Haizel Charm

  This school year is coming to an end in a few days. Those sleepless nights that had caused us so much anguish is going to pay off. I'm about to graduate from Junior High to Senior High Academic at the end of this school year. Every day has been a strain, with so many tasks to complete while simultaneously caring for our home. Anxiety and stress will be relieved. However, this is not the end; there are still more stages to cope with. I am overjoyed that face-to-face courses have begun. I was nervous and scared at first because I wasn't used to it. However, returning to school feels fantastic because I can engage and converse with my teachers and friends in person, which helps me understand the teachings and directions more properly. I may have struggled greatly during those times, but I will never regret suffering for the sake of my future. Every day may be a challenge but never forget that God will guide us and will be with us through our ups and downs.       R...

  Have you seen the news where experts went overboard to warn us about what's really going on with our world, about climate change? Did you know that one of the causes of that problem is our own poor waste disposal? If not, you are now aware. And, if so, are you doing your part to help the environment by properly disposing of your waste? Or by cultivating and tending to the plants and trees in your immediate vicinity? Or about just reducing our dependency on plastics? Our ecology deserves a true caregiver capable of protecting and restoring it. We, humans, are meant to manage our ecosystem, but we are the source of the problems that not only the earth, but all living creatures in the world, are facing. So, as students, what can we do to help in the restoration of our ecosystem? Some instances are as follows:     1.  Applying the 5R's - Reuse, Reduce, Recycle, Refuse, Rethink       2. Composting          3. Choose environmen...

  Every day, a father has profound thoughts about his children and family. He is the most important member of the family, and his love for his children is essential for their survival. Nothing is too huge for him to do for his family, and no sacrifice is too big for him to make. Everything he does makes him awesome. He has an incredible amount of energy and unconditional love in his heart that encourages every child to keep following him in the hopes of learning something new every time. In his children's eyes, he is a superhero because of his patience and perseverance in making everything possible in their lives. It's often difficult to comprehend where he gets the energy to make his children see the bright side of any circumstance, he's in. Although my father may be the opposite of the way society portrays a father, fun and outgoing, he is still the best father that I could ever ask for in my life. I am super lucky to be one of his children and I will be forever thankfu...

    Independence Day is a regular holiday in the Philippines, celebrated annually on the 12 th of June. It is the National Day of the Philippines and is known as 'Araw ng Kalayaan, or 'Day of Freedom'. This day commemorates the Philippine Declaration of Independence from Spain on June 12th, 1898.   The Philippines, which consists of over 7,000 different islands in the western Pacific, declared freedom from Spanish sovereignty almost 120 years ago. This claim was made by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, but it wasn't until 1962 that then-President Diosdado Macapagal declared it a public holiday via a presidential decree. On this day, June 12, 1898, the Filipino flag was unfurled for the first time amid an inspirational ceremony that included the first public performance of the Philippines' national anthem. The country has achieved significant progress. It is classified as a developing market and a recently industrialized country. Tourism also has a significant economic impa...

  Every family is incomplete without this one woman who brings everyone together and builds a family, a mother. Mother's Day is a holiday observed in many parts of the world to show respect, honor, and love for moms. The day is an event to recognize mothers' sacrifices, maternal relationships, and the significance of mothers in our society. My mother is a person with unconditional and eternal love. I can't describe her fully in words however, she’s the most powerful, charismatic, lovable, selfless, and strongest woman I’ve ever seen and I could ever ask for in life. She has sacrificed a lot for the goodness of her children; she has given us her happiness, her dreams, and her whole life. She’s our voice and our strength. day, she manages to make us laugh and feel loved. She is a blessing from above, and it is for this reason that I am grateful to God for providing me a perfect mother who actually cares and loves us unconditionally and eternally. Let us commemorate Mother...

  Binatbatan was introduced in 2002 as part of a celebration honoring the Abel Iloco hand-loom weaving industry. It is celebrated yearly from the last week of April to the first week of May. The festival's name comes from the word "batbat," which refers to the first step in the weaving process, in which the cotton balls are separated from the seeds by beating them with two bamboo sticks for Abel. During this period of pandemic, there have been several changes to the celebration of the Binatbatan Festival. The celebration has been different from our tradition in recent years. We are unable to form crowds or close contact with individuals in order to avoid contracting and spreading the illness. However, because of the low and declining instances of the covid-19 virus, Binatbatan can be celebrated this year. Fortunately, it is now returning to the usual world to which we are accustomed. Biguenos and even tourists and visitors from other towns are now welcome to attend th...

