Anag

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An Anthology of Poetry and Prose on Peace

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ANAGNORISISAn Anthology of Poetry and Prose on Peace

Published by the Generation Peace Youth Network (GenPeace)In partnership with

the UNDP – Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding Programme (UNDP-CPPB)

Copyright ©2011 All rights reserved.Generation Peace Youth Network

The reproduction and distribution of the contents of this book are welcome provided that due acknowledgement is given to the contributors, editors and the publisher. You may not use this work for commercial purposes. The reproduction and distribution should not occur without

the consent of GenPeace. Inquiries should be addressed to:

Generation Peace Youth Network (GenPeace)c/o Gaston Z. Ortigas Peace Institute

2nd Floor Hoffner Building, Social Development ComplexAteneo de Manila University,

Loyola Heights, Quezon City 1108Telephone: (+632) 4266122 Fax: (+632) 4266064

Editorial Committee:Nikki Delfin, Beverly Orozco

Cover Design: Nikki Al Ben DelfinCover Artist: Emil Aldrine Alarcon, Obra ng Kapayapaan in Acrylic

Layout: Beverly Orozco

Printed at Quezon City, Philippines

The views expressed herein are those of the authors themselves and do not necessarily reflect the views of GenPeace, UNDP and GZOPI.

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Anagnorisis would not have been possible without the support of the different organizations and individuals that contributed to this project.

First of all, we would like to thank all the youth contributors that shared their creative reflections of peace with us. Thank you for your poems, photographs, illustrations, short stories, and essays. We also thank the person who sent us a song, which sadly could not be published in an anthology of poetry and prose but was surely inspiring.

Many thanks to the stressed out but still youthful Management Committee of GenPeace, as well as the Selection Committee, for the inputs that shaped the final output of the book. We also thank all the GenPeace members, partner organizations, schools, communities and individuals who helped in disseminating the call for entries and all the related information about this publication.

We express our heartfelt gratitude to Sulong CARHRIHL Youth, Youth Solidarity for Peace, PAZ, PNU UNESCO Club, UNYAP, UST, Akbayan Youth, PUP, EARIST, WMSU, St. Alexis College General Santos City, JPICC - AMRSP, St. Scholastica’s Academy, Canossa College, Blue Screen Entertainment, Asia United Bank, Ateneo de Manila University, Miriam College, Center for Peace Education, UNYPAD, Mindanao Solidarity Network, FEU, Peace Day Pilipinas Preparatory Committee, International Alert and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process. We give thanks to the unsung heroes, and the forgotten and unamed advocates for peace.

We also thank the National Secretariat of GenPeace, the Gaston Z. Ortigas Peace Institute, for encouraging youth involvement in peace initiatives and providing logistical and technical support for this publication.

This publication has been financially supported by the United Nations

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

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A N A G N O R I S I S

Development Programme, under its Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding Program. We thank CPPB for their generous support for this undertaking.

Lastly, we humbly acknowledge all the youth experiencing structural violence and those in conflict-affected communities. You are both our inspiration for our peace work, and the reason why we need peace, now.

Nikki Delfin Beverly OrozcoEditorial Committee

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT i

TABLE OF CONTENTS iii

INTRODUCTION v DISCOVERY (Pagtuklas at Pagkamulat) 1

War - Jay Boy Evano 5Bakit at Bakit - Allan C. Lumawig 5I Cannot Sleep - Aubrey Graze V. Pareja 6Ang Karahasan at Kapayapaan sa Puso si Noel - John Marc B. Estoque 7Out on the Road - Christelle Rosales 19Karapatan ng Kabataan - Purma 22Warrior of the Dark - Jude Ortega 22Karanasan ng Ating Mga Katutubo - Cristina Maano 24Langit, lupa, Impyerno - Ian Villanueva 28Enigmatic - Debbie Diane Go 29The Young Drive for the Peace - Noelle Marie R. Salvan 33You Want a Peace of Me? - Paul Chester G. Alcantara 36Shaping the City of My Dream - Aldrin B. Abdurahim 39Untitled - From a student of St. Scholastica 42A Child - Kat Carranza 44Disillusioned - Jobelle Marie A. Jocson 44Pag-Asa - LeLouch/Baral 45Be An Instrument - Lamie Bagutsay 45Hamon sa Kapwa Ko Kabataan - Leandro Perez 45Civil Disobedience - Anonymous 46Youth - Anonymous 46Kapayapaan, para Kanino nga ba Nakalaan? - Stephanie Castillo 47

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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DREAM (Paniniwala at Pangarap) 49

Wala Nga Bang Kapayapaan - Marielle Trinidad 53Kapayapaan Makakamit Pa Ba? Junrey Ferenal 54A Different Face of Peace - Deanne Bianca Roque 57Hostage - Mara Melanie D. Perez 59Gunshot - Krizzia Dale A. Villaflor 61Shooting Stars and Wars - April Anne Dizon 65Kalapati - Den 66There Is No War in Ba Sing Se - Louis Mark N. Plaza 66Kabataan - Chiz 67Gumising Ka - LeLouch/Baral 68Pandama sa Mindanao - Debbie Cabanag 68Tahimik na Komunidad - Aidner de la Torre 69Ang Kabundukan - Anonymous 70Pangandoy ko’ng Kalinaw - Bong Fabe 71Kaming mga Tribo - Dike Tribal Elementary School 72Katutubo - Chaybell de Leon 72Unang Tao sa Mundo - Marjorie Maano 73Mangyan sa Mindoro - Juanito Diado 75Am I Awake? - Eireen Ena Beleno 76Ikaw, Ako at ang HR - Milven O. Estrada 77Karapatang Pantao - LIG’s 77An Waraynon na Kabataan - Moi 78Twenty Years From Now - Arianna Cariaga 78The Declaration Between - Angelito Veloso 79Babae - Anonymous 80Journey of a Woman - Cherie 81The Essence of Peace - Ferlyn Antiquina 81Kapayapaan - Anonymous 82Karapatang Pantao - Genalyn Villaluz 82Karapatan ng Bawat Mamamayang Pilipino - Santos 83Nagliliyab na Pangarap - Anonymous 83“Kay Inang Bayan” - John Marc Benavidez Estoque 84

ANNEXES 89Annex 1: List of Poem, Essay and Short Story Contributors 89Annex 2. List of Photo Contributors 90Annex 3: List of Artwork Contributors 91About Generation Peace 93

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INTRODUCTION

Anagnorisis (pronounced ænəɡnɒrɨsɨs/; Ancient Greek: ἀναγνώρισις) is a moment in a play or other work when a character makes a critical discovery. Anagnorisis originally meant recognition in its Greek context, not only of a person but also of what that person stood for. It was the hero’s sudden awareness of a real situation, the realisation of things as they stood (Wikipedia, 2011).

Wikipedia (2011). “Anagnorisis” retrieved, January 16, 2011, from <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anagnorisis>

Anagnorisis is a creative expression of the young generation’s take on peace. It is a collection of poems, essays, short stories, artworks and photographs that present the converging and diverging perspectives of the youth on the notion of peace. While defining peace itself is not addressed in this anthology, we start of with an assumption that it is to be defined both individually, as reflected on the different literary and artistic pieces, and collectively as the Filipino youth trying to navigate the 21st century with age-old internal armed conflicts. Defining, believing and working for peace have both its individualistic and collective roots. How do the young generation make sense of peace? It is this idea that the images and imageries in this publication explore.

“All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players,“ according to Shakespeare, V for Vendetta and also Gary Oldman’s Nokia ad. Anagnorisis, then, is the moment of critical discovery, the “Aha!” moment of the protagonist. We believe that you dear reader, like the courageous contributors of this publication, are a protagonist for peace. Discovering and dreaming are important processes and the youth’s discovery of peace is as crucial as his or her contribution to spreading it.

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Anagnorisis is arranged into two main sub-themes: Discovery: Pagtuklas at Pagkamulat and Dream: Paniniwala at Pangarap. Discovery delves into the youth’s realizations from the self to the society. Afterall, everything that is personal is also political, and everything can be subsumed under the larger definition of peace. Dream expresses the youth’s frustrations and aspirations for peace after his or her stage of discovery. Under Dream, human rights, environment and gender empowerment are just some of the prominent ideas. The two sub-themes do not in any way end in discovery and dreaming but continue to journey through you. If our collective destiny is a just and lasting peace, what will you do to deliver?

This publication is a project of GenPeace, a national network of organizations and individuals engaged in peace advocacy. The ideas in the publication come from the students, communities, organizational partners and members of Generation Peace Youth Network across the country. May the ideas here inspire you in your own anagnorisis and in building a more just and humane society.

We beseech you: discover and dream peace, dangerously!

Editors

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Pagtuklas at Pagkamulat

DISCOVERY

Candlelight Enlightenment for a Peaceful Generation by Dick Jay Bustamante

Youth Solidarity for Peace-Peace Advocates Zamboanga

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This section explores the youth’s realizations on peace. The literary pieces take you on the young generation’s road to discovery from the subtle breakout of hostility in War which opens up to different

tributaries of themes such as in a young person’s definitive moment of reflection on peace in Bakit at Bakit and Out on the Road, to the stirring within the soul, psychosomatically attacking as sleeplessness in I Cannot Sleep. One can but fathom peace not merely in its abstraction but in how it is deeply felt and experienced, and for a young person’s coming-of-age story in Ang Karahasan at Kapayapaan sa Puso ni Noel, love (or the internal violent struggle with it) becomes the perfect catalyst in exploring and defining peace.

Although all the contributors are youth, the tug-of-war of their different perspectives and contexts are indispensable in their personal discoveries. This divergence and convergence is somberly juxtaposed in the uncertainty of riding public transportation in an Untitled Reflection from a St. Scholastica student to the frugal but indisputable piece Karapatan ng Kabataan by a young Mangyan. In Disillusioned, it is apparent that the youth also harbor the cynicism and jadedness of the old and experienced, but it remains a youthful trait to hope for something better and believe in transforming reality as perceived in Pag-asa, Be an Instrument, and the finality of the youth’s claim to peace in Kapayapaan, Para Kanino nga ba Nakalaan?

The youth’s discovery of peace also navigates on the numerous levels of the concentric circles—from self to family to community and society. This self-discovery then progresses to one’s exploration of structures and current social realities. We implore the young ones to record new personal and social peace narratives, and we invite the ‘young once’ to remember their self-discoveries on peace.

Pagtuklas at Pagkamulat

DISCOVERY

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WARJay Boy Evano

SunsMoonsSlithering like a plagueFrom a craving nowhereNo one can find

Quivering – In the bleeding horizon;An ocean of fear.A clash of titansThere is effortTo retain luminanceIn open exhaustionBut look, stars…Now, WHAT?

BAKIT AT BAKITAllan C. Lumawig

Katahimikan at kaguluhanKalungkutan at kasiyahanSimula at katapusanMay panahon para sa lahat

May isinisilang at namamatayMay pagsikat ang araw at dilim ng gabiMay katanungan at kasagutanNa tila ba’y paulit ulit lang

Hanggang kailan at saanAno nga ba at bakitMga tanong na napapanahon at paulit ulitHahayaan mo bang lumipas lang

Panatag ka na ba?Hinahanap mo pa ba?Ikaw at ikaw rin ang dahilan at kasagutan

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I CANNOT SLEEPAubrey Graze V. Pareja

between me and my bed of concreteis a pile of cardboardto thin to lessen the cold.

between me and the rest of the worldare sheets of yesterdays’ paperthrown out carelessly into the sidewalk,too thin to be considered a blanketbut since I have nothing else,these will do.

between me and my sleepis a wall of noise i could not breakblaring of horns from busses,curses of people who do not knowhow privileged they arethat at the end of the nightthey have narrow beds to rest on.

between me and waking upis an uncertaintythat I will not be stepped on,that I will not wake up brokenfrom the horrors of the night.

while half of the world slumbersand the rest move about unceasingly,i close my eyes and tried to drownall that is between me and some little rest--before I wake up to the horrors of the dayand once again (like the countless times before)fight to make it through, but--

i cannot sleep.

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ANG KARAHASAN AT KAPAYAPAAN SA PUSO NI NOEL John Marc B. Estoque

Kay dilim ng buong kalangitan. Ang aninag ng mapayapang b’wan ay ano’t nagkukubli sa likod ng kadiliman ng buong kalawakan. At ang mga tala... ang mga tala na sana’y makapagbibigay ng tanglaw sa kaluluwang naliligaw, sa pusong nanlulumo, sa damdaming ano’t bihag ng labis na panghihinayang... ay ano’t natatakpan ng pulutong ng mga ulap na wari’y saksi sa damdaming yao’t pinagtaksilan ng kanyang sarili, pinagtaksilan ng kanyang sariling sama ng loob. Ang gabing yao’y ano’t isang gabi ng nagtatagong liwanag, nagtatagong kapayapaan... isang mapanglaw na gabi na ni mga tala sa kalangita’y hindi mo na masilayan ng tanglaw sa magulo’t mabagsik na alapaap!

Kay bagsik din ng hanging nagbabadya ng isang masungit na panahon. Sa paligid na ang malalakas na ulan ay tila nagwawala sa lilim ng kalituhan ng gabi. Ulan, na tila alam mong lumuluha’t naglalabas rin ng sama ng loob! Ang matinding ulan... na tila imahen ng sa kaluob-

Bakwit Evacuees in Pikit, Cotabato by Kara Santos

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looban ni Noel habang s’ya’y sumusugod sa masungit na panahon ng walang payong at basang-basa habang tanging buhat-buhat lamang ang kanyang matagal na nawalang aklat na natagpuan lamang nitong huli na. Sa kalyeng dinadaanan n’ya’y maririnig mong ano’t sari-saring ingay ng busina ng mga naiirita na’t mga walang pasensyang mga drayber sa bigat din ng trapiko.

Kay gulo ng buong paligid: kay dilim ng langit, kay bagsik ng hangin at ulan, kay ingay ng mga bumubusinang mga sasakyan, at sa loob-loob ni Noel ay ano’t samu’t saring emosyon din ang nararamdaman na halos ang buong paligid na’y nakikiisa sa nararamdaman n’yang ano’t kay gulo rin at hindi rin maintindihan!

Sa bagsik ng ulan ay nagpilit ito na siya’y humanap ng landas tungo sa pansamantalang masisilungan sa gabing iyon habang hinihintay ang pagkakataon na ang lahat ay magbalik na sa kapayapaan. Naghahanap siya ng masisilungan ng ang buong ingay ng paligid, ng bagsik ng ulan... ay magbalik lahat sa katahimikan.

Wala na s’yang ibang mapuntahan. Ang lugar na kan’yang nakikita na tila bagang inaanyayahan s’yang sumilong doon ang bukod tanging nakikita n’ya sa mga oras na yaon.

Ang Ingay ng Mundo by Jupiter Polistico, Youth Solidarity for Peace-Peace Advocates Zamboanga

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Pagkapasok n’ya na basang basa ay ano’t may tila samu’t saring larawan ang nagbabalik sa piling ng lugar na iyon. Ang mga silya at mesang nakaayos malapit sa window glass na ngayo’y ginagamit at pinagkakainan na ng mga taong hindi na n’ya kilala... sa bukod tanging lugar na iyon ng fast-food restaurant na tila may isang bagay na nangyari sa buhay n’ya sa dating gabing lumipas na nga’t hindi na mababalikan.

