My Future

My greatest dream is to finish my course and help my family. I will be a Policeman in the future.

Story of my life.

The story of my life is not that much interested, but these are the details.

First I should start in introducing my self, my name is RENEL JAN V. CABASAG born in December 31, 1995. The story of my life starts the day I was born.When I was a child I am a kind of children that (lasangan,buloyagun,gahi ug ulo). Thats why I can always receive a wonder (bunal,kusi,kulata). When I grow up I started my high school life.That time I encounter a lot of different people. My grandmother and grandfather took good care of me,because my mother and father are both  evaporate.hahaha.. They work from other place to sustain our daily needs. Until the time comes I felt something different,oh my God I am in love.weeee??. I wont for get my experience in my high school days,because you will experience the 1st love and first broken heart.But many people tells me that,it is part of our life. Until I reached college,my 1 year in studying in college I can that it was good.One time I went in the disco,but someone gapabikil on me.Then it comes in a point that I punch him two times in the face and knock him out. My family knows about the news what Ive done,thats why they are so angry with. Then I decided to stop my study because I was hurt also what they say to me. After a year came back to school,because I realize that it was my fault. During my high school days I have a girlfriend, and I love her so much.Our love story reached in 4 years,many struggles came but still were still together. Sad to say but the time has come,my love was gone.Because I meet a new girl that where I found my happiness. For me usik jud ang 4 years but I rather let her go than hurting her so badly. Maybe were not for each other, but until now were still girlfriend because I don't know how to tell her that my feelings to her was gone already. I know that what im doing now is a big wrong.But time comes I can fixed this all. I ganna say that im sorry..thats all thank you:(:(

My expectations from new President in the Philippines.

  I expect the next president to alleviate or ease the hardships we are suffering by showing his skills in leading our people to prosperity. 
I do not expect him to have all the solutions at once to fix the country’s lingering problems, but all of six years is already ample time.  He should be righteous and godly. He should be instrumental in cleansing the nation of poverty, graft and corruption, and incompetent leaders. He will bring order, peace and prosperity.  I expect our next president to have his platform of government carried out to its full meaning and intent.  I expect him to fulfill his platform. These are: to lead and to serve the people and do away with trapo politics; strengthen agriculture as a base of nation’s economy; upgrade the educational system to empower the people; work for genuine peace and order; upgrade the nation’s defense capability; be a model of nationalism and patriotism. I expect the next president to be magaling at matalino, decisive at may sariling isip. 

The reason why I choose maja blanca, suman sa lihaya, and bibingkang galapong.

1. I choose this 3 Filipino Native Delicacy because until now a days I can still eat this kind of food.
2. All this 3 kinds of food are delicious.
3. This is also originally Filipino food.

Bibingkang Galapong

Ingredients:

4 eggs, well beaten

2 cups coconut milk

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup melted margarine

2 cups rice flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup coco cream,

1/4 cup sugar for topping

Procedure:

1. Add sugar to beaten eggs.

2. Combine salt and flour; add to egg mixture.

3. Add melted margarine, coconut milk, and baking powder.

4. Pour into banana leaf-lined mold.

5. Bake in 375 degrees Fahrenheit oven.

6. When half-done, take it out from the oven and brush top with coconut cream and sugar and bake until golden crust is formed.

Suman sa Lihiya

Ingredients:

1 kilo malagkit na bigas (glutinous rice)

2 tsp lihiya (lye water)

prepared banana leaves

thin cotton strings

Condiments:

grated coconut

brown sugar

Latik

Procedure:

1. Cut or separate banana leaves into two sizes (all approximates) – one 9 x 11-inch size and the other 5 x 5-inches.

2. Soak the glutinous rice in water for about 1-2 hours.

3. Drain and mix in the lye water.

 It should turn yellowish (this would depend on the strength of the lye water), if not add more lye water a little at a time until it turns yellowish.

 Mix well.

4. Put the big sized leaf lengthwise on a working surface – topside down.

 Then put the smaller one on top of it – topside up and aligned either same as the bigger piece or positioned with the one of the corners pointing to the narrow side of the bigger piece.

