Who is your best friend and how did you meet him/her?

I don't have one.

Ask me anything

Ano ba ang meron siya na wala ako?

Meron siyang pagmamahal na galing sa'kin.

Ask me anything

Lagi na lang akong may sakit

Isang tanghali, may kailangan akong tawagan. E walang telepono sa bahay, kaya naman kinakailangan ko pang lumabas at maghanap ng payphone. May nakita naman ako sa tapat ng eskinita. Kaya nga lang sila lang sila lamang ang maaring mag-dial ng numero sapagka't masyadong maliit ang daan para magkasya ang kamay ko o ang kaha ng telepono. Kaya hayun, pinadial ko na lamang ang numero. Binigay ko yung unang set ng numero, dinial niya, kaya lang busy. Binigay ko yung isa pa, kaya lang busy din. E nahiya naman na akong ipaulit pa kaya nagpasalamat na lang ako at naghanap ng iba. Minsan naiisip ko na ang street namin at ang barangay namin ay hindi sibilisado. Kasi naman, iilan lang ang computer shop at wala pa silang mga printer. Pati payphone, pili lang ang tindahang mayroon.

Hayun na nga, naglakad na ako, nilibot ang buong street namin para lang maghanap ng payphone. Kaya lang may problema, di pa pala nakakaalis si Juan, kaya hayun, umuulan, ang lakas-lakas ng ulan. May isa pa palang problema, di ako nagdala ng payong. Di ko naman kasi nakaugaliang magdala ng payong kapag lumalabas, kahit na ba alam ko pang umuulan.

Habang naglalakad ako, tanong ko sa sarili ko, "Bakit kaya iba ang ginaw na nararamdaman ko?" Saka ko naisip ang sagot sa tanong ko, nilalagnat pala kasi ako kahapon, lalo na kagabi. nakalimutan ko pala na may sakit ako. Kaya pala kakaiba ang lamig, nakakaramdam ako ng panginginig at panghihina. Pero di ko na nagawa pang umatras, andun na kasi ako e, nabasa na ko, nilalamig na ko, bakit pa ako aatras, kaya naman tiniis ko na lang. Kasi sa kabila ng ginaw at panghihinang narraamdaman ko, nakakaramdam pa rin ako ng ginhawa at saya habang naglalakad ako sa ulan. Nakakatawa, natatawa ako sa sarili ko. Natatawa na lang ako sa kalabuan ng nararamdaman ko.

Ganito naman kasi talaga ako, malabo, magulo. Pag nakaramdam na ako ng kaunting kaginhawaan pagkatapos ng sakit, sumusugod na ulit ako. Sa ulan man ito o sa hirap ng trabaho. Sabi ng mga tao masokista daw ako. Pero anong magagawa ko e dun ako magiging masaya. Ayoko namang pigilin ang sarili ko sa mga bagay na makakapagpasaya sa akin.

Parang pag-ibig lang yan, minsan, kapag sobra ka ng nasasaktan, sasabihin mo sa sarili mo, "susuko na ko." Hindi ka na gagawa ng anumang bagay para sa taong tinitibok ng puso mo. Pero unti-unti mong marerealize na hindi ka pa pala tuluyang sumusuko, nagpahinga ka lang sandali. malalaman mo sa sarili mo na sa oras na mabawasan na ng kahit kaunti ang sakit nararamdaman, susugod ka nang muli. Babalik ka naman sa pangangarap na mahalin ka rin ng taong mahal mo, at minsan, di ka lang basta-basta nangangarap, kundi gumagawa ka rin ng paraan para matupad ang pangarap mo. Minsan nga nabubuhay ka pa sa ilusyon ng iyong mga pangarap. Masakit, pero masarap. Nakakaramdam ka ng tamis sa gitna ng hirap. Ganun naman kasi ata talagakapag nagmamahal, may ngiti at ligaya sa gitna ng sakit na nararamdaman. lalo na kapag ikaw yung tipong in-denial sa mga bagay bagay. harapan ka na ngang pinagmumukhang tanga, go ka pa rin. Sabagay, there is no play safe in love, in it, you're always on the danger zone; you're aware of the danger, but you are still taking the risk of being hurt, because in pain, you can feel the joy that you always long for.

