The second settlement of Spanish colonization which is written in our history is the town Panay, Pan-ay or Bamban for our old folks. The 221-year old church is a living legend of how strong the Panay-anon is. The church was built before 1698 but a typhoon ripped it into pieces, a kind priest, Fr. Miguel Murgia head started its reconstruction but unfortunately was again destroyed by a typhoon in January 1875 and in 1884 it was again restored by Fr. Jose Beloso.

             Before, it was an everyday habit to enter the church and climb the winding stairs that leads to the tower that we usually call “campanaryo” where the bells are situated. We used to describe the church to be old, almost rotten and the smell really stinks before because of the bats, all we know before was that the church housed the “biggest bell in Asia” that was cast by Don Juan Reina from the seventy sacs of coins donated by the townspeople. It measure seven feet in height and weighs 10,400 kilograms. (By virtue of NHI resolution No. 3, s.1997 the church is declared as National Historical Landmark)

            The bell was completed in 1878. It bears an inspiring inscription which translated reads: “I am God’s voice which shall echo praise from one end of the town of Pan-ay to the other, so that Christ’s faithful followers may enter this house of God to receive heavenly graces.” We were told that when rung, the bell can reach as far as 8 kilometers, true because as told by our folks the bell was used as a warning whenever the Japanese are near.

            As time passed by, I eventually realized the true essence of church and discovered its remarkable features. The church belong to a baroque style it is said the before its façade is covered with curtains of flowers, niches and statuary but now looking at the church you can see the clean structure. Upon entering you will pass the huge wooden door that was as old as the church. Though is can be opened in half, the two small doors are usually used. Standing at the door you can directly see the baroque altar through the aisle with two rows of benches on its side. There are addition benches on each side on the front that has its own baroque style altars.

  The old dilapidated roof was now replaced and the choirloft was removed.The old L-shaped convent was now reconstructed and has a new and refreshed look. Although it still has the Spanish style appearance with its windows and the red-orange bricks façade. Even the front view of the church that was only covered with carabao grass is now covered with brick-style floors with matching posts. 

Mga “ita” ng Roxas

Sa buhay ng tao  mahirap man  o mayaman hindi nawawala ang reaklamo, kesyo ang hirap ng buhay, mahal ang bilihin, halos walang makain, hindi na nakakabili ng panangailangan, kahit mayoon wla parin, hindi tayo nakokotento sa kung anong mayroon tayo. Ang hindi natin alam mayroon mga nilalang dito sa mundong ibabaw na mas mahiap pa ang dinadanas kesya sa atin. Mga nilalang na  iniiwasan ng karamihan, kinakawawa at inaalippusta. Makikita ito kahit saang lugar. Hindi laila sa ating mga Pilipino ng mayroon pa ing natitirang mga “Ita” na naninirahan dati sa mga kabundukan at ngayon ay nakikita na lamang natin sa lansangan.

Where do most people go during leisure time? On Sundays after attending the mass, what’s the next stop of the whole family? What about the students? There is a high possibility that they would eventually go to this place. THE MALL.

          Indeed! Malls are popular all over the world for as our world evolves it became a necessity for each individual. Locally, different mall had spread throughout the archipelago and here in Roxas city, the most popular mall is regarded as “the Big Mall”.

          Located at Arnaldo boulevard, Roxas City, a huge façade of the four-storey building that caters almost everything, from food chains, grocery, RTW, shoes, hardware, entertainment, etc, it seems that you can find everything you need.

Upon entering, you can see the series of stalls that sells cell phones, cell phone accessories and loads, silver body accessories (earrings, necklaces and bracelets) and even eye wears. You will never get hungry because situated on the ground floor are the different fast food chains, such as Mang Inasal, the favorite of the kids, Jollibee, Greenwhich, Red Ribbons that sells delicious pastries, if you love Chinese food there’s also Chowking and if you want to tastes a La Paz Batchoy, just visit Ted’s.

But that’s not all, there’s also a Pharmacy, a shoe shop, a pasalubong center and of course the Grocery store. When you want to relax there  is a  beauty clinic just around the corner, also an eye clinic and the one that caters your mails, LBC.A book sale is also present that has the bestseller novel, magazines and educational books. There still a lot of good stuff on the ground floor that you will find interesting and useful.

