Gift of Acceptance by Debbie R. Babali

Gift - the gift of acceptance! This is a glimpse of hope and inspiration in a world that is often filled with confusion and rejection. There are just some points in life when we get confused about whether this life is a gift or a curse. Now, you will read about a person’s story of love and acceptance from his loved ones as well as the people around him.

He is a member of a LGBTQ community. LGBTQ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning. This community has expanded to embrace all other genders and is also known as LGBTQIA to include Queer, Intersexual, and Asexual. Another name for the community is QUILTBAG which means Queer and Questioning, Intersex, Lesbian, Transgender and Two-spirit, Bisexual, Asexual and Ally, and Gay and Genderqueer. Get to know him more and get to know his story in this rare opportunity.

Mr. JP Traje Saligumba who is lovingly called “Jopay” by those who are close to him, is a thirty two year-old resident of Jawili, Tangalan, Aklan. A true-blooded Jawilinon, he was born on June 21, 1986 and raised in ur beloved barangay. His loving parents are Danilo Saligumba and Luvis Saligumba. His siblings are Janny, Ariel, Kathryn and Cheryl. He completed his elementary education at Caticlan Elementary School and he graduated from high school at Western Aklan Academy in Nabas. He went to Aklan State University in Ibajay Aklan, taking up Hotel and Restaurant Management (HRM), but he was not able to finish it. He got busy with work and because of that, he can’t focus on his studies.

“I took up HRM but I need to work and I don’t really like it. I’m just not interested, so I kept in my mind that I will find work based on my skills,” JP explained.

On being a member of the LGBT community, JP realized his true identity since he was in grade 3. He just accepted that it is what he is. Being a member of the LGBTQ community is definitely not a walk in the park.  It is far from a life of fun and enjoyment. No. There are challenges to take on too. Mr. Saligumba took the opportunity to work as a make-up artist.

His mother was so proud of him and she accepted him as a normal person. However, this acceptance of her mother is different from his father’s reaction.

“My father did not accept my gender at first. He told me that I am to become a policeman or a priest someday but I destroyed his dreams for me. He knew that I won’t be like that, because I am different now, he said”.

Because of his father’s disappointment, JP tried his best to make his father proud of him in a way that he can and that is through his achievements as a makeup artist. These achievements help him earn his father’s acceptance little by little.

 “Even though I am a member of the LGBTQ community, my loved ones have become proud of me because I am talented and they said that I am a gift to them. I am always overjoyed to hear those words,” JP said. “Aside from my loved ones being proud of me, I am also proud of being a member of the LGBTQ community because I am able to show who I really am,” he added.

“Be a role model to everyone, live freely as who you really are, be kind, be helpful to your loved ones and use your experience in a good way,” he left a message for everyone to live by.

It is easy to pass judgement by what our eyes see but it takes time, an open mind, and an open heart to get to know the real story behind the smiles, the laughter, and the fabulous lifestyle of a person. The LGBTQ community is a usual victim of judgements. While there are many issues that make them controversial, we can never go wrong with kindness. The gift of love should never discriminate and its foundation is the gift of acceptance.

KAEAYO SANG PAGHIGUGMA by Chen Marie G. Tana

“Family is not an important thing. It is everything”- Michael J. Fox. Raya ro sambilog nga  haeambaeon  para sa  atong mga mapinalanggaon ag mabout nga pamilya. Kaya kang batunon kung ano ka man o sin-o ka pa. May ging ubra ka man nga saea o owa. Kaya nandang batunon kung ano ro ugali nga may una ka biskin nga ginahikawan ka it iba. Pero paano kung sambilog sa atong pamilya hay may ging ubra nga owa naton nailaan? Kaya pa baea naton imaw mapatawad? Ina gihapon baea ropaghigugma sa pihak nga mga hitabu?

Dikara ibhi ninyo ako sang bahin kung siin masayran naton do naeksperensya it sangka estudyante ag anang nga magueang ko sanda hay mga unga pa. Ro estudyante hay itago naton sa pangaeang “Imboy” ag si “Bebe” mat-a ro anang nga magueang. Pito sandang magmaeanghod sa andang pamilya. Si Imboy panglima ag si Bebe ro pangaywa. Ro andang tatay hay ga-ilinom kaya bukon sanda it masyadong kana. Pero ro adlaw hay umabot nga may ging-ubra nga bokun it manami si tatay nanda. Raya hay ro pagkasunog it andang nga baeay.