5. Place about 3 tablespoonfuls of the glutinous rice mixture on the smaller piece of leaf.

6. Grab the 2 long sides of the bigger piece and bring them together.

 Fold or roll that side to enclose the rice (about 3 half-inch folds).

 It is now long and narrow shaped.

7. Fold about the lower 1/4 of the parcel towards the center.

8. While firmly holding the folded end of the parcel, put it upright and tap it on the table to pack in the rice and if need be add more rice through the open end.

9. Fold the top end towards the center.

 You should have a parcel about 5 x 2-inches in size.

10. Make another one of roughly the same size.

11. Pair these two with the folded sides together.

12. Using thin cotton strings, tie the two ends together tightly.

13. Place the assembled pieces in a big pot and add enough water to cover the suman.

14. Bring to boil and bring down heat to low and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours.

15. Serve warm or cold with grated coconut and sugar.

Cooking Latik:

1. Add 2 Tbsp sugar and pinch of salt to a 400 ml can of coconut milk in a wok or pan (preferably non-stick).

 Stir until sugar and salt is dissolved.

2. Bring to boil then lower heat and simmer until it renders oil and sediments (the latik) start to stick to the bottom.

3. At this point watch it very closely and stir it frequently (it burns easily) and fry the sediments until golden brown.

4. Remove from oil with slotted spoon.

 Serve with the suman.

My favorite Filipino Delicacy

Maja Blanca

Ingredients:

½-cup cornstarch

½-cup white sugar

2-cups coconut milk

coconut cream from 1 grated coconut

Procedure

Coconut cream:

1. Extract coco cream and coconut milk from the grated coconut.

2. Place grated coconut in a muslin bag wrung out of warm water.

3. Twist the open end and squeeze out the coco cream without adding water.

4. Set aside for cooking Latik.

Coconut milk:

1. Add three portions of warm water and squeeze the bag of grated coconut with every addition of water.

2. Cook coco cream in a frying pan over medium heat until oil and latik form.

3. The latik should have a delicate, golden yellow color and must not be burnt.

4. Transfer latik into a cool dish separate from oil or further heating will turn the latik to darker shade.

5. Blend cornstarch and sugar thoroughly in a 1-quart bowl and add ¼-cup of coco milk.

6. Boil the rest of the coco milk in a 2-quart saucepan.

7. Add the cornstarch-sugar mixture, stirring with a wire whisk until it boils.

8. Hold for 2 minutes to attain a cooked flavor of the starch.

9. Pour while hot into two oiled cereal dishes.

 Cool completely.

10. Cut into pie wedges.

 Garnish each piece with latik.

11. Serve hot or chilled.

Panginoon Maraming Salamat

Aking kaarawan ay nabalot ng kasiyahan

Sa halo halong emosyong aking naramdaman

Hindi ko inakala na ako ay gagantimpalaan

Ng buhay na mas higit pa sa aking

  inasahan

Mga taong nagmahal sa akin ng

walang humpay

Bukal sa kalooban ang maibahagi

ang pagmamahal na taglay

Sa kanila ko lubos na naisapuso

Na ang kasiyahan ay hindi kailan man mabibili ng pera

At ang tanging kaligayahan ay unang unang magmumula sa Amang may likha

Panginoon maraming salamat sa mga

Nangyari sa aking buhay

Ibinahagi po Ninyo ang bawat aral nitong

Taglay

Sa panibagong yugto ng aking buhay

Nawa’y makasama ko padin ang Inyong

                                                                     Tanging gabay

ANG MGA LABI MO 

Ang mg̃a labi mo ay dalawang lang̃it,
Lang̃it-na di bughaw, ni lang̃it ng̃ hapis,
Labi ng̃ bulaklak na kapwa ninibig
Labing mababang̃o, sariwa't malinis.

Labi ng̃ sampagang may pait at awa,
Tipunan ng̃ pulót, tamis at biyaya,
Sisidlang ang lama'y kabang̃uhang pawa,
Pook na tipanan ng̃ hamog at diwa.