Tama! Sa mga silyang iyon... sa mga silyang iyon... Doon n’ya unang nakasamang kumain ang pinakauna n’yang niligiwan. Sa lugar na iyon, una na n’yang nakasama... si Monica, ang bukod tanging babaeng una na nga n’yang minahal.

Hindi na s’ya doon nagtungo... at marahil wala na rin s’yang balak na maupo roon kahit na umalis man ang masayang pamilyang kumakain, nagkwekwentuha’t nagtatawanan (na tila wala pa naman talagang balak umalis)!

Datapwa’t, doon na lamang s’yang mag-isa sa isang pangkat ng silya’t mesa na nasa tapat ng lugar ng pamilyang iyon. Minamasdan n’ya hindi ang pamilyang naroroon: ang malakas na halakhak ng matabang ama, ni ang pag-aasikaso ng ina sa matatakaw na mga malulusog na bata,... kundi minamasdan n’ya ang kahapong nakapamugad na sa pinakalugar na iyon! Lalo pa’t umigting ang kanyang emosyon nang bigla pa n’yang narinig ang kantang pinapatugtog, mga malulungkot na himig na kan’ya ring narinig noon sa panahong nakasama rin n’ya ang una n’yang giniliw sa lugar na iyon. Ang pamagat ng awiting malinawlinaw pa sa kanyang isipan ay ano’t nabulong n’ya sa sarili “When I Dream About You ...” habang ang labi’y gumuhit ng isang ano’t malungkot na ngiti.

Isang mabigat na emosyon ang nagpalalim sa kanyang dibdib na napilitan s’yang ilabas na lamang sa isang malalim na buntong hininga.

“Ano po ang oorderin nila, sir?” anang ng lalaking nakaunipormeng nakahanda nang sumulat gamit ang hawak nitong panulat at maliliit na papel na tila nangangalay na! Kanina pa pala s’ya naroroon na nagtatanong nang hindi man lamang naririnig ni naramdaman ni Noel na may malalim kasing iniisip sa isang alaalang nagbabalik!

Hinugot n’ya ang kanyang pitaka at saka sinilip na lamang muna kung magkano ang lamang pera nito. “Kukulangin ako...” sambit n’ya sa sarili kung kaya’t nagpasya na lang siyang orderin ang pagkaing kakayanin

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ng dalang pera kung hindi lamang n’ya nakita sa menu ang pagkain din na kanyang inorder nung sa mga oras na kasama n’ya ang dating sinisinta.

“Heto na lang ang o-orderin ko.” pagkaturo sa larawan habang pabirong sinabing “Hindi ko pa kasi natitikman ito eh? Haha!” at umalis na nga ang naguluhang waiter.

Ngumiti s’ya na alam n’yang may lungkot sa kanyang nararamdaman. Nakapagbiro s’ya nang alam n’yang ang kaligayahang kanyang pinapakita’y ano’t kabaliktaran lamang ng lahat ng halos gusto nang umiyak o umiiyak na nga sa loob. Nagpakita s’ya ng kapayapaan ng isip nang alam n’yang ang puso’y hinahagod ng hapis at ng kaguluhan.

Hindi na n’ya mapigilan, ang buong larawan ng mga pangyayari noong mga panahong iyo’y unti-unting nagbalik sa kan’yang isipan...

Mga buwan ata ng Septyembre o Oktubre noon sa taong noong s’ya’y nasa ikalawang taon sa ikaunang semestre pa lamang. S’ya, kasama ng kaibigang mga kakurso, ay naglalakad nang papauwi mula sa nakakapagod na klase ng Zoology na nagsimula pa ng mga ikaapat ng hapon at magtatapos dapat sa ika-anim na ng gabi. Ngunit sa sandaling iyon ay nag-extend ang guro nila sanhi ng pagkaliban nito sa mga nakaraang araw. Ang extension na iyon ay ano’t sanhi para sila’y talagang gabihin na nga ng uwi!

Habang masayang nagkukuwentuhan papalabas ng gate noon ay napansin nila ang muling napakabigat na usad ng trapiko sa kalye. Kalat-kalat ang mga sasakyan sa paligid na sa dulo ng kalye ay ano’t mamamasdan mong ang mga sasakyang halos naka-stock na ata roon ay tila iisa nang kumot na may pinagtagpi-tagpingkulay kung malasin mula sa malayo.

Napakabigat ng daloy ng trapiko na alam mong mahirap makahanap ng masasakyang jeepney. Buti na lamang at hindi gaanong kalayuan ang dormitoryo nina Noel na maari namang lakarin ng isang paang mat’yaga’t masipag maglakad.

Maglalakad na sana s’yang pauwi nang ang isa n’yang kaklase’y may napansin sa isa sa mga taong nag-aabang ng mapagpa-parahan ng sasakyan. “Uy! Yung crush mo!!” giit nito na tila mas sabik pa sa taong nagtatago ng nararamdaman. Agad siyang nilapitan ng mga kaibigang

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babae at saka kinuwentuhan sabay ang lahat ng grupo na ay nagsitungo agad sa lugar na iyon habang si Noel na kinakabahan at sa hindi alam sa kung anong gagawin ay nahila na ng isa sa mga kasama. Wala na siyang nagawa.

Sa harap nito’y hindi na n’ya alam ang gagawin. Matalino si Noel. Dean’s List s’ya sa isang maliit na kolehiyong pinapasukan n’ya. Nguni’t merong iisang bagay na mangmang s’ya... at iyon ay pagdating sa pag-ibig. Uuwi na lamang sana s’ya ng walang mabuting nagawa kung hindi lamang nabulungan ng isang kasama na magpara daw si Noel ng sasakyan para doon sa ginigiliw n’ya.

At ginawa nga ang suhest’yong ito ngunit walang nangyari. Lalo pang nagkanda-gulu-gulo nang iniwan silang dalawa, si Noel at si Monica, ng mga kasama nitong una. “Oh Pa’no? Ikaw na ang bahala.” giit ng isang lalaki habang ang mga babae nama’y palakaibigang kumakaway-paalam sa espesyal na taong kasama ni Noel.

“Kanina ka pa ba dito?” usisa ni Noel.

“Kanina pa...” ang sagot nito na lalong nagpakaba sa kanya na hindi na n’ya maisip ang susunod na sasabihin.

“Naku! Hindi maganda yan... anong oras ba uwian n’yo.” nasambit n’yang may pag-aalala.

“Kaninang 5:30 pa...” at ang sagot naman nitong tila naaawa na rin sa sarili.

“Nagugutom ka na ba? Siguro mas makakabuti kung doon na lang muna ikaw maghintay sa kainan malapit dito. At least... makakaupo ka, makakakain, at may aircon pa dun! Oo...”

“Hindi. Ok lang ako.”

“Naku! Baka magkasakit ka n’yan. Tingnan mo? Umaambon na nga ata oh”, nasabi lang kahit wala naman talagang ambon.

Wala nang nagawa ang babae kung kaya’t sumunod na lamang. Nang nasa tapat na sila noon ng nabanggit na fast-food na kainan, nagtigil bigla ang babae.

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“Ok na ako dito, uwi ka na...” sabi nito.

“Sigurado ka ba talaga?”

“Oo. Ite-text ko na lang si mama na puntahan n’ya ako dito.”

“Wala kang kasama. Walang magbabantay sa’yo dito...”

At nainis na rin siguro ang babae, “Oh sige... papipiliin kita: Sasamahan mo ako dito sa labas o hindi mo ako sasamahan pero doon na ako sa loob?”

Wala na s’yang nagawa kundi ang, “Oh sige pala... ingat ka...” at saka napilitang umalis kahit wala sa loob nito.

Laking panghihinayang at lungkot noon ang nasa dibdib n’ya habang nagtungo na lamang papauwi sa kanilang dormitoryo. Hindi na sana s’ya babalik kung hindi nga lamang n’ya napansing, “Naku! Anong nangyari dito? Brown-out?” nakapatay lahat ng ilaw.

Tama ang hinala n’ya. Wala s’yang kaalam alam na sa mga sandaling iyon ay nagbrown-out sa buong Metro Manila. Katatapos lang din noon ng bagyong Ondoy. Nagbalik sa kanya ang damdaming samahan ang babae. Nagtungo s’ya sa kanyang kwarto at saka kumuha ng limang daang piso, wari n’ya: “Ililibre ko na lang s’ya ng hapunan, gutom na gutom na s’ya siguro... at isa pa hindi ako makakakain ng maayos dito kasi brown-out.

Agad siyang nagbalik sa lugar nang laki n’yang awang nakitang naiinip at nalulungkot doon ang babae.

“Uy?” Ang bati n’ya sabay nagwika, “Brown-out sa amin.” habang naupo na sa tapat nito.

“Na-text din sa akin ni Mama. Brown-out daw talaga sa buong Metro Manila.” ang sagot nito

“Dito na lang tuloy ako kakain.” ang nasabi n’ya pero sa loob loob ay gusto n’yang makasama ang babae sa sandaling iyon. “Nasaan na daw si mama mo?” dugtong nito

“Pumunta kasi sila ni Papa sa SM Megamall. Papunta na raw dito kaso

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traffic din daw...” napabuntong hinga s’ya’t pagkatapos ay kanyang nawika, “Buti bumalik ka dito. Alam mo kasi nalulungkot na ako dito. Ako lang mag-isa. Kanina... wala akong ginagawa kundi tingnan lang ang mga tao sa paligid.”

“Ako naman... hmp! Ewan? Kainis yung brown-out na yan. Hindi tuloy ako makapag Facebook.” ang pabirong sagot na lang ni Noel pero sa loob loob n’ya’y laking pasasalamat sa brown-out.

“Nakakain ka na ba? Dito na lang kasi siguro ako kakain.”

“Hindi pa nga eh... magke-candy na lang siguro ako.”

“Naku! Masama yan... nagpapalipas ng gutom? Teka! Marami ka ba kasing kinain kaninang lunch?”

“Sa totoo lang hindi na ako nakakain nang maayos sa lunch kanina. Dami kasi kelangang gawin.”

“Gusto mo libre na kita? Teka... magkano ba kasi dala mo?”

“Sakto lang sa pamasahe...” habang malungkot n’yang pinakita ang pitakang puro barya nga ang laman.

“Libre na kita.” ang huling nasambit na lamang ni Noel habang papatayo na ito. Hihindi na sana ang babae pero wala na rin itong nagawa.

Dala ang limang daang piso sa bulsa, nagbalak siyang bumili ng pagkain na may pagkamahal para sa babae at yaong isang mumurahin lang para sa kanya.

Nang nakapagbayad na siya ay saka agad nagbalik sa pwesto ng babae para hintayin ang binayaran nang mapansing nagbabasa na lamang ito ng libro. Mag-aaral na lamang daw s’ya para sa darating na pagsusulit.

Kinakausapkausap ito ni Noel pero ni katiting ng boses ay wala na itong naririnig na sagot.

Dumating na ang pagkain. Nagsimula nang hawakan niya ang kubyertos at saka nagsimulang kumain habang napansing hindi man lang ginagalaw ang pagkain.

Balasa Girls by Jupiter Polistico, Youth Solidarity for Peace-Peace Advocates Zamboanga

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Nag-anyaya ang lalaki na kumain ngunit mamaya na lamang daw.

Naikwento ng babae na sa dati n’yang eskwelahan ay may ganoong fastfood restaurant daw malapit doon at saka lagi daw silang kumakain ng kapatid n’ya doon. Naisip tuloy noon ng lalaki na “pahiwatig kaya ito na ayaw n’ya yung pagkaing binili ko?”.

Marami rami na ring nakain si Noel nang ang kasama n’ya’y hindi man lamang ginagalaw pa rin ang pagkain. Tila nakasantabi lang ito sa isang sulok sa mesa. Sino ba naman ang mapanghihinaan ng loob na ang isang taong nilibrehan mo ng mahal na pagkain ay hindi man lamang gagalawin sa harap mo?

“Lika kain ka oh?” pag-anyaya niya uli ngunit walang matinong sagot ang narinig.

Sinubukan ni Noel na makipagkwentuhan na lamang ngunit ang babae’y abala sa pagtetext sa cellphone o kung hindi man... maya maya’y abala sa pagbabasa ng libro.

Nakangiti ang kanyang mukhang nagpapakita ng pakikipagkaibigan ngunit ang puso’t damdami’y nararamdaman ang tindi ng pait at sakit ng damdamin na tila naman pinagtatabuyan. Hindi man lamang niya naramdamang natuwa ito sa ginawa n’ya ni nagpasalamat man lamang.

Ang lalo pang nakapangliliit ay nang sabihan s’yang kainin n’ya yung mga hindi sinasadyang nakakalat na kanin sa mesa sa kadahilanang sayang daw!

Wala nang matinong nangyari matapos no’n hanggang sa dumating na ang magulang nito. Lumabas na s’ya ng kainan bitbit ang pagkaing hindi nagalaw. Kinabukasan nalaman na lamang ni Noel na pinakain na lang naman pala sa iba ang binili niya.

“Sir! Heto na po ang order nila.” Wika ng babaeng maingat ingat na inilalagay ang pagkain sa mesang kinalalagyan ni Noel ngayon.

Sa harap niya ay ang pagkaing binili n’ya noong mga araw na yaon para kay Monica. Ngayon pa lamang n’ya titikman ang pagkain...

“Hindi ba ito masarap? Masarap naman ah?” Nabulong nito sa sarili na

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parang may luhang nangingilid sa mata habang hindi pa naisusubo ang pagkain sa kanyang bibig.

Tinikman n’ya ang pagkain. Hindi pala ito gusto ng panlasa n’ya na lalo n’yang ikinalungkot. Isang lalong sampal sa isang abang kaluluwang hindi makahanap ng katahimika’t kapayapaan sa pusong sanhi ng paggiliw na tila pinagkaitan ng sariling iniirog!

Medyo humihinayhinay na rin ang ulan sa labas ngunit ang malulungkot na mga kahapo’y tila lalo pang sumasariwa sa kaniyang isipan. Wala doon ang pamilyang kumakain kanina ngunit puno pa rin ng kasiyahan at halakhakan ang nasa paligid n’ya. May mga magkasintahang kay lambing na nag-uusap. Mayroon namang matanda kasama ang kanyang kinakaaliwang apo. May grupo ng magbabarkadang hayo’t aliw na aliw sa kwentuhan at halakhakan. Ang lahat ay nagsasaya sa lugar na iyon liban sa isang lalaking nalulumbay habang inaalala pang munti ang mga nagdaan sa kanyang buhay.

Saksi pa sa kanyang kalooban nang una n’yang nakita ang babae noong unang araw pa lamang ng pasukan. Hinagaan na n’ya agad ito sa una pa lamang.

