Communication Theory: Structuralism vs. Functionalism

It is very common in our country to have problems with such issues pertaining to agreement of both parties, specifically – the ruler and the peoples underlie by the rules. Maybe, it is partly because of too much abusiveness we Filipinos suffered from the long termed and constant dictatorship and colonization which made us what we Filipinos are most commonly known about, “rebellious”, which became the fitted term rather than democratic. Maybe we should anticipate more, the general causes of these problems to fully fathom and assemble possible solutions.

Structuralism is concerned with language as a system of interrelated structures, thus, it deals with human cognition and behavior which is based on how one was raised and the place and culture that adds up to the blend of how one was thinking. In accordance to that is about up to these days hot issue which makes government peoples tremble in insanity and turns their head upside down in thinking, the “same sex marriage” issue. Structurarily speaking, it is because of our country’s strong religious format, why most of us don’t agree with it. We are deep buried under the philosophical stance that a man must be married with the opposite sex or else it is breaking not merely the law of the “physical” authority which is the “government”, but the law of “general and spiritual” authority which is that of God’s (which is written on the bible).

However, because Functionality, concerns with the determination of ones function, so, functionally speaking, “same sex marriage or relationship” is also opposed and criticized due to the fact that it will not function because, it lacks the capability to reproduce or to make a child of their own, and thus, Structurarily speaking again, the term “gay” signifies “just for lust… earthly lust” rather love. And that is because; Structuralism looks out just for “aesthetic considerations”.

The 2004 “Hello Garci” scandal is also one of the hottest issues that is cannot be wiped out entirely, as it already typify its brand just like signature clothes. Former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, whose now is just a congresswoman, insists the dispensability of the revealed fraudility, though authenticated. The poor clever elf like greedy woman who deserves to be hanged, functionally views the issue as needless due to the fact that she had already done with her term as the president of the Philippines, however, “Structurarily” thinking --- it is coined that whoever violated the law must commit and is deserved to the consequences.

Fraternity... For better or worse?

One of the necessary requirements for a law student to become a full and 

professional member in the field of law is to pass the bar exam.

A licensure examination process wherein includes an eight day schedule,

 and two specific subject course for each day as what is practiced here in

the Philippines. And recently, september of last year , an unexpected bombing at the

De La Salle University happened with the confirmed angle of two groups of cheering

squad which belongs to distinct group of fraternity.

It is supposed to be a happy celebration with the examinees, might as well feel like

at last its the end of their longed time study hardship, but the incident arouse the

need to give sympathy about the racing problems on the the members of the fraternities

of these days. Why the hell, it should happen to a fate of a law student who just wants

to fulfill her dreams? Why almost everyone sees fraternity up to these days as just a normal

thing that accompanies the modernization of the genration? Even if it came to the point of

violence that even innocent suffer the rudiness of another?

The government must take an action to wipe the enlarging fraternity deterioration that wasn't

used to practice then. There are a growing number of killings of those who entered these brotherhood

who all just want is to become famous and to be feared upon the name of Alpha Beta Gamma, Triskelion

and Alpha Phi Omega and other numerous brotherhood.

Those brotherhood was supposed to become for good purpose. All other members whose have a major role in the country, Binay for example needs to clean up the dirt of these days generation in which he is a prominent member since. And he must show no sided group to bring out the truth of this tragedy and the like.

 On the bright side, it is very

inspirational about what Raissa Laurel, whose one of the main victims, showed approach to the incident, who merely said that she already had completely forgiven the suspects but insists that they must face the consequences they did not only on her but also on other innocent victims whose families are still grieving and looking not only for vengeance but, justice as a whole.

CFC and other cooling apparatuses

Although there are lots of benefits we could get from using cooling apparatuses, still there is always nothing without its limitations and consequences for over using in anyways.

Because we are dealing with the disadvantages, of course, what we are talking about here is the components or specifically the chemicals compound within the making of such innovations like these. Basically, what makes these apparatuses harmful is the “CFC” or what we call “Chlorofluorocarbon” or also known as “freon”, besides the apparatuses could get us less of a burden or disadvantages alone.