Nung pabalik na ako ng bahay, may nakasalubong akong bata, hindi ko siya kilala, nakapayong siya kasama ng isa pang bata. Ngumiti siya sa'kin sabay sabing, "Ate, ang lamig-lamig nagpapaulan ka, di ka pa nagdadala ng payong." Nagulat ako, pero napangiti na lang din ako sa kanya. naisip ko bigla na marami akong kaibigan na nagpapaalala sa'kin na kapag nagmamahal daw ako, kailangang handa daw ako, huwag na huwag ko raw basta-bastang susugurin ang sakit na dulot ng pagmamahal. Magdala daw lagi ako ng panangga sa sakit, parang payong. Sabi nila, magtira daw ako ng para sa sarili ko. kaya lang matigas ang ulo ko, di ko sila sinusunod, kasi pag nagmahal ako, gusto laging all out, kaya hayun, all out din pag nasaktan ako. Nakakatawa lang kapag iniisip. Pero sabi ko nga, may sarap na nararamdaman sa gitna ng hirap at sakit. Ayoko kasing mamuhay na iniisip ang mga what-ifs kapag ginawa ko o binigay ko ang mga bagay na kaya ko namang gawin at ibigay.

Public Relations Students’ Congress

Di na namin nagawang mag-edit. Wala na kaming lakas. Nakakahiya yung article.

Lao, Adrien Axel
Mangotara, Ayedah
Feature Writing
September 27, 2010
Public Relations Students’ Congress

“You’re plan is so vague,” said one of the judges of the Public Relations Students’ Congress (PRSC) in the Grand Prix.

PRSP, established on February 19, 1957, is a non-stock, non-profit organization by leading PR practitioners in the country. Its mission is to advance the practice of public relations by (1) uniting those engaged in the profession; (2) encouraging continuing education of practitioners; (3) generating public confidence in the profession by promoting high ethical practice and encouraging high standards of public service; (4) playing the active role in all matters affecting the practice of public relations; (5) and strengthening the relationships of public relations professionals with various stakeholders.

Being the premier organization for public relation professionals who represent business and industry, government, non-profit organizations, hospitals, schools, hotels and professional services among others, Public Relations Society of the Philippines (PRSP) facilitates an annual prestigious competition among different colleges and universities in the Philippines called PRSC.


The said competition was joined by prestigious colleges and universities nationwide, such as University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, De La Salle University Manila, De La Salle University Dasmarinas, University of Santo Tomas, Southville International School and Colleges, St. Paul University Manila, Colegio de San Juan de Letran, including the five-time champion, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila.

This year’s theme was Bagong Pinoy, Bagong Pinas, New Filipinos, New Philippines. Each school will present a market plan, and its case study is to brand the Philippines in the 21st century, just like how other countries branded theirs, such as Malaysia Truly Asia, Incredible India, and Hong Kong Live Life.

This year’s screening committee of the competition is composed of a dynamic and competent line-up of PR Practitioners. The following screening committee includes Stratworks PR Manager Harold Geronimo, WestRim, Inc. Communications Head Lou de Guzman, Publicus’ General Manager Malou Tiquia, former MeadJohnson’s Corporate Communications Manager Judd Sales, Globe Telecoms’ Head of Community Relations Division, Jeff Tarayao, Full Circle Communications Account Executive Paolo Escalona, MRM Worldwide (McCann-Erickson) Project Manager Mabie Encarnacion and Chito Maniago, Chairman of the 2010thPR Education and Student Affairs Council of PRSP and Senior Manager for Corporate Communication of Pfizer Inc.


