Thursday, October 15, 2009

Teacher's Arigatou!

Usually, we would say that teachers suck, not good, and annoying. Usually, we would think that teachers only think of themselves, that they don’t care about their students, and they just teach us craps. Wholeheartedly, just this week, I realized that not everything we think about others is right. 

Who and what really are these TEACHERS anyway? According to the dictionary, is it someone who shares, teach, or impart knowledge or skill to somebody else. Therefore, teachers are not only those who have taken up the course Education. All of us can be a teacher. No age limits, no strict education standards, no restrictions, as long as you know what to teach, you can be a teacher.

There may really be some scrap teacher, but not all of them. Also, there are options and exemptions on how we classify people. You see, each of us has different point of views, standards and personalities. Other may think that Mr. Einstein is an insane one, but others would think otherwise. He’s a genius. Honestly, my dear people, whether a teacher is good or not depends on you, on us. Students can’t choose their teachers, though they can choose their schools.  

Imagine if someone is teaching us something and we don’t get it, we would say the teacher is not good. But other did get it, so, we would say, “Matalino kasi sila.” Then we would start looking for another teacher. A teacher who could teach us great things and we would think that this teacher is better or rather, perfect. I realize how pathetic those people who has this way of thinking. Guilty as charged. Perfection is just a matter of individuality, or a matter of changing how you view things. Whether the learning thing is boring or fun doesn't always depend on teachers. It also depends on the students. Cause true knowledge will only be acquired by those who really want to learn.

Different kinds of teachers we meet everyday. Teacher Policeman teaches us that jaywalking is bad. Teacher Nurse and Teacher Doctor teach us how to take care of our health. Teacher Mother and Father guide us in our lives. Teacher Fireman teaches us never to play fire. And of course, let’s include Teacher Classmates and Teacher Friends whom we could always ask for help when we have something that we can’t understand in class or somewhere else. We like some, we hate some. Still no matter what kind of teacher you meet in the future, don’t forget what you've always learned. They’re the one who taught us how to have pride and confidence, to be humble, disciplined and independent, and they’re the one who had taught us how to stand up when we fall and shakes us up when we’re on our lame selves.  

So, with all these things that our teacher had done, have we ever thank them for it? Have we ever tried appreciating them? Have we ever tried apologizing to all the heartaches and the pains we've given to them? Have we ever thought that, simple gesture of smile and giving gratitude to them could make them feel like the luckiest teachers in the world? Oh yes, that’s true. Even the grouchiest person in the world could turn into a cool, happy and wonderful person if you know someone appreciates your existence. Most people say I’m just a kid. By the looks, yes, but now that I already realized how pathetic I have been, that only means I am not a kid anymore. I’m now standing at the entrance of adulthood. Guys, now is the time that we wake up from being stubborn, out of control stamina's. Now is the time that we learn to say thank you to our teachers. 


(I first delivered this as my speech in my English 3 class. I ended it with this:
"For the ending, I’d like to take this opportunity to give gratitude to those who became my teachers in my earlier college years. To the villa girls who kept on checking my attendance during PE. Thanks. To my current group, The Gamers, consists of Paps, Brotherhood (Willmar), Momo-chan (Raiza), Mamu Joyce, Nefirtiri (Jarie), Ilatriva (Katrina), Kuya Beybi Davie and Master (Rom). Thanks for the friendship. Kuya Gab, thanks for coaching me at Computer Organization class. To everyone, thanks for being my classmates. And of course, Miss Tibayan, Arigatou-Gozaimashita!"
My teacher really liked it. I was so overwhelmed with joy knowing that I have touched the hearts of my audience. Maybe not all my classmates but at least, my teacher did.)

I am grateful to know that i have this gift to do such great touching pen works. This pen work is for all the teachers in the world. 

So to all the teachers i have met and I will meet in the future, ARIGATOU-GOZAIMASHITA!!!


Sincerely, 
-Mopy

Saturday, October 3, 2009

Bagyong Ondoy

Metro Manila, Cavite, Pasig, Marikina and Makati were super flooded because of the Typhoon Ondoy that had hit us last Saturday, September 26, '09. State of Calamity time. It was hellish. So many people died and houses were destroyed. Our house was not flooded but outside, the water was in waist level (Normal human level). In k-7th street, the water was around 15 feet high. Our house became a temporary shelter for the people/families that had lost their homes, again.


Everyone from the outside believe that it was really like a super typhoon because of the damages. But logically, I believe that it wasn't. Half of it can be but I believe that type of rain could never make the whole NCR and some near provinces here full flooded.

Logically thinking, the typhoon Ondoy of 2009 was not even half-way stronger than of the typhoon Milenyo or Katrina of 2006 that had hit the Philippines. I can compare it because I have a photographic memory. The storm was still mild as compared to bagyong Milenyo. And to think that it hit NCR with just rains, no winds at all.

On the first six months of the year 2009, we had a very indescribable weather. Rain and shine. It's summer but it's raining. We had typhoons out of season. We had continuous light and heavy rains but it never flooded that much. 

So why did it flood that much? I think, it iss because the La Mesa Dam waters were released. In Full open Gates. They could have had released the water slowly. They know there is a storm and they decided to release the water by opening the 4 gates wide and clear to prevent the La Mesa Dam from breaking but they didn't it occur to them that it can be released slowly? Did it not occur to them that they might release too much water by fully opening the gates and they will not be able to save the same amount of it for the entire Manila Area supply for the next 6-10 months?

The reason why they decided to release the waters is to prevent it from cracking and yet they didn't try foreseeing the possible damages outside the walls if they do that. In result of their panicked decisions, NCR was flooded in a drastic way which made the government make it to an area for State of Calamity.

In my opinion, if they released the water slowly, it would still manage to flow to Manila Bay without causing much flood damage that it had caused with the full 4 gates opened and the Dam will also not crack since the correct amount of water is being released.

But it already happened, what else can we do? Build the nation by BAYANIHAN all over again. And see things as it was said in the news. No questions asked.

Hindi na ako magtataka if 6 months from now, they will announce in the news that the La Mesa Dam do not have the sufficient amount of water to supply the entire Manila Area already. Because they released too much amount of water at the Ondoy Storm and wasn't replaced by the next storm's rain waters that came.

This is just my opinion though.

Sincerely,
-Mopy