Historically, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) have been used as refrigerants in air conditioners and refrigerators and air cons of motor cars. CFCs have the advantages of safe incombustibility, high stability and low toxicity, but unfortunately destroy the ozone layer. In the past decade, the production and use of CFCs has been virtually abolished, replaced by various hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). The latter compositions indeed present less degradation of the ozone layer, but have been shown to be strong greenhouse gases.  Goes to show “firmly”, there is always payoffs whatever choice we made to choose and thus, there will always be taken into consideration.

On us, humans, basically, the harms that we may only realize from using these apparatuses like refrigerators is that; it's a pain when it gets full of food and you have nowhere to put the rest of your food, It sucks cleaning under a fridge, some foods especially meats needs manual defrosting, encourages buying more food than needed, which increases waste leading to being expensive, takes up room and lastly the cost of money that will maintain your usage through bill payments. But what most of us, don’t realize is that there is such more to worry about. In terms of the environment, the Ozone layer removes ultra-violet ray from the atmosphere that harms the health of the plants, trees, animals and of course human beings. Due to Such gas spreading in the air, it destroys the Ozone layer, according to the scientists. And thinning of the Ozone layer, the global people would face disadvantages on the sun-burnt of skin, infection of skin cancer, loss of eye sights, declining of human immune system and easily causing of diseases, and less development of plants which we humans, will surely suffer due to problems of food shortages.

 For more info go to this link http://eversion.news-eleven.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=352%3Amyanmar-to-stop-import-of-cfc-used-in-refrigerator-air-conditioner-&Itemid=111

The Umpire’s Sons By Lisa Pollak The Baltimore Sun (A 1997 Pulitzer Prize Awardee)

link to feature story http://www.pulitzer.org/works/1997-Feature-Writing

This piece was like another story but was never really untold before. Another story about suffering of children, death and loss, but rare cases to happen in real life —a heart warming write up of the struggles of brothers which affects the lives of their family, mostly their father who happened to be an umpire of a baseball team. Actually when I red the first part of the story, I already had an idea that it has the same theme on an episode of the drama anthology “Maalaala Mo Kaya” I had watched, wherein the older brother died of the disease while the younger one is still on his struggle of the same disease. The brothers were also much attached to each other more than usual brothers could ever be.

The lead states the theme as to revolve around gambling, risks of a chance and fate. I liked how she sets up the story, first narrating the baseball stuff which is the sports played by the father and his sons, and how this played an important role on the lives of the family. I admire how did she represents the connections of the baseball stuff in order that the readers would easily allocate and interpret the meaning behind without pushing the readers to the real importance of the sport as to what the struggle they are in to. She represents each subsequent events rather than telling each purpose. The resolution can easily be established in the forms of questions: Will the boy survive? Who’s marrow would the family choose? How will he and his father cope up with the illness? She mainly relies on the authority of each character’s details so that the experience would not become as intently earned, but in a way with passion of telling a sad story.

Community Extension Reflections

Many have been said about nobility and lots of people are known for humanitarianism and charitable doings. It is no wonder, why it gathers attention of vast number of people easily and typifies resemblance to that certain people or groups of individual. However, in every generous deed, the big hanging question is, “the measure of sincerity?”

Though, it is factual that there is an upward trend here in the Philippines that had been said even earlier declared at the end of last year, its delightful to know that there are still people who were helping to make our country improve more to hopefully remain in the top list of tourist destination all over the world. And that includes, the couple we've met in a Community Extension we had last August. I really admired them and all who were like them because their not like the rest of them. They proved to me the real essence of charity in my own sight. Obviously, they seek out first what are the necessary stuff to completely provide the needs of their beneficiaries, not only by suddenly changing their target people’s behavior in haste, but firstly, by understanding the reason and barriers that participates in that problem by experiencing it as well by living with them. They proved the Development Communications strategy of firstly understanding merely the situation would lead into success and not just by raising awareness which really isn’t enough.

