Earth hour is a yearly event organized by the World Wildlife Fund an environmental nonprofit group. It was created in Sidney, Australia and participated by millions of people to signify that each of us, working hand in hand, can make a good impact on climate change – no matter where we live or who we are.
What is climate change?
Climate change is a long term change in patterns of humidity, precipitation, temperature, wind, seasons and sea levels. While these things fluctuate on a natural cycle, statistics point out that there are more major and thorough changes taking place than have in previous geologic history. Specific climate patterns are critical to all environments. A change in patterns of rainfall will result in alterations in the blooming of flowering crops and plants that human beings including animals depend on. Warmer temperatures can cause die offs of plants which provide habitat for animal species. The climate is dangerous to the health of our planet. As we can see today, disasters everywhere have started.
The main purpose for Earth Hour is to improve community consciousness of the need for important energy-use reduction and the need to take action on climate change by engaging as many businesses, communities and individuals around Planet Earth as possible to turn the lights off for an hour.
This simple act will not only increase awareness of the impacts of climate change on our world, but also motivate individuals to take practical action to reduce their own carbon marks.
Being able to be part of something public, even if it is as simple as turning off the lights, gives us a chance to say, we are a part of this too.
So, today at 8:30 in the evening, my lights will be off for an hour. Will yours too?
The flag of the Philippines, which was made by Lorenz Agoncillo, Marcela Agoncillo and Delfina Herbosa de Natividad in Hong Kong, was first flown in the event that was led by Emilio Aguinaldo in his mansion on June 12, 1898. It was also where the National Anthem was first played by the San Francisco de Malabon band.
The Philippine Independence Day celebrated every July 4, the date in 1946 that the United States granted independence to the nation, until 1962, when President Diosdado Macapagal signed the Presidential Proclamation No. 28, varying the official celebration to June 12, the date in 1898 that Emilio Aguinaldo declared the nation’s independence from Spain.
The proclamation was done in June 12, 1898 at the ancestral home of General Emilio Aguinaldo in Kawit, Cavite. The June 12 proclamation was shortly adapted by another Proclamation made at Malolos, Bulacan, upon the persistence of Apolinario Mabini who objected to the original proclamation which essentially placed the Phillipines under the protection of the United States.
The Democracy and Independence
Today, we Filipinos celebrate the Independence Day. It is an occasion that government units celebrate. Most people do not for Independence is a rarity and it remains a fantasy.
The struggle for independence is a normal one. The immense majority linger locked in their state of overpowering dependence, incapable to find the power to stand on their own two feet. Economic deficiency describes the struggle of the Filipino, and the attendant ills of poverty and shortage reflect in either revolution or subservience.
We Filipinos should not mislead ourselves into thinking that independence and democracy are well and alive in the Philippines. They’re not! What increases is poverty and corruption, poverty which is the contradictory of independence, and corruption which is the contradictory of democracy.
How do we change from subservience to independence, from feudalism to democracy? This is a question that pleads for an answer in spite of so many attempts to change in the past. Filipinos should not be shocked that those who administer do so badly if one presumes they do so in a democracy. But under a feudal system, our government would be a benign and progressive one.
The effective change to real independence and democracy is the tandem of strong citizenship and good governance. It is especially is a responsible and strong citizenship that has wrapped badly, mainly because people have been asked by many political candidates to just wait until they, the candidates, get into authority and will be in a position to help them. As citizens, Filipinos must begin our own fight so the journey may attain its destination.
Let us celebrate the honor and courage that will become the foundation of a humanity that has evaded us. Let us celebrate the hope that we want for ourselves, our children and their children. Let us celebrate Independence Day as a dream and vision.
December 9, we went to Tacloban through an invitation of a District Engineer for the concert at DPWH. DPWH Calbayog was set to have a presentation on that day. But because they don’t have anything to present, the DE asked the group to represent in behalf of them. Without any hesitation, we got there and did a concert. At the same time, we had our promotion for our album.
December 15, we went to Catbalogan to join the Glee Club of St. Mary’s College for their Concert for a cause. We were so proud then that school heads gave their trust to us to join their concert. We did enjoy that night even we were so tired and have to go back home after the show because we were scheduled to sing at the church for the Misa de Gallo.
Back to Calbayog, December 18… the Calbayog Arts and Culture Office invited us to do a concert. It’s a tradition of Calbayognon especially the CACO that during December there is a nightly presentation and contests. Dances, Song, the PANARIT (the traditional way of caroling), the loudest fire cracker using bamboo (which we called LANTAKA) that looks like a Cañon. These are some highlights of christmas celebration in calbayog.
September, the Kita Choir trainor decided that the group must have a Christmas album. Mid-October, a meeting has been called. Planning of recording and other related matters about the Album. November, recording begun and approached some businessmen to be a sponsor of the said album.
