Melissa Luz Lopez
Issa, Mel, Ice, Baby, Magic Shorts.
Journ senior. Iska.
An aspiring writer and an enthusiastic learner. Hopes to be a piano major in the future.
Cheerfulness is my disease, and I intend to start an outbreak.
photo by a great friend, Jodesz Gavilan
It's been 10 days since graduation day. As of April 27, 2014, I have successfully earned a bachelor's degree in Journalism.
Sometimes, I still can't grasp the fact that I am now a graduate and an official bum until further notice.
Despite the blistering heat and dead-tired feet (I wore three-inch heels for nearly 12 hours!), I believe everyone looked particularly stunning that Sunday. Never mind the smudged makeups and creased barongs; we now hold a degree that we can be truly proud of.
Though this post is quite delayed, here I am sharing my graduation day in photos. I may not have a photo with Oble or with the sunflowers along University Avenue, but I am more than happy to have spent graduation day with these people. Congrats to us, Batch 2014!
Tomorrow, I am finally earning my degree in Journalism from the UP College of Mass Communication.
It still isn't quite sinking in that I'll be a graduate (read: unemployed) come Sunday afternoon. I have a lot of questions and doubts about the future. What will a 19-year-old do in the professional world? Which path will I be taking? Are my life goals realistic? Will I get a job that will require me to take the MRT? No, please.
I have a lot of feelings, but I can't seem to find it in me to write about them hours before the processional. You see, I am not good with goodbyes. So instead, I will be leaving my wishes and requests here in bullets. This shall serve as a reference for the future Mel (and maybe as a source of gift ideas for the kind ones out there? Hahaha.)
No rain. Cream dresses, stiletto heels and jusi barongs are not made for a wet look.
Sunflower. I generally don't like uprooted flowers, but the sunflower really would brighten up the day even more. But I don't want to be a Univ. Ave. plant killer :(
Photos with everyone (and everywhere) I know! TC, JCers, Block Twowitter, TNP EdBoard and staff, CMC profs, GE profs, previous (non-freeloader) groupmates, happy crushes, campus friends, Ate Raqs, Ate Irene, Kuya Rey, Plaridel's bust, the Oblation, by the Oval, near CASAA, Plaridel Hall steps, Skywalk... the list could be endless!
Food. I'll be attending two ceremonies tomorrow and there's barely time to grab a good bite. I'll be dressed as early as 7AM, so there's really no hope to eat to my tummy's content, so I am looking forward to a heavy, heavy dinner. Feed me, please.
Answers to questions. I may have earned a degree, but I sure have a lot of questions still in my head. I want to know the seemingly unknowable, learn the unlearned, reveal secrets. Consider it a closure of all sorts, iykwim.
Know the anonymous(-es). I don't think there is a plural for that, but let's suspend grammar rules for a moment. Who are you/they?
Secure job. Frankly, I am getting sick of the bum life. The job hunt starts real soon!
Writing for the heart. While I am at it, though, I hope I can still continue writing about the things that really matter. I hope to cover issues of great importance and not the rest of the fluff in mainstream media now.
Grown-up stuff. I hate to admit it, but I will soon be needing blouses and blazers and more dress-up shoes. Makeup will have to be a regular thing, too. *sigh*
Cash. To finance my last-of-summer trips. Teehee!
Fulfilled promises. I am starting to lose hope in promises. I hope they don't break it now, or else... :(
Keeping in touch. I do not want to lose touch of my closest college friends ever.
I don't think I'll get much sleep tonight due to my excitement. After all, it's my last night as an undergraduate student.
Bilib ako sa bawat isang tao na nagsulat dito. Tayo ay matagumpay bagama't sawi.
Ipagdiwang ang kahusayan at kasawian -- na kahit may iniindang pagtangis ay nakalikha ng sining. May talento sa gitna ng pagdurusa. Ibigin na lamang ang panitikan kaysa tao, pagka't ito'y siguradong 'di tayo lilisanin.
Iniibig ko ang sining mo, UPJC.
Basahin: Journeys 2014, literary folio ng UP Journalism Club
As the current EdBoard is preparing for the upcoming Editorial Exam for the next editor-in-chief of Tinig ng Plaridel, I stumbled upon this personal feature that I wrote over a year ago. I remember it as if it was only yesterday, haha.