On the other hand, these days, people are ascertain of what they really believe in and thus, clever than ever before. In fact, we are now more into criticizing a certain thing even just based on what we just have seen. Blindingly, we can’t see ourselves what we look like in the mirror. Are we better than them? Have we done accomplishments almost to what they have attained? And lastly, do we really know what the real narration of the story is? Are we there? Or maybe, why couldn’t we just read minds and thoughts if only we could? -- So that, the issue would just end… but, of course, even if we were given that ability, its still much better to rely with just our intuition and suddenly, proved within ourselves that we could rely on our trust "alone" to someone and thus, the greatest part is to know that there are others whose sincere and cares for us, someone whose we feel assured that will never tear our hearts apart.

Kasurang Kapalit! (a personal account)

Noong nakaraang hulyo ng taong ito, nagyaya ang gaming kaibigan na si Maryknol sa aming dalawa ni Ruby na magpunta ng mall upang maggala. At dahil sa, ngayon lamang ulit namin siya nakita sa hinaba-haba ng panahon, kaya pinagbigyan na naming siya kahit na itong si Ruby ay talaga namang uwing-uwi na. Hindi lamang namin alam na iyon narin pala ang huling beses na makikita namin si Marynol na pumasok dahil pakiramdam naming na tinatamad na talaga siyang pumasok at sa kadahilanang hindi rin niya sa amin diretsong sabihin, ang sabi lang niya kaya na naman daw sila buhayin ng kuya kahit na may sariling pamilya na ito. Binibiro-biro ko na lamang nga siya kung minsan na baka buntis din siya kaya hindi siya pumapayat, o di kaya ay magaasawa na lamang, na tinatawanan na lamang din niya sa tuwing tinatanong ko sa kanya. Pero, teka lang, kung sa inaakala niyo na tungkol ito sa kanya, nagkakamali kayo, dahil bahagi lamang ito ng tungkol sa mangyayari sa akin.

Dahil wala narin namang ginagawa at nakatambay na lamang sa library at nagdadaldalan na lamang, napagpasyahan narin naming magpunta ng mall. Sa totoo lang, hindi ko na tanda kung anong unang pinaggagawa namin sa mall na pakay ni Maryknol, nagwindow shopping ata kami niyon o, may binili din si Maryknol. Ang tanda ko na lang ay pagkatapos niyon ay kumaen kami sa Mcdonalds na kung saan unang beses nanglibre si Maryknol sa amin (ewan ko lang din sa iba, dahil ngayon ko lang nakasama siya ng matagal –tagal at dahil ngayon ko lang siya nagging kaklase). Pagkatapos naming kumaen ay napagpasyahan kong tumingin ng sandals sa isang boutique. Sa totoo lang ay matagal ko nang magkaroon ng ganoong sandals, sapagkat, naiinis ako sa kalyong tumutubo sa bawat daliri ng paa ko kapag inaraw-araw ko ang pagsasapatos. Kaso nga laang ay laging kapos ang pera ko dahil na rin sa medyo may kamahalan at ang mama kung magbigay ay sapat lamang talaga sa pang araw-araw na kung minsan ay kulang panga ang ibigay, at sa ganoong paraan ay talga namang hirap ako sa pag-iipon, sa madaling salita, hindi ako yung tipo ng tao na magaling humawak ng pera. Ngunit sa ngayon, na ang kuya ko na ang nagbibigay ng  baon ko ng buwanan sa pamamagitan ng ATM, ay mas may pag-asa na akong bumili kaagad ng gusto kong bilhin lalo na kapag kinakailangan. Ang problema nga lamang, kadalasan ay nakakatuksong gumastos ng gumastos kahit sa mga bagay na hindi pa naman kailangan o walang kapararakan lalo na’t alam natin sa panahon ngayong, pahirap ng pahirap ang buhay.

