What's the real cause?

Way back years ago, earth was but a simple thing in the universe.  Then the intelligent human kind made some innovations that may have been beneficial or the other way around.  We have been trying to find every single reason to make technological advancements to support our race.  Some things were favorable while some are not.  Guns, machines, carbon-emitting factories, cars, plastics etc, have been designed to make our lives less stressful.  But do they really serve its purpose?  The answer is yes, definitely.  But, the consequence that lies upon them is far way more massive than their advantages.   It has never been questioned by anyone from the authority.  Well in fact, maybe because these things give them THE AUTHORITY, the power that these things can bring them is pretty obvious.  For ordinary people, the factories serve as their source of income because it brings food to the table, while guns and some other machines make the rich more powerful than you can imagine.  Those who are on top became greedy.  But then again, what made them that?  Is it the money itself, the IMPROPER INNOVATIONS/Inappropriate Technological advancement or the PEOPLE who made them? 

On the other hand, it pains me a lot to see the news.  People are blaming the government for not doing anything for them.  But is it really the government that has to be blamed after all these effects that the typhoon/disaster has made or us people of the country who have been ruining the environment because of the undisciplined and crooked attitude of ours?  This made me realize how cruel nature may become after all these years.  This may have been the result of the wickedness of humans or punishment from the Almighty.  But whatever the reason is, the result will always be the same---DISASTER.

Changes in life

Some years have passed and change has been evident every day.  Whether we like it or not, we are now living in a place full of material things. Money has become the center of everything.  It became the sole reason to survive the chaotic world.  We cannot blame ourselves because movies show us the luxury that each person wants to grab someday.  Actors, celebrities and politicians became the epitome of fame and power.  Eventually, envy and jealousy rose to people's inner souls. Hoping that someday, they will also taste the sweetness of being served and doing anything they want without difficulty.  They forgot about the true meaning of life.  Love, compassion, generosity, honesty, and some other intangible things have been lost.  These things were not the source of motivation of people anymore.   Relationships were no longer true, trusts have been broken, all because of financial matters.  Knowing all these things has been very frustrating.  No matter how much we try to deny it, it is still the truth and YES, the truth hurts.

Nonetheless, I still think that the most important things here on earth are those that are not seen by the naked eye but those that are felt by our precious hearts.

I just hope that the future generations will soon realize this major loss.  May they serve as the light from the darkness that we have made.  I hope that the change this time won't be another dissatisfaction but a triumph to everyone's hearts.

Cebu and Bohol travel by metzymits :)

Way back 2 years ago, our research, "The Progression of Relationship among Filipino Youth" was chosen for podium presentation in an International Conference at the Convention Center, Cebu City, Philippines.  Two of my group mates, our clinical instructor and I went to Cebu to attend the said conference.  We stayed there for 4 days.  Since Bohol is just about an hour away from Cebu, we decided to go there for sight-seeing.  We saw the legendary Chocolate Hills and also the known cute little animal, tarsier.



We enjoyed our stay there.  I hope I can go to some other places soon.

Nurse's Hopes

I am not an expert.  I am just a beginner to the profession I chose to live everyday.  The two letters attached to my name keeps me on believing that I am made to selflessly give what I can, to inspire others to be what they want someday, and to answer even the silliest question a patient can ask.  Never did I dream to hold a cap on my head, or to be dressed with an all white uniform, but then I guess the person above has a lot of reasons, hence He gave me this journey.

Along the career path that I have been walking which started just months ago, I have seen the different faces of what a patient can be.  There was this demanding patient who keeps on asking of things that she herself can do.  The other one has the initiative to ask and deliberately take his/ her medications.  Indeed, a responsible patient I can say.  The different ladders of society were also evident.  The patient who can’t afford any medication while on the other side a patient who can buy anything that the doctor prescribes.  Nevertheless, all these people are the same.  They are all patients seeking for care and help.


Nursing is indeed a noble profession.  We, nurses are built to accept the bitterness of reality.  We are made to help these different pictures of our patients.  We care for them, listen to every word they say and act when they needed one. Oftentimes, we offer our time to our patients instead of our families.  We even have our duties during holidays (take note, with no increase on our pay).  Sometimes, overtimes are also evident almost every shift because there are so many patients to handle.  I think, this problem might not be experienced, only if the nurse-patient ratio is adequate.


Even with these phenomena, we nurses are still here.  We do this because we think of our patients first.  There are certain times when we have these kinds of selfless-acts just to give the care that they need.  We do everything to lift their spirits and to enlighten their minds so that somehow, in one way or another; there will always be hope within the struggles that they are facing this time.


All I am hoping now is that nurses will soon get what they deserve--to be paid with justice and to be treated as noble professionals.  I hope that someday, our tiny voices in the society will be heard by those seating on the high-ranks.  There is nothing I can do but to hope, just HOPE.

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2014

Living from the darkness of the past wont help you move forward.  It's always been good to leave the marks of the bitterness in your heart than to trap yourself in your nightmares.

Never in my life had I been happy since the thorns pricked my innocent heart but not until I have found myself back to pieces on the start of 2014.

My "brothers" helped me cope up by showing me the importance of family, my gorgeous friends lifted me up by making every memories together a happy one.

Soon enough, time healed all the wounds.  

Months came and everything were into bliss.

Thank you Lord for the happiness, memories and good times. 