Tagapamalita ng̃ lihim ng̃ puso,
May oo at hindi, may tutol at samo,
May buhay at palad, may tula't pagsuyo.

Ang̃ mg̃a labi mo'y may pulót na tang̃i
Kung iyan ang aking pagkaing palagi'y
Talo ko ang lahat, talo ko ang Hari.

PUSO, ANO KA?

Ang puso ng tao ay isang batingaw,
sa palo ng hirap, umaalingawngaw
hihip lang ng hapis pinakadaramdam,
ngumt pag lagi nang nasanay, kung minsan,
nakapagsasaya kahit isang bangkay.

Ang puso ng tao’y parang isang relos,
atrasadong oras itong tinutumbok,
oratoryo’y hirap, minutero’y lungkot,
at luha ang tiktak na sasagot-sagot,
ngunit kung ang puso’y sanay sa himutok
kahit libinga’y may oras ng lugod.

Ang puso ay ost’ya ng tao sa dibdib
sa labi ng sala’y may alak ng tamis,
kapag sanay ka nang lagi sa hinagpis
nalalagok mo rin kahit anung pait,
at parang martilyo iyang bawat pintig
sa tapat ng ating dibdib na may sakit.

Kung ano ang puso? Ba, sanlibrang laman
na dahil sa ugat ay gagalaw-galaw,
dahil sa pag-ibig ay parang batingaw,
dahil sa panata ay parang orasan,
at mukhang ost’ya rin ng kalulwang banal
sa loob ng dibdib ay doon nalagay.

Favorite Filipino Poems

                                                        AWA SA PAG-IBIG

Oh! Kaawa-awang buhay ko sa iba
Mula at sapol ay gumiliw-giliw na,
Nguni’t magpangayon ang wakas ay di pa
Nagkamit ng tungkol pangalang ginhawa.

Ano’t ang ganti mong pagbayad sa akin,

Ang ako’y umasa’t panasa-nasain,

At inilagak mong sabing nahabilin,

Sa langit ang awa saka ko na hintin!

Ang awa ng langit at awa mo naman

Nagkakaisa na kaya kung sa bagay?

Banta ko’y hindi rin; sa awa mong tunay,

Iba ang sa langit na maibibigay.

KAHIT SAAN

Kung sa mga daang nilalakaran mo,
may puting bulaklak ang nagyukong damo
na nang dumaan ka ay biglang tumungo
tila nahihiyang tumunghay sa iyo. . .
Irog, iya’y ako!

Kung may isang ibong tuwing takipsilim,
nilalapitan ka at titingin-tingin,
kung sa iyong silid masok na magiliw
at ika’y awitan sa gabing malalim. . .
Ako iyan, Giliw!

Kung tumingala ka sa gabing payapa
at sa langit nama’y may ulilang tala
na sinasabugan ikaw sa bintana
ng kanyang malungkot na sinag ng luha
Iya’y ako, Mutya!

Kung ikaw’y magising sa dapit-umaga,
isang paruparo ang iyong nakita
na sa masetas mong didiligin sana
ang pakpak ay wasak at nanlalamig na. . .
Iya’y ako, Sinta!

Kung nagdarasal ka’t sa matang luhaan
ng Kristo’y may isang luhang nakasungaw,
kundi mo mapahid sa panghihinayang
at nalulungkot ka sa kapighatian. . .
Yao’y ako, Hirang!

Ngunit kung ibig mong makita pa ako,
akong totohanang nagmahal sa iyo;
hindi kalayuan, ikaw ay tumungo
sa lumang libinga’t doon, asahan mong. . .
magkikita tayo!

Folktales in Eastern Visayas

Abadeha, Filipina Cinderella

The story of Abadeha is the Philippine version of Cinderella. Here’s how it goes.

Abadeha is a kind and hardworking young woman.  Her wicked stepmother and stepsisters abuse her and ask her to carry out impossible tasks. Abadeha asks for the help of Bathala (the creator God), her ancestors and her dead mother. At the river, her cries for help are heard by the Spirit of the Forest (counterpart of the fairy godmother). With her guidance, Abadeha is able to accomplish all that her step-family demands of her.