“Sa eskwelahan abi ako it mga oras nga natabu ro sunog,” sugid ni Imboy “Ako man hay sa among kaeapit-baeay namon kato,” dugang pa ni Bebe. “Mayad eang dahil owa it nadamay sa sunog dahil bukon man ikit-ikit kato ro mga panimaeay  dati,“ hambae pa gid ni Imboy. “Ag madali man naapula ro sunog dahil sa pagbueoligay it mga tawo,” sabat pa gidni Bebe.

Sandominggo matapos ro hitabu, sanda hay naghalin it gin-estaran. Si Imboy man hay nagpundo anay it pag-eskuyla dahil maeayo eon do andang bag-ong eskwelahan sa andang gina-estaran. Mga unga pa kami kato kaya owa lang namon gina paminsar do natabu,” sugid pa gid ni Bebe.

Pero sayod nanda sa andang tagipusuon indi maiwasang makabatyag it paghimumuot dahil sa natabu - nga indi madaling malipatan do tanan. Pero ro dinag-on hay ga lipas man. Do mga hitabu dati hay amat-amat nga ginakalipatan sa paminsaron nanda ag sa pihak it tanan nga nahitabu, dag-on ro nakalipas, sanda gihapon hay isaeang ka pamilya. Ginbatun ro kasae-anan it isaea.

Makara sanda hay padayon sa andang pangabuhi kaibahan ro andang tatay nga gin-batun nanda bug-os sa andang tagi-pusuon. “Bukon man kita hay may perpekto nga pamilya pero kung kita may pagbatun sa andang mga bukon it manaming nahaubra dati indi mawari nga kita hay maging mapag-on sa ulihi ag manami sa pamatyagan nga sanda hay atong kaibahan,” mensahe ni Imboy sa tanan.

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LGBT – Nasaan na nga ba ang Lipunan sa usaping ito?

LGBT – Nasaan na nga ba ang Lipunan sa usaping ito?

Aldrian C. Valles

Bilang isang Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, o Transgender dito sa Pilipinas, tingin sa kanila ay hindi “normal”. Marami ang nagsasabi na “Ang lahat ng tao ay pantay-pantay lalo na sa mata ng Diyos” pero bakit marami pa rin sa kanila ang parang hindi tanggap ng lipunan?

Pagkakapantay-pantay, pagmamahal, at pagtanggap – ito lamang ang kanilang higit na kailangan at kanilang ipinaglalaban pero marami pa rin sa kanila ay nakakatanggap ng mga pangungutya mula sa ibang tao. Kung minsan, nakakatanggap rin sila ng pangungutya mula sa kanilang pamilya at mga kaibigan. Sa halip na pagtanggap at pagmamahal, ang kanilang natatanggap ay walang tigil na pang-aabusong emosyonal. May mga pagkakataon na nakararamdam rin sila ng hindi pagtanggap mula sa simbahan ng iba’t-ibang relihiyon. Madalas, sila ay pinagtatawanan habang dumadaan. Tinitignan sila mula ulo hanggang talampakan. Marami sa kanila’y hindi tanggap ng kanilang mga pamilya lalo na ng kanilang ama.

Para sa akin, hindi kailanman dapat maging hadlang ang kasarian sa pagkakaroon ng maligayang buhay at Tagumpay sa mga adhikain. Ang mahalaga ay wala tayong ibang taong tinatapakan. Huwag mong ikahiya kung ikaw ay isa sa kanila. Sila din minsan ay mas maraming alam at mas mahusay sa paghahanap-buhay at iba pang mga kapaki-pakinabang na gawain.