1. January 1, 2014
>  Another "new beginning story" happened with me, my family and friends. We celebrated the new year at Ramon Delfina resort in La Union.  We rented the whole resort exclusive for our family.  My handsome "bros" had some great time.  We swam, cooked delicious meals, ate together until we bloat, but I guess the best part was the "island hopping" that we did few hours before I went back to our hometown, Abra.  I was still affiliated with the hospital at my province.  Healthcare workers are known to be heroes.  One of the reasons is because of our selfless acts in going to duties even during holidays.  Since I am a nurse, I had to go back to Abra to have my new year duty for night shift.  Tiring day, yet still worth it though.

2. APH friendship and outings.

My workmates and I were very fond of swimming and food trips so we had a lot of memories at the beach swimming and eating.  I enjoyed my stay in this institution because of their warm acceptance, hospitality and care when I worked with them.

(P.S. I quit my job here but I certainly miss them now)

> my APH family (just a few of them were here since we were divided into 2 shifts)

> my closest friend, ate Danne (I call her "nanay")

> Beach outing at Ilocos Sur. Overnight. Food trip. Swimming.

>  At Dr. Jalog's crib... Eating out.

>  Again, at Ilocos Sur's beach resort...

>  Agtangao Abra Resort with these pretty ladies...

>  Plaza with my coworkers

3.  Manaoag.  - Dagupan, Phil.

>  I had my training here for 1 day at Center for Technical Excellence and Integrated School Inc.,.  My mom, my aunt and me went to Dagupan together.  My mom and my aunt roamed around Dagupan while I was having my training.   After a whole day of training, we went to Manaoag Church to have a mass.

4.  Baguio, Ilocos and Abra with my High School friends.  (been together for 8 years and counting)

>  I always go to Baguio to visit them whenever I have free time.  Every year, we had some adventures together.  This year, we went to URSA resort at Ilocos and next year, we will go to Mount Pulag.  There were a lot of happy moments with them but one time there was an awkward one-- when we had lunch together with 2 of my friends who came to the restaurant with their boyfriends (I'm left without a partner). Lonely me.  But then again, friendship is more important than anything else.  A day was never enough to enjoy with them.  They always lift me from the sadness I felt before, they were always there through thick and thin.  Hopefully, our friendship will last forever.

4.  Christmas with my "bros"

>  This year will never be complete without Christmas.  Christmas is once again a very memorable one because of my loving and caring cousins.  We grew up together so somehow, in one way or another, we treat each other like siblings.  I have missed them so much because we haven't been together for some months.  Thanks to Christmas, we have been together again.

-2014 will never be good without my family and friends...

-Thank you for making my happy.  Hoping for another great memories next year.

:) :) :)

Royals cover- Michelle D.A.

Perfect vs. Reality

Let me start with the day when everything was fine, when everything was perfect. It was like a dream come true, to find a man who was almost perfect.  You might be wondering why I used "was", yes what you saw was right.  "He was just so perfect", where every girl might scream and shout his name, where every man might be jealous of who he is.  He is an intelligent man, making him the valedictorian in their batch.  He is a sporty man, making him one of the best in the varsity players.  Everything seems nice yet in each and every side there will always be loopholes that you might accidentally see or maybe, meant to see.

It was summer, and everyone were busy with their entrance exams for their college life. We were enjoying our times together.  We roamed around the beautiful tourist spots of the town. Each and every second was filled with happiness and joyous moments in our life. We shared each moment like there was no tomorrow. Again, EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT.

But as I walk through the road of my life, I suddenly realized that "perfect" has no room in my heart.  I suddenly thought that I am always at my fantasy world, like I was dreaming that someday this MAN won't leave, that someday this MAN will never break his promises.  I tried to break the glass dividing this doubts that I had.  I opened my heart to REALITY.  By then, i finally thought of those guys around me. He was just like the same with the others, and then somehow someone whispered me these words, " If you're in love, you're just busy looking at someone without even turning your back to someone who might be better, MUCH BETTER."

During that time that I heard those words from somewhere else, I thought of breaking the PERFECT glass that we made.  I broke it into pieces. But the time that I did that, one of my trusted friends called me.  I thought he knew about what I did.  I was puzzled because it was just a minute that have passed when I did that and I didn't tell anyone about it.

My trusted friend's words surprised me A LOT. He told me about unfaithfulness, disloyalty, infidelity, and all the words that can describe what this PERFECT MAN did.

During those times that I was in his fantasy world, a witch had already captured his heart. This witch got my PERFECT MAN from me, without me knowing about all of what SHE did. He poisoned my PERFECT MAN'S heart bringing me to a person who doesn't know anything. They were together just a minute after I broke the glass that my PERFECT MAN and I did.

It was so painful... VERY PAINFUL. I thought I was the winner from the battle between HIS FANTASY and MY REALITY, but the truth hurts,I was defeated by his gratifying words and promises.

HE BROKE MY HEART.

HE WAS THIS PERFECT MAN THAT THIS POOR LITTLE GIRL HAS EVER IMAGINED, BUT NOW HE IS JUST A FLAWED PATHETIC MAN...

-this is just a short story that i made based from my experience...

- i hope that this would at least remind my friends (GIRLS/BOYS) that there is no room for perfect relationships. Sometimes you need to open your eyes and see how painful the real world is. Sometimes we just have to enlighten our hearts and minds so that no one will be hurt to the things that we are going to do...

-michelle alcantara.. :)