I still can't believe I survived a year with Tinig ng Plaridel. It wasn't at all easy, but it was really fun and worth it, all thanks to my dedicated colleagues in the editorial board and our writers and photographers. :)
----
The language divide may well be blamed for making a student eat paper.
Since our Japan Studies class couldn’t afford to visit the country for a cultural immersion, my professor thought of the next best thing: she invited Japanese students to attend our class for two weeks.
The 13 delegates from the Yokohama National University arrived on a Wednesday afternoon, and we had to host a welcome dinner. After several awkward hellos and ohayous, I found myself behind the serving table, placing pieces of lumpiang sariwa on each of their plates. With a smile, I explained what the lumpia is made of, and I was careful in asking if they wanted peanut sauce. I wouldn’t want to trigger any allergies on their first night in the Philippines.
“Remember to remove the paper first before you eat, okay?”
Before I let them move down the line, I would give my warning with a warm smile. I was aiming for a good first impression.
They would smile, and in a quick fashion, they would nod and walk closer to the barbecue tray.
Things were fine – they understood me. Or so I thought.
A classmate who was going around serving drinks tapped me in the shoulder and said, “May nakakain ng papel doon.”
For a moment, I got frustrated. I thought we had it going all along; but clearly, we weren’t. The Japanese are too polite to ask a second time, said my professor, who laughed at me when the incident was brought up the next day.
After the line finished, I went to sit with the Japanese students. I tried to strike a conversation, but with more care than usual. Minus the lumpia mishap, I was grateful to hear that they had a nice time. If it’s any consolation, at least I made quite a lasting impression.
From http://www.tinigngplaridel.net/features/2014/01/11/moving-pictures-the-nazareno-crowd/
Text and photos by Beata Carolino, Tinig ng Plaridel
There has, so far, been no study which correlates the attendance in the Jan. 9 Feast of the Black Nazarene to the actual living conditions in the country.
An estimated three million people were present during the overnight vigil and procession at Quirino Grandstand and Quiapo Church – around three percent of the country’s population.
The Black Nazarene is over 200 years old. A statue given as a gift by the Spaniards in 1606, it is said to have been brought by a Mexican priest aboard a ship which caught fire. The statue turned dark, but otherwise remained in good condition. People since believed that the Black Nazarene performs miracles to those who are able to touch it, thus it has been revered by many since 1787.
The scene from below was this: families lined up, most of them sleeping on the grounds of Quirino Grandstand in Manila. A few had tents and blankets, a lot had food to sell, and many others built shrines to house Black Nazarene replicas which they brought from their homes. Children ran along the narrow spaces between rows of sleeping bags and banigs at 12 midnight until dawn.
Some hundred meters away stood the stage where a program was ongoing. Priests were reciting homilies about the importance of prayer and faith, which were welcomed by only a few ears.
White and green fences divided this rather “peaceful” section of the attendees to the ones in front. There were entrances at both sides of the stage to host the line of people who patiently and unshakingly waited for their turn to have a glimpse of the Poon – a line which extended to Roxas Boulevard until Luneta Park.
Devotees also flocked around the many Black Nazarene replicas near the stage, throwing towels at the children who wiped them — a practice done for more luck, said one devotee. In this section, as well, were many of the so-called “legitimate” devotees of the Black Nazarene. They were only a few hundred, and were clad in uniforms per group and were barefoot. They called themselves the Hijos del Nazareno – “frontliners” who did the actual salubong – the protectors of the Black Nazarene.
Onstage, people rejoiced at the thought of finally approaching the Poon. The elderly who were too weak to line up talked to some members of the Hijos to allow them to touch the relic. There were infants—some looked like they were born just the day before—as well. There were children. There were students still clad in their high school uniforms.
And finally: the Black Nazarene’s cross and foot, which everyone anticipated to touch. After hours and kilometres of lining up, they were allowed only a few seconds to spend with the Poon.
There were at least two protectors that regulated the crowd which swarmed Jesus’ image. Children were carried to kiss the foot. Some carried tens of towels to wipe by the Poon’s foot, which they will bring to their families at home. Some wheelchairs users were even carried just so they could touch the image.