Isang magandang Halimbawa ay so Aiza Seguerra na isang proud lesbian. Siya ngayon ay isang sikat na singer, isang mahusay na kompositor, at mainpluwensiyang youth advocate. Si Vice Ganda naman ay isang proud gay/transgender. Isa rin siyang sikat na komedyante, nakabenta ng libo-libong album bilang isang mang-aawit, at isa na rin ngayong matagumpay na negosyante. Siya ay sikat na sikat hindi lamang dito sa Pilipinas kundi maging sa ibang bansa. Si Rustom Padilla na ngayon ay kilala na bilang Binibining Gandang Hari o Bb Gandang Hari ay isa namang proud na transgender. Noon, siya ay isang magaling na actor ngunit ngayon ay isa na siyang sikat na modelo sa ibang bansa.

Isa lamang ang aking nais iparating sa lahat. Dapat nang itigil natin ang panghuhusga sa ating mga kapwa lalo na sa mga miyembro ng LGBTQ. Dapat nating irespeto ang kanilang pagkatao at mga desisyon. Dapat natin silang tanggapin dahil tulad din natin sila na taong mayroong mga pangarap na gustong makamit, may karapatang mabuhay nang may pantay na karapatang tinatamasa, at marunong magmahal at nangangailangan din ng pagmamahal.

Games we Play by Emmanuel A. Parajeto

We all played games. It started in our childhood. We loved playing with other kids even with the ones that we don’t really know well. We enjoyed playing all kinds of games and we look forward to playing outside whenever we’re doing something else. It made life fantastic for us as children. Even though our clothes become dirty and our mothers reprimand us about it, it never stopped us from having fun. It doesn’t matter even when the sun is at its brightest and hottest. We didn’t care. We just couldn’t stop running, jumping, sliding, and hiding. Our skins got darker but we simply want to play some more.

We can’t get enough of Chinese Garter, Luksong Baka, Luksong Tinik, Sipa, Patintero, Dodge Ball, Paliboy, and more. There is no gender discrimination when it comes to playing. We capitalized on our social skills and team work to win each game. We didn’t really notice it at first because we were mostly after having fun but it actually did wonders to our body and our mind. It made our hearts beat faster and it made us sweat. Often, it took our breath away but after trying to steady our heartbeat by inhaling and exhaling oxygen, we’re good to go again and there’s that great feeling that we cannot simply define.

Nowadays, we only see few children in the playground or playing in the streets. Compared to the past years, children nowadays play someplace else. They can actually play games everywhere because they do it with their gadgets. More and more kids spend more time playing with their mobile devices. Some even choose to skip their meals whenever they can get away with it. Others cut classes just to feed their addiction. In the evening, you can easily spot them through the lights from their mobile device’s screen at they play in the dark. There are some children who are so young but are already wearing graded eyeglasses as their eyes’ health slowly deteriorates with lack of rest.

Yes, gadgets are useful. It is true. It can help us be more efficient. We can use it in communicating, browsing social media and web pages, creating PowerPoint presentations, downloading videos, documents, and other media, and playing different games. However, not all of us can set and handle limitations.

All in all, both traditional games and gadgets have their own unique advantages. Yes, we need to cope with the changes that time brings. However, we should not forget the laughter that we shared with our playmates when we played, soiled our shirts, and scraped our knees. Our traditional games are part of our culture. It speaks of how we are sporty, active, and resourceful. Besides, wouldn’t you want the next generation to experience the fun that you had in the streets even when your mother had to shout your full name for all your neighbors to hear while threatening you with a flip-flop, a belt, or a broom. Remember what you did? You probably ran home, laughing all the way!

Jawili Integrated School Celebrates 14th National Dental Health Month

“Give your smile to everyone but give your heart to only one.” This saying is popular among the high school students so as part of Jawili Integrated School’s celebration of the 14^th National Dental Health Month, JIS teachers, especially the Nutrition and Health Coordinators – Mrs. Jean T. Daroy, Teacher III (Elementary) and Mrs. Vemalyn T. Felisario, Teacher I (Secondary), and MAPEH teachers facilitated activities that will help the learners make their smiles worthy of sharing. These activities also help the learners understand why taking good care of their dental health is a great investment and how they will reap its fruits when they get older. This is to emphasize the theme of the celebration which is, “Ngiping Inaruga mula Pagkabata, Malusog na Ngiti baon sa Pagtanda”.

Dental Health Care was embedded in different lessons in MAPEH, specifically in Health, in English and Filipino subjects as topic in writing activities and presentations, and in TLE subjects through PowerPoint Presentation Making activities.

