God Bless the Philippines
God bless our cherished Philippines
Land of treasures, mountains, and seas
Of sugar canes and their central plains
Guide hear, O God, and these our pleas.
Watch over our dear Philippines
Through the emergence of progress
That you have never before seen
Of unity, we have to address.
We love our country, our birthland
We love the freedom that we earned
The shore, the lake, the foamy strand
The love and beauty that we have learned.
Saturday, March 29, 2025
Tuesday, March 25, 2025
THE GT OBSERVER
The Boy Scout Oath
"On my honor, I'll do my best to do my duty to God and country. To help other people at all times. To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight, help me God."
During my Elementary days, I was a cute small kid who, during an exercise on the Boy Scouts pyramid building, I was always at the top. proudly reciting the Boy Scout Oath and ended it with a right-hand salute.
In the High School, there was a Philippine Military Training (PMT). In College, there was the Reserve Training Course (ROTC). This is a two-year requirement, or you cannot graduate. In Zamboanga A E College, Zamboanga City, I took the Air Force ROTC, and when I transferred to Andres Bonifacio College, Dipolog City, I took the Army ROTC.
By the way, my learning journey has a colorful beginning and has no ending. At this point in time, I am still a disciple of learning. even with the advent of the computer, the smartphone, and the AI. (Artificial Intelligence.) Thanks to the Phoenicians, the traders of antiquity. No man is an island.
Looking back to the good old days. I started my elementary year in the public school, then Ferrer High School, a religious private school from my freshman year to junior year, and my Senior year was with Ateneo de Zamboanga, Zamboanga City. an all-boys Catholic school. at that time. I graduated with honors as a Salutatorian due to a lack of residence. At that time, I was a working student with Dr. Paquito Barrios, who was responsible for my school tuition. I was groomed to take up a Medical Tech in Manila (which was a Two-year course) as the doctor was planning to put up a private clinic.
Yet the wind of change carried me to the Zamboanga School of Arts and Trade to take up Drafting, but the class was temporarily closed due to the lack of student enrollees. Meanwhile, a kindhearted pilot, Capt. Cervero came to my succor and offered me a job to maneuver a pilot boat as foreign vessels can't dock without the guidance of the wharf Pilot.
Addendum: At Ferrer High School, I was one of the top four students. Unknowingly to my classmates, the English and Literature teacher, Mrs. Inclan, assigned me to check the test papers.
However, beyond my expectations at the Zamboanga AE College, in the Law class of Atty. Romulo Plagata, I was requested by him to check the test papers, which were in an Essay type. This was in the Law class of Atty. Romulo Plagata. During this time, I was also a Literary Editor of the Campus college paper.
At this juncture, I was taking a Bachelor of Science in Education degree with a major in History and a minor in English. There was an intramural debate between the College of Law and the College of Education. The topic: The electoral campaign must be limited to 3 months. The Educators were on the affirmative side. Among us three, two were High School Valedictorian and one Salutatorian. To ensure our advantage, we have to have a very good plan of attack furnished with the compliments of my friends in the broadcast and media. They were seasoned guys of the profession. They were buddies. The result was triumphant. The Educators won. It was the first in the College Intramural history in debate. It was always the Lawyers, the College of Law.
In my last days of College, I was elected as president of the College Student Council. I was privileged to find a Graduation speaker. I knocked at the door of the mayor of Zamboanga City, Mr. Cesar Climaco. He was not available at that time, but luck emerged in the former seminarian and the Director of the Philippine Muslim College in Jolo, Sulu, Mr. Rodulfo Canivel, who was in Zamboanga City to recruit teachers to teach in High School and College, and also a band instructor. I told Mr. Canivel that they are available. They are my classmates and new graduates. Tell them to come with you and see me at the City Hotel. Thank you very much, sir, I politely answered.
In retrospect, my school days were colorful. I was at the crossroads of a decision on what really makes sense in being a Homo sapiens. At the end of the day, I realized I am a man of flesh, bones, and blood.
Yet the wind of change carried me to the Zamboanga School of Arts and Trade to take up Drafting, but the class was temporarily closed due to the lack of student enrollees. Meanwhile, a kindhearted pilot, Capt. Cervero came to my succor and offered me a job to maneuver a pilot boat as foreign vessels can't dock without the guidance of the wharf Pilot.
Addendum: At Ferrer High School, I was one of the top four students. Unknowingly to my classmates, the English and Literature teacher, Mrs. Inclan, assigned me to check the test papers.
However, beyond my expectations at the Zamboanga AE College, in the Law class of Atty. Romulo Plagata, I was requested by him to check the test papers, which were in an Essay type. This was in the Law class of Atty. Romulo Plagata. During this time, I was also a Literary Editor of the Campus college paper.
At this juncture, I was taking a Bachelor of Science in Education degree with a major in History and a minor in English. There was an intramural debate between the College of Law and the College of Education. The topic: The electoral campaign must be limited to 3 months. The Educators were on the affirmative side. Among us three, two were High School Valedictorian and one Salutatorian. To ensure our advantage, we have to have a very good plan of attack furnished with the compliments of my friends in the broadcast and media. They were seasoned guys of the profession. They were buddies. The result was triumphant. The Educators won. It was the first in the College Intramural history in debate. It was always the Lawyers, the College of Law.
In my last days of College, I was elected as president of the College Student Council. I was privileged to find a Graduation speaker. I knocked at the door of the mayor of Zamboanga City, Mr. Cesar Climaco. He was not available at that time, but luck emerged in the former seminarian and the Director of the Philippine Muslim College in Jolo, Sulu, Mr. Rodulfo Canivel, who was in Zamboanga City to recruit teachers to teach in High School and College, and also a band instructor. I told Mr. Canivel that they are available. They are my classmates and new graduates. Tell them to come with you and see me at the City Hotel. Thank you very much, sir, I politely answered.
In retrospect, my school days were colorful. I was at the crossroads of a decision on what really makes sense in being a Homo sapiens. At the end of the day, I realized I am a man of flesh, bones, and blood.
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