Yesterday eh nabalitaan ko kay Menx na meron pala pinaplanong reunion. Maganda ito. Kailangan lang ng konting coordination ng lahat ng magaganda at guwapong members ng batch. Sana ay matuloy ito in the near future. Ten years na rin kasi ang nakaraan nung tayo ay nakalaya sa CNSHS Concentration Camp.

Eto na naman tuloy at nagbabalik sa aking isip ang ilang memories of our dreams ng haysCOOL:

1. Less than a hundred (97 or 94?) lang ang natira sa batch nung time ng graduation from a total of 120+ nung nagsimula tayo under the tutelage of Ms. Pareja.
2. Si Arnold Jose Olave ang Master ng Damath at wala na yatang makakapantay pa sa kanyang achievements sa sports na ito sa CNSHS.
   
3. Batch '98 won three overall championships sa sportsfest (na palaging bitin), SY 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98. Gosh!!! <-- sabi nga ni katotong Rodney.
   
4. Isa ang batch namin sa nagtataglay ng pinaka-colorful set of individuals kaya naman very diverse ang buong batch at makikita mo yan kung babalik-balikan mo ang mga accomplishments (Oo Michelle, good and bad po) ng bawat miyembro at ng batch as a whole. Magsimula ka sa record ni Mrs. Bencito sa Guidance Counselor's Office. Sunod ay ang computer room ni Mr. Mojica. Wag mo kalimutan ang Biology class ni Mrs. Ruby Bautista at ang tsismis sa kanila si Sir Tom at syempre ang kanyang botanical garden (may iyakan pang nangyari dito next time ko na lang ichi-chismiz). Ang notorius case na pang-uumit sa canteen. Ang less-than-popular choice ni Sir Tom na pumili ng babae as head ng CAT...at syempre ang buong COCC experience (remember Mr. Jesse?). Sportacular (tingnan ang number 3). Countless medals and trophies sa mga academic contests. Dami pang iba na di ko na lang isusulat sa ngayon.
5. Ang aming batch ang nag-coin ng mga sumusunod na monickers: ipis, voltron, gila (short for gilagid), anyaki (ask our good friend Alvin), etc. dagdag nyo na lang yung iba.
6. Mga adik sa basketball ay nagbibilad sa init ng haring araw during lunch break makapag laro lang sa luma at bako-bakong court ng PUP Maragondon.
7. Kahit na marami ang ayaw kay ipis eh tinulungan nya tayo para manalo sa mass demo nung sophomore tayo. Nakalusot nga ako sa pagsali sa sayawang ito sa promise na ako ang magpoprovide ng tape para sa kanilang sasayawin. Self-humiliation problem solved.
8. Si Ms. Pareja ay nagkasakit dahil sa mga cute na cute (or kulit na kulit?) na students ng ating batch.
9. Yung fungicide na inimbento namin ni Eryl (at yung isa/dalawa pang groupmates) ay hinaluan namin ng hot sauce na binili namin sa Maragondon public market in a last ditch effort to kill those fungi na sa tingin namin that time eh lalong dumami nung nilagyan namin ng aming imbensyon. Okey ka ba tyan?
10. Nakaupo ako sa gym ng CNSHS habang nagpapahangin at nag-e-emote about my future in college ng biglang nasira ang magandang movie na nagpe-play sa aking maduming isip dahil sa lakas ng DIGHAY ni Engelbert na itinapat pa sa mikropono at nadinig yata sa buong school compound sa Maragondon sa tulong ng loud speaker.
11. Maraming ding tragic at unfortunate events na nangyari sa aming mga ka-batch. Hindi ko na lang isa-isahin.
12. Bukod sa katalinuhan, kagwapuhan at kakulitan ng mga GUYS (and gays) sa batch eh di maitatanggi na marami ring mga SM o Simple Maniacs...yung iba sabi Silent Maniacs din daw pwede. Umpisahan ko na sa dalawang Js ng aming section na 4-Nitrogen. Isa pang clue... yung isa classmate ko simula 1st year. Yung isa naman na J eh napalipat lang mula sa 1-Oxygen. Wag masyado seryosohin ito hehehehe.
    
13. Masaya ako nung napag-gitnaan ako sa seating arrangement ng dalawang crush for life ko na sina Banx at Menx.
14. Paborito ko si Mrs. Diosomito dahil napagbigyan nya ang aking hiling (hiks-hiks-hiks). See number 13.
15. Break! Break! Break! Natatandaan nyo pa si Mr. Eugene?
16. Naalala ko pa kung paano ma-deform ang mukha ng adviser namin nung Junior pa kami for forty minutes tuwing oras na ng klase ni Mr. Electrician. At least nagpipilit siyang mag-ingles kahit na talaga namang ala Jimmy Santos. Sorry sir hehe.
17. I woke up to a very beautiful day nung graduation namin pero di ako masyado masaya kahit na makakalaya na ako sa kulungan ni Mrs. De Vera kasi alam kong marami ako mami-miss.