Many of them cried right after and refused to leave, which caused a commotion.
“Bilisan po natin, marami pa pong gustong humawak sa Poon. Wala sa tagal iyan—nasa dasal! (Let’s make it fast; other people also want to touch the Poon. It’s not about the length of time (you touch), it’s in your prayers!),” yelled one of the protectors.
The view from atop the grandstand was spectacular. To the right was Archbishop Luis Antonio Tagle celebrating the holy mass, prior to which he made the devotees promise that they would finish it, to which they replied to him a resounding “Viva! Viva!”
To the left were many of the uniformed devotees fueled by their burning intent to come closer to thePoon. But the line which led to the foot of the cross was cut short to make way for the mass, which angered the group. They reeled at the three rows of protectors who guarded the fences with their lives, alongside policemen and military.
In a few moments, their will won over the strength of the barriers as they stormed their way into the stage. Archbishop Tagle began singing The Lord’s Prayer and the Nazareno’s hymn to try to calm the mob, but to no avail. The crowd surged towards the Poon, ignoring the archbishop’s plea.
How could they calm down? It was that moment for them: that moment where they were all together, strong enough and willing enough in trying to catch a glimpse of the spectacle. After all, it meant only a touch, long hours of suffocation and a few kilometres of endurance to feel the spark of even a little prosperity, to have a chance to cure a disease, or to be protected from disasters.
They were willing to go through even the sharp criticisms of those who weren’t there, those who say that their devotion is a false one because the devotees couldn’t even finish the mass or listen to the bishop’s words, all for the sake of touching the image of Jesus in his sorrow, in his darkest. For in that way, they thought, they might have even a little hope closer to the light.
Year 2021 marks the 500th year of Catholicism in the country. The prayers during the time of the Spaniards stands the same today: calling for salvation from the present, the end of oppression, and the triumph of the weak.
The heavens has been hearing the same desperate cries for centuries. Given the years that have passed, it’s a wonder why the very same picture of oppression remains.
Today in history: On December 29, 1896, Dr. Jose P. Rizal was read his death sentence. The rest of Rizal’s day would be composed of visits by priests and by his family. To his sisters, he would give away his possessions—and it was to his sister Trinidad that he would bequeath an alcohol burner (lamp) with a copy of “Mi Ultimo Adios.”
Learn more about the last days of Dr. Jose P. Rizal.
Today is Christmas, a very religious holiday at which capitalism now thrives. Don't get me wrong: I enjoy receiving gifts as much as I like giving them. The excitement of opening a nicely-wrapped package (bonus point for a written card!) is not lost on my 19-year-old self. It's nice to think that someone actually thought of me and of what present I might like, especially if that person got the right item to suit my taste.
As a kid, I would not think twice about hailing Christmas as my favorite day of the year. But right now, I'm not so sure. Somewhere along the way, little Issa grew up (figuratively) into a less-immature Mel with grander wishes -- those that are not found in shopping malls and souvenir shops.
What a happy heart wants is a departure from the material world, the mundane. It seeks fulfillment that is intangible yet solid. My experiences taught me well enough not to put as much worth to the physical than to the spiritual -- to thoughts, values and relationships. While these take long to establish, these are much more precious than what money or luck can get. The Intangible -- let's call it that -- requires effort, but is definitely worth it.
A five-course Noche Buena is nothing without a united and loving family.
New toys and gadgets are useless if you have no one to play them with.
Ribbon-wrapped presents are momentary. Cherish the Intangible, because these are not easily taken away from us.
Accept bags and trinkets, but treasure thoughtfulness and generosity. Thank the giver for his/her kind act, but do not forget to thank Jesus as well, the root of all kindness and love. After all, today is His day which we celebrate. He is the Intangible who went to Earth and made us feel whole, loved and welcomed. Thank Him and embrace all of His goodness.
Matagal na akong hindi naniniwala sa love at first sight.
Magkaibang konsepto ang pag-ibig at pagkaakit. Wala akong ganoong magandang masasabi tungkol sa mga taong madaling mabihag sa panlabas na anyo. Aaminin ko, may mga pagkakataong ako mismo'y nabibiktima nito, ngunit kung gaano kadali ko itong naramdaman ay ganoon din ang bilis ng paglipas.
