2018 STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS: 

PRESIDENT RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE

SONA or what is known as the State of the Nation Address is an annual event in a country wherein the president will talk in front of his subordinates on what he is about to pledge himself on different issues and campaigns. Now, as Filipinos, we are still hoping and waiting for changes and development in our country. When will we be in a state where all of us seemed to be fine?

Just recently, President Rodrigo Roa Duterte had delivered his powerful speech in the Philippines. As the President of the Republic of the Philippines he had mentioned all his and our concerns that are still and still hanging from now. Our president is asking for our help and support (man power) to make all of it possible and to be solved. And for just about fifty minutes of discoursing, our president was able to leave the stage with an astonished audience.

All throughout his speech, he mentioned numbers of issues specifically related in the importance of health, human rights, environment and a lot more such as crimes and laws. As President Duterte said, "The war against illegal drugs will not be sidelined. Instead, it will be as relentless as chilling, if you will, as the day it began," this means that he’ll not stop war on drugs. He still wanted to continue his campaign in ending the problem on drugs. He also stated that yes our concern is about human rights but yet his concern is on human lives. According to our president, he just wanted to protect our future especially for the youths in their lives. War on drugs is still far from an end so he won’t stop fighting for it. Even if there are already a lot of complains about this issue where it includes the church claiming on human rights. That killing should not be the way to get over it. There are indeed lot of negative comments popped on his campaign starting in the OPLAN TOKHANG but he still wanted to pursue what he wanted to happen.

President Duterte also pleaded the Congress to give the law that will give workers with short term employment the right contract. This is again another issue under human rights which pertains about contractualization.  Another common problem delivered is also about the corruption. Where he also directed all government units to implement the act that will fight against it (Ease of doing Business Act). President Rodrigo Roa Duterte noted Mindanao as the Land of Promises, where they are now making steps to meet those hanging promises by the government for our Muslim brothers and sisters.

Environment related issues are also enclosed in his speech like for instance the Boracay Island which is still in the restoring process. He wanted a real action to keep again its beauty for we as he said are the stewards of our natural resources. Stopping the Black Sand Mining activity is another advocacy our president wanted to do. And also because of the traumatic and destructive Yolanda Typhoon, he wished for another agency to help us Filipinos at times of disasters which is the Department of Disaster Management.

There are health related issues he included with his speech where he again directed some agencies to help people have financial assistance for people who can’t afford their hospital bills. A lot more of topics that he opened like the West Philippine Sea, subsidies for the poor and all about the coconut farmers. All throughout his speech, i have nothing to say but "wow". He's really incredible. I agree with all of his concerns and campaigns for our country. And I had nothing more to say about it.

Man power is a big factor to cope up with these problems. It is not only about the steps of the leader that could make it happen but with the help of one another. I know I am not just the one that expects a lot on what will be the evident changes after his speech. We Filipinos are hoping again for transformations and development within our country.

REFERENCES:

-https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2018/07/23/1836195/full-text-dutertes-2018-sona-speech

-https://i0.wp.com/www.localpulse.net/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/SONA-2018-Live-Streaaming-Online.jpg?resize=696%2C257

  

HEALTHY HOME GARDENING SIGNIFIES HEALTHY LIVING

       How can you make sure that the fruits and vegetables you often buy in the market is safe? Even if they are bright and fresh in condition, we do not have clues whether they are sprayed with unknown chemicals or not. What could be the possible and the most efficient way to make ourselves safe and gain more nutrition and not diseases from these plants? The answer is clearly enclosed in the Nutrition Month 2018's theme: "Ugaliing magtanim, Sapat na nutrisyon aanihin".

        As the theme says, it's focus is on us. On how we engage ourselves to plant on our own and also making it as a habit or maybe as a part of our good lifestyle. The theme could also be a motivation for us to be more practical citizens. This could possibly bring up a change and build a life-changing activity applicable to everyone.

      "Ugaliing magtanim", This doesn't only mean about our farmers with their work but it also encourages us to be one of them by just simply planting on our backyard. We could apply this habit with the use of vacant pots, making plant boxes or better having a home garden. Home gardening is not just for one but for all of us. In the theme, home gardening has it's important role. It could help a family have a safer and ore nutritious foods as well as vegetables and fruits. This can also be a key to lessen the acquired diseases from the used or sprayed chemicals on plants. Home gardening can also be a way to describe the state of your life: healthy or unhealthy living. It is also a nice way to give time to yourself and to your family and bond at times. Home gardening doesn't just pertains on planting flowering, non-flowering or herbal plants. Thus, it includes planting of vegetables like squash , eggplants, lady finger (okra), horse radish (malunggay), bitter gourd and a lot more. It could also be planting of different fruits like apple, banana, grapes oranges, mangoes, dragon fruits and other beneficial and well-known fruit bearing plants. Home gardening can also lessen the amount of expenses in going to the market because it is just simply gathering what you've planted. And as long as I know, home gardening already exist even before and a long time ago.