Hindi rin n’ya makakalimutan nang araw na iyon ng ‘B’wan ng Wika’ na si Noel ay napiling magtugtog ng biyolin. Natapos ang programang wala man lamang kasiguraduhan sa kan’yang sarili “Nakakahiya...” ang nawika nito habang hiyang hiya s’ya sa sarili nang alalahanin nito ang mga pagkakamali sa pagtugtog na ipinapanalangin n’yang sana’y hindi ito napansin ng mga manonood. Habang naiwang nagmumukmok sa isang sulok, hindi inaasahang nilapitan siya nito at saka pinuri ang napakagandang musika! Nabuhayan s’ya ng loob doon.

Hindi rin n’ya makalimutan sa kung anong ligaya ang kan’yang naramdaman ng siya’y tanghaling pinuno ng grupo sa isang gawain sa asignatura at makasama si Monica sa grupong iyon. Nang dahil doon, nakuha n’ya ang kumpletong pangalan ang cellphone number nito! Dito sila unang naging magkaibigan sa pagpapalitan ng mga mensahe’t kwentuhan. Nabanggit pa minsan nito na ang pamilya nito’y nagbabalak daw magpunta ng Amerika kung may pagkakataon na ikinatuwa naman ni Noel para sa kanya.

At noong midterm exam sa araw na gaganapin ang pagsusulit sa isang asignatura na kung saan kaklase n’ya ito, nagdala s’ya ng mga

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tsokolateng binigay sa kanya ng kanyang ina. “Kakain ako nito bago kumuha ng pagsusulit at nang maiwang gising ang aking isipan.” aniya.

Matagaltagal pa bago mag-exam nang mapagpasyahan n’yang dumaan sa pook-dasalan. Natagpuan n’ya rin ito doon at saka sabay silang nagdasal at nag-aral. Ah! Salamat din pala sa baong tsokolate, may naipang-alok tuloy s’yang tsokolate para sa kanya sa loob ng chapel na iyon.

Sa oras na nangangailangan si Monica ng tulong sa mga aralin, dito nabigyang pagkakataon si Noel na magpakitang gilas.

Hindi rin n’ya makalimutan ang gabi nang una nga niyang makasamang kumain ito sa labas. Ito rin ang pinakaunan pagkakataon sa kanyang buhay na lumabas kasama ang isang babae na hindi niya kaanak at... si Monica ang babaeng iyon. Ngunit ang kinalabasan nitong huli’y hindi man lamang ata ito nagustuhan.

Bouncing Youth by Dick Jay Bustamante,Youth Solidarity for Peace-Peace Advocates Zamboanga

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Siya rin ang kaunaunahang babaeng niregaluhan n’ya noong pasko. Nagtipid s’ya’t nag-ipon ng kaniyang perang baon nang may maipambiling regalo sa babaeng ito. Naaalala pa niya sa kung papaanong naghanap s’ya ng paraang magkakita sila nito at ang dahilan... isang interview para sa case study sa thesis n’ya. Ang pamamaraan din sa kung papaanong pinapikit n’ya ang mga mata nito sa kadahilanang ritual para sa psychological awareness di umano at nang pagkadilat nito’y may malaking tsokolate nang bumubulaga dito. Hindi rin basta tsokolate, may kasamang sulat ito na pinaghirapan n’yang pagandahin ang pagkakatitik ng bawat letra. Isang sulat ito na pinag-isa sa tsokolate gamit ang laso (ribbon) na pinagpuyatan ding pag-aralan sa pagkakagawa.

Pagkatanggap ng babae ng pinaghirapang regalo ni Noel, inilagay lang ang regalo sa tabi nito nang hindi man lamang ginalaw. Nang kinakausap ay ayaw namang sumagot na tila walang ganang makipag-usap. At ang masaklap pa’y ibinigay lamang pala at ipinakain ang tsokolate sa mga kaklase’t pinagp’yestahan ito. Dito, tila may hinanakit uli na sumampal sa sumisintang puso ni Noel.

Bakasyon noon sa Pasko nang unang tumatak sa isip n’ya ang lahat. Nang mabuksan ang kan’yang mga matang binabalewala lang naman siya nitong babae. Sa puntong iyon, tumigil na s’ya. Hindi na rin sila nagkaroon ng komunikasyon... ni hindi man lamang nabigyang maayos na wakas ang relasyon... hanggang sa nabalitaan na lamang niyang umalis na ito’t nagtungong Amerika kasama’ng kanyang mga magulang...

Nagtigil nang tuluyan ang ulan gaya ng pagtigil na ng buong pangyayaring tumatakbo sa isip n’ya. Lahat ay purong kawalan na tila sarili na lamang n’ya ang nakikita sa puntong iyon. Madilim ang lahat! Wala nang mga tao sa paligid ni ang indayog at ingay na lumalabas sa mga labi nila. Siya at ang kan’yang mundo ang nakikita n’ya.

Sa isipa’t damdami’y may samu’t sari pa ring gulo’t ingay na naririnig! Walang kapayapaan. Naguguluhang pusong umaawit ng kasawian, ng pait, ng kamatayan para sa isang simpleng taong unang bese palang mangibig!

Marahil, ang kapayapaan nga’y hindi lamang sa kawalan ng patayan ni sa gulong makikita sa labas kundi ang pagkakaroon ng malayang himig sa puso’t kaluluwa na nagsasabing ika’y masaya.

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Ngunit si Noel ay hindi masaya. Sa isipan n’ya’y hindi pa rin maalis ang kalabuan ng mga pangyayari. Hindi matahimik ang kaniyang damdamin na tila ay bumabagyo’t umuulan pa rin. Hindi matahimik ang kaniyang isip, ang kaniyang mga alaala ng dahil sa sugat ng kahapong tila maingay na bumubusina pa rin. Hanap niya’y kapayapaan... ng isip, ...ng puso.

Payapa na ang ulan sa labas. Payapa na ang gabi na unti unting inaaninagan na ng buwan. Naghanda na si Noel sa paglabas nang maiwanan n’ya ang bagay na bitbit n’ya kanina panangga sa ulan, ang librong nawala n’ya nang mahabang panahon at sa huli na lamang natagpuan.

Walang magawa’t nakapako na lamang ang nalulungkot na mga mata sa pamagat ng aklat habang inaangat ito para buklatin:

“Sa labasan, sumalubong sa akin ang bagong araw. Tumingin ako. May kapayapaan ang langit. Ang langit? Kapayapaan? May gumugulo sa aking kalooban. Kalawakan... iyan ang sabi ng aking guro sa ikaapat na baitang ng primarya. Iyan ay hindi langit... at ang kapayapaan ay hindi nakikita sa langit

kundi hangganan lamang ng nakikita ng pananaw at isip ng tao. Ang kapayapaan ay nasa tao. Hindi nakikita. Hindi nahihipo. Hindi naabot. Ang kapayapaan ay nasa tao... Nararamdaman hindi sa kawalan ng isang bagay na iyong hinahanap ni hindi dahil sa kawalan ng gera, kundi ang kapayapaan ay nararamdaman hindi ng mata, ng ilong, ng kamay, ng tainga, ... kundi ng puso!”

Nang isasara na n’ya ang aklat ng naaksidenteng may bagay na nalaglag sa aklat. Matagal na pala itong nakaipit. Hindi man lamang niya

by Deoner G. Catamora

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napansin... at lalo’t mas pinatagal pa ito ng matagal na pagkakawala sa kanya ng aklat.

Dinampot n’ya ito ng matagpuan n’yang ang bagay na nahulog ay isang sulat. Isang sulat sa wakas na nagbibigay kaliwanagan sa kaluluwang nagtatanong, Isang sulat na ngayo’y magbibigay katahimikan na sa naguguluhang damdamin ng unang mangingibig na si Noel, ang sulat ni Monica.

OUT ON THE ROADChristelle Rosales

My family and I were currently on a road trip. I knew that we were not going to arrive at our destination in a few hours. As I looked ahead of me, the road appeared as if it could go on forever. I, then, found myself musing what may be on the other side of this seemingly endless highway. But somewhere along the way, I became so bored with simply sitting in the car and observing our surroundings that I decided to tinker with whatever my fingers can reach and touch. Preoccupied, I eventually forgot about the road and why we were traveling in it in the first place.

Reaching our destination becomes easier when we are familiar with the terrain of the road that we are traveling on. In the same way, it becomes easier for us to attain solace when we understand the role of peace in our lives. That’s when I thought, “What is peace for me, anyway?” I closed my eyes and tried to think of an answer.

I was taken back to my sophomore year in high school. This, for me, was the beginning of my transition. I was shifting from a shy, little girl to a strong, independent woman. This was the year when I encountered so many problems, particularly with my peers. I’ve always been different, but it was only in this year that I was made to feel that I was an outcast. I knew there was no way my classmates would accept me so I took the liberty of detaching myself from them. However, I was not fond of being alone, so I was often frustrated whenever I see them doing something together as one big “family”.

Just as I was ready to give up on myself, I met a student who was strong-willed and sure of herself. I began to admire her. She was, in a way, just like me because she too was perceived as unconventional, and it was probably for this reason that I felt like I could relate to her. I felt like

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she knew what it was like to be me and that she understood how I felt. The only difference between us is that she knew exactly who she was and wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. From that moment on, I knew that I wanted to become like her. I began exploring my individualistic side and soon realized how much more liberating it was to just forget about everyone else’s opinion of me.

This freedom, however, came with a price – an inner conflict arose. My admiration for that student led me to adopt most of her traits, even bad ones. By the time I reached my junior year, I noticed that I was becoming too outspoken and rebellious. I had this tendency to question people’s actions and walk out on practices if I thought that they were a waste of time. Eventually, I knew that no good would come from these qualities so I resolved to rid myself of them. I had to struggle with this inner conflict for more than a year. And up to now, I still have not come up with a plausible solution. Peace, therefore, could mean settling all of the problems one has within oneself.

But it could also mean taking time to smell the roses. We are all so caught up in this fast-moving world of ours that the only thing that seems to preoccupy our minds is work. We don’t even notice it, but our “career” has made us so paranoid that we tend to stress ourselves out. We are

Mother and Child - Hands of Peace by Kara Santos

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afraid of the next day to come because we have not finished all of our requirements yet. We are afraid of going home because we know that the moment we enter the front door, family members will welcome us with complaints on how we spend more time on our jobs than we do with them. And, how could we blame them? It’s true; we burn our eyes staring at the computer monitor, struggling to finish our assignments on time. But afterwards we ask ourselves, “Was it really worth it? Was finishing this project really worth neglecting the ones I love?”

Sometimes, the things that will make us happy are already right in front of us. We are just too busy looking into the distance to notice them. That is why I believe that one will feel a certain sense of peace when one learns to appreciate the small things in life: stopping for a while, giving oneself time to breathe and focus on the things that really matter, like family and friends.

After thinking – or rather, dreaming – about all these, I opened my eyes. It was already afternoon. The wind was blowing gently, and caressing my face. I was still a little sleepy and the cool temperature was enticing me to take another snooze, but I sat up because I knew that we would be arriving at our destination any minute now.

The realizations I had kept on replaying in my mind: “Inner solace… I guess that is what peace is for me. Well, seeing as to how my life is so far, I don’t think I have reached the level of peace that I desire. And to think the day is almost over… ” I muttered to myself. Then, questions suddenly crossed my mind: why I am traveling this road in the first place? Was it because my family obliged me to, or did I have another reason? Sleep must have dazed me more than I thought because it took me quite some time to remember. But at last, I did.

I began traveling this road because there were things that I wanted to prove to myself. First of all, I want to prove that in this long, unpredictable path we call life, I will be brave enough to be one of the few who will opt for the road that is less travelled. Second, I want to prove that I can and will stand for the things I believe in, even if that means standing alone. Third, I want to discover peace within myself, so I ventured out on a soul-searching trip, hoping to find some answers and maybe even a few nuggets of wisdom along the way.

It is quite surprising though how I have managed to stay so calm after such a long journey. These last fifteen years of my life have been one crazy

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roller coaster ride, but I can still keep moving forward. I’m really starting to believe that Someone is traveling with me as I venture through unknown roads. Maybe I’m not alone after all.

Well, whoever this companion is, one thing is sure: He planned for us to have a road trip so He can impart a lesson on me. And this lesson is that we have to make sure that there is peace in our hearts. Different people will have different definitions of peace, but no matter what our definition is, we have to make sure that we hold on to it. Being at peace will make all the difference in our lives. It will help us find the Light when we are caught in Darkness. So if you believe that you already have it, then I congratulate you. But if you don’t, then I advise you to start looking for it now. If you want to, you can even take this journey with me and we can look for peace together. All of the material things in this world may disappear, but it wouldn’t really matter because it is peace that will lead us to our destination. You see, there really is no way to peace because peace is the way.

KARAPATAN NG KABATAANPurma

Ako’y isang batang Mangyan Taglay ko ang aking pinagmulan Pagmamahal sa kulturang Mangyan Pahalagahan at ingatanAng aming karapatan

WARRIOR OF THE DARKJude Ortega

I dream of writing nonfiction novels on Mindanao someday. I’ll give one book the title Warrior of the Dark. It will contain the story of my uncle.

My uncle, nearing sixty now, is a farmer and a good family man. He has lived the life of an ordinary Mindanaoan. But there’s one part of his life that I’d like to document, for it is not only a part of our family’s history, but of the island’s history as well. This is when he went by the name Kumander Dodoy.

In 1970s, my uncle joined Ilaga, a “Christian” paramilitary group that

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fought against the Moro rebels. To call the members of Ilaga “vigilantes” is an understatement. The media have described them as “dreaded,” “notorious,” and even “barbaric.” The most infamous of my uncle’s comrades, Norberto Manero, has caught the public’s attention (and revulsion) for killing a priest and then allegedly eating the victim’s brain.

I’m drawn to my uncle and his group’s experiences not because I consider them heroes. It’s quite the contrary. I believe intolerance and violence—two ills Ilaga perpetuated—have no place in this world. I’m fascinated with the members of Ilaga because I want to understand them. In knowing their story, I hope to understand better the conflict in Mindanao, my homeland.

“Ilaga” is a Visayan word for “rat.” Uncle explained a few years ago that like the noxious vermin, they crept in the ground, feared water, and attacked in the dark. Therefore, he told me, many Maguindanaoans would keep their families from harm’s way by building raft houses in ponds and rivers and staying in them at night.

Most of the members of Ilaga were farming settlers whose families came from the island of Panay. My mother told me that when she was about fourteen, my uncle, who was seventeen or eighteen that time, just disappeared one day. They were living in Cotabato Province then. When Uncle came back after a long time, he was bearing battle scars, one of which was right in his jaw.

Uncle has told me what happened to the jaw—and why he believes it happened. He said that in one battle, his amulet failed to work. A bullet caught him in the mouth and tore through his cheek. The amulet of an Ilaga was usually a tiny bottle containing lana (coconut oil), bits of tree roots, and whatnot. The bottle would be tied with a string and worn as a necklace or wrapped around the waist. To keep the amulet effective, an Ilaga would also rub his skin with lana, utter Latin prayers, and avoid certain kinds of food in certain days of the week. Taking a bath and having intercourse were forbidden on Fridays. One Friday, my uncle wasn’t able to resist the temptation—he slept with a woman—and this he said lessened the power of his amulet.