  Woman. When you hear or see the term "woman," what is the first thing that comes to mind? Some people may immediately think of the word "weak." A woman, on the other hand, can be a wife, a partner, an organizer, a manager, a director, a creator, a disburser, an economist, a mother, a disciplinarian, a teacher, a health officer, an actor, and so on. Furthermore, women have a vital part in society's socio-economic development. The majority of women work, whether paid or unpaid. The majority of them work, either at home raising children and running a household, or as employees in the workplace. Women's abilities, talents, ingenuity, vision, and leadership are required to address the world's most pressing issues, ranging from climate change to economic recovery. The response to COVID-19 was also largely female-dominated. They have made significant contributions to efforts to reduce infection numbers and position their countries for economic recovery. Now I...

  During World War II, when the Philippines was invaded by the Japanese, this marked the "Araw ng Kagitingan" which commemorates the heroic act of Filipinos and American soldiers. The battle of Bataan was the most intensive phase of the Japanese invasion of the Philippines during World War II, and there happened the largest army under American command ever to surrender, with 76,000 Filipino and American troops. Major General Edward P. King of the United States Army was compelled to surrender more than 76,000 Filipinos, Chinese, and American soldiers to the Japanese before dawn on April 9, 1942, and many of our fellow Filipinos suffered and died as a result. The soldiers were ordered to travel 90 miles to San Fernando's Camp O'Donnell. Thousands of inmates died from malnutrition, thirst, and infections before reaching the camp during the hike (also known as the Bataan Death March). However, despite the defeat and suffering, the captive soldiers remained strong and em...

       Lent begins on Ash Wednesday each year and ends 46 days before Easter Sunday. It is a month of penitential preparation for Easter in the Christian church. It is celebrated in commemoration of Jesus Christ's fasting in the wilderness before beginning his public ministry. Lent encourages Christians to fast for some time each year, marking a deliberate season of reflection on Christ's life, ministry, sacrifice, and resurrection. But how did we celebrate this season now that we are still encouraged to stay at home because of the pandemic?      On the first day of Lent, which is Ash Wednesday, many went to receive ashes on their head. When the pandemic started, the imposition of ashes on the forehead is not allowed but since cases here have decreased, some places have allowed it.   So, when one receives the ash, he or she should let this “catch the eyes of our minds, so that as we close our eyes, God may speak to us heart to heart.”  ...

      Kannawidan is a festival in the province of Ilocos Sur which commemorates the separation of the two Ilocos provinces. It is a celebration that lasts from the last week of January up to the first week of February. This celebration features cultural performances, religious rites, and cookery demonstrations showcasing the best of Ilocano cuisine. Kannawidan is a series of activities aiming at celebrating life and sharing joy. Fiestas and celebrations are returning as the Philippines begins to recover from the impacts of the Covid-19 outbreak.   Kannawidan 2022, a series of activities aiming at celebrating life and sharing joy, was officially launched by the province administration of Ilocos Sur earlier this month.       There are always activities held at the Kannawidan festival. Everyone anticipates every event and contests, particularly the fireworks display, the streetdancing contests, the opening of the trade show and the pageant "Saniata ti Il...

     In this second quarter, we learned about HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) which is used in creating web pages and applications. It was just like codes that you type which made it fun to learn. I learned about the tags, elements, attributes and more. It was easy and not that difficult to learn. We still post on our blog about specific themes and I like it.      I may have had issues like when I can’t understand the instructions and tutorials, but I think I did great with the activities and tasks as I took time to fully understand the lesson. There was a time I got sick and that was really hard as I have to just lie in bed all day long. I didn’t even start anything at that time and that made me nervous that I couldn’t stop worrying. But I got better the other day and I still managed to do all the tasks and activities that was required.      Moving on, I will do better again next Quarter and I will do my best just like what I ...