A Poster-Making Contest was also held on February 21, 2018 in two categories – one for elementary pupils and another for secondary students. The certificates of recognition for the winners were awarded right after the flag ceremony the next day.

Jawili Integrated School continues to integrate dental health care in different subjects to raise awareness and encourage the learners to practice it and share what they have learned in school to other stakeholders.

Awarding of Certificates of Recognition for the contest winners after the Flag Ceremony on February 22, 2018 with Ms. Lina D. Tumbagahan, OIC, and Nutrition and Health Coordinators – Mrs. Jean T. Daroy (Elementary), and Mrs. Vemalyn T. Felisario (Secondary)

Winning Posters

The Limitation of Human Brain by Aldea Rose B. Tunod

We live in a vibrant and complex world. Every time we gather information that catches our attention, we rely on our senses – sight, taste, smell, and touch that tell us what’s happening around us.

 What our senses are capable of is incredible because according to research, our eyes can receive 1MB of information every second that is equivalent to reading an entire encyclopaedia every minute. We can hear a person whispering from 10 meters. In less than a second, one whiff takes us back to a memory from childhood. Our skin contains four million receptors that give us vital information about temperature, pressure, texture, and pain.

Our senses give us so much information that our brain has developed ways to respond effectively. It particularly focuses on things that could harm us, information about things that are important to us, things that could give us pleasure and reward, or things that are interesting and new but sometimes, the information that our senses are gathering seem confusing or incomplete. That’s why our brain draws our memories, past experiences, and current feelings to guess and fill in the blanks. Most of the time, these guesses are helpful to us but sometimes mess them up. We do not just get some information wrong but the sheer amount of information we receive every second we can only do about 4 bits at one time because our brain is prone to information overload and misses some important pieces of data.

Everything has its limitation, even our brain so we must explore ourselves to know its capacity.

Vacuum dominates Dirt

With the busy schedule at work and a busy household with children roaming around like cockroaches, a mother of three toddler and pre-schoolers cleaning is one tough task to do. Having everything in your hands to do while cooking and taking care of them is a bit of a burden. Good thing there is a helper now that does it all. No need for sweeping. No need for dusting floors. No more scraping the carpets. A vacuum cleaner is the answer. Yes, it is a long time ago house helper but traditional vacuum cleaners are not the topic today.

Robotic vacuum cleaner seems to dominate the market in cleaning materials. There are a lot of different brands out there that promises every quality and reliability they can offer for a single vacuum cleaner.

What is important in choosing which robotic vacuum cleaner is the best should be based on its basic features, add-on features, price, storage, battery performance and also actual reviews online.

Features of a simple robotic vacuum cleaner

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          It cleans well on edges and corners. A vacuum cleaner can go through under sofas and bed and able to go back out of the dark. A docking function is necessary so you and other members of your household won’t accidentally step on it. Having cliff sensors is a must if your house has stairs or a few steps because detecting hollow areas could save you from damaging itself. Purchasing a unit also depends on their ability to clean on the type of flooring your home has.

Add-on features

• This may or may not be that necessary but simply makes you comfortable in some ways. Like the remote controlled vacuum cleaner, no need to lean down and push the buttons, just grab your remote and let your fingers do it sitting down.
• Having to see obstacles is a great function too because what if there’s a particular area in your house that is elevated and should be cleaned like a small ramp or a high pile carpet? Still consider this before buying.
• Does helping you clean the air important? A robotic vacuum cleaner of a famous brand has this feature, it just only say how environmental friendly they are.
• Full bin indicator helps you maintain your robotic vacuum cleaner’s performance because if it just sucks up dirt continuously and there’s no function like this, what is the use of it roaming around sucking up nothing, and also the battery will be wasted.
• Multi room navigation can be used in several rooms on the same floor, it can also function a memory eventually, remembering where it left off going back to the unclean area without human help.

Performance and Battery Duration

Most robotic vacuum cleaners work for approximately 90 minutes but there are brands that don’t get it full because of their cleaning path. Some brands cleaning path are back and forth which is better and some are just randomly picking up pieces which takes much time therefore time consuming.

These are just tips on how would one choose a better robotic vacuum cleaner for their household.