The Ilagas have become a legend, and should remain so. They should be nothing but a part of Mindanao’s past. They should be remembered not as martyred crusaders but as warriors with a good end but a misguided means. They wanted peace in Mindanao, but they thought the best and

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only way to attain it was by subduing, if not annihilating, the Muslims. They are a source of pride for young Christians like me, for in my veins flows the same blood, the blood of fearless fighters. But they are also our shame, for they turned into ruthless savages who every so often preyed upon innocent lives.

Ilaga has done its share of wreaking havoc on Mindanao. The chapter on them should be closed. Unfortunately, similar groups would surface from time to time, especially whenever the thirty-year conflict in the island heated up. I believe, though, that those “new” Ilagas could no longer sow as much terror as the original group had. Times have changed. The people of Mindanao have become more socially aware and educated. Our voice against human rights abuses has become stronger. Many of us Muslims and Christians have forged ties of friendship no senseless war could break.

I still have a lot of whys to ask my uncle. His story will be engaging—full of lessons to learn, full of mistakes we should not commit again.

KARANASAN NG ATING MGA KATUTUBOCristina Maano

Isang araw kaming mag-aaral sa kolehiyo ay naimbitahan sa isang programa na kung saan ito ay naging malinaw sa aming pag-iisip at nag-silbing gabay sa aming pag-aaral. Maraming bagay kaming natutunan sa araw na iyon sapagkat iyon ay konektado sa ating pagkatao.

Ang programang ito ay tungkol sa mga katutubong nakatira sa mga kagubatan o maging sa kabundukan na kapiling ang mga armadong sundalo. May dalawang katutubo kaming nakasalamuha sa araw din iyon, sila ay nagbahagi ng kani-kanilang karanasan sa bundok.

Una na ng nagbahagi ng kaniyang karanasan ang mula sa Rizal, siya ay katutubong Dumagat. Maraming bagay siyang ibinahagi sa amin.Ang pag-sasalaysay niya tungkol sa mga kabataang pumapasok sa eskuwelahan subalit may nasabi siya na sa pag-pasok ng mga kabataan doon ay ilang milya pa at ilang ilog ang tatawirin bago makarating sa eskuwelahan.Ngunit ng dahil sa dalawang kampo ng mga armadong sundalo ang mga kabataaan sa lugar nila ay hindi makapasok, bagkus natatakot silang makasalamuha ang mga armadong sundalo at kahit ang mga guro na nais magturo sa kabundukan ay hindi makapunta sapagkat

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natatakot rin sila sa mga armadong sundalo.

Kaya ang mga mag-aaral sa elementarya at hayskul ay hindi nakapagtapos ng pag-aaral. Kaunti lamang sa kanila ang nakatungtong ng entablado.

Pangalawang nag-bahagi sa amin ng kanilang karanasan ay ang katutubong Ayta. Ibinahagi niya na sa tuwing daraan ang mga armadong sundalo sa kanilang lugar ito ay nagtatanong kung may mga armadong grupo na humihinto sa kanilang lugar at nanggagalugad ang mga ito sa loob ng bahay ng katutubo.

Nabanggit niya na kapag nakakita ang mga armadong sundalo na sobra ang gamit ninyo sa loob ng bahay ang ibig sabihin ay may iba pang mga grupo na humihinto sa inyong lugar at ito ay pinaghahain ninyo ng pagkain at dahil sa ginawa ninyong iyon, ang inyong ama ay mapaparusahan ng kamatayan. Dahil sa bagay na iyon ay may mawawala na mahal ninyo sa buhay.

C7 Paper Plate Meal by Jupiter Polistico, Youth Solidarity for Peace-Peace Advocates Zamboanga

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Maging ang problema sa ang mga kagamitang pang-klinika nila para gamutin ang mga may karamdaman ay hindi na nila masolusyunan sapagkat ang kanilang klinika ay halos walang kagamitan at kahit duktor man lang dahil sa takot tumahak para magbigay ng mga gamot para sa mga may karamdaman. At dahil sa takot tumahak ng ilang duktor, maraming katutubo ang mga namamatay sa sakit at karamihan ay namamatay rin sa gutom sapagkat sila ay wala ng makain.

Ang mga karanasan na ito ay tulad rin sa mga katutubong Dumagat. Sila ay muling nagbahagi tungkol sa nararanasan nilang hirap sa piling ng mga armadong sundalo.

Naikuwento niya na ang mga dalagitang katutubo sa kanilang lugar ay nililigawan ng mga armadong sundalo para maging malapit at makakuha ng mga kabataan na nais nilang maturuan kung paano humawak ng mga armas. Kapag ang mga ito ay natuto ay isasama nila sa pakikipaglaban at inuutus-utusan sa kanilang kampo, samakatwid ito ay ginagawa nilang alipin sa kanilang lugar.

Tugkol naman sa pag-aaral ng mga kabataang katutubong Ayta, ilang ilog rin ang kanilang nilalakbay patungo sa eskuwelahan at natatakot silang makasalamuha ng mga armadong sundalo at kahit guro man ay takot din. Kaya ang mga guro’t kabataan ay minsan sa isang linggo lamang kung pumasok at minsan rin ay hindi na pumapasok. Kaya ang mga kabataang katutubo ay hindi rin nakakapagtapos ng pag-aaral.

Naglakas ako ng loob na tanungin ang dalawang katutubong nakasalamuha namin noong araw na iyon. “Ano po ba yung naging kalagayan ng mga katutubong kabataan sa inyong lugar, habang kayo po ngayon ay nakakaranas ng kawalan ng kuryente sa inyong tahanan? Papaano po sila nakakapag-aral ng mabuti?” Ang tanging isinagot lamang nila ay, “Pagdating po sa aming tahanan na walang liwanag ay hindi po talaga kami nabibigyan ng solusyon, sapagkat ang amin lugar ay nasa kabundukan at hirap pong magkaroon ng kuryente sa amin dahil na rin wala kaming kuwartang pambayad sa gobyerno, kaya ang pangunahing ginagamit lang po naming ay gasera. Ito rin po ang tanging ginagamit ng mga katutubong kabataan sa pag-aaral tuwing gabi.”

Habang ikinukwento nila ang mga nararanasan nila araw-araw, pumasok agad sa aking isipan ang mga sundalong nakakasalamuha nila, at kung dumating man ang mga araw na nag-lalaban ang dalawang armadong

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grupo, marahil maraming sibilyan ang mga nadadamay at makikita mo na ang mga katutubo ay naliligo sa dugo dahil sa pagitan ng dalawang sundalo.

Naisip ko rin kung ano ang magiging kinabukasan ng mga naninirahan sa lugar nila lalo na sa mga kabataang nais makamit ang kanilang mga pangarap. Dahil sa dalawang magkatunggaling kampo, maging ang mga pangarap ng mga katutubong kabataan ay kaagad na lamang naglalaho.

Maraming epekto ang ganitong operasyon sa mga sibilyang naninirahan sa kabundukan o maging sa kagubatan. Halimbawa, sa mga kabataan at matatanda, kapag sila ay nakaranas ng matinding hirap sa piling ng mga armado at nakakita ng kapwa nilang sibilyan na pinipatay, ito ay nagdudulot ng matinding takot at ang sobrang takot ay nagdudulot ng troma, at higit sa lahat, namamatay ang ilan sa ating katutubo dahil sa kagutuman.

Marahil tama ang sabi ng iba, na kung bakit noong unang panahon ang paglalaban ng dalawang kampo ay malayung-malayo sa atin, kumpara sa ngayon na maraming mga sibilyan ang namamatay, sapagkat malapit sa mga komunidad ang mga engkwentro. Sa paglipas ng panahon, padagdag ng padagdag ang mga bilang ng mga namamatay na katutubo sa paglalaban ng dalawang kampo lalong dahil na rin sa makabagong teknolohiyang nalilikha ng tao.

Gayunpaman kahit naiiipit sa pagitan ng armadong tunggalian, marami pa ring mga katutubo ang nag-pasya na hindi lilisanin ang kanilang

by Marjorie G. Sazon

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tirahan sapagkat naniniwala sila na ang ito ay pamana ng kanilang mga ninuno sa kanila, at kahit anung mangyari sa lugar na iyon ay mabubuhay sila ng matagal at mamumuhay ng tahimik kahit na sa katunayan ay mapanganib na.

Siguro nagtataka tayo kung bakit ang pag-iisip ng mga katutubo ay ibang iba sa ating mga taga-siyudad. Dahil sa kanilang pagbabahagi sa amin, nabigyan kami ng linaw sa aming pag-iisip na hindi pala biro ang mamuhay sa kabundukan o maging sa kagubatan.

Ang kanilang ibinahagi ay mas nakahimok sa aking sarili.

At sinabi ko sa aking sarili na, “Sa takdang panahon ang aking mga kamay ay inaalay ko sa mga mahihirap lalo na sa mga taong mas higit ang pangagailangan sa buhay, lalo na sa mga kabataan na nais makapagtapos ng pag-aaral at makamit ang kanilang mga minimithi.”

LANGIT, LUPA, IMPYERNOIan Villanueva

sa mundong makamundong makamandag ang panahonsa mundong dumadagundong ang madugong paghamonsa lakas ng pagtaas nakakalas at nakakalasonsa lakas ng pagbaklas bumakas ang buong maghapon

malamang sa malamang sa ordinaryong nilalangmalupit na hagupit ang sa kanya’y nag-aabangpaghangang hanggang hangin inabot ng hunghangat sa pagliban sa paglilibang, sya ay tila nahihibang

nag-aabang sa labanang walang katapusanumaasa sa pagpasa at pagpasasa sa karapatantuwing tumatama tamatawa ang katapangandi maaliw nababaliw sa saliw ng digmaan

tagung-tagong tagumpay, tinatyagang makamitnagkataong taun-taon may taong nagpipilitsumasablay, sumasabay, minsa’y nagtatagumpaysumasakay, sumasablay sumasa kabilang-buhay

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ENIGMATICDebbie Diane Go

Appreciation of present day youth’s notion of peace requires deeper explorations of realities and meanings far more broad and vague. These realities and meanings provide logic to what may be a contemporary idiosyncratic ‘youthful’ definition of what peace is. Understandably, this requisite is never less compelling as memory served that the conventional notion of physical threat and insecurity as unpeace was significantly shaped or dictated by the context of the time when such notion took root. It is however unsafe to assume at this point that the youth of today are seriously contemplating such meanings which by their popular connotations may be tagged overrated or grey. Or, on the other hand hold such mundane and antagonistic view that they are generally indifferent. Misunderstood as often claimed, the youth of today in contrast actually imposes the burden to inevitable judges surmising their true nature as members of a wider relationship of responsible and irresponsible individuals.

More evident than a shared conscious understanding of such concept as peace, among others, is the youth’s struggle for a personalized collective language and perspective. This means not only the ingenious creation of a new exciting style but also of a lens that looks into causes and repercussions in a different manner contrasting the former submissive and miniscule behavior or accepting conventional truths. At this junction, peace for the youth means the literal meaning of Jose Rizal’s first novel – touch me not. Space, freedom and an environment to be bold or be himself. Fortunately or unfortunately, satisfying his desire for autonomy are the gifts of the 21st Century. Speedy technological developments, especially in telecommunications affords him expression, awareness, connectivity and sensitivity – ideal end products – satisfactorily hosting his drive for independence and personality with sufficient if not overdosed amount of entertainment. His peace therefore in the dermis level is lodged in the forms of the newest hit song, the latest fashion trends, the widely circulated text quote, the most recent gossip and the hottest posts or blogs of the clique juxtaposed with a belief of his significant participation and involvement in these contexts. Summarized, it is being let and left alone. Alone to define his own set of standards and alone as free from conventional and imposed notions.

This type of what is conventionally termed as “rebellion” can be surmised in polar terms. Negative understanding of this new way of thinking and behavior exemplified by the youth highlights arguments that include

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apathy to present or current realities, capricious indulging into frivolities, and the lack of concern for the future, among others. The image of an easy-go-lucky, too happy, and indifferent individual is tendered upon the youth in general as a result of his subscription to the Internet, Unlimited Texting and Online Gaming and the Cable TV, stylish appearance

and unending parties. Such raucous profiling is a result of a comparative point of view implicating the comfort of today’s youth versus the troubadour past of the older generations. The comfort brought about by today’s technology and enjoyed fully by today’s youth serves as a central issue of comparison that puts the youth in a less favorable position. As a result, descriptions include “lazy,”” couched potato babies” and “irresponsible members of the society.” These analysis and generalizations are of course never without basis. In the light of the preceding generation’s benchmarks and experiences, some, if not all of aforementioned descriptions may be true but, with certainty, such melancholic understanding of the youth is misinformed and less holistic if examined by the modern eye. At best, such judgments remain as analyses of what is superficial and therefore insufficient.

On a more positive note and constituting the other end of the spectrum, there are various potentials and indeed strengths that the present youth exemplifies. Personality descriptions of the present youth for one, classified collectively as Generation Y, indicate that he is sophisticated and able to handle dual or multi-tasks. Relatively gregarious, he maintains a healthy level of confidence and easily submits not to established but less understood notions and roles conferred upon by the society. Can be considered as a counter movement to the previously reputable Top-

Nature’s Skin A Healthy Outlook for a Brighter World by Dick Jay Bustamante,Youth Solidarity for Peace-Peace Advocates Zamboanga

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Down conditioning and perspective, the youth of today builds his own factory of meanings and logic that his environment is actually, slowly but surely appreciating. Chic to say, today’s societal configuration can be characterized by a dramatic shift on the source of authority in terms of information and knowledge favoring the active youth. Because of the apparent discontent and uncomfortable submission to imposed and misunderstood roles old, the youth of today is intuitively constructing his own context where he plays roles which are still patterned to some sort of past but are better understood and appreciated. A context where the definitions of what is important or not, respectful or ostentatious, right or wrong are understood, collectively shared and freely accepted. Orthodox or more fashionably decried as “old fashioned” notions and truths are now slowly sidelined giving way to “modern” perspectives. Such shift relinquishes power from the then monarchical authority with only the old are the knowledgeable, the classic as great, and the young as merely followers into a more democratic and interactive relation. In this new setting, determining meanings and polarities of a certain reality can be done, and appropriately, through a dialogue of the new and old generations.

In lieu of the illustrated conventional analysis, the next level of peace in present youth’s perspective becomes evident – peace is the recognition of a double-standard judgmental external society coupled by a level of confidence on the saliency of his beliefs and sangfroid. Such recognition does not require proof or justification before a given judge. Although the relationship of the two differentiated beliefs can only be described as contrasting or perhaps competing, the present youth strives not to please his critical audience – at least not consciously. More appropriately, his movements are caused by an internal need for acceptance and belongingness to a clique that shares the same ideals as he does. While the present youth recognizes that he is being watched or criticized, his recognition is twinned by sense of pride. The confidence that renders external judgments as inappropriate and inapplicable thereby displaced and the same confidence that drives him into tendencies that later on may be beneficial not only to him, his collective, but to society as a whole. The blossoming of individualism in present day youth has now slowly been recognized and its effects indeed felt. Unparalleled communications and interactions afford him a rainbow of exemplary ways of living, pornography, violence, environmental protection programs, socio-civic news and realities, anime, among many others. With such exposure, with negative and positive persuasions of equal opportunities to permeate, he is left alone to decide. Whether he line up to the good or dark side of

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the force now is irrelevant. A tangent emphasis is the present condition of the availability of choices which, fortunately as can be observed, are resulting to more positive manifestations. He now lives in a less confined and strictly determined path and such new configuration, accepted by society, serves as his reason to be proud. Proud to be well – well-rounded, well-informed, well-connected and well- adjusted. This confidence and pride renders today’s youth peaceful and satisfied of his state.