Habang nagmumuni-muni ako kanina (o sa madaling-salita, napilitang manahimik dahil kinailangan kong mapag-isa), napansin kong mas mahalaga sa akin ang aking mga naririnig mula sa isang tao o bagay. Sa pakikinig, mas maraming matutuklasan. Mas madali ang pagkilala, at ang pagpasya kung karapat-dapat ba o hindi dapat pagtuunan ng pansin iyon.
Napatunayan ko ito sa mga kantang laman ng aking telepono ngayon. Alam ko na kung ano ang taste ko: ang unang measure ng bawat kanta ay ang pinakamagandang tono. Hindi ko alam kung bakit, ngunit ito ang lagi kong hinahanap -- ang simulang mga nota. Parang lead ng balita, ika nga naming mga peryodista. HAHAHA.
Umiibig ako hindi sa unang tingin, ngunit sa unang dinig. Tinitimbang ko ang unang mensahe.
By Arianne Christian Tapao and Mikhaela Dimpas, Tinig ng Plaridel
Last Wednesday afternoon, Political Science professor Dr. Perlita Frago-Marasigan was reportedly attacked and robbed at the Palma Hall (AS) parking lot. Initial reports said she was handcuffed and driven around the campus by still unidentified men before taking her possessions and leaving her in broad daylight.
Lordei Camille Hina, a fourth year Political Science student, can be remembered as the casualty of a robbery in Vinzons Hall in 2012. She was stabbed in the head Feb. 1 while she was in the University Student Council (USC) office, which sent her into a coma.
Hina is still on the road towards full recovery as of this writing.
Suspect Dan Mar Vicencio was captured by authorities, but his alleged partner Carlo Pecayo remains at large.
Hina’s incident brought the call for reforms on safety policies at the forefront. But one year later, the assurance of safety within and near campus grounds still hangs for members of the UP community.
Tragedies
Marlyn Sudario, herself a security guard of the all-female Sampaguita Dormitory, fell victim to an attempted rape case while on duty last June 27.
When she tried to fight back, suspect Pedrito Ravelo stabbed her in the neck and head. Sudario has since recovered from the attack.
Had it not been for the assigned security personnel in the nearby Institute of Biology pavilion, it could have been too late for the 41-year-old Sudario, who was attacked around 3 a.m.
Explosives have also caused a scare in the University. Quezon City Police reported that on Jan. 28, apillbox exploded near Palma Hall Annex, causing injuries to two on-site maintenance workers.
These incidents are only some of the crimes that have transpired within campus grounds. Stories of theft, in the form of lost belongings in classrooms and of hold-up victims – students, passersby and cab passengers alike – have also circulated among the UP crowd through news reports, online updates and by word of mouth.
In the College of Mass Communication (CMC) alone, the stealing of an LCD projector of the Department of Broadcast Communication in 2012 prompted the CMC Administration to install four closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras to better secure the College.
Towards a safer campus
According to campus police, UP Diliman is located in a metropolitan district surrounded by four major areas: Katipunan, Commonwealth Avenue, Philcoa and Fairview, most of which are high-flying zones of criminal activity.
Despite these incidents, authorities assured they are continuously on the go to efficiently improve security inside the campus.
“Strategic planning is the first step,” said the late Chief Security Officer of the UP Diliman Police (UPDP) Professor Edgardo Dagdag in an earlier interview, referring to the first move he thought best to accomplish first to solve the security problems.
According to Dagdag, the office’s plan focused on raising the salary and giving out additional bonuses such as raised ranks for deserving policemen.
UPDP studies revealed that problems arise from the poor performance of old police officers who did not receive any incentive for their long-time service. He states that if the staff members feel they are prioritized, then they will perform their job more efficiently.
Dagdag believes the safety and security departments would function better and more effectively if they work closely together.
“The communication wouldn’t be such a hassle,” he added. Before, departments were scattered across the almost 500-hectare land of the campus, but all security departments now had a central management under Dagdag.
Dagdag, who was tasked to head the security force on March 12 last year, died Sept. 22 due to kidney cancer. Atty. John Baroña, member of the UPD Campus Safety and Welfare Committee and an administrative officer at the UP Department of Military Science and Tactic was appointed Oct. 18 as acting Chief Security Officer, in light of recent events.