One day, a prince out hunting in the forest comes upon the enchanted tree by the grave of Abadeha’s mother. He sees a ring among the branches and puts it on. By the time he returns to the palace, his finger has become swollen and painful. The king calls for the Babaylan, the priest-healer of the land, but even he cannot take the ring off.

That night, the Prince learns in a dream that only a girl can remove the ring from his finger. Upon hearing this, the king announces to his people that any girl who can take the ring off his son’s finger will be offered marriage to the prince.

Of all the maidens who tried, only Abadeha was successful. And that’s how she became a princess!

The Miraculous Cow

This is a Tagalog story recorded in English in the early 20th century. This tale may strike Western sensibilities as mean, but making fun of “simple folk” is not uncommon in Filipino oral stories. It’s a moral story on cleverness contrasted with the stupidity of believing in superstition.

There was once a farmer driving home from his farm in his kariton. He had tied his cow to the back of his cart, as he was accustomed to do every evening on his way home. While he was going along the road, two boys saw him. They were Felipe and Ambrosio. Felipe whispered to Ambrosio, “Do you see the cow tied to the back of that kariton? Well, if you will untie it, I will take it to our house.”

Ambrosio approached the kariton slowly, and untied the cow. He handed the rope to Felipe, and then tied himself in the place of the animal.

“Come on, Ambrosio! Don’t be foolish! Come on with me!” whispered Felipe impatiently.

“No, leave me alone! Go home, and I will soon be there!” answered the cunning Ambrosio.

After a while the farmer happened to look back. What a surprise for him! He was frightened to find a boy instead of his cow tied to the kariton. “Why are you there? Where is my cow?” he shouted furiously. “Rascal, give me my cow!”

“Oh, don’t be angry with me!” said Ambrosio. “Wait a minute, and I will tell you my story. Once, when I was a small boy, my mother became very angry with me. She cursed me, and suddenly I was transformed into a cow; and now I am changed back into my own shape. It is not my fault that you bought me: I could not tell you not to do so, for I could not speak at the time. Now, generous farmer, please give me my freedom! for I am very anxious to see my old home again.”

The farmer did not know what to do, for he was very sorry to lose his cow. When he reached home, he told his wife the story. Now, his wife was a kind-hearted woman; so, after thinking a few minutes, she said, “Husband, what can we do? We ought to set him free. It is by the great mercy of God that he has been restored to his former self.”

So the wily boy got off. He rejoined his friend, and they had a good laugh over the two simple folks.

Legend of Eastern Visayas

The legend of mount danglay

1. 1. The LEGEND OF MOUNT DANGLAY or “How TACLOBAN got its NAME”An Oral Tradition (usa nga Susumaton)Copyrighted by Dulce Cuna AnacionThis Tale has been passed down to me by my late Mother, Dr. Rosa Ester T. Cuna, an Englishand Literature professor of UP Tacloban College, she said this is an oral tradition shegathered from Basey, Samar, where my Father’s relatives come from.Long time ago when the island of Leyte (Tendaya island, named after a chieftain)[1] was stillsparsely uninhabited, a young couple lived in the swampy shores of Kabatok, their livelihoodwas catching crabs and shellfish and crossing the Bay to a village in Samar island (Ibabao orSibabao island, which to this day the village is named Basey), to sell in a “tabo”(market fair) inthat village everyday.[2]Dang, was a strong fisherman, he was a tall, good-looking relative of the Bornean Datu Siagu ofthe southern side of Tendaya. His body was tattooed (“patik”) all over in the tradition of histribe, he wore a loin cloth and was agile with the spear and machete he always carried withhim. His other possessions were a “bangka” (small boat) and some “taklub”(basket traps forcatching fish and crabs in shallow waters). His wife, Mulay was a weaver and basket maker. Shemade “taklub” to be sold in the Samar village during “tabo”. She was lithe, and agile too, herarms and legs were tattooed with motifs of birds and flowerets and crisscrossed with thepatterns of basket weaving.