     "Sapat na nutrisyon aanhin", this second part of the theme works on and makes sense on what value we could have from what is explained on the first part of the theme which is all about home gardening. This interprets the benefits we could attain when we will plant or do the home gardening. What could possibly it's significance? Simply, we could prevent some diseases because it's safer if you will be the one to plant and at the same time, the one to harvest and have it's nutrients. Our body can build a healthier figure when we'll eat what we've planted. We could also be away from the danger caused by malnutrition. We can make sure about it's safeness to eat than those that we buy in the public markets. We know that they are fresh and good upon being reaped.

     In it's totality, you, your family and your community can make it possible. Planting is a way of giving life and color to your world. Planting is a way of caring not only for our nature's sake but this is also a way of loving ourselves. By simply eating these vegetables and fruits planted and harvested from your mini home garden, every member will obtain a well-conditioned body.

CREDITS:

-https://scoutingmagazine.org/issues/0401/art/ill-00.jpg

-https://www.grilloservices.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Portrait-of-a-family-gardening..jpg

24, July 2018

HIS EXCELLENTLY RODRIGO ROA DUTERTE
President of the Republic of the Philippines
Malacañang Palace, City of Manila
Philippines


Dear Mr. President

A pleasant day to you sir. I am writing this letter to express my warmest appreciation of your great and prosperous life and for being an inspiration to many of us. 

Since then sir, the day when you seated as our President, I'm already curious of what you have been in life. Through this letter, I wanted to learn more from your success. Because I'm surprised and it is a hit for me knowing that you've started being the mayor of Davao City up to now that you're already the President of the Republic of the Philippines. There are a lot of questions running in my mind now sir that I wanted to know more about you. I wanted to ask you, how did it happened? How did billions of people said YES to you sir? But then, as time passes by, little by little I'd realize why. Just with your actions, decisions and words for the betterment of our country. I know that you really deserve to be in that position sir. I'm deeply impressed with your outstanding services as the leader of our country. And I would be glad and honored to learn more and to know more about your journey towards an ideal life of yours.

I hope that you'll continue with your exceptional service for the next years sir. And lastly, I would like to thank you for reading and lending your time and attention for this letter.

Respectfully yours,

Cheena Marie Asistin
           student

Free From Dusk

                                                                       

                                                                         Free From Dusk

   "There's no greater service to the country than the defense of it's freedom". A quote from Barry Goldwater where I could relate about the sacrifice of our heroes in the Philippines just to conquer back the freedom of our homeland from those hands of merciless and and abusive countries. Through this event of victory, Philippine Independence Day began to be a prominent holiday on our motherland.

   People always ask these days, why is there a need to celebrate Independence day? June 12, 1898, the proclamation of our independence in the Philippines. It was then an annual celebration in our country. These occasion exist for some reasons and most importantly is to reminisced the tragic events in the past  and to commemorate Her freedom.

   Another one, it makes us remember the bravery of our heroes back then to fight for our homeland. It is also to give recognition to them. There is Dr. Jose Rizal, our national hero, who wrote Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo to be able for our ancestors to wake up and see the reality during their time for a so long years of blindness. There is also Andres Bonifacio, the leader of Katipunan, Togethjer with Emilio Jacinto, Restituto Gavier, Guillermo Manangkay, Aurelio Tolentino, Faustino Manalak, General Paulino Butaya, Pedro Zabala and few other katipuneros. Mentioning them may at least inspire us also from their heroic efforts to save Philippines.

   Another reason is that, it is also the day when our flag was formally unfolded during the Proclamation of Philippine Independence by President Emilio Aguinaldo. Where our flag was sewn by the three great women namely Marcela Marino del Agoncillo, Lorenza Agoncillo and Delfina Herbosa de Natividad.

     It's now on the 21st century. After hundreds of years, these memories of the past is still alive. Other People or country may not know the occasion of ours but we Filipinos must treasure and respect our independence. and of course, continue loving Philippines, our homeland.

References:

  -https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_(Philippines)

  -https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_Philippine

-http://www.google.com/logos/doodles/2017/philippine-independence-day-6281205090615296-2x.jpg