From number schools, only seven advanced into the finals, the PRSC Grand Prix: Colegio de San Juan de Letran, De La Salle University- Dasma, De La Salle University-Manila, the 5-peat champion Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, Southville International School and Colleges, St. Paul University Manila, and after six years of wait, the University of Santo Tomas (UST) for the first time has been qualified to enter the finals of the PRSC. The UST got the 2nd highest place in the screening.

Whoever wins the said competition; their plan will be submitted and presented to the Office the President. The criteria for a good marketing plan are issues involved in the plan that grasped the problem, effectiveness and attainability, creativity of collaterals, presentation and handling of questions.

But the UST’s theme Philippines I’m Home was not able to win in its congress debut. One judge said that their plan was vague, but did not explain anything to supplement his critic. Jose Margo Flores, one of the members of the UST team, contested, “Our case study is more of internal, if you’re going to review it, it’s not like promoting tourism in the Philippines as what other countries are doing; Philippines, I’m Home aims to capture the internal being of the Filipinos. The Judges didn’t understand Philippines as home; they misunderstood the plan as for Overseas Filipino Workers (OFW’s) to return to their nation and serve as idles in their home.” “Home indicates idleness,” said one of the judges.

One of their coaches, Ruel Ferrer said to the team, “You’re plan is not vague, his comment is. A communicator should be able to communicate his comments well.”

Other judges also questioned their logo being Nippa Hut. They said that Nippa hut, the logo, and other designs such as banig, halo-halo, and jeepney were considered old styles in the 21st century and defined the country’s inferiority.

“We feel that ours is really a brand name, other participants sounded like a shampoo product and one even used the Panatang Makabayan as part of their presentation,” said Flores.
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Ferrer said, “PLM’s Shine Pinoy and DLSU-Dasma’s Angat Pinoy were more of a good strategy in a plan than a brand for the country. These “strategies” would have been better if they were to be use in our own plan which is Philippines, I’m Home.”

Despite their lost, the team is still happy with the result of their marketing plan, “Masaya kame nung natapos yung contest kahit di kame nanalo, yung feeling na nakagawa kame ng magandang plan,” said Flores.

“Awards are just supplementary; I think that they have made a good marketing plan. They did their campaign well,” said Ferrer.

For the team, they don’t have any regrets. Even the feeling of “we should have done this or that.”

When asked if they think that the competition was fair, Flores answered, “Feeling ko fair naman, depende naman talaga kung sino yung judge, kung magprepresent ka ng plan laging may subjective sa judges, kung ano trip nila. Kahit gaano kaganda ung plan nyo, kung hindi yun ang trip nila, hindi mananalo yun. Kahit pa ma-tackle mo yung issues, may personal na gusto pa rin sila.”


The UST team was composed of different senior communications students from different sections in the University of Santo Tomas, faculty of Arts and Letters, who are taking up Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) under Mr. Ramon “Bong” Osorio.

Osorio gave his students, six groups per section, a case study called Bagong Pilipinas, which served as a screening for the students who are going to participate in the said competition. The plan was composed of products, services, and advocacies. The participants were chosen depending on their outputs in IMC—how they presented their works and their level of participation in the class.

The following students that were chosen include, Maritoni Basa, Jose Margo Flores, Pamela Magbitang, Deedah Velasquez, Andrea Lim Juico, Katarina Rebullante, Monica Chico, Marge Opilla, Pot Bernabe and Katrina Bauto.

They were grouped according to their specialties—Accounts, Tactics and Creatives. Accounts will form the plan on paper, Tactics will think of a way how to do the strategy in paper, and the Creatives will execute the plan. Basa, the group leader was also in charge of the Accounts.

Their coaches, who are professors in the media department in faculty, include Mr. Ramon “Bong” Osorio, Mr. Ruel Ferrer, and Mr. Nicky Salandanan. These coaches helped them through guidance in their brainstorming in the PR integrated plan, how they would present, what should they tackle, and what approach should they use. The participants submitted drafts to their coaches to be corrected and hear recommendations.

