In Between Spaces: 2016

3/03/2016

My Love for traveling

By: Rod Benjamin J. Buñag

Photo by: Rod Benjamin Buñag

Traveling to me is a very big deal, from the fact that it connects me with my loved ones, when my family and I are at home everyone is just too busy with their own problems and work. I am someone who loves spending time with people and traveling helps me attain that. This trip was very unusual due to that we used to go visit every year during the summer but stopped for more than 5 years ago. It was the trip where I gained 10 pounds while losing all the muscle mass I had gained, in other words very very bad things. This is from skipping out my diet, eating the food they served there, and being without any modes of exercise created this situation.

Photo by: Rod Benjamin Buñag

My family and I just recently went on a travel last christmas break to California, Los Angeles which was a very fun and happy time for all of us. We all had no worries and just kept a smile on for the most of it. Since we're different individuals we couldn't help but fighting with each other at certain points. Though I believed it helped us create a deeper and more meaningful bond together. We spent the entire trip with another family, whom we have known for longer than 17 years even before I was in this world. Though I've been here countless times, this will be the trip that I'll never forget. That it started my year with a new and reformed bond with my family and I.

Photo by: Rod Benjamin Buñag

Our trip took us to Carson in Los Angeles which we spent most our time in outlets, malls, sightseeing and restaurants to shop and such. We went to see a beautiful museum of art at Lacma, of a great number of people. All the art they had was breath taking. Then we went to Mountain High at one point, which is a ski resort but we came late so we didn't have any time to ski. Which got me really sad, since I wanted to experience gliding through layers of snow. On the bright side I saw snow for the first time or the first time I would remember, but it wouldn't be the last. Then off we went to the Grand Canyon, which was freezing even though I have this thick coat on the whole time. That is saying something from someones who loves the cold with passion. We then head off to the Hoover Dam the next day, which is a iconic dam that has been featured in many films my favorite one being Transformers. It was breathtaking seeing such a scene of a combination of natural formation and man made structures. This begins the nearing of the conclusion of the story I am telling you. Sin city is next on the itinerary of traveling to, where we spend our New Years. Where I create a promise to myself that this is my year and I'll make sure of it. Though I skimmed through many details of my travel my point is that you have to be the one to add your goal and to attain whether it may on a trip or life.

We get back from America tired, fat and sweaty since we aren't used to the weather in the Philippines anymore. I believe this is if not the best, then top trips I have been in. Due to the mere fact the we came back a new family, new mindsets and more importantly we came home safe. My reason again for loving traveling with a burning passion is cause I of the memories I create with my family that usually I wouldn't be able to have.

2/27/2016

A Filipino Day of Commemoration

by Julia Patricia C. Belleza

Even after 3 decades after the abolishing of the martial law system, the national holiday of People Power is still a grand celebration.

The implementation of the martial law system in the Philippines sparked an all out rebellion in the Filipino society. Both silent and loud rebellions were occurring nation wide. Eventually both democracy and justice were given to the people and Cory Aquino was elected president.

With it being a non-working holiday, the roads weren't as traffic as usual allowing the 'Salubungan' celebration at the People Power monument in EDSA to flourish. Numerous students, military, and politicians could be seen standing together as one commemorating this blessed occasion.

During the "Salubungan" rites, two helicopters sprinkled the sky with millions of little yellow confetti. This along with several fighter jets adorned the sky with the colors of Filipino independence and democracy. Afterwards, current president, Benigno Aquino III, presented his speech in front of the crowd.

The transition from an iron fist reign by Ferdinand Marcos to the lenient hand of Corazon Aquino did have a large effect on the economy and way of life of the Filipino people. Though there was democracy, country development slowly started to decrease. Failed projects like land reform, gradually put the Philippines into more debt than before. Because of the new public face holding office, it wasn't evident to the public.

More could have been done during her rule but it cannot be denied that the change in position did take the Filipinos out of oppression and out of the pessimistic disposition that politicians only worked to benefit themselves instead of the country.

Information about the 30th year celebration of the People Power revolution, including a video showing the President Aquino's speech, can be found at this link. The whole speech was typewritten here and

Pages

3/03/2016

My Love for traveling

2/27/2016

A Filipino Day of Commemoration