The audience lapped up their graceful movements and excellent rendition of songs and dexterity in playing indigenous musical instruments.

New Year, New Me!

New Year, my favorite holiday, is one of the most celebrated days in the world. The day is shaped by different customs and traditions. Each culture celebrates this holiday in its own unique way. 

The people start to prepare for the holiday at least one month in an advance. The preparation begins by buying presents, decorating houses, and making new costumes. Obviously the holiday would not be complete without a symbol of New Year which transcended from generation to generation, the New Year Tree, the unique tree having million small needles and staying green throughout the year.Another fresh new year is here... Another year to live to banish all the worries, doubt/s and fear. This bright new year is given me..  to live each day with zest to a daily grow and try to be my highest and my best to reached my dreams come true.. I should love and laugh and give.

In this year I have the opportunity to right all my mistakes and wrongs. And in this year I will make my new years  resolution great and brighter. I will spend more time to my family and friends, learn something new, help others, and enjoy my life to the fullest. 

"MOTHER TONGUE"

Mother Tongue was the first Multilingual Education...

The Multilingual Education typically refers to "first-language-first" education, that is, schooling which begins in the mother tongue and transition to additional languages. Typically MLE programs are situated in developing countries where speakers of minority languages tend to be disadvantaged in the mainstream education system.

Many children in international schools plan to return to their home country at some point to continue their education there. This is a strong reason to make sure they do not have gaps in mother tongue language or cognitive development. And secondly, ESL students who turn against or otherwise neglect their mother tongue can often suffer from problems of identity loss or alienation from their parents, and from their grandparents or other family members in their home country. For some students, developing mother tongue proficiency is easier because they have lessons each week in their native language. For students who are not in this fortunate position, there is still much that can be done to maintain the mother tongue. For example, parents can make sure that they have good reference books or textbooks at home - in the native language. Students should be encouraged to read good literature and to discuss school work. Some of the long summer vacation could be devoted to mother-tongue learning and reading.

"Equal Rights Equal Opportunities: Progress For All"

 Do women and a men have equal right, equal opportunities? Technically this was solved by some of the greatest thinkers of our time thousand years ago. Twenty-five years after International Women’s Day (IWD) was first observed by the United Nations in 1975, is a day dedicated exclusively to the celebration of the world’s women still relevant? A well-established international gender equality and women’s rights regime is now in place and while thanks is due to the tireless efforts of women’s movements worldwide, the reality of women on the ground, with respect to the goals of equality, development and peace, varies significantly and in no country do women enjoy their universal rights in full. Therefore, IWD continues to be an important day for inspiring and connecting women worldwide in their struggle against patriarchal subordination, for celebrating achievements and for assessing the emerging challenges embedded in the current dynamics of the global political economy. The presentation will address the gains and obstacles in the quest for universalizing women’s rights and equality from a global perspective with a reflection on specific regions, including Turkey.

Be happy with who you are and what you were designed for. We are a compliment to each other, not a competition...

Responding to Climate Change...

 Climate change  is a global challenge and a serious threat that requires urgent responses from all sectors. Its potential and threatening effects on both humans and the environment make it an even more important concern. While such silent climate event has yet to create national consciousness and sensitivity, its effects are now being felt particularly in the agriculture sector.  Global warming or rise in temperature, believed to cause greater frequency of occurrences of the El Niño or La Niña phenomena, has greatly affected crop, livestock, and fishery production.Urgent responses, therefore, should be undertaken in order to effectively address the imminent  negative effects of climate change.

CHEMERGY: Chemistry And Science Club in Synergy

                    In this material world, almost everything is surrounded with high technologies together with science&chemistry. We all know that chemistry is the science of matter,especially its properties, structures, composition, behavior, reactions, interactions and the changes it undergoes. All the inventions that are made in this world are made through science with the help of chemistry. It makes simpler, faster as well as more advanced and intelligent were created.   

"My Teacher, My Hero"

                                           EDUCATION IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS!


              Great teachers are the unsung heroes of our lives. More than mere educators, they don't just dictate facts and check spelling. They demand the best from their students can go the extra mile as well- and beyond. In "My Teacher, My Hero", readers meet more than so great teachers who have made all the differences in their students' lives.
             A lot of teachers get really burned out trying to teach people. Many of whom do not seem to want to learn. And a relatively small gesture from a student who actually grasped what the teacher is trying to convey can be somewhat life changing as well. A good teacher knows how to help all students who don't even need them. When a teacher can bring everyone in and make each student feel like they are important, that teacher needs to stay and help other teachers do the same. In my fifteen years of existence I already meet numbers of teachers. Teachers that had been my inspiration, and a teacher who pursue me to study more to achieve my goals. I had my own motto in life that "It is better to taste the hardship of education than to suffer the bitterness of ignorance" and i do believe that failure/s and ignorance/s was hard to accept.


                            A great salute to you our beloved teachers..!!