The finality of this analysis of the youth’s perspective of peace could not and should not end as a form of an isolated justification. More appropriately and indeed existent, is a new perspective that has various links into the wider relationships of responsible and irresponsible individuals. This perspective may carry the essence of and synthesized meanings of the two other collage of ideas and illustrations formerly given. The youth’s peace in finality is his belief that he is, indeed the hope of the motherland. Cliché as it may appear but digging deeper would unearth a grotesque picture of this belief. Such belief however is not directly expressed or even consciously perceived. More appropriately, this belief is a result of a myriad of unsatisfactory and undesirable actuations of the old. The country’s consistent top rank in corruption, inefficiency and scandals serve context for the increasing discontent of the youth to actions comfortably understood to be responsibilities of the old. A looming distinction if not outright categorization is becoming very much apparent with the youth referring to the first or second generation predecessors in a less positive light. This view is indicative of a dual perspective. The first one assumes not rancor but a realization that the previous generations’ general performance as leaders of a wider web of responsible and irresponsible individuals have come short of being satisfactory. Previous practices, and unfortunately included as reasons are the rationale and values that stirred these practices are presently seen with disdain.

The youth’s recognized strengths and his generation’s ever vibrant connections compose the potential counter-measures to the previous insufficiencies he has observed. And because of this reinforcing fact, he now assumes a more responsible role as agent of change, transmitter of valuable information and a source of a new and maybe more efficient perspective. Interestingly enough, what is comfortably dubbed as venues for virtual social interactions and ostentations are now increasingly filled with opinions and concerns regarding national even global issues. Such venue is now stupendously filled with dialogues that are intelligible, responsible and enlightening signaling a proactive youth. His heightened interest in technology and modern interaction is practically coupled by a

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broad concern of the more serious society where his interests are hosted. These aspirations are all embedded in the youth’s actions even if he may not consider them in the same strict and magnanimous manner as previous generations would do. He now has no need for justification or pretensions because he is at peace with himself. And his internal peace will surely radiate in a scope soon to be described as unprecedented. His peace is himself.

THE YOUNG DRIVE FOR THE PEACE Noelle Marie R. Salvan

There once was a king who offered a prize to the artist who would paint the best picture of peace. The first picture was a calm lake that was a perfect mirror of peaceful towering mountains all around it with the blue sky surrounded by fluffy white clouds. On the other hand, the second was a picture of a scenery with rugged and bare mountains, a gurgling waterfall and a pleasant rain with streaks of lightning. And behind the waterfall, the king saw a mother bird in her nest built in the bush in perfect peace. Which do you think won the prize? The king chose the second picture. “Because”, explained the king, “peace does not mean to be in a place when there is no noise, trouble, or hard work, but, peace means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your heart.”

This very short story, which I heard a couple of times before, leads us to the true meaning of peace. Truly, peace is not just the absence of war nor the absence of wickedness, instead, peace is the inner power that helps keep your morality despite living in this world full of temptations. Peace lies within oneself. It is a state of mind in which benevolence dwells that keeps one’s connection with the people and the environment delightful. The external peace that we feel is the outcome of the peace inside us that we share with people we interact with. This can be tested when we extend love and care that we offer to the poor who need food and

Vendor - Devotee - Hands of Peace by Kara Santos

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shelter because of the inexorable poverty that they are dealing with. Through this we build peace within in contrast with the conflict that our external world experiences. Offering justice, truth, compassion, and amity are some ways in which we can remain peaceful in spite of the troubles and conflicts that we face. I believe that though peace is elusive but it’s never a wild-goose chase. One can achieve peace in one’s environment as long as one is at peace with oneself.

Peace is something everyone wants but a few exactly know the means to achieve it. Our value system is crashing before our very eyes. The police brutalities, massacres in different places of the country particularly in Mindanao, unjust murder cases, stealing, oppressions, corruptions in many ways, terrorism in Mindanao, and the recent hostage-taking in Quirino Grandstand-all this is just a bird’s eye view of all the injustice and chaos in the world. Peace is sidelined. We are looking for peace today in every place but not in the right place. This happens because the principle of peace is still vague for some. Again, peace is not the absence of war. If the Philippines is not involved in war now, can we say that there is peace? Peace is in doldrums of the country right now. Extreme poverty is one cause of this. The big gap that exists between the rich and the poor is one such reason for discord and disharmony because peace cannot be established in a society where class distinctions exist. How can

we say that there is peace if there is social injustice? Justice cannot coexist with greed and selfishness. Crimes result because of too much poverty. Poverty is often a factor of the conflicts that are happening like abortion,

sa mata ng bata, ang sigaw ng kapayapaan by Jupiter Polistico Youth Solidarity for Peace-Peace Advocates Zamboanga

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robbery, manslaughter, and kidnapping. But if one thinks deeply one will realize that conflicts add to complexity in situations. The troubles in Mindanao have damaged the lives and livelihood of the population, generating an acute food and livelihood crisis. Our country today is characterized by high levels of hunger, malnutrition, ailments, and crimes due to indigence. But poverty is just one factor. Peace is however not the monopoly of the affluent. One may have a great job, an excellent salary, a palatial house, a wonderful family, or even a good health, and yet one may not be peaceful. This can be attributed to the lack of faith in one’s inner goodness which is Godliness. Today in this fast developing world, if a person does not have his own peace of mind, how is he supposed to contribute to the peace that the whole populace dreams of? Therefore it is necessary to first secure peace inside yourself before you share it to the population. But be aware that the time is running out and every second is important to salvage the moments of today and tomorrow. As a youth, writing this essay about the true essence of peace is one of the simple but powerful things that I can do to help not just the citizens of my country but of the whole world in achieving peace. I believe that the youth of today are not just the future of their homeland but already the present heroes of their countries. We, the young Filipino people, are in a great position to make the dreams of peace come to reality. The number of Filipino youths today shows a formidable group of people more than enough to take the country beyond the realms of dreams into a place of peace. It is a great challenge for the young people of today because they are our hope right now. Young people have an enormous stake in changing the crooked trends in the past and present generations in order to be able to have a better future. First, we should familiarize ourselves with the core of peace. And second, by committing ourselves to the education of our totality as individuals – spiritual, moral, emotional, and physical. We should undergo through the development of the highest moral and spiritual values taught in our religion like the qualities of love, understanding, respect, non-aggression, non-interference, equality, compassion, justice, honesty, trustworthiness, and courtesy. Remember that these qualities that are essential in molding our character and must be internalized and expressed because peace starts within you. We should also be properly educated to develop our talents, abilities, and potentials in such a way that we, as young people, are equipped to contribute to the development of our nation and of the world. Also, educated people make fewer conflicts and can easily understand situations while an empty mind is a room for bad and negative thoughts.

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It is really a call for us to attain peace in the midst of the problems that we are suffering because we can see our hope in peace. Describe our country living in peace and without peace. Can you see how beautiful our country would be if there is serenity? Several songs that express their desire for peace like “Imagine” by John Lennon, “A Thousand Years of Peace” by AlchemyVII, and “Let There Be Peace On Earth” are not enough in order to attain peace, although they help us motivate. Unless we do not know what peace truly means, we still cannot attain it. Peace starts with you but the only place you will ever find peace is God. We may not live in a perfect world but we can achieve perfect peace if we only find the One whom we are looking for, who is God. But still, we cannot get the peace that we want if we do not act today, particularly the hope of the nation. Youth need to engage themselves in different opportunities in decision-making processes, not only because they will be leaders, facilitators, and stakeholders of our future, but because they can also play a central role in shaping our present. We should not wait for another major mistake to happen in our country. Mahatma Gandhi, a peacemaker hero, once said, “We must become the change we want to see. Be the change you want to see in the world.”

YOU WANT A PEACE OF ME?Paul Chester G. Alcantara

Every day, every person has to go to war and deal with a place so disorderly, noisy, and chaotic. It is the place where everyone hardly gets some peace, where silence is not a choice, where the out-of-control is the norm, where all the bad things in the world usually commence. Every person has to deal with the most terrifying battlefield of all…the mind. The mind is not simply the place for thoughts, knowledge and memories. It is the broad entity where the fine line between right and wrong lies, where the biggest decisions in the world are made. It is indeed a battlefield between man and himself. As long as one uses his mind, he dwells with different kinds of hardships that cannot be easily resolved through either words or actions. The mind really is complicated. A complicated mind does not even require to have extremely complicated knowledge. A complicated mind usually encounters difficult decision-making situations. One doesn’t have to be an adult to experience these. I am just a normal teenager, and I can say that I do encounter complications

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in my ways of thinking every single day. It doesn’t even have to be something huge or life-changing. As long as one gets stuck between a rock and a hard place, it’s really hard to escape from the burden that the mind has brought. This is also why the world could be full of burden. What problems could bring me such distress in mind? These would include social status, esteem issues, high school education, morality etc. A war would just break out inside the brain once I encounter conflicts. The brain would tell me a lot of things, but it would say another in contrast of the first statement. It is also possible to continuously think about other’s thoughts or what happened earlier that day. This is where we suddenly stimulate emotions such as sadness, anger, hopelessness, indifference, joy and excitement. It causes confusion and yet it only wants one thing: to get through this challenge. It is true that the brain is no appliance that you could get it to stop functioning. The mind thinks what it wants to think of. That is another reason why it could get so messy. The uncertainty of thoughts would get into our nerves and would cause us more trouble in our actions.. Meaning, the war inside our head would cause an


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even bigger war outside of our brain. If a person would aim for world peace, he/she must attain a peace of mind first. But what is peace of mind? Can this be attained when the brain is not being used anymore? That would be ridiculous, especially for a teenager. I do believe that adolescence could bring about the least peaceful state of the mind. It’s like everyone in high school is obsessed about something. I experience it myself. It feels like you always have to create a diversion in your mind, something that could divert your attention from high school itself.. There are just a really few people who would actually focus on their studies. Our generation is so obsessed with labels, social interaction, technology and the occasional romantic involvement. This is why a teenager is never at peace. Do we even have time for homeworks? With all these things, thinking can only stop momentarily during sleep. There’s this silly perspective that I have in high school: everyone’s a bit of a drama queen. But once I experience this mess of thoughts inside my head, I could easily understand why everyone is like that and I, myself, could be the same at times. I could say that this lack of peace of mind is what causes so much trouble in high school. Anyone could easily get into anybody’s nerves. After this, teenagers don’t even want to spend some time for more thinking; we just act on it. We’re neither insensitive nor brainless…we’re just too tired of sitting around and thinking about it. So, is a peace of mind really out of the question for us teenagers? I hope not, for the discovery of peace is not always based on how much you do, but on how you would do. Teenagers have to think straightforward. Set a goal. Achieve something. That is one way to obtain peace of mind, not just for teenagers. The attainment of peace of mind is like overcoming grief…it all comes down to acceptance. Even though there would be a change of pace in the brain, it’s not the same as changing one’s mind. It’s not as easy because emotions start to get attached. I don’t believe that there’s such thing as ‘a thinking heart’, but there is such thing as ‘a feeling mind’. The heart and mind are not two separated entities wherein the mind does a different activity than the heart. I believe that it’s all in the mind, including emotions.

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Peace of mind is all about acceptance, for one can only have his/her peace about something once it has sunk into the very core of the brain, once it’s become a part of his/her full knowledge. Once it settles there, emotions will follow. For one to reach the actual anagnorisis on peace, he/she has to sit down and think about it completely. I do believe that most troubles come from the lack of knowledge and wisdom, and that’s because actions come out better with the absolute conception from the mind. It’s really not that hard.

The large-scale peace is only possible if every individual in this world would be allowed to have their own peace…peace about themselves, peace about what they have, peace about the limitations of each person, peace about his/her imperfections, peace about the things in this world that can never be changed, peace about this world. That’s all it takes for a person to go out in the world and stay out of trouble and be an eternal instrument of peace. So…I need a peace of you; the world needs a peace of you.

SHAPING THE CITY OF MY DREAMAldrin B. Abdurahim

“Living in a world merged with paradise and hell, one must dream a horizon set greater than life. Life itself is complex and simple on the other hand”

It is with these exhortation that people from all walks of life regardless of status realms-classes amidst level, differences amidst commonalities, cultures amidst powers and stability, races amidst beliefs. Peace amidst Life itself. In daily endeavors as people coming from diverse sectors process daily transactions of living the world confined with, everyone are entitled to manage all affairs intended and planned to undergo.

I am just an ordinary man with a very simple life. I am happy dealing with different people, to know one’s culture, exchange ideas from them and learn to live the way they live. All boils down in giving me the energy to be happy all the days am worthy of living. Having with me my family and friends, I always exert and gave the best efforts of service and love with dignified passion of volunteerism and care for other people. I am living in a world full of fantasy dipped with convergence of reality. We may be poor but thinking about it brings me the idea of being rich at the same time. People equate things in different perspectives. Life

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consists of trail of pictures in a movie of reality. Yes, it is so hard to deal with the status quo of life. Think about it. Simplicity versus complexity! It is too hard to handle and its reciprocity determines how a person deals with it through simple and complex at the same time? How can I shape the city of my dream, my life?

A leader in me was emerged in its full blossom to really inspire young people to be motivated to pursue one’s actualization of dreams and putting it into reality. Dreams are not just hoping it to happen but more of mobilizing it to its full realization and existence powered through the foundations of love, respect and the positive energies of conflict and sacrifices.

I am an individual energized with lots of inspirations through stories of experiences from children and young people as well as guidance and supervision from friends and individuals maneuvering lightness amidst darkness. These had been the focal point of my existence which leads me to really inspire others as well. Through the years, I had been journeying lots of ups and downs of life. Life had been struggling from the very start but I never hindered myself not to cherish every single step of my way in venturing new horizons of life. I may be strong but deep inside I am weak. I may be powered with lots of intelligence to interact and

Sa dilim o sa liwanag by Jupiter Polistico, Youth Solidarity for Peace-Peace Advocates Zamboanga

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communicate people but deep inside I am not that intact if not because of my family and people around me. I failed bundle of times however it always trigger me to continue and fulfill the missions set onwards the future. Eventually, bring about greater glory to my persona.

The animo of magis and cura personalis that Ateneo de Zamboanga University instilled in the very mind and heart of mine integrated with the values of Simplicity of Lifestyle, Active Non-Violence, Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue, Faith that does Justice and Authentic Humanism founded through the years as Social Awareness and Community Service Involvement Volunteer provided me the avenue to explore and inspire other youth of Zamboanga City. With that, naming me as Young Peace Weaver for 2007 challenged me to respond the realms of daily living faced with adversaries, sacrifices, conflicts, struggles as well as positive energies that could bring about peace in our lives.