Kasama ko ang dalawa sa pagtingin- tingin ng mga sandals kahit na hindi ko parin naman talaga balak sa araw na iyon bumili, ngunit naisip ko din na ito na ang panahon na makakabili ako niyon sa tagal na tagal narin ng panahon na binalak ko. At saka, naisip ko din na nakakahiyang hindi pa bumili sa oras na iyon sa tinagal- tagal ng pagtingin tingin namin dun at sa bawat araw na nag wi-window shopping ako dun. Sa tagal- tagal na pagpili ko dun at paulit- ulit na pagtatanong sa dalawa kung anong mas maganda ay nakaplili narin ako. Ngunit, nung babayaran ko na, pahkita ko sa wallet ko’y ang dala kong pera ay talgang kulang kaya napagpasyahan ko munang magwithdraw, sapagkat hindi parin daw available sa boutique na iyon ang payment thru ATM card.

Pumunta ako sa pinakamalapit na ATM na BDO kahit alam ko na may charge ang sapagkat BPI ang aking card. Dahil narin siguro sa masyadong excited ako kaya hindi ko naisip maghanap ng BPI ATM. Ngunit, ang mga sumunod na mga pangayayare ay talaga namang halos makapagpaiyak sa akin at muntikan na akong mawalan ng pag-asa. Sa katunayan, may isang ale na siguroy nasa edad kwarenta pataas na nauna sa akin. Napansin kong napakatagal nung ale at para bang problemado. Sinilip ko tuloy ang nakalagay sa screen at nabasa ko ng paulit-ulit ang “transaction not valid” kahit na ilang beses na niyang pinasok ang kanyang BDO card. Tinanong ko siya, at sinabe niya na noong una okey naman daw, nakapagbalance inquiry panga naman daw siya, pero pagkatapos ipinasok niya ulit yung kanyang card at ayaw na tanggapin nung ATM ang card niya. Sinabe nung ale na itry ko daw yung sa akin, kaya itinry ko din naman. Okey, tinanggap ang card ko, nakapgbalance inquiry panga ako at nkuha ko pa ang resibo. Pinindot ko ang withdraw button at tinype ang amount at ang pin. Habang napapakinggan ko ang pagbilang ng pera sa loob ng ATM, sabi ko sa sarili ko na “sa wakas makakabili na ako!”. Nasilayan ko na ang pera, gunit nung kukunin ko na, bagulat ako ng biglang bumalika ang pera ko. Napatigil ako at hindi nakakakibo ng ilang segundo. Nagkatinginan kami nung ale. Hindi ko alam kung matatawa ako sa inis o maiinis ako dahl hindi na nakakatuwa. Sinubukan o ulit ipasok ang card ko ngunit ayaw na din tanggapin. Maya- maya pa ay bumalik ang guard na anakabantay sa may entrance ng Department Store na kung saan andun ang ATM na nagluko. Tinanong ko si manong guard at sinabi ang mga nangyari sa akin. Nakakasura na tinawanan lamang ako ng guard at sinabin imposible daw na mangyari iyon. Palagay ng guard na iyon na hindi ako nahihiyang manloko habang nakasuot ng P.E. uniform ng eskwelahan na pinapasukan ko?! Itinuro ko ang ale at nagpaliwanag din yung ale, na mukha namang naniwala na ang guard sa sinabi ng ale. Pinayuhan na lamang niya kameh na magpunta sa isa pang BDO ATM at icheck ang balance, na ginawa ko nga ta napagalaman kong nagbawas nga ang amount na kinain ng ATM na iyon sa account ko. Binilang ko pa ulit at hindi nag ako nagkamaling nagbawas ito.

Nagwithdraw muna ako ulit sa bagong ATM ng amount na pambayad sa bibilhin kong sandals dahil alam kong naghhintay sila sa akin at nabili ko na din naman ito. Ipinaliwanag ko sa dalawa kung bakit ako natagalan. Nauna silang umuwi at pinuntahan ko muna ang BDO office nila upang magtanong kung bakit ganon. Noong papasok pa lamang ako ay hinarang ako ng guard at tinanong at nagpaliwanag din naman ako. Nakasusura na naman at ganun din ang sinabi niya katulad ng sinabi nung unag guard… tumawa at sinabeng imposibleng mangyari. Nakapasok na ako sa loob at sa medyo mahaba haba ding oras na akoy naghintay ay binigyan lamang nila ako ng hotline na kailanagna ko daw tawagan.