Posters, streamers, and CD’s are all prepared. Then came the album launching. December 5, 7pm at La Milagrosa Academy Auditorium… everything is prepared as well as the performers (the Kita Choir). At first we thought it will not be successful. Eventually, everything went good and the audience had fun.
All songs are composed in Waray-waray language and most of them are composed by our very own Choir Master Mr. Bong Obong (a cousin of Nonoy Zuñiga). Another composer is Naty Mancol, local artist and Mawe Doroja one of the Kita Choir member and Boy Nicolasora and Ronnie Obong also contributed their original compositions. We had guests performers like FranJohn and Fr. Roland Cajegas.
THEY flapped their wings, scratched the ground, and wiggled their tails as they danced and romped through the main streets of Calbayog City, during the vesper day parade on Sept. 7, held in celebration of the city fiesta in honor of the Our Lady of Nativity.
The dancers had become the joy and pride of the locals who would always crow about the dance group’s success.
The group was first organized as the Sarakiki Festival in the mid-1990s, during the term of then Mayor Reynaldo Uy, who is now the representative of Samar’s first district. The city government wanted then to have a festival that would instill pride and sense of identity among the Calbayognons and to unify them as one community. They settled on the Sarakiki Festival.
Sarakiki is said to be based on the legend of Ilahas and Mahusay, which means wildlife and beautiful. According to legend, Ilahas invented a new dance that he and Mahusay performed before their tribe in Ibatan (now Calbayog). The dance movements were patterned after those of a cock.
Sarakiki is a Waray term that describes the movement of a rooster when it tries to court a hen or to provoke another rooster to a fight. The cock spreads one of his wings down and moves fast with one leg up, around the object his love or enemy. Imitating the rooster, the dancers also clench their fists with the thumbs out, to represent the fowl’s gaff (tadi in Waray and tari in Tagalog).
Incidentally, the dance movements can also be seen in the kuratsa, a popular courtship dance of the Warays.
Since its first public appearance, the city government, through the City Arts and Culture Office, has sponsored the Sarakiki Festival. Aside from the city officials, parents, students and members of private organizations have also been supportive of the event.
When Mayor Mel Senen Sarmiento assumed office in 2001, the holding of the festival was temporarily stopped. It was revived the following year as the Sarakiki-Hadang Festival.
Hadang is an ancient rite said to have been performed by early Calbayognons when asking the gods for a bountiful harvest, cure of the sick, or the defeat of the enemy, among others.
A Hadang Ritual Competition marked the opening of the recent week-long festival. The first prize went to the Trinidad National High School, while the national high schools of Oquendo and San Joaquin bagged the second and third prizes.
Among the other features of the celebration were cultural shows, body-painting contest, band competition and a regional brain and beauty contest dubbed “Search for Miss Anyag 2003,” which was won by 18-year-old Ruby Rose Reyes of nearby Gandara, Samar.
The Sarakiki-Hadang Festival group is composed of 109 student-dancers from different city schools and 15 city government employees. It uses at least 12 bamboo drums, 12 snare drums and six bass drums.
And whenever the beating of the drums starts, lead dancer Eddie “Wacky” Flores again leads his flock of dancing chickens in what seemed to be a frenzied but actually well-coordinated movements that never fail to enthrall the crowd.
With adrenaline rushing, Wacky and his fellow dancers perform the rooster’s courtship movement by swaying their body, stomping their feet, and flailing their hands to the rhythm of the drumbeats.
On his own, Wacky would perform his own version of the “chicken walk” or wag his long feather tail to the delight of the crowd.
The Sarakiki has already won several awards in regional competitions. During the recent Tandaya-Ibabao Festival of Festivals in Tacloban City, it no longer competed but performed an exhibition number.
In the national scene, the group was recently adjudged second runner-up during the Aliwan Festival dance competition in May at the Star City. It was also invited to perform during the opening on Sept. 18 of the “Best in Region 8,” an activity sponsored by the Department of Tourism under its “WOW Philippines” program.
After the Charity Outreach Program… the group proceeded to the house of sis Mia at Antipolo. While waiting for the time to go to the Resort where the EB was held, we stayed for how many hours at sis Mia’s house.
When it was time to go to the place where the EB held… we bring a lot of foods and drinks.
The place was very cozy and private. It is located at Antipolo where you can see the whole manila. It is a two story building with 2 big bedrooms and CR at the 2nd floor and a bedroom, dinning table, CR, kitchen on the 1st floor. Outside the house is a pool that can accomodate 15-20
persons with tables and chairs on the side.
Foods are everywhere…… drinks are just around the corner…. videoke is just waiting for the singers….name it and you can have it!
To the members who confirmed to attend the EB that did not come….you missed half of your life for not attending.