TEACHER NA RIN PO AKO MA'AM

After ng klase ko sa Grad School nagpunta ako sa mall para magbayad ng bills at para magpalamig na rin. Medyo masakit yung hita ko so I decided to take a seat, sa tabi ko may naaninag akong kilalang mukha. Alam ko teacher siya sa Lopez Elementary School (school ko noon), di ko man siya naging teacher pero kilala ko siya. Mag isa siyang nakaupo sa bench, may hinihintay. Tamang tama na nabanggit sa klase namin kanina na yung mga teachers, especially seasoned teachers they are always looking forward to see students na makikilala sila sa mall o sa kahit saang public place. Then I greeted her with a smile saying Hi, Ma'am, Kamusta po? Kitang kita ko kung paano siya mag smile, very real; "Hello". Alam kong gusto niyang hindi ko mahalata na hindi niya ako kilala kaya nagtanong siya "Ano nga ang name mo"? After saying my name, alam kong kunwari nakilala niya ako, Sabi niya dalawa lang daw ang tumatawag sa kanya ng Ma'am, either dating katrabaho o kaya naman dati niyang estudyante. Kinamusta ko si Ma'am sabi niya retired na daw siya. Tinanong niya ako kung ano na daw ang trabaho ko, ngumiti ako at sinabi kong "TEACHER NA RIN PO AKO MA'AM". Nakita ko ulit yung masayang ngiti ni Ma'am. Sinabi ko kung saan ako nagtuturo at medyo nagulat ako sa sagot niya "Sa NU? Doon ako graduate". Nagulat ako ng bahagya kasi naisip ko ang liit ng mundo, nasa Los Baños ako ngayon at umuuwi lang para sa klase ko tuwing Sabado. May gusto bang ipahiwatig ang mundo?

Pagkatapos naming magkamustahan natigilan ako, medyo sumusulyap pa ako noon kay Ma'am. Nakita ko yung sarili ko.

Kapag kaya dumating yung panahong mag retire na ako, kakamustahin kaya ako ng mga dating estudyante ko?

Makikilala pa kaya nila ako?

Ngingitian kaya nila ako sa mall, sa palengke o kung saan man?

Sana.

Sana, maalala natin yung mga gurong nagsakripisyo ng oras at gumugol ng panahon para matuto tayo, Sana maalala natin yung mga gurong hindi sumuko sa atin. Sana makuha natin silang ngitian kung makasalubong natin sila sa daan, sana alalahanin natin yung mga minsa'y naging pangalawang magulang natin.

Sana, dumating yung panahon na may makapag sabi rin sa akin " TEACHER NA RIN PO AKO MA'AM".

John Denver Trending Stop Cyber Bullying

Cyber bullying can be disastrous, even fatal, as shown in the film “John Denver Trending” as one of the entries in the 2019 Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

The movie is rich in local sound and color. One even hears in the background the” tiktik.” In our childhood days, we were told that was the sound of the “aswang.”

A clear strength of the film is its rural and “regional” world, with its culturally simultaneous reality being succinctly captured in the depiction of communal faith healers paradoxically coexisting with smart phones, thereby suggesting not so much rupture as continuity between the regime of memory and the regime of data, especially where the residual but entirely determinative power of orality is concerned.

The film perhaps embodied Cinemalaya’s real vision : “the creation of new cinematic works by Filipino filmmakers – works that boldly articulate and freely interpret the Filipino experience with fresh insight and artistic integrity. It also aims to invigorate the Philippine filmmaking by developing a new breed of Filipino filmmakers.”

STOP CYBER BULLYING!

“Bullying”, as defined, refers to any severe or repeated use by one or more students of a written, verbal or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at another student that has the effect of actually causing or placing the latter in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm or damage to his property; creating a hostile environment at school; infringing on the rights of another; or materially or substantially disrupting the education process. (Sec. 2, RA 10627)

Specifically, “Cyber- bullying” is any bullying done through the use of technology or any electronic means. The term shall also include any conduct resulting to harassment, intimidation, or humiliation, through the use of other forms of technology, such as, but not limited to texting, email, instant messaging, chatting, internet, social media, online games, or other platforms or formats.

The film was shot entirely in Pandan, Antique, Condez’s home province. Only Meryll Soriano and Sunshine Teodoro are professional actors. The rest of the cast members led by neophyte child actor Jansen Magpusao are either Condez’s relatives or childhood friends. Magpusao’s family lives in a mountain resort in Pandan, Antique called Malumpati Cold Spring.

Also worth noting is Meryll Soriano, who enfleshes John Denver’s mother with the kind of quiet but forceful dignity and devotion that the role requires.