Pagkauwi ko sa bahay ay tinawagan ko ang nuemrong bibigay nila sa akin ng paulit ulit ngunit paulit-ulit rin namang out of service kaya inisip ko nalang na baka wala pa talaga ngayon baka bukas pwede na. Tinawagan ko ulit kinabukasan, ganun padin. Ang kaso, walang pasok kaya tinamad nadin ako magpuntang bayan akaya sabi ko sa lunes na lamang. Dumating ang lunes at pinuntahan ko ulit. Ang sabi nung babae dun, tawagan ko daw muna ulit at bingyan nila ko ng isa pang number. Makalipas ang halsos isang lingo, walang nagyari, kaya pinuntahan ko sila ult ang sabi , puntahan ko daw muna ang BPI Office dahil sa kanila naman daw ang card. Sabi naman ng BPI, sa BDO ang fault dahil sa kanilang ATM. Pagkakamali ko din talaga ay ang paggamit ko ng ibang Bank, pero alam ko pwede naman iyon, kaya nga may charge eh. Nakakinis ang pinaggawa ng dalawang banko na iyon. Para akong bola ng basketball na pinagpapasa-pasahan, na hindi alam kung saan ba talaga ang tamang net.

Kung hindi pa ako nagsabi sa mama, ay hindi ako bibigyan ng pansin ng dalawang hambog na bangko na iyon. Nagfile ako ng complaint sa BPI at ipinangako naman nila na aayusin nila iyon ngunit medyo matatagalan sa pagiimbestiga ng minsan ay umaabot ng anim na buwan. “Anim na buwan!”, na magpasa-hanggang ngayon ay inaabangan ko parin  kung bumalik o babalik pa ang pera sa ko.

Batangas Top Radio Stations Analysis

I.          Introduction              

People listening to the radio are more often than not on their own and doing something else like driving or housework or some other mundane task that benefit from being able to listen to the radio to help the job along. In Fact, during the 2^nd World War and into the 1950’s, the BBC also known as British Broadcasting Company, put out a radio programme, “Music While You Work”, which was broadcast to factories to boost morale and take the worker’s mind off the often boring, repetitive tasks they were engaged in. The programme always played jaunty, quite fast tunes so that the workers would speed up on what they were doing to match the timing of the music. No doubt, up to this time, this idiosyncrasy is more of a habit for most of the people including me- who almost can’t be able to perform a long and tiring chore, when studying, sleeping and eating as my best example. It would make me feel like worn out and defocus for that instance.

The Philippines radio industry remains to be a Country-free industry despite the fact that CHR (Contemporary Hit Radio) which means targeting teens by featuring current fast selling hits from top lists as well as broadcasting minimal news and AC (Adult Contemporary) stations are currently including new country artists in their playlist, not a single station has ever cashed in on a new country FM station. Probably it’s the salability of the format, though, some tried to do Hispanic format however, its format flopped rather than format flipped. The industry is still is as great as its resurgence through highly flexible media negotiations of the stations offering both ATL (Above The Line activities) which are those that the agency received income from the media company and BTL (Below The line activies) which are the other type of activities in the promotional mix  that becomes the opportunities for advertisers. Furthermore, the ingenious ways of cutting through clutter with the use of announcer endorsements (i.e. popular radio celebrities). Actually, a little while back, The National Radio Survey has been launched as tool for the radio stations to sell radio as a viable medium to reach Filipinos nationwide.

II.                Analysis

a)      Programming

Concerning choice of music to air, 99.1 Spirit FMs’ and 104.7 Bay Radios’ choice were “mostly” associated with ballads pertaining to songs produced or composed by Filipino artists or of Filipino descent, commonly known as OPM or Original Pinoy/Philippine Music. More over, the listeners of these two radio station are relatively peoples in class C, D, and E- which means ranging from Average to Below Poverty Line.  The obvious variation between the two is that Spirit FM is more affiliated to religious genre due to its owner is Catholic Media Network and that proves ascribed of its mass programs such as; “Healing Rosary, Mabuting Balita, Sunday Light and Misa ng Bayan”, which have been airing every weekday and Saturday mornings and evenings.

 GV 99.9, on the other hand, is more on airing urban, upbeat and pop music which are composedly of foreign songs due to Class A to C listeners. And with accordance to that songs with lyrics or messages that are vulgar, indecent, promote substance abuse, gender discrimination, racism, Satanism, violence or sexual perversion or demeans a member of any sector of society have been played most of the time. 


In terms of news airing, Bay Radio and Spirit FM, airs in between programs and customarily when necessary through flash reports. GV, otherwise has schedules of airing news reports primarily midnights. I think they’re all abiding the provided airtime regulations of news as to what with any radio stations here in the Phlippines. Like when airtime for a music program is paid for or produced by a recording company, the name of the recording company have been announced as the producer or sponsor of the program – in case of news, the sponsor is announced at the end of each report or with each time break.

Regarding other added segments or gimmicks, It is the Spirit FM which holds the crown (I think so), and Bay Radio being the second. Every time I listen on Spirit Fm (not merely suggesting my fave), what I almost heard was that the DJs talking or making fun of the callers which means they are more attached of social concerns of their listeners (doesn’t mean demeaning the dignity of their audience). They have so many contests announced so that the listeners will tune in on them. The winners have been announced and the prize was awarded as soon as the contests were finished. What I’ve usually heard of GV was trivias concerning the top hits as well as about a certain song before or after it was played.

b)     DJs

The DJs of Bay Radio and Spirit Fm were merely stick of speaking native language which is “Tagalog”, of course because, of the listeners who were in the both in the classes C, D and E and rarely speaks English, only whenever telling trivias and commercial breaks and sponsors. Again, due to Elite to Average listeners of GV Drive Radio, why the DJs rarely spoke Tagalog, so to signify their status above the other Batangas radio stations and of course, for the listeners to adapt easily. Additionally, Spirit and Bay radio were used of speaking jargons and slangs, evidently for their listeners’ adaptation.

c)      Technical

Honestly, I don’t really have a clue about the softwares these three Batangas radio stations are using for each of their everyday programs, only I know for sure, is that these three radio stations must have been using up-to-date softwares thru their entire airing of programs, that is why they are the top three most listened or subscribed radio stations here in Batangas City or even maybe, entire Southern Tagalog. The only thing I’m concerned of about Spirit FMs’ airing is that there are times that they are in dead air after couple of songs had been played, obliging me to change frequency.

III.             Conclusion & Recommendation

Most of the community radio stations in the Philippines are equipped with just enough basic facilities to go on-the-air. As financially capable commercial and public radios are penetrating remote territories, however, community radios stations are now rising from the risks of being left behind due to our supportive government.

Definitely, Philippine music industry is competent of its status, despite that most of these days music are more associated with strong foreign influences. What we must do is, continue supporting our own music by appreciating it in a way how we are proud of being a Filipino, not just in words but most importantly, by definite actions.

Further Down... (A personal Account)

I can still remember that day I was a 2nd year highschool student. We decided to go to our friend and classmate’s house Sherry Liza. Actually she’s the one who invited us to go at their place because at the back of their house, lies along a wide lake and that she wanted to show it on us. Since the week we planned to go there was still consecutive days of our periodical exams, we realized that we should move it on the last day of our exam. One of the things I liked about being in high school is the early suspension of classes after each days of exams, which means more time for free time, and that my parents would never suspect that I’ve been on places they didn’t allowed me or won’t allow me to be at—though,  only what they knew is when our exam days going to be.

Here is the day I’ve been waiting for. I’ve packed a pair of t-shirt and short to wear when we swim and another pair and an underwear to wear after we had already swim in the lake. I was a bit nervous, because that was the first time I’ve gone on a trip with my friends. Due to the fact that I’m a watery-minded person, which compelled me to made up my mind. Only, I hoped, my mother would never suspect about the school bag I used on going to school seems quite inflated. What I did when I’m to leave our house, I never let my mother saw me completely rather, I just shouted “Ma, I’m going now to school!” After I had closed the gate, I just had realized that I forgot my allowance for that day (Aargh! That was so frustrating). I have no choice but to call my mother by the gate and ask for it. Seems like that day is still with me, because she didn’t even bother though, she noticed it. All of a sudden, a dark secret smile of satisfaction and fulfillment covered up my face as I walk through the long road to the corner of the street to ride a jeepney.

I’m still halfway, but I’m confident that I can finish the last exam before the bell rings. Only seconds away… then at last! I’m through! Probably I’m one of the one-fourth of the class that had submitted their test papers onto the proctor. I and my friend were the only ones who were left in the classroom. We’re convincing Maurice to go with us, though recently she had taken an oath that she will. At the end, we became tired and decided to leave without her. We went straight to Sherry Liza’s house which didn’t took that long to travel.

After we arrived at their house, we even met her mother who generously welcomed us. She even asked us if we already had our lunch since, it is in the middle of the sunny day. I politely refused her invitation by saying “No thanks mam, but I’m still not hungry”, however, Sherry Liza insisted that we should eat first before swimming. She cleansed up their dining table then prepared plates, spoons and forks for the five of us including her. She get the cooked tocinoes and that’s what we ate for the lunch. After that we prepared for swimming by changing clothes one by one through their bathroom, and then we went straight to where the lake lies.

Recognizing that we were just steps away from the lake, I can’t stop the tense that I felt rejoicingly. I can feel my stomach reverberating in excitement and nervousness. Glad, cause I really like having fun with water, and nervous because of the risks I knew we were taking though, we have a consent of Sherry Liza’s mother. There, we are at last, seems like the fun would never stop. We swam just feet away from the ground where we used to stay, but Sherry Liza had completely managed to swim from the ground where we used to stay across the opposite ground which is almost hundred of feets away. King, however, suddenly, got back up to the ground and just enjoyed watching us. Erick, on the other hand, stayed sitted on a big rock that’s half of the length was below the water level and the other top half unveiled.
Seeing that Sherry Liza was enjoyingly hopping on the ground on the opposite side of the lake, convincing us to cross also by shouting, convinced me and Charlene to also cross the lake. We swam sedately, leaving the small rocks we used to step on below the water. After a few seconds, we’ve become astonished as the small rocks we used to step on are slowly vanishing—that’s the time, we realized that we can’t go on across as well as go back  either since, it’s a different water level and that the tide is rising abruptly and differently when it was just Sherry Liza’s turn. I knew on myself, that I can swim, however, this time is different. Fear, almost swallows me completely. It felts like there’s something below there trying to pull me back further down. I just can almost see the others, but just had a glimpsed of tem; Charlene who is drowning as me, Erick whose obviously terrified and want to help but can’t do anything, King, who were on the ground makes fun of watching us endlessly, and Sherry Liza as well, who we thought the one who’ll be responsible for us since, she’s the one whose good in swimming, moreover, that is where she and her family lived long enough.

I continue to grab Charlene’s arms, then hands, then thighs, then hand again, then head,… and she did the same thing on me. It was like, fighting for our survival while others think it’s just a pure joke, when it really wasn’t. I can remember every time we tried to grab onto each other, the other one will be pity drowned simultaneously. I still can remember the feeling of hardly trying to grab some air while at the same time, persisting not to lose my clothes specifically, my underwear (what ashame?!)

Fortunately, well I guess, it’s more of a bless from God, that he didn’t let us die down there in such a nonsense manner. At the end of that day, though, we arrived home safely, it’s still bothering me like… “what if I die there?—with my family’s naïve of what was happened?”, and most especially, “why is what I called friends let me be pityful down there?” One thing is that I’m sure of, “these is something that I will never forget for the rest of my life—how and why I had given another chance to live.”