Myths in Eastern Visayas

Myths in Eastern Visayas

Hudhud Hi Aliguyon (The Tales of Aliguyon)

In the mountainous hinterlands of Northern Luzon, a young boy named Aliguyon was raised well by his father and he grew up to become a smart and intelligent leader. He also had the skills and prowess of a brave and stalwart warrior that children of the villages often looked up to him as a role model.

Now their tribe had a long standing feud over territorial boundaries, with another tribe in another mountain. To settle it once and for all, Aliguyon challenged the leader of the other tribe to a duel. However, the leader did not accept the challenge personally but his son, Pumbakhayon did, since he was an exact match to Aliguyon’s capabilities.

Thus, the two warriors faced each other in a battle they were not prepared for. To Aliguyon’s surprise, his adversary was as skilled and adept as he was. Accordingly, there was only one spear used because Aliguyon’s initial attempt to slay Pumbakhayon with a single but powerful thrust of his spear was not successful. Pumbakhayon was able to catch the spear and used the same weapon by throwing it to Aliguyon with an equally forceful might. The latter had no other course of action but to catch his spear and hurl it once more to his opponent.

This duel lasted for three days with nothing transpiring but the swift exchanges of hurls using only a single spear. On the third day, the two young men decided to stop the senseless exercise and agreed to talk things over. It became obvious to both of them that they were equals in every aspect despite belonging to a different tribe. They have come to respect each other’s skills and intelligence, thus realizing they are capable of settling their issues wisely. Therefore, the duel ended in a treaty and the two young men became close friends.

Their tribes and the people all lived harmoniously and peacefully. They emulated their leaders as they settled their differences by recognizing that each tribal member deserves to be accorded with respect regardless of tribe or stature.

The Story of Maria Makiling

Travelers coming from Manila going to Southern Luzon will notice a mountainous mound of thick rainforests looming up ahead. The shape of the mountain takes the form of a woman lying peacefully on her back. Every home-bred Filipino can easily recognize this as Mount Makiling and the sleeping form of the woman is that of the mountain’s goddess Maria Makiling.

The mountain is actually an extinct volcano and it has relatively remained unharmed through its years of existence. Thanks to Maria Makiling’s vigilance in protecting the mountain’s ecosystem. Those who trek to the mountain are told and forewarned that Maria’s spirit often roams the woods and is capable of doing harm to those who harm any of the living creatures that live on her mountain. To the locals, she is known as a “diwata" or goddess of nature. She rewards those who heed her warnings but will severely punish those who ignore her.

A hunter tells of his experience while in pursuit of a wild boar who had tried to attack him in the deep forest of Mt. Makiling. As he was about to strike the cornered boar, a beautiful lady with golden-brown skin and long flowing black hair appeared and admonished him not to kill the wild pig. She patiently explained with a kind voice that the attack launched by the boar, was only to protect the mountain against intruders, who may one day take away all the trees in its forest.

The beautiful lady invited him to have supper with her and a place to rest for the night. The hunter felt humbled that despite being caught red-handed by Maria, she still found it in her heart to be gracious. Nevertheless, the hunter made a vow to Maria that he will no longer hunt any of the living creatures in Mt. Makiling ever again, nor take down trees from its forest.

Pleased at what she heard, Maria gave the hunter a “salakot" or buri hat filled with ginger, to take home as present for his wife. Upon reaching home, he immediately opened his back pack, to unload the heavy burden off his back. The “salakot" fell off with a heavy thud and revealed golden nuggets instead of ginger.

However, there are stories about hunters losing their way in the forest and unable to find their way back home. Others, however, were fortunate to be chanced upon by mountain climbers and hikers; albeit incoherent and unable to remember their names or where they live. The only thing they can remember is a beautiful lady who gave them food and shelter for the night.

Filipino literature is rich with myths, folklores, legends of the Philippines and the origins of the many things that can be seen, heard, felt, smelled, and tasted. There are also tales of heroism, love, compassion and promises that were fulfilled even after life. Although some stories like the legend of Maria Makiling tend to scare, they had at least, served the purpose of keeping the rainforest well-preserved with its ecology still intact.