In the span of their preparation, they experienced tension in meeting their deadlines. The Creatives have to wait for the accounts to finish the paper before they could start their duties, and once the paper reaches them, they are pressured to finish it in a short period of time.

Another problem that they have encountered is the financing. They have to shed their own money just to produce the collaterals, costumes, props, and designs for their presentations. Over all, it cost them P16,000. But the university promised them to reimburse their expenses.

“Our block mates were very supportive. Let’s face the fact that as a student, P500 is already heavy, however, they are still there,” said Deedah Velasquez.

Velasquez also won the Best Presentor Award.

Writer Part II

Yung first time, hindi naman talaga siya magaling magsulat o di nga rin siya gaanong mahilig magsulat, pero nagsusulat siya every once in a while, di ko lang alam ngayon, baka nagsosolve, oo. Though writing is not his real forte, he’s into science, math, and the likes. The things that I dislike most, we don’t speak the same language, actually, hanggang ngayon, pag naguusap kami may mga times na hindi kami nagkakaintindihan. AB and BS kasi. Pero we find a way to understand each other. He’s teaching me his language (hindi literal na pagtuturo ah, explanation lang pag wala na talaga kong maintindihan), though minsan nabobore ako, pero kahit papaano naman, marami akong naaadapt, marami akong natututunan, I’m even using it pa nga in my daily conversation with other people e. He’s one of the best friends that I’ve ever had. He’s my ex-boyfriend, my first boyfriend. I’ve met him at our first day of high school. He’s an old student of our school and I’m a transferee. I vividly remember our first meeting. He was patiently waiting for me at the gate of the school together with his childhood friend that I’ve met the summer before the school year. Then, his childhood friend introduced us, since then, we became friends, close friends, and even best friends. After two months of getting to know each other and becoming friends, he courted me for another two months, and on the 6th day of October 2004, at our early age of 13, we became “lovers”. Ang landi no? Ang bata-bata lumalandi. Haha. Naalala ko pa yung tulang ginawa niya nung “best friends” palang kami. Eto yung excerpt, di ko na masyadong memorized e:

“The Girl of My Dreams”
The girl of my dreams
Appeared in my sleep.
She was so beautiful from tip to tip
When she passed by,
I did weep.

Haha. Di ko na talaga maalala. Anyways, sa pagkakaalala ko maganda yung buong content e, kasi pati supervisor (adviser) namin napabilib niya diyan.

We’ve been through thick and thin (literally and figuratively). Ang pag-iibigan or should I say paglalandian namin noon ay against all odd. Di ko na lang i-eelaborate, masyadong mahaba. Basta ang alam ko 2 days bago ang 10th month anniversary namin, nagbreak kami. Bakit? Isa lang ang explanation na lagi kong sinasagot diyan sa tanong na yan, due to insistence of public demand. Hayun, kayo na lang ang bahalang umintindi diyan sa explanation ko. Hehe.

Pero kahit bata pa kami niyan, alam ko sa sarili ko na minahal ko siya, hindi lang yung basta-bastang puppy love. Yung how we handle things and the situations, alam kong dun kami naging napaka-immature. Aminado ako dun.