Going up to the second floor, the kids will really love it there, a store full toys are readily accessible, plus the World of Fun where the children can enjoy the fun rides and arcade games. Popular boutiques in this floor, such as Bench, Penshoppe, RRJ, Gibi, etc. a hardware store and an internet shop can also be found in this floor. The main feature of this floor is the department store where, the RTW, school supplies and other dry goods displayed.

You will not get bored in the third floor for the movie theaters and foods court is located here, you will also enjoy shopping for elegant shoes, bags and cloth, sporty rubber shoes, comfortable slippers, cute baby clothes and ever affordable house ware.

The Bingo Capizeño where the moms and dads, lolos and lolas can enjoy laying the card game and for the teenagers billiards and table tennis are also available, these all are to be found on the fourth floor. And that’s the things you can find on the one and only Big Mall.

” A memorable place near water”

When I was in high school I got hooked with this circle of friends that until now are special to me. They took me to this place somewhere near the port of Culasi, Roxas City. It was there secret haven they called “Island of Nowhere”

            The place was almost abandoned, we always thought it was. Maybe it was suppose to be a resort for it already has a winding path that leads to a hilltop, the floor was cemented with iron railings surrounding the place, and the place was big enough to accommodate maybe a hundred people. At the far end there was a concrete stairs the leads to the lower part of that place. Situated was an unfinished structure of an Olympic size swimming pool, the walls of the pool was already done except for the flooring that was still mud.

The scenery was at most in the place for it is over looking the vast sea where you can see the endless horizon. Walking through the place you can enjoy climbing in the rocky walls that can be slippery at times. Jellyfish and crablets are ordinary in that place. What I love in the place was the sunset, you can clearly see as Mr. Sun bids goodbye and Mrs. Moon says hello. “Island of Nowhere” was the witness of the sweet and happy moments we shared. As long as I live it will remain in my heart for in that place our friendship was made stronger.  

“Precious Gifts” 

Priced Possession. How do we define the value of a thing? Through its price? through its company brand? Or maybe because of its appearance? For me priced possession is something that you give a great value or importance not because it cost a fortune but because it has a sentimental value, it is close to your heart that’s why I regard my wrist watches as my priced possession for it was from the people who are closest to my heart.

Three different watches. Each has its own story to tell. A round faced gold watch, it has a thin strap and looks really old. It was given to me by my aunt when I was just starting my college life. A memorable gift it was because it’s my aunt’s way of saying “you can do it”.

My Disney watch is one of my most valued stuff, it also has a round a face but only silver in color, it can be regarded as cheap but for me it’s as special as a pearl. The watch was a reward for something good I’ve done, my uncle gave me the money and bought it my self. For me it represents the child in me that even if I’ve aged, my childlike trait still remains.

The last but the most precious one is the watch that was a gift from my mother. A silver square faced watch that even from a far you can see it glittering (hehe). Precious, simply because it was from my mom, it was her brand of love because for me it was a symbol of her unconditional love that as long as the time ticks she will always be there for me, no matter what.

And so, cheap or not, we do have our own share of treasures and what’s important is that how we value it, because sometimes these things are our outlet to continue the journey of our life, hold on, keep striving, continue living.

Carnivals, one of the pleasurable and enjoyable place to visit, especially to a child, but there are a lot of things that I missed whenever we visit a carnival and that is riding a roller coaster and a Ferris wheel, I can be called naïve when it comes to this things. My friends told me that its frightening at first but eventually its enjoyable, as they say “It feels like flying into the air!”, How I wish I could ride one too, maybe someday, I’m this old but I still want to experience those stuff.

I have my share of riding some carnival ride although it’s most likely kiddy stuff but still as a child I was, it really felt wonderful just like riding the Carousel, I really imagined that I was riding on a real horse, another one is the rocket ride (I can’t really remember the exact name of the ride), it was shaped like a rocket and has an inclined oval rail. The rocket traveled around it slowly at first and eventually gets faster and faster. It was like riding a bumpy car, you are thrown from side to side and when the rocket passed through the elevated portion of the rail, the fear of being thrown out gripped me.

            When the ride ended I felt satiated, it seems like my surroundings were spinning around me, I have to gripped onto something for if not I would have ended up lying on the ground. Maybe because it was my first time but despite those circumstances I had a good time and hopefully someday I can experience much adventurous rides. 

 Motherhood is the noblest profession a woman can take. They say that it’s difficult but a fulfilling job. Among all the richest, powerful and the most successful women in the whole world, I admire most the mothers, our mothers, especially my mother.

Never had I imagined departing from her embrace. Since I was born she enveloped me with tender love and care. She took me under her wings, taught me everything there is to know until such time that she was confident enough to set me free in this world that’s full of complexity.

Mama is my idol and my inspiration. She is my playmate, my best friend, my guardian angel wrapped into one, a career woman at the same time a loving mother to us. She’s there when I need her, guiding me to the path where I should be, encouraging me to fly on my own but never out of her sight. All the things she imparted in me will be carved in my whole being. As I journey with this life I’m beginning to apply what she had taught me.

Now that I’m old enough to realize things, I can finally say how grateful I am to have a mother like her. She’s not perfect, she gets angry, she’s sad at times and wears a frown on her face but with just one smile, it made her real and has been occupying a great part of my heart.  

        I had a teacher from high school that I find intimidating for at first glance she really seemed to be strict, stern and not approachable, but as they say, first impression never last. Eventually we discovered that she has a nice side but the strictness and the sternness is still there. Her words are the rules in the classroom, whatever rules she enumerated must be followed accordingly. There’s no room for mistakes when she’s around, you have to act accordingly. Talk politely.

Whenever she’s around I can’t speak because I’m afraid to be scolded and be embarrassed in front of my classmates. There are those times that even playing an instrument were prohibited. She sometimes takes our jokes seriously that’s why she easily gets mad and we always had this “miscommunication problem”.

I do know why she acts that way, our welfare was at her hands and she only wants us to be responsible. The only way to do that was to discipline us in her own way. It is now that I realized how essential her teachings are to my life. She only wanted us to be well educated, well mannered and functional individual in the future. So it is now that I can express my gratitude that I came under the advisory of that beloved teacher from high school.

Ang takot nariyan lamang sa ating mga puso, hindi nating matatanggal iyon. Naaalala ko noon, takot na takot talaga akong pumasok sa sementeryo, hindi ko gusto ang pakiramdam na para bang kahit anong oras ay may hihila sa akin pababa o papasok sa nitso. Tumataas ang balahibo ko dahil pakiramdam ko’y laging may nakatingin sa akin, sumusunod sa bawat kilos na aking gawin. Natatandaan ko rin noon sa tuwing mapasok ako sa sementeryo, nagkakaroon ako ng masasamang panaginip kinagabihan at nangyari pang linagnat ako ng pagkataas. Hindi ko alam kung bakit ganoon ang epekto sa akin sa tuwing makakapasok ako sa isang sementeryo marahil dahil sa hindi pa ako handang lumisan dito sa ating mundo o ‘di kaya’y hindi pa ako handang mamaalam sa kahit sinong malapit sa aking puso.

Lumipas ang panahon at nawala na ang takot kong pumasok sa sementeryo napalitan ito ng takot kong mapag-isa sa isang madilim na silid. Halos hindi ako makahinga noong minsang nagising ako at mag-isa na lamang sa silid-tulugan. Ang paligid ko ay nababalot ng kadiliman, wala akong makita, sa pakiramdam ko’y  napakasikip ng mundong aking ginagalawan. Ganoon pala ang pakiramdam ng mag-isa at wala mahingan ng tulong parang kang estatwa na hindi makakilos.

Magpasahanggang ngayon hindi pa rin ako komportableng mapag-isa sa isang madilim na silid pero kahit paano’y nabawasan ang takot naaking naradarama sa pagdaan ng panahon.

According to Victor Hugo, music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent, yes! I do agree because for me music is the mirror of one’s life. It reflects the personality of the listener and sometimes it’s our medium of expressing our emotions  and for a time it serves as a channel for communication.

As for me music plays a big role in my life. Its my way of expressing my unsaid feelings and  unspoken thoughts. Every time I listen to my preferred music I get to relax especially in those times that I feel so exhausted. It makes me calm and stress free. In times that I feel so low and confused music is my ally and as I absorb the words and the rhythm it makes me realize things that I’ve neglected before and most of the time it consoles me, lessens the burden that I’m carrying and boosts up my morale. My life without music is not complete at all.