Security upgrades needed
After negotiations with the Quezon City Police Department, Dagdag was happy that UP has been given 10 bicycles and an additional patrol car to the only one the university owns. However, he admitted that the satisfaction did not fully transcend to the actual state of security.
“Alam naming marami pang kulang, [pero] masosolusyunan naman (We know a lot of the things we need are yet to be provided, but the shortage can be resolved),” he said.
On the other hand, outgoing UPDP Officer-in-Charge Bernie Baltazar admitted in an earlier interview that there is still a significant deficiency in the number of policemen inside the campus.
UPDP has more or less 39 members distributed in three shifts, with at least eight men patrolling the campus at a time, according to Baltazar.
Four police officers are assigned to the Supervisory Team for Private Security (STPS), while three are part of the anti-squatting team to supervise the activities of informal settlers in the campus.
However, Baltazar said the lack can be balanced by the 52 roaming members of the Special Services Brigade (SSB), dubbed as “village watchmen” of the campus who assist campus police for peace and security efforts.
To improve security in UP Diliman, Baltazar noted that manpower increase in UPDP is necessary, while the proposal to put CCTV cameras around the campus is also being considered.
After Sudario’s case, the presence of outsiders in-campus has since been questioned, as police found that the suspects were construction workers hired to work graveyard shifts.
After the incident, a patrol car has been stationed near the Sampaguita dormitory.
Dean Michael Tan of the College of Science and Philosophy has informed Chancellor Caesar Saloma about Marasigan’s incident. According to Tan, the Chancellor said “there are leads that have taken the police to Cainta.”
Two new members will also be added to the roster of SSB. The Chancellor also promised to put in more lights and security personnel around the campus, according to Tan.
UP takes pride as a free and open university – but such openness makes the campus vulnerable to crimes.
Above all these security measures and preventive actions, members of the UP community should still exercise constant vigilance – lest we pay the price.
(For security concerns, the UP Diliman Police may be reached at 928-3615, 981-8500 loc. 4008 and 0939-885-9459.)
Thanks to the influence of my orgmates (who are awesome ukulele players!), I tried my hand at learning to play this cute instrument. I could relate well with the ukulele -- it may be small, but it's easy to be around with. Fun-sized for convenience, I must say.
So here's to acknowledging improvements and to hoping for a better-sounding future. (Pun slightly intended).
Thanks to my fast metabolism, I burn away the food I eat once I get them. While it may sound lucky, it's actually not because I get hungry more often, which is a problem when I'm anywhere but home. I pity my wallet for this.
So this semester, I decided to invest some of my "extra" energy into something new. I enlisted in a Streetdance class for my last (credited) PE. I wasn't so sure I would get a slot, for it was among the popular PE choices, but my graduating status got me in.
Come first day, I didn't quite know how to fit in -- I didn't know anyone in the class, and I didn't have the same freshie camaraderie skills to pull me through. Luckily, I spotted a familiar face during the second meeting, and he, along with a newfound friend, became my buddies for the rest of the semester.
PE was very exciting. While Coach Von, our instructor, gave the class a chill, laidback feel, some of the choreography were challenging. I liked the class very much that it even came to a point when PE was the best part of my Tuesday-Thursday schedule.
This PE took me to Ateneo on a Sunday night, got me a picture with rapper Abra, had us scouting for denim vests and yellow v-necks, lost in Marikina on a rainy Saturday night -- yet all these hassles were worth it.
Taking this PE was refreshing, and it took me into the world of hiphop and street. It was a great opportunity to take a break from all the journalism work in class and in Tinig ng Plaridel, yet not too boring for me to lose interest in. While I can't completely say I am confident with how I move, at least I knew how much I can (and should) improve.
Now, I look forward to taking Advanced Street on my last semester in UP, simply for the fun of it -- I hope my grade and CRS permit.
Anyhow, here's the video of our two-minute Dancing in September performance, courtesy of a classmate. It took at least a month for the class to put it together. You be the judge -- all I know is we all had fun grooving to our track. ;)
ellievsbear
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gracieabrams
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2087
yousharknotpass
titsay