       Vigan City Fiesta is celebrated every January 25 th and it is held in honor to St. Paul Apostle, the city’s patron saint. Fiesta has been part of our culture as Filipinos that we celebrate as one. There were many activities and contests like street dancing, there were parades, carnivals, food fairs, and locals and tourist gather to celebrate this event. We used to freely celebrate without any rules and restrictions. But when the COVID-19 pandemic started, celebrating these events is really hard as there are lots of consequences in celebrating and interacting with many people.      When the pandemic started in the early 2020, it affected many aspects of our culture like our celebration of Fiesta’s in our town/city and for us Ilocano’s, Vigan City Fiesta has been with us for years and it was devastating to not be able to celebrate it like we used to when the pandemic came. We celebrated this last year via online but that didn’t feel t...

     New Year is celebrated yearly by everyone around the world every 1 st of January. Many cultures celebrate this in certain manners. New year is considered important by many as it symbolizes new beginning. Every new year, people tend to have resolutions and goals to do for the rest of the year. Usually, they try to change their physical appearance and their lifestyle which is made to break for later. They try to explore new things and build new memories to look back. Everyone has their own resolutions and this motivates them to change for the better.      Here in the Philippines and as a Filipino, we do celebrate New Year by spending it with family and attending mass before it hits 12:00 of January 1. We make some noise using torotot, firecrackers, and any materials that is able to make loud noises as we Filipinos believe that it is away to cast away bad spirits for a new beginning. We also celebrate it by having a basket in our table full of 13 ...

       Christmas is one of the best holiday’s that everyone looks forward to, not only Filipinos but everyone in the world. As many of us know that when you mention Christmas, you think about “Noche Buena” where families gather and eat the prepared foods on Christmas eve,  “Simbang gabi” where Filipino Catholics attend mass for nine consecutive days in anticipation for Christmas,   Ber-months where Filipinos usually celebrate Christmas at the start of September, and specially the “parol” or what is called a lantern. But when the Covid-19 Pandemic started, only some Filipinos expected a merry and joyous Christmas. Yet, Filipinos managed to move forward and smile again for the Christmas season. Amidst the pandemic that we are experiencing, Filipinos found light and you can feel the essence of Christmas again.      The start of the Covid-19 Pandemic changed how we celebrate Christmas. Unlike before where everyone can gather without w...

      The Covid-19 pandemic has affected and brought major challenges to all of us especially the children. The pandemic is exposing children to increased risk of violence including maltreatment, gender-based violence and sexual exploitation. This violence may be done by your own family and relatives and even through online. That’s why we must prevent this and do all we can to protect the children and put them to safety.        According to research conducted by Save the Children, the incidence of violence against children, mostly by parents and caregivers, has dramatically increased globally during the COVID-19 pandemic as loss of income from lockdown measures have resulted to increased negative feelings and reduced psycho-social well-being in the household. At least one in six children reported violence at home during the pandemic which is mostly in the form of physical and verbal abuse. Also, one in five parents and caregivers similarly repor...

       In this quarter of our subject Information Communication Technology (ICT), I learned about the internet. In our generation, the internet is what most and/or all of us use as a tool of information, communication, and for entertainment. And on the internet, I learned that there is this called blog where you can share your life and make it as a journal, you can also share your knowledge on a certain subject that you want to other people, and many more. I posted there our activities which I shared about myself, my insights and ideas on a certain topic, and more.      There are lessons that are sometimes hard for me to understand and activities that are very confusing and difficult to answer. I often have a really hard time with essays and stuff like that that will be posted in my blog. I sometimes can’t think of something to write on the paper and my ideas about that certain topic will just be blank. So, when there are times like this, I...

      Our environment is important, it is essential for our survival as humans. Our environment provides us what we eat, drink, and everything we have. Over the past years, the state of our environment has worsened rapidly. Example is the clean air became polluted because of the gasses from cars, factories, burning of fossil fuels, and many more which affects our health. The clean waters also became dirty and full of plastics which causes animals to die and also affects our health. And our land that used to be full of trees and greens now has very little left. Now to help and save our environment from getting worse and worse, here are some of the little things that anyone can do.      Doing the 5 R’s which are Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, and Recycle. Refuse means that you will have to refuse to have and use the things that are bad for our environment like plastics. You also have to Reduce using harmful, wasteful, and non-recyclable products. Reuse the...