The foundation of love, peace and respect served as my focal values as I go through my journey wherever and whenever God planned me to adventure in. Enjoying every experience that comes, trying some luck to opportunities, responding to some call of inspiring people which catered my intention of helping others, provide my family with little yet sufficient support, giving the best to the ability that I have, believing in the dreams of mine and loving people whose love also enlightens my heart are some of my realizations and principles until now had made me a strong and committed advocate of peace.

I am a determined leader full of goals, ambitions and hopes for young people. I believe that strengthening young people with the Culture of Peace in one’s mind and heart will lead people and structure to a society of love and peace. It is said that being an effective leader, followers and members sees in him/her the beauty of helping, influencing and inspiring them the true essence of leadership and peace. Young people have journeyed me through the Interreligious Solidarity Movement for Peace and Youth Solidarity for Peace of Peace Advocates Zamboanga.

As a leader, I have the heart, brain and hands for young people and never hesitated to help and consider everyone equal. Determined and focused that have showed unique type of leadership manifested in handling peace advocacy programs for the youth in different Culture of Peace, Peace Camps, Solidarity Activities of diverse faith, mobilizing young people in the world of the Mindanao Week of Peace, which is a very hard responsibility, provided me the inspiration of moving forward

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and keep me to go on swimming the daily waves of life.

The beauty of interacting various individuals of unique cultural affiliations and interests trades me to really understand what life had meant to me from the very start. Why do people live life in strongholds that control them in the long-run? Why not live peacefully? There are lot’s of why’s and how’s to questions of mysteries and controversies that still inspire me to respond to more missions of life. Eventually, I believe that these questions will answer the very nature of Peace and Dialogue of the world.

I am a person of thought and action. With these, I can help others through thoughts and actions as well in responding life as life, peace as peace and love as love for all. I live as an effective leader who smile in times of troubles, gather strength from stress and grow brave through reflections and prayers.

UNTITLEDFrom an anonymous student of St. Scholastica

Someone once told me that the best way to see the current state of the country is to take public transportation and just go somewhere. Last week, I rode a jeepney to the post office because I had to pick up a package. In that short ride, what I saw floored me more than any school exposure trip I’ve ever taken. I saw old men and women begging for spare change under the blistering heat of the sun, looking like they haven’t had a decent meal in days. I saw more kids than I could count, roaming the sidewalks, horsing around, while some were begging from random strangers with a hardened look on their faces.

It was that face that broke me, knowing that these kids deserve a good childhood, much like what I had, but they can’t have it because they have

by Lance Kirby T. Yaneza, FEATI University

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to face the hard life early on. The same goes for those old men and women, so frail-looking, who can do nothing more to survive. How many times did I brush them off? How many times did I take them for granted?

It’s quite hard to talk about peace when you don’t feel it and you barely see it. There is this picture going around on a popular blogging site. It is of a young girl, probably no more than nine years old, giving the dirty finger and a haughty look to an old beggar lady wearing indigenous clothes. The picture, needless to say, shocked many Filipinos who viewed it. Sadly, it reflects the mindset of people today, and the attitude being inculcated in the younger generations.

Sometimes, when you stop in the middle of the street and see all these things as the world continues to whizz past by you without even sparing a glance, you realize that maybe, people care less and less.

I don’t find peace in the fact that we’re becoming more and more selfish everyday that we forget to respect the people around us. It’s disheartening to know that in a world that continues to get smaller each day, we still put up walls. It would have been nice if maybe that girl just gave a smile to the beggar instead of humiliating her. At the very least, she would have respected her existence.

Respect is the most fundamental value we learn when we enter school. We learn to respect our parents, teachers, classmates, even the beliefs of our religion. We can’t get rid of things like race, religion, class or gender, so the least we can do is to learn how to value the differences we have. I envision a world where these things don’t matter, where we try and help solve other people’s problems and give them a hand just because they exist in this one world with us, and there is no other.

Shortly after I saw that picture, I came across an old article about a Prep student from my school who asked her mom to cancel her birthday party and instead use the money to help the Ondoy typhoon victims. The amount she donated was used to buy relief goods.

I don’t know if she sees the things I see whenever I look out of the window of a jeepney. Maybe not. However, this girl makes me realize that goodness can still exist in the world. We can still care for each other. We can still try to find peace.

Because of her, I am hopeful.

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A CHILDKat Carranza

A gift of God to a familyA huge responsibilityAn innocent mindAbout to grow in a confusing world

Abused in many aspects of lifeMisled by someLives with no moralWhat an unpleasant image

Smiling faces, energetic kidsRespected despite of their ageLiving a normal lifeDon’t you think that’s a lot better?!

DISILLUSIONED Jobelle Marie A. Jocson

Time has elapsed- a decade and a halfMy existence has beenThe brown soil, now tainted with redDeath broke my silence.

Strife pursued where your distance persistedShattered bonds were the towering blowsInnocent lives lost, bitter hearts twistedLike shots, these anguished cries killed souls Consequences I can endure no more!I need to unearth you, at once!Where do I start to seek and exploreWhen conflicts in the past confine me?

Helpless, I try to escapefrom bodies victims of disputeJust as I thought of yieldingAmidst hostility …peace lingers.

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PAG-ASALeLouch/Baral

Maliliit na kamay aking nakikitaNakataas sa ere at ubod ng sayaMga batang naipit sa karahasan ng kahaponPanganib at takot ang dating nandoonDilim ng kahapon bakas pa sa kanilang mukhaMurang edad pa lamang naranasan naAng iba’t ibang karanasan Masama’t mabuti siya’y pinapaligiran

BE AN INSTRUMENTLamie Bagutsay

Look all around youObserve the things that people doAre they respecting the human rights? Or the laws are just for sight?

Women are discriminated, children are abusedAnd many people are innocently usedThe powerful men take the ancestral landsThe armed men badly use forces of their band

Is this the community we want?Is this the country we prayed to God?Do we still have the chance?If you believe we still have,Then be an instrument of change…Let the change begin in you

HAMON SA KAPWA KO KABATAANLeandro Perez

Bomba ang almusalAng tanghalian ay balaBaril ang miryendaHapunan ay Granada

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Mga linguaheng dumadaan sa aking kaisipanHabang iniisip kung mayroon bang tunay na kapayapaanPaglalapastangan sa karapatan palagi kong napapansinHabang patuloy na nagiisp kung may maidudulot ba ito sa akin

Ano ba ang hamon sa akin bilang isang kabataanEto ba ay pagsasawalang kibo sa mga nangyayari sa lipunanAno nga ba ang aking magagawa bilang isang kabataanIsang mas malalim na pagtingin tungkol sa usapang pangkapayapaan

Partisipasyon, adbokasiyaPagkalinga at pakikialamAng mga bagong salita na aking isinisigawPara sa karapatang pantao tungo sa kalinaw

CIVIL DISOBEDIENCEAnonymous

It is Hard, powerful and popularBut still, it Empowers, enlightens, strengthensAnd influences People around the worldIt is Not for cowards and it is as powerful as a gun that would take down The adversary without taking their life

YOUTHAnonymous

Brilliant, excellent with prideBrave, vigilantIndependent and wiseAble to grant initiatives and sacrifieTo freely fly like a bird in the sky

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KAPAYAPAAN, PARA KANINO NGA BA NAKALAAN? Stephanie Castillo

Sa mga taon na puno ng digmaan at kawalan,mga away at labanang walang katapusan,kapayapaan, saan nga ba matatagpuan?

Sa munting katahimikan at pagsasamahan,sa pagkakapit-bisig at pagtutulungan,kapayapaan, ika’y aming munting inaasam.

Mga araw, linggo’t taon na ang nagdaan,kapayapaan ay salitang pinaguuspan lamang,Kapayapaan, ang pagdating mo’y aming inaantabayanan:KAPAYAPAAN KAMI ANG KABATAAN!

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Paniniwala at Pangarap

DREAM

Reaching the Sky through Unity by Dick Jay Bustamante,Youth Solidarity for Peace-Peace Advocates Zamboanga

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Paniniwala at Pangarap

DREAM

The young generation weaves through its milieu grappling with uncertainties, and struggles with reconciling the unpeaceful reality and their peaceful aspirations. This section opens up with the

youth’s pathos even in their collective dreaming and visioning of peace. This is reflected in Wala nga Bang Kapayapaan, which grayly ends with pessimism. Similarly, A Different Face of Peace impressess that peace is an insurmountable task. Hostage is a surreal attempt to pull out lessons from reality but fails to transcend religious stereotypes in doing so, while Gunshot reverses its point of view by depicting war as a dream and peace as a reality.

In the process of making sense of what peace is, dreams, aspirations and visions serve as an anchor to the “what is” and the “what ought to be”. This anchor also holds together the different sections of the Filipino youth: on one hand, those that are depicted as apathetic, marred with hopelessness and uninitiated with activism and social transformation; and on the other, the advocates, the peace conspirators, the activist believers.

There is No War in Ba Sing Se, Kabataan¸Gumising Ka, and Pandama sa Mindanao present a searing commentary on the apathy beyond the walls of the self and the youth’s role in building peace and society’s transformation. These pieces propagate the innate belief that peace is possible, and congruently, the belief of the advocate youth that the young generation is imbued with both the capacity and the responsibility in working towards changes beyond the self.

Indigenous voices, in Tahimik na Komunidad, Pangandoy ko’ng Kalinaw, Kaming mga Tribo, Katutubo, Mangyan sa Mindoro, and An Waraynon na Kabataan, also recognize their sense of mission and calls for a more dignified and humane way of life. Too, the gender perspective in Babae, Journey of a Woman and The Declaration Between, believes of social emancipation through gender empowerment, while Ang Kabundukan, links peace with our environment.

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The final pieces of The Essence of Peace, Kapayapaan, Karapatang Pantao and Nagliliyab na Pangarap breaks out into an anthemic display of the youth’s dream, and the immediacy of a just and lasting peace.

Finally, Kay Inang Bayan, serves as this anthology’s reprise, going back to the structures of violence and the bleakness of reality but with a renewed and unwavering belief that peace, our collective and epic pursuit, is possible.

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WALA NA NGA BANG KAPAYAPAANMarielle Trinidad

Ang aking mga pangarapAng mga munting pag-asaSa ikabubuti ng bayanPara din sa kabataanDi ko lang nga maintindihanKung ganito ba talagaAng buhay...Ang buhay...

Dapat bang tayo’y mag-kaisaKung puro away lang nga talagaAno ba ang katotohananSino ang may kasalananDi ko lang nga maintindihanKung ganito ba talagaAng buhay...Ang buhay...

Sana naman magkasunduanTayo’y lahat naninirahan at namumuhayDi na natapos ang katwiranPuro na lang katiwalian at kaguluhanWala nga bang kapayapaan...wala nga...Wala nga bang kapayapaan...wala nga...Paano na ang ating kinabukasanLahat naman ay nagsisisihanSino nga ba ang karapat dapatMamahala ng ating bayanDi ko lang nga maintindihanKung ganito ba talagaAng buhay...Ang buhay...

Di na ako makapaniwalaSa lahat ng nagkakasalaPwede naman magkasunduanDapat lahat makinig ng tunayDi ko lang nga maintindihanKung ganito ba talaga

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Ang buhay...Ang buhay...

Sana naman magkasunduanTayo’y lahat naninirahan at namumuhayDi na natapos ang katwiranPuro na lang katiwalian at kaguluhanWala nga bang kapayapaan...wala nga...Wala nga bang kapayapaan...wala nga...

KAPAYAPAAN MAKAKAMIT PA BA?Junrey Ferenal

Sa bawat pag-inog ng mundoat sa pagkakaiba ng ating salita, kultura at prinsipyohindi maipagkakailang nagkakabuklod tayoMay kapayapaan pa bang makakamit ng mga Pilipino?

Halina at mag-isip tayo


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Mag-usap tayo ng masinsinanKung ang ating layunin ay para sa bayan wag padadala sa makasariling mithiin

Hindi kaya kailangan nating magmuni-munikung ano ang dahilan ng ating pagkawatak-watakMaliban sa wika, kultura at prinsipyoBaka naman ang direksiyon ng ating mithiin ay wasak

O baka namam ang ating minimithing kapayapaan ay nakakalito at napakahirap abutin.O kaya nama’y hindi magkakatugma ang ating iniisip at minimithing pangarap.

Sigaw ng manggagawa may kapayapaan kung maibigay ang aming hinahangad na dagadag sahod.Sigaw ng tsuper may kapayapaan kung pupuksain na ang mga buwaya na nangungutong.

Hindi pahuhuli ang mga apektado sa kaguluhan sa Mindanao, ang kanilng tanging sigaw, itigil ang digmaan, putukan, pagbobomba at kidnappingSigaw ng iba aprubahan na ang MOAat magkakaroon ng kapayapaan.

Sigaw naman ng medya,wag ninyo kaming patayin, ginagawa lang namin ang aming tungkulin.Sigaw ng Simbahan, itigil na ang hindi makataong batas at taliwas sa utos ng Diyos.

Sigaw ng mga tao na malapit sa minahan , itigil na ang pang-aabuso ng ating kabundukan at kagubatan.At sigaw naman ng mga mahihirap tulungan ninyo kami;may kapayapaan kung may pagkain kami sa araw-araw

Sigaw ng mga sanggol .....uha.....uha.....uha......

Mga kapwa Pilipino hindi natin napapansin na ang minimithingkapayapaan ay nakakalito at kumplikadoMayroon lamang kapayapaan kung may laman ang bulsa,kapayappan ng ating pusokapayapaan ng sikmura, kapayapaan ng isipan at iba pa

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Bagaman ang kapayapaan ay nagkakaron ng maraming mukha, hindi maiwasan na kahit papaano kung minsan naisip natin na may kapayapaan kung nasususunod ang ating pansariling mithiing kapayapaan.

Gumising tayo sa madilim na yungib ng ating pagiging makasarili at sakim Sa ating ginagawa at sinisigaw parangnagkakaroon ng maraming mukha ang minimithing kapayapaan

Totoong magkakaiba ang ating salita, kultura at prinsipyo, ang totoo tayo ay iisa Tayo ay pilipinoSana naman maging katulad tayo ng mga sanggol kahit saang sulok ng bansaiisa lamang ang sigaw ang kanilang sinisigawkung ating napapansin isa itong mapagkumbabang sigaw at hindi makasarili.Sumisigaw lamang sila ng kanilang kailangan at tinatanggap na walang pag-aalinlangan .Marunong makontento at masaya kung ano ang binibigay sa kanilaWala ni anumang sariling hinahangad.