After a year or two sabi niya sa’kin, isa lang daw ang regret niya sa naging relasyon or sa naging ending ng relasyon namin, sabi niya, “pinagsisisihan ko na hindi kita pinaglaban.” Nung panahon na naririnig ko yang mga salitang yan mula sa bibig niya, grabe yung kurot na nararamdaman ko sa puso ko. Ang sakit sobrang sakit, kasi nung mga panahon na yun, alam ko sa sarili ko na mahal na mahal ko pa rin siya. Alam ko na hindi ko pa kayang magmahal ng iba. Graduate na kami sa high school nung mga panahon na to. Bale 3 years na ang nakakalipas. Oo, 3 years na ang nakalipas pero mahal ko pa rin siya. Actually, hindi lang ako 3 years nagmove-on, for another 2 years ramdam kong mahal ko pa rin siya. To sum it up, 5 years akong nagmove-on. At sa loob ng 5 years na yun, nagkaroon na ko ng maraming fling at dalawang boyfriend. Oo, nagka-boyfriend na ko nun, isang 1 month (pero I still consider him as boyfriend) at isang 1 year and 5 months (dito, sobrang naguilty ako sa kanya, kasi naka-1 year and 5 months kami na hindi man lang tunay at buo ang pagmamahal ko sa kanya, he’s a great person at wala kang pintas na maibabato sa kanya kasi sobra niya kong minahal at napakabait niya, ngayon nga I wonder kung kamusta na kaya siya, I want to see him again, it’s been 6 months since we last saw each other). Hmmm. Balik na tayo kay first boyfriend. Nung nagbreak kami, mas lalo kaming naging close. Haha. Ang labo no? Pero ganun talaga e. Kaya nga narealize ko na we’re better off as friends. At least ngayon, wala na kaming bitterness na nararamdaman sa isa’t isa,I can say, pero ewan ko sa kanya, siguro naman wala. Haha.

Until now, we see each other, we go out together, we chat, we text, we talk, and update each other about our own lives every once in a while. Pinagalitan niya pa nga ko nung minsang uminom ako kasi di ko kinaya yung depression na nararamdaman ko dahil sa isang kaibigan na nagawan ko ng napakalaking kasalanan. Sabi niya sa’kin nung tipsy ako, “di naman sa pinagbabawalan kita o sinasabi ko na mali yung ginawa mo, pero sana hindi ka umiinom pag may problema ka or pag malungkot ka, pano kung mapahamak ka.” Sabi niya sana daw iba na lang daw ginawa ko, kumain, nag-coffee, nanuod ng sine basta wag lang daw ako uminom. Kaya hayun, kinabukasan, nanuod kami ng Despicable Me sa Gateway. I had fun being with him, ramdam ko pa rin ang security kapag kasama ko siya, kaya lang di niya na kaya pang punan yung emptiness at longing na hinahanap ko sa isang tao (alam ko naman kung sino ang may kakayahang pumuno nun, pero I doubt kung may balak akong hingin yun sa taong yun). Now I can say, I don’t love him, like I did yesterday. Napatunayan ko sa sarili ko na nakamove on na talaga ko sa kanya. Masaya naman kami sa set-up ng relasyon namin ngayon e. Thankful pa rin ako ng mabuti kaming magkaibigan, mula pa nung una kaming magkakilala.

Itutuloy.. Di siya yung main character e.

Writer Part I

Ayokong humawak ng papel, ng bolpen, ng cellphone, ng computer, o kahit na anong klase ng panulat. Bakit? Kasi ayokong magsulat. Ayokong magsulat kasi ayokong mag-isip. Kaya lang anong magagawa ko? Di kayang huminto ng utak sa pag-iisip. Sana may paraan na lang para hindi makapag-isip. Sana, pag nagpapahinga ang katawan, kaya ring magpahinga ng utak, yung wala kang maiisip, kahit ano, sana may ganun, kaya lang wala e.

So eto ako ngayon, di mapigilang mag-isip, at lalo nang magsulat. Pag nagsusulat kasi ako may naaalala ako.
Dati huminto na ‘kong magsulat, inabandona ko siya dahil may mga nangyari, complicated masyado. Pero ano kinuha kong course—Journalism—peryodista, manunulat. Ang labo. Ayoko na ngang magsulat pero eto pa rin kinuha ko. Siguro kasi, di ko maiwan ang first love ko.

Pero nung moment na nagdesisyon akong magjoujourn ako, kinundisyon ko na ang sarili ko na magsstraight writing lang ako.

Literary? Matagal na kitang iniwan. Kaya nga kahit pumasa ko sa second choice ko, which is Literature ay di ko siya kinuha, though tempting siya ah. Ayoko na kasi ng writing which involves emotion, creativity, passion, and the like. Pero tanga ko! Di ko man lang naisip na di ako makakawala, kahit ba Journalism is stereotyped to write objectively, stereotype nga lang siya. Hinding hindi ako makakawala sa literary writing, at least minimized lang siya; ‘di dun iikot ang writing career ko.

Pero there is one truth that I can never deny. I can still easily fall for good writings. And then I realized one thing, if you will get to know the one behind the writing, mas madali ka pa lang maiinlove sa writer more than their writings. Tsk. Bakit ba hindi ko binalaan yung sarili ko? Di ko kasi alam na may ganung klaseng setting pala ang buhay. Oh yes, I fell in love with a writer. First time? I don’t think so; it’s not the first time.

Itutuloy ko pa to…

Ipapakilala ko sila.

“THE QUEST FOR THE NEXT IDEAL COMMUNICATION ARTS PERSONALITY”

“The Quest for the Next Ideal Communication Arts Personality, also known as Mr. and Ms. Communication Arts will indeed make an impact to the whole of Communication Arts Students’ Association, even to whole Faculty of Arts and Letters (Artlets) community,” said Rogelio Mariano Jr., Vice President Internal of CASA and the officer-in-charge of the upcoming MMCA in an ambush interview at the Artlets Student Council office while rushing with the (legal) papers of the said event.

In the past years, MMCA has always been a traditional pageant; a search conducted for the representatives of every section of the CA students to represent their major/society in the college’s/faculty’s pageant called the Mr. and Ms. Arts and Letters (MMAB). But the CASA executive board promised that this year’s MMCA will make a difference; a difference that will leave an unforgettable mark to the hearts and minds of every Artlets.

Breaking the tradition will be a hard task for them to perform. But how will they do it? First thing that they have done is to think of a concept that will help them attain their unique goal. All things should start with vision and purpose. They envisioned using the “pageant” to help their society bloom and make a boom.

This year’s MMCA is entitled, “TYPECAST”, a production term which means a person who always portray a certain characteristic of a character in plays/productions and cannot portray other roles. This title is an irony of their concept/theme which is “breaking stereotypes”.

“The society has a way of limiting us,” said Mariano.

That is why Typecast will repackage the students; it will be a campaign of real beauty of the CASANS, beauty that is not just based on face value, but that with essence and substance; beauty that is found in the inside and outside of an individual. This “pageant” will let the people see that CASANS are not only good singers, dancers, and beauty queens, but they are the people with so much substance, talents, skills, and confidence.

Typecast also aims to give a social awareness that people should not be bound by stereotypes and should not do stereotyping as well. There are more to it than what the eyes can see and minds can perceive.

It also goes beyond the traditional type of choosing representatives—voting—that is based on face value, popularity, and lots of friends. The “pageant” will present a complete package of the contestants. They will undergo series of trainings like, writing and acting trainings, personality development and so much more.

Typecast will also give opportunities to all its guilds to function. The guilds are Chronicle, Retorika, CASA Cast, and others. The Chronicle’s task is to conduct the writing trainings for the contestants, Retorika will hold the public-speaking trainings, and through the community development that is spearheaded by the CASA Cast, the contestant will hold an acting workshop to the children who have a passion on acting but cannot afford to attend workshops.

The screening for MMCA just happened last month at St. Raymund’s Building, room 106. The judges for the screening are last years’ AB’s representatives to “The Search for the Ideal Thomasian Personality”, Cristina Cipriano and Alex Aroa, department adviser, Mr. Nicky Salandanan, CASA guild heads, and CASA executive boards. Out of 20 pairs, 9 pairs have just been chosen to get to the MMCA: Typecast.

The pageant will be held on the 17th Day of September at the Albertus Magnus Auditorium, also known as the Education Auditorium.

As parting words, Mr. Mariano said that, “We hope that we could use this interview as an opportunity to extend ourselves to those who would be sponsors and co-presentors. Thank you.”