LOLO: Ala eh, nakow, garne ga utoy... Kakaalmusal ko laang, gayak ako'y sisinsay sa kahanggan, ay natan-awan ko yaan sa alapaap ay nagsisilab. Bago sumirok ng papagay-on na kala mo'y papatak. Ginagaling na laang at sa sukalang are sumugba, ay kung sa kabayanan ga, ay di panay mga utas!

MEDIA: 'Lo, kayo daw po'ng saksi?

MEDIA: 'Sensya na po sa abala.

MEDIA: Ano raw?

Pagdating sa shower eh syempre usual routine lang hubad, hubo, konting kanta-kanta, pasayaw-sayaw pa, at siyempre kinausap ko ang tatlo kong bestfriends. Naknampootah nga lang kasi hinawakan ko pa sila as if nakikipag kamay sabay sabing: 'Kumusta naman ang araw nyo ngayon mga kapatid. Di ba kayo naboring sa....WADAPAKINGSHET!!!' Hindi ko pa pala nahuhugasan ang kaliwang kamay ko na ginamit ko para maglagay ng Alaxan Gel! Ang init!!! Ang hapdi!!! Yung kaliwang yagbol ko eh namula at parang gustong mag alburoto sa init ng pakiramdam. Agad nawala ang sakit ng bukong-bukong ko dahil sa naramdaman ko sa isang mahiwagang parte ng aking pagkalalaki. Mabuti na lang at meron temperature control ang shower at agad ko itinodo sa cold sabay tapat ng dutsa sa aking namumulang member. Bwesit na yan talaga.

Kaya kinabukasan pag pasok ko iika-ika ako. 'Sabi ng mga nakapansin mukhang may pilay ka ah?' Eh di tango lang ako sabay smile pero ang totoo mas masakit ang burning sensation na dulot ng Alaxan Gel (putik nakakarami na akong free advertisement dito ah) sa manipis na balat ng scrotum kesa sa sprained ankle.

Lesson learned: Maghugas ng kamay bago hipuin ang inyong pagmamay-ARI.

The Panagbenga Festival is held yearly during the month of February. The celebrations are held for over a month and peak periods are the weekends. The Panagbenga Festival showcases the many floral floats and native dances. The fragrant smells that could be presently teasing olfactory senses are probably less from the now-dried flowers from Valentine's Day than air floating all the way from Baguio City. At this time of year, the City of Pines is almost surely in flower fury over Panagbenga festival, the city's biggest festival.

Panagbenga is a kankanaey term for "a season of blooming." It is also known as the Baguio Flower Festival, a homage to the beautiful flowers the city is famous for as well as a celebration of Baguio's re-establishment. Since February 1995, it has been held to help Baguio forget the 1990 earthquake that distressed much of the city.

Panagbenga festival will have spectators enjoying a multiple floral and float parades over two days. The Baguio Flower Festival Association (BFFA) will have a street dancing parade and band exhibition. The Baguio Flower Festival Foundation (BFFF), meanwhile, will hold a parade. So where should spectators be stationed to not miss any of the float and floral parades? Session Road and Burnham Park. A search for the Mr. and Ms. Baguio Flower Festival, FM Panagbenga Pop Fiesta, Skateboard competition and Dolls of Japan exhibit were added to the BFFA calendar. The festival is supported by constituents of La Trinidad, La Union, Pangasinan, Marinduque and Masbate.

Often a Cañao is an undertaken to kick-off & celebrate the occasion. A Cañao is a dance that also is regularly performed at special occasions such as fiestas. In this two-person dance, the men hang blankets usually woven with an indigenous pattern or design-over each shoulder. The woman wraps a single similar blanket around her. The man leads her and dances in a circle with a hop-skip tempo to the beat of sticks and gongs. The dance must continue until the viewers decide to honor the dancers twice with a shout of "Ooo wag, hoy! hoy!" Once this has happened, the dancers can stop. It is an honor to be invited to join the dance, and elders and other respected members of the community are expected to join in at every occasion.

Other notable events:

Bulaklak Rock Battle of the Bands at the Skating Rink; Local Arts Show at the People’s Park; Veteran Records Skateboard Competition at the Skating; Dolls of Japan Exhibit and Eiga Sai at the Baguio Convention Center Lobby; Kitefest at the Athletic Bowl.

GETTING THERE

Baguio is easy to get to by air and land transportation. From Manila, the latter is the more popular choice, although at this time of the year, it may prove to be a hassle. If you prefer to fly to the City of Pines, some airlines maintain a daily schedule of flights from Manila to Baguio and back, like Asian Spirit. If, however, you go for a four-hour joyride, there are a variety of bus companies, garage cars, and tour operators for the convenience of tourists and visitors.

HISTORY

It all began in 1995 when lawyer; Damaso E. Bangaoet, Jr., John Hay Poro Point Development Corporation (JPDC) Managing Director for Camp John Hay, offered to the Board of Directors of JPDC the idea of organizing the holding of a flower festival in Baguio City. The Board, then directed by the Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA) Chairman Victor A. Lim and JPDC President Rogelio L. Singson, approved the project immediately. It was also decided that the Festival be held every February.

From the very start, JPDC saw itself as the maker, not the producer of the Festival. As a result, its plan was to present the idea to the different sectors of the community: government, education, business, media and civic organizations. This was not only to solicit their support, but also to gather their suggestions and ideas. Their response was generally warm and immediate, except for a few doubting Thomases. Nevertheless, the idea had fallen on fertile ground. It grew as a wellspring of community support fed resources into the project. The Baguio Flower Festival was an idea on its way to becoming a reality.

Making the idea a reality fell into the hands of the BFF Secretariat which was chaired by Attorney Bangaoet and operated by JPDC staff and volunteers led by Eric Jonathan Picart. In Addition, an advisory group of flower enthusiasts like Rebecca Domogan, Gloria Vergara, Julie Cabato, Willie Magtibay and Efren Chat was formed. They began by creating an identity for the Festival, one that would reflect the history, traditions and values of Baguio and the Cordilleras. In October 1995, the Baguio Flower Festival obtained face. Its official logo was chosen from entries to the Annual Camp John Hay Art Contest. The competition was open to elementary, high school and college students of Baguio. Its theme revolved around preserving the environment with a special importance on the flowers of the Cordillera. Instead of a complete painting, the eminent board of judges led by well-known artist BenCab chose a spray of sunflowers on the corner of the entry submitted by Trisha Tabangin, a student of the Baguio City National High School.

Shortly thereafter, a Festival hymn was composed by Professor Macario Fronda of Saint Louis University. To this music was added the rhythm and movements of the Bendian dance, an Ibaloi dance of celebration. The Bendian dance's circular movements speak of unity and harmony among members of the tribe - themes that foretell the coming together of the various sectors of the community to bring the Baguio Flower Festival to life.

Information sourced from: http://www.philippinecountry.com/philippine_festivals/panagbenga_festival.html

Click here for Calendar of Events of Panagbenga 2008

Palagi ko nakikita ang sarili ko na ganito kalaki in the future kung hindi magiging effective ang aking mga pinag-gagawa para lang makabawas timbang. Nakngkamotebeybi! Dambuhala naman masyado ang hitsura ko pag nagkataon. Kaya nga bawas bawas ako sa kanin at sa matatamis na pagkain. Magdadagdag naman ako sa oras ng pag ehersisyo at sex. Hay my gulay!

Filipinas are the sweetest smelling girls in the world... Tanong mo pa kay Pepe.

Ang Awit ni Maria Clara

Payatas people: Pansinin nyo naman kami.

• 10 years old pa lang ako at nagbubunot ng damo sa garden ng Paaralang Elementarya ng Muzon.
• Payat pa ako at nakakatakbo ng mabilis. Kaya ko pa nga talunin ang magkasunod ng flower box kapag naglalaro kami ng Prisoner.
• Wala pa ako paki-alam sa hairstyle ko at iba't ibang direksiyon ang pagkakasuklay ng buhok ko.
• Ang kinis-kinis pa ng kilikili ko kung pagmamasdan kasi wala pa itong buhok.
• Supot pa ako. Hindi pa nga tampos.
  
• Masaya na ako sa larong taguan, tumbang preso at luksong baka. Yung Family Computer ko kasi na binili pa namin ni Nanay sa Cavite City ay nagloloko na ang controller kaya hindi na masarap paglaruan. Si SUper Mario eh talon na lang ng talon.
• Black and White pa ang television namin sa bahay pero katalo na rin lalo na at napapanood ko ang seksing si Annie na partner ni Shaider, pulis patola pangkalawakan.
• Wala pang internet sa Pilipinas.
• Usong uso ang salitang LAHAR. Lalo na sa classroom namin. Iba nga lang ang ibig sabihin ng salitang LAHAR sa aming mga estudyante...kapag narinig yan ay magtakip na ng ilong kasi siguradong uutot na si Gary laki-mata.
• Nanalo si Mr. Tabako sa presidential election at lalong lumakas ang karir ni Willie Nepomuceno bwahaha.
• Cute daw ako sabi ng nanay, tatay, kuya at ate ko. At naniwala naman ako.
• Kahit na patpatin lang ang katawan ko at uhugin pa eh kaya ko ng umubos ng Coke 500. 4 pesos pa lang yata ang isang Coke 500 noon.
• May tindahan pa sina ate Tentay na malapit lang sa aming bahay kaya mas madaling bumili ng snacku, boogyman, richie at ginaok!
• Sumasama pa akong manghuli ng gagamba sa mga ilat at gubat para lang maka sunod sa uso (hindi ko kasi kayang bumili ng gagamba na pang ruweda kasi masyadong mahal). Pinipilit kong ubusin na ni tatay ang kanyang posporo para magamit ko na ang bahay ng posporo para kulungan ng aking gagambang tala na gapang ipis at balbon pa.
• Spartan ang suot kong tsinelas! Di pa uso ang islander eh.
• Kaya ko pang mag bisikleta maghapon.
• Hindi pa ako mahilig sa gulay.
• Hindi pa ako mahilig masyado mag jakol.