Hindi naman masama nag pagsigaw na makamit ang kapayapaan bagkus ito ang pambansang minimithiSino ba naman ang ayaw ng kapayapaanLahat tayo dito sa mundo ito yata ang sigawAng mahalaga sa minimithing kapayapaandapat ay hindi makasarili, para sa kapakananan ng lahat at higit sa lahat nakamit ang kapayapaan ng walang inaapakan.Ito ang tunay nakapayapaan

Hindi natin kailangan bumalik sa pagiging sanggol upang makamit ang kapayapaanang mahalaga gamitin ang ating karunungan at kaalaman hindi sa sariling pakinabang kundi para sa pangkalahatang pakinabang.Dahil dito posible pa rin makamit ang kapayapaan kung ang inisip ay para sa kapakanan ng lahat.

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A DIFFERENT FACE OF PEACEDeanne Bianca Roque

Riddle me this. It is that rare moment of truce when teachers decide to stop sending projectiles of assignments and projects at my direction for once. It is the moment when I put my pen down and pass the answer sheet and questionnaire of the last exam for the quarter and, the time that follows. It is the opposite of the chaos caused by an overload of requirements to be accomplished in the span of just one week. I am a student who experiences all these, and “it” is peace – my peace, a student’s peace. In a society I belong to, “it” is the absence of any disturbances caused by noisy or nosy neighbors, random people passing by and with them unnecessary commotions. As for the world, according to a knowledge I acquired as a student, the Second World War has ended a long time ago. World War III does not seem to be coming any time soon. Is that not peace?

Lately, I find myself having little chats with my friends ... this is peaceful, until one takes into account their individual troubles: poor health, unsatisfactory physique, complicated relationships, tarnished reputations, turbulent emotions, jeopardized grades, money going in the red, lost or damaged possessions, resilient roaches creeping around the house or nightmares that haunt people in their sleep. These keep a person from

Babaylan - Hands of Peace by Kara Santos

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being at peace. However, to be honest, the absence of these petty things are not what first comes to mind when I, for one, stumble upon the word “peace”. These are small compared to how I see peace. I think of peace as something grand, bordering on perfection, yet simple. However, when I think of two words – “Philippines” and “peace”- and try to put them next to each other I cannot seem to bring myself to do so. Problems start to manifest.

Oppression, corruption, and poverty exist side-by-side with human trafficking, child abuse, murder, and various other forms of inhuman treatment that refuse to recognize the dignity every person. This can hardly be called peace. And, the most recent is the Manila Hostage taking at the Quirino Grandstand that caused a diplomatic row between our country and Hong Kong. With the way things are in our country, if peace were to be achieved it would be so drastic that it will definitely make the Filipinos notice the change. In that case, if you look at it realistically, peace will never be achieved. Thinking about this statement makes peace all the more unreachable. If we want to be realistic, peace is impossible. We will never even get close to it. That is why we should at least aim for an achievable peace. Build a better generation that aims for the dignity of every Filipino to be recognized and respected.

Angelic Mabini Peace by Mara Melanie D Perez Ateneo de Manila University

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HOSTAGEMara Melanie D. Perez

“Ang pinakamadaling paraanpara matalo ang kalabanay gawin siyang kaibigan.”- Abraham Lincoln

“Huwag kayong kikilos nang masama kung gusto niyo pang mabuhay!” nagwawalang sigaw ni Sarim habang nakatutok ang kanyang M-16 sa mga kawawang pasahero ng dyip papunta sa pista ng Nazareno sa Quiapo.

“Panginoon! Iligtas po ninyo kami!” dasal ni Lola Ineng habang walang patid na nangungurus.

“Ano po bang kasalanan namin sa inyo?” matapang na pagtatanong ng batang si Allen.

Sumagot agad si Sarim. “Kayong mga Katoliko, mabilis kayong manghusga. Kapag nakita pa lang ninyo kaming mga Muslim, iniisip na agad ninyong masama kaming lahat. Kaya tuloy nalugi ang aming negosyo at wala na akong maipakain sa pamilya ko. Kaya bago sila mamatay sa gutom, uunahin ko na muna kayong paslangin!”

Naghiyawan sa takot ang mga pasahero.

Lumuhod sa gitna si Allen. Nag-alala ang matatanda dahil baka siya ang unang barilin ng nag-aamok na Muslim. “Teka muna, ginoo. Sa tingin po ba ninyo, malulutas ng ginagawa ninyo ang inyong problema?”

“Oo! Dahil sa ginagawa ko ngayon, malalaman ng lahat ang hinaing naming mga Muslim. Natutuhan ko ‘yan kay Mendoza. Kapag buhay ang nakataya, parang karneng nilalangaw ng media at mga tao ang eksena. Pero hindi ako kagaya niyang magpapa-gapi sa mga pulis. Heneral yata ako!” sabay baril sa batang si Allen.

Sa kabila ng mabilis na pagtagas ng dugo sa kanyang kanang balikat, pinilit pa rin niyang magsalita. “Kung iyan po ang makapagpapasaya sa inyo, ginoo. Kung sa tingin po ninyo lahat kami ay nag-iisip na masama kayo, diyan po kayo nagkakamali.”

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“Anong pinagsasasabi mong bata ka! Gusto mo na bang tuluyan talaga kita?”

“Alam ko po ang pinagdaraanan ninyo dahil nalulugi na rin po sa negosyo ang aking ama. Subalit kahit maliit lang po ang kanyang kinikita, araw-araw pa rin niya kaming ipinaghahanda ng babaunin namin sa paaralan. Noong isang buwan po, nang isusubo ko na ang aking tinapay, nakita ko po ang kaklase kong si Khalil na walang kinakain kaya hinatian ko po siya. Sinabi po niyang ang sarap daw ng palaman ng tinapay ko at ipinagmalaki ko pong gawa iyon ng aking tatay. Kinuha po niya ang kanyang pitakang walang laman at ipinakita sa akin ang larawan ng kanyang tatay. Kahawig na kahawig po ninyo, Ginoo. Sinabi po sa akin ni Khalil na mahal na mahal din siya ng kanyang tatay subalit mahirap talagang humanap ng pera sa siyudad.”

“Ikaw pala si Allen, ang ikinukuwento ng anak kong si Khalil na kaibigan niyang parating nagbibigay ng pagkain sa kanya?” paniniyak ni Sarim.

“Opo, ako nga po. At kayo po pala ang tatay ni Khalil na si G. Sarim? Alam niyo po ba, sabay rin po kaming nagdarasal at iginagalang po namin ang diyos ng bawat isa?” pagmamalaki ni Allen.

“Nagkamali pala ako. Hindi pala lahat ng Katoliko ay mapanghusga. Patawarin mo ako, Allen. Hindi ko sinasadya ang pagiging marahas. Patawarin mo sana ako. Ipinapangako kong magbabago na ako,” at itinapon sa labas ni Sarim ang kanyang baril.

“Wala po iyon, G. Sarim. Pinapatawad ko na po kayo. Pinag-aralan ko po ang ibig sabihin ng pangalan ng mga Muslim at naalala ko pong ang kahulugan ng pangalan ninyo ay matapang at may malaking puso. Isa pa po, sabi nga nila, iba-iba man ang ating pinaniniwalaan, ang utos ng bawat simbahan ay maging mabuting nilalang.”

Lumuhod si Sarim sa harapan ni Allen at kinarga ang duguang bata para madala sa ospital. Nagpalakpakan ang mga pasahero, mga pulis at lahat ng taong nanonood sa hostage crisis na nagtapos sa mapayapang paraan.

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GUNSHOTKrizzia Dale A. Villaflor

Bang. Bang. Bang. A loud thud came from the east where the sun had risen. I hear Dong’s panting, he’s been shot. He was shot near his heart, he’s burning, and he was on fire. All I could do was look at him, while he rolled over and over his unbearable pain. He grabbed me by the arm and looked at me fiercely, “Ben,” my hand was harassed with his grip still tightening his hold onto mine “This is it. Run. Ben. Run.” He then flinched and made the sign of the cross and his breath was no more. Dawn gathered us round and put a stop to our guns.

I came back to our tent with two guns swung over my shoulders. They all stared at me and I stared at them too. There was silence between me and all of them. When our commander asked me to take a sit, I followed his order. I looked at him, nodded and took my seat. I noticed the loss in our team. We lost at least six today but nobody would say a word about it. We all kept our mouths shut because it was an order that there would be no strings attached with our colleagues. We all ate together, we all felt the pangs of pain throbbing in our hearts but we should not tremble with what happened. It is our duty, yes, it is our duty as a soldier to risk our lives in the war.

The night was silent and even its silence meant that we are not safe. I lived every day of my life hoping tomorrow would never come for the reason that tomorrow would be another calling for death. It was like a voice hanging onto your head saying that you should run while you are breathing. Run before he comes for you and while you’re at it run as fast

Emil Aldrine B. Alarcon, Polytechnic University of the Philippines

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as you can in a race that never ends. It is what I call running from the death collector.

The following morning was another death calling. Around five in the morning we all had our cups of coffee and change into our battle suits. I reached for my gun when I saw Dong’s gun beside mine it took me two seconds to look at it and I forced to pull myself together and snapped out of it. Every time that I wore my gun over my back it would always be a reminder of killing a person who is just the same as me, who had the same right over life.

Bang, Bang, Bang. These gunshots served as music to my ears. Music that placed me in a situation of choosing between death or life. I listened very carefully to the exchanging of gunshots everywhere and I was one of the members of its choir. We all sang with our hearts out singing for the sake of living. It was an audition for the choir and not everyone had the chance to be chosen as its members. And from that we stumble down and die.

Michael who was at my left side was also hiding beneath the trees.

We would look at each other and it was an indication that we would draw our guns and fire again. At the count of 3 inside our heads we would fire at the enemy but Michael did not survive from the audition and from that it was decided that he should die. It was a cruel scene but I had to be a member of the choir of war, I should be. The night was again approaching and it was the end of the audition for singing in the war.

Dreaming by Jude Christoper R Roxas

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There at our tent, our safe zone, I held two guns but this time I never looked at them I just sat beside them and ate what was supposed to be eaten. We lost three colleagues again. From the hundred soldiers who were standing straight, now all that was left would not even be half. I do not want my emotions to take over me. We are at the hands of justice but being here, accompanying these people, there is no justice.

Some soldiers were at watch while some went to have their sleep. I was one of the watchers that night. We stood at all sides of the camp and guarded the place. The soldier who accompanied me was Lester. He lit a cigarette and offered me a stick. I grabbed one and place it in my mouth and lit the cigarette then blew smoke in the air. The smoke went with the air and then vanished. I wished vanishing was as easy as the smoke. After you finish a cigarette then that’s the end of the line, it died that way. That was the cigarette’s job and it was so easy but its life was easily taken too. We were also like cigarettes in a way. We lit ourselves with fire but that fire would also lead us to our death.

“Ben, why did you become a soldier?” he asked with eagerness in his face to start a conversation. I turned away and said “Because my dad was a soldier.” I said no more.

Sometimes I cannot help but blame my father why he wanted me to become a soldier. He told me that if I became a soldier I would be honorable and looked up to. Now that I am on my post as a soldier the only honor I saw was the honor in dying in a cruel way. When I was still studying and fulfilling my father’s dream that I would be a soldier I knew that the reality in being a soldier was to wait for death and that never left my mind.

Bang, Bang, Bang. A soldier was down. I heard the shot loud and clear. Lester went to take a pee and—bang, bang, bang—he laid there dead. There was a spy who crept inside the camp and I shot him too, and bang, bang, bang, he was also dead. The camp woke up from the gunshots that they heard and each of them knew that there weren’t only one spy but there were at least ten who then was heard running away from the camp. They were like chickens that ran away from us. One even said, “You little cowards!” and they chuckled but I stayed silent about it.

Silence.

“Ben, wake up! Commander will check on us already.” A fine soldier told

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me and I rose from where I was sitting and acted vigorous but the truth with that is that I dreamt of sleeping in a bed. In a little while commander went to check up on me.

“Soldier, are you okay?”

“Sir, Yes Sir!” the voice said. It was my own voice lying.

“Good Soldier. Good.” And the commander left.

I was left at the camp to keep watch. One soldier whom I did not know said we had to exchange and I was told to go to sleep and he would take my place for it. I looked at him as if I was very thankful for what he’s doing. I went inside the tent and never bothered to come out and I slept immediately.

Bang, Bang, Bang, I heard another loud shot but this time it was near me. So near that I never woke up from my sleep again. I died just like Dong, Michael, and Lester, we all died from the cruelty of war. After a while I

Sunset We Must Find Peace by Dick Jay Bustamante,Youth Solidarity for Peace-Peace Advocates Zamboanga

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was together with them with smiles in their faces and all that left the camp that morning were with us too. We died from the war and I died without given the opportunity to fight for my life. That was war. We ended our lives in war.

Bang, Bang, Bang, the war was like a living nightmare. Your reality would become a dream. All the fighting and all the bloodshed would only be considered as a dream even if it was really happening. I did die with honor while my family cried and cried. Was it honorable saving the country and my family? Yes it is. Yes it should be.

“Kuya, Kuya, it is time to go to school. Nanay is already angry.” I woke up with my hand near my heart, I was in a dream. A dream in war, a dream of war, and a dream about the war. I was in my bed with a slight curve in my lips thankful that I am still alive.“Nanay, I will go to school now.” I bid my mother goodbye. She had that smile in her eyes that made me at ease. I went out the house and looked around. The war was a constant manifestation of troubles around us that only caused us to be greedy. I am only fourteen and I still have a lot of dreams rather than being held captive by my troubles and all the troubles of the world. I need to enjoy what life gave me. I told myself that this was what I needed. Peace. Peace in everything. Here, where life is stable where I could get hold of what happiness meant, is peace.

SHOOTING STARS AND WARS April Anne Dizon

That unique kind of noise is piercing through his body. A dissonance breaking his bones. A ruined portrait, his eyes, his own witness. He covers his ears and runs away. Far from this inferno. Tears came rushing down his cheeks. He cries for help. He is, afterall, only a boy. The sky is no longer seen with clouds, it is painted with blood. The picture in his head continues to haunt him. He cannot breathe, the air is filled with smoke. He hid inside his fears. Big men with guns and fiery eyes, he sees through them revenge rather than courage. Children crying out loud but no one listens. He closed his eyes. There, his mother was cooking. His father just arrived. His siblings playing with mud. His family, his home. The cold breeze touching his face. He was lying down on the grass gandering on the night sky. The night of silence, only fireflies give light. The stars watching him, he makes a wish. He closed

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his eyes.

He heard the canons. Bombs flying and houses are burned. It gives him the chills, the feeling of death. He wants this to end. His voice is never heard. He is now deaf, deaf with the noise around him. There is little hope in him - that the world would stop, that the world would listen. He makes a wish. He closed his eyes.

KALAPATIDen

Kalapati ka na ubod ng gandaMaputi at mapungay ang mga mataNa sa langit Malaya at masayang gumagalaNa para bang mga batang walang takot at mga problema

Hwag ka sanang paapiSa mga taong maiitim ang budhi Karapatan mo’y iyong ipaglabanDahil yan ay katumbas ng iyong buhay

THERE IS NO WAR IN BA SING SELouis Mark N. Plaza

There is no war in Ba Sing Se.My mind is trained to think that way.For outside these thickened walls,I do not dare to see.


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There is no war in Ba Sing SeAnd life in here is but ordinary.Amidst the busy streets and city lightsYou do not think of war and insurgency.

There is no war in Ba Sing Se.We are hushed to talk and dare to think,For our economy is strong,Thus, our thoughts should reside there.

There is no war in Ba Sing Se.We wear our masks from day to day,Painted happy faces who do not dare to ask,Why men are taken by thieves of the night.

There is no war in Ba Sing Se.And why should one think of such?When outside these thickened walls,I do not dare to see,For my heart is a wallflower,and in these walls I feel free.

Ba Sing Se is a fictitious walled city in Nickelodeon’s animated series- Avatar: The Last Airbender. I dedicate this poem to the children of Lanao del Norte, especially those attacked and traumatized of the silent war of August 2008, especially the children of Kawit, Lanao del Norte.

KABATAANChiz

Kabataan! Kabataan gising naBumangon, tumayo at lumakad naSagipin ang bayan mo sa pagdurusaSa hirap, karahasan at iba pa

Ipunin mo ang iyong lakas, tibay ng loobIyong ibantayog ang bandila ng kapayapaanTigre man o leon ay hwag mong uurunganLagi mong isipin na ito’y para sa bayan

Buksan ang iyong mata, puso at makingSa payo ng kaibigang nasa iyong paligid

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Hwag kang aayaw hwag kang palulupigSa anumang pag subok laging masigasig

GUMISING KALeLouch/Baral

Kabataan ang pag-asa ng inang bayanIyan ang sabi ni Gat Jose RizalNgunit hanggang pag-asa na lamang baAng ating kabataan?

Kelan tayo kikilosKelan tayo mamumulatKelan tayo tatayo at ipaglalaban Ang ating mga karapatan

Kelan tayo sisigaw na tama na ang pang-aapi,Ating kabataan nga ba’y hanggang pag-asa na lamang ba?

PANDAMA SA MINDANAODebbie Cabanag

Mahigit daang-libong milya sa mula sa himpapawid ay matatanaw and isla ng kagandahan; mga luntiang bulubindukin ay taglay na likas-yaman. Walang alinlangan sa taglay nitong yaman. Kay ganda ng Mindanao. Marahil nga ay napag-uusapan tunay nitong kalagayan, ngunit damdamin ko’y humihiyaw sa katarungang hindi makamtan ng mga biktima ng digmaan.

Malalim na bugtong hininga sa repleksyon ng kahirapan at kaguluhan ang aking panghimas-mas sa hindi lubos na maunawaang kawalan ng kapayapaan at pananaig ng walang katapusang digmaan.Kailan matutuldukan ang digmaang ito? Ilang mga inosenteng kababaihan, bata at kabataan pa ang maaaring masawi? Ito ang pagninilay, tanong sa sarili, na mas lalong nag-aanak ng mas maraming katanungan.

Ang kalagayan ng Mindanao ay isa lamang sa mga nawasak ng digmaan sa bansa, bunga ng kawalan ng respeto sa tradisyunal na paniniwala sa karapatan ng bawat isa maging lumad, muslim, o kahit anong relihiyon, kulay, kasarian, at katangian sa buhay.

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Simpleng pamumuhay lang ang tangi nilang sambit; ngunit patuloy na naghihingalo sa pagkamit ang mga bakwit. Sana’y hindi tayo masanay sa ganitong klaseng buhay ng mga taga-Maguindanao.

Nawa’y ang pakikibaka sa kalayaan, karapatang mabuhay at pagpanday ng kapayapaan para sa kinabukasan ay pangarapin ng bawat isa, ito ang aking sambit at ninanais para sa lahat ng mganilalang na may pandama at may kapasidad pang-mangarap na makamtan ang wagas na kapayapaan at katarungan sa lugar ng digmaan tulad ng Mindanao.

TAHIMIK NA KOMUNIDADAidner de la Torre

Tahimik na komunidadNa inabusuhan, inaapiNgunit nagtulungan, nagtatrabaho, nakipagbigayanUpang makamit ang pangarap

Mindanao by Jupiter Polistico, Youth Solidarity for Peace-Peace Advocates Zamboanga

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Na katahimikan, na maka-DiyosMakatao na para sa lahat

ANG KABUNDUKANAnonymous

Sagana, luntianNapakayamanPinuputol, sinisiraLinapastangan Sa ating kinabukasan Ito’y ating pangalagaanKasama ng ating karapatan


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PANGANDOY KO’NG KALINAWBong Fabe

Usa niana ka adlawSamtang ako naglakawAko nadasmagNabungi ug napangagApan nitindog ug namaspasWa igsapayan akong samadUg sa panaw ako nagpadayonHangtod makab-ot ang pagdaun

Bisan sa kangitngitBisang sa kalisang


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Ako magpadayonMakigbisog ug mo-asdangTawhanong katungodIpatigbabaw, ipahamtangAron ang gihandumKalinaw, matagamtan

KAMING MGA TRIBODike Tribal Elementary School

Kaming mga tribo, ang tirahan ay gubatPilipinong ligaw sa amin ay tawagDumagat man kami sa kabundukanKami’y nagtatanim at hindi nangungulimbat

Kaming mga tribo ang nagbigay-tandaPangalan, hangganan ng ilog at sapaMaging itong bundok at lupaAng kulturang nagbuhat pa kay Makedepat

Ngunit ng dumating itong dayuhanSila ay nagsira ng kalikasanKanilang inangkin aming kabuhayabKami’y pinaalis sa lupang tinubuan

Kaya buong tribo tayo’y gumiingAting bawiin ang lupang inangkinDugo man ay dumanak at buhay ay makitilMabawi lamang ang lupang inangkin.

KATUTUBOChaybell de Leon

Kaming mga katutubo Taimtim at payapaNabubuhay subalit minsanKami’y inaapi, inaabuso,

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Niyuyurakan at sinisira Ang aming mga prinsipyo Pero heto pa rin kamiHanding lumabanUpang ipaglaban ang aming karapatanDahil tulad ng ibaNais din naming lumayaAt mabuhay ng mapayapa

UNANG TAO SA MUNDOMarjorie Maano

Marahil alam ng iba sa atin ang tungkol sa katutubo sa kabundukan man o maging sa kagubatan.Subalit mayroon din ilan sa ating mga kababayan ang hindi alam na ang katutubo ay pinagmulan natin dahil sila ang nauna at nabuhay sa mundong ibabaw.

Katutubo, ayon sa aking pag aaral na ang mga katutubo ay may iba’t-ibang uri.halimbawa na lamang ng mga badjao,tausug,mangyan,ayta at iba pa.kung mapapansin ninyo ang ganitong pagkatao ay malayong-malayo ito sa mga taga siyudad,sapagkat ang mga taga-siyudad ay mga normal sa paningin ng mga nakatira sa urban at may pagka sosyal,samantalang ang mga katutubo hindi nila pinapansin kung anu

Sunset by the Hand of a Youth by Dick Jay Bustamante,Youth Solidarity for Peace-Peace Advocates Zamboanga

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man ang mga nasa paligid nila.Halimbawa na lamang sa pagkain dahil mahalaga ang pagkain para mabuhay ng matagal ang isang tao kahit ano na lamang ang kinakain nila .kahit maging prutas at mga gulay ay kinukuha nila para magkaroon lamang ng laman ang kanilang mga sikmura.

Gayonman,marami din sa ating mga taga siyudad ang mga nagsabi tungkol sa katutubo na sila ay walang alam dahil hindi sila marunong bumasa’t sumulat hindi rin ito tulad sa kanilang mga taga siyudad na may kaalaman at iba ang pananaw sa buhay.at ito rin ay may kaniya-kaniyang paniniwala,Halimabawa na lamang sa tradisyon sa katutubo.Ito ay naghahanda ng engrado sa mga dayuhang nakikisalamuha nila at kahit wala na itong makain.Dahil itong tradisyon na ito ay sumisimbolo na sa paniniwala nila na sa pamamagitan na Gawain na ito’y magiging malapit sila sa mga dayuhang dumaraan sa lugar nila.At sa pamamagitan na ito na maari din silang matulungan sa kanilang mga suliraning kinakaharap sa araw-araw.

Hindi ko maisip na kung bakit kapag sa simpleng buhay lamang nila at kapag walang dumarayong

mga dayuhan sa lugar kanila ito ay wala man lang makain.Marahil iyon ay isang tradisyon at pinaka iingatan nilang araw.Ngunit hindi pa rin iyon sapat na na gawin dahil na ang buhay nila ang nakasalalay lalo na sa mga matatanda’t kabataan.

At kung mapapansin mo na ang kanilang lugar ay napakatahimik at walang gulo,Ang hindi natin alam na ang mga pinag dadaan ng ilan sa ating katutubo ay hindi madali para sa kanilang buhay.

by John Mark Sayon

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Sapagkat ang mga katutubo natin ay may mga kinakatakutan at iyon ang mga armadong dumaraan at humihinto sa lugar nila .

Paniniwala rin nila na kaya ang mga kabataan ay hindi mga nakapagtapos ng pag-aaral ay dahil sa mga armadong nakakasalamuha nila.Natatakot sila sa tuwing makakakita sila ng mga armadong humihinto sa lugar nila.

Noon ang mga armadong sundalong ito ay naglalaban sa malayong lugar at walang mapipinsalang mga sibilyan ,subalit pagkaraan ng ilang taon ito ay napalapit na sa mga taong nakatira sa bundok.at hanggang ngayon na sa tuwing mag lalaban ang dalawang kampo maraming sibilyang katutubo ang nadadamay at namamatay.

Gayonman marami pa rin sa ating mga katutubo ang nagpasya na hindi lisanin ang kanilang tinitirhan sapagkat na ang paniniwala nila na ang mga ninuno nila ay nabuhay at namatay sa lugar na ngayon ay tinitirhan nila.at dapat itong sundin ayon sa kanilang ninuno. Na Nabuhay sila sa lugar na iyon.

Bagamat mapanganib para sa kanila ang lisanin ang lugar na iyon sapagkat sa paglipas ng araw marami silang makakasalamuhang mga sundalo at madamay pa sila sa paglalaban ng dalawang kampo.

Maraming mamatay sa gutom lalung-lalo na ang mga matatanda’t kabataang katutubo.

At sa pagtahak ng ilan nating kababayan sa kabundukan o maging sa kagubatan man malaki ang maitutulong nila sa mga katutubo sapagkat matutulungan nila ang mga ito lalung-lalo na sa mga matatanda’t kabataan na may karamdaman kahit wala anumang kapalit. nais mabuhay ng matagal at higit sa lahat makasalamuha ng bagong kababayan natin na nais silang matulungan. Sabi nga ng iba na ang pag bibigay mo ng tulong sa iba ito ay magdudulot ng kasiyahan sa iyong sarili.

MANGYAN SA MINDOROJuanito Diado

May kulturaMay paniniwalaMay pamumuhay

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TinatakotMinamaliitIanaabuso

Subalit hindi nawawalan ng tiwala sa sariliNa baling-araw ay makakamit nila Ang titulo ng kanilang lupaing ninuno

Sa tulong ng NCIP* at Sulong CARHRIHL**Ay nanininwala sila na makakamtan nila Ang tagumpay at kapayapaan

*Ang NCIP ay ang National Commission on Indigenous Peoples na itinaguyod upang tumugon sa mga

pangangailangan ng mga katutubo.

** Ang Sulong CARHRIHL (Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect of Human Rights and International

Humanitarian Law) ay isang organisasyong nagpapalaganap at sumusuporta sa pagpapatupad ng

kasunduan ng CPP-NPA-NDF at ng gobyerno na irespeto ang mga karapatang pantao ng mga sibilyan

at sundin ang ‘International Humanitarian Law’ kahit sa panahon ng armadong tunggalian.

AM I AWAKE?Eireen Ena Beleno

Every morningI wake up with this empty feelingWaiting for somethingTo satisfy the missing

Out of nowhere you cameSatisfied I becameMy heart that is lameHave embossed with flame

Now that everything is changedI thank thee for what I gainedI’ll start with this young ageTo help us get through another stage

Because I know now my rightsI’ll stand up in the fightsAnd raise everyone’s kitesWith these shiny bright lights

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Now there’s no more empty feelingFor CARHRIHL satisfied the missingSo we youth are now awake and thinking To implement goals for a better living

IKAW, AKO AT ANG HRMilven O. Estrada

HR ikay san nga ba nagsimulaSa digmaang noon bay ikay nakitaO nagsimula pa lang mapansin at magawaDahil na rin sa mga taong nasawi at nawala

Ngayon ngay ikaw ay andiyan naIginagalang, nirerespeto at pinapalawak naKaya nga sanay mga taong di ka kinikilalaSilay matauhan at magising na

Kabataan imulat iyong mga mataKatotohany sumasambulat talagaItaguyod, ipagsigawan HR andito naBukas, ngayon Ikaw, ako at HR magkasama

KARAPATANG PANTAOLIG’s

Ingatan ang ating kalikasanPaunlarinPagyamaninIgalangPantay na karapatanLipunan

Dito sa kapatagan, ay may isinilangSa tuktok ng bundok, ay may kahirapanKaya sama sama tayo, ang mga kabataanSa pagkilos, n gating kapayapaanAt upang tumagumpay, an gating lipunanSulong CARHRIHL, IPRA ating ipaglaban

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ANG WARAYNON NA KABATAANMoi

Kami an kabataan tikang na SamarNatindog pagbulig para han kauswaganUg kaupayan han bog-os nga katauhan

Babantayan mga proyekto ng gobyernoTikang han buwis han mga taoPara makad-otan anKamurayan ug kahim yabagingan

TWENTY YEARS FROM NOW...Arianna Cariaga

I am fifteen years old. If someone asks me what peace is, I have to admit that I will need a dictionary to clearly define it. I struggle for words to describe it. However, if someone were to ask me what violence is, I will not even need a minute for it. I have been a witness to it. I have seen violence happen and, felt it. It is not only the bloody scenes in movies nor the incidents like the recent Quirino Grandstand hostage taking; it is also when we are abused. Violence is whenever a physical, emotional, spiritual, or intellectual force hurts you. It makes me wonder, how come no one is spared from violence? When will you and I have peace?

Twenty years from now, my generation will be leaders of our country. Who knows, one day I may become the president of our country and I lead the Philippines to peace. But how will I know where to start? One thing is for sure though; I will not steal from the people. I will not steal the people’s hard earned money just to I live a life in luxury. I will not steal the truth just to be like the emperor who created reality from a lie. I will not steal justice just to have right to my side. I will not steal people’s hopes and dreams just to have power. I will not steal the youth’s future just to say that I, alone, have the right to benefit what our country has to offer. But these things are achievable in the future. What about now? What can I do now? Better yet, what can we, the future heroes and heroines, do now? Stealing starts by taking coins from mom’s purse. Murder starts by killing small insects during play time in the garden. Evil thoughts start by envying the toys of your playmates. Cheating starts by copying your classmate’s homework. I can go on and on giving more examples but the idea is still the same. As a quote from J.K. Rowling’s novel, Harry Potter

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and the Chamber of Secrets, goes, “It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” Our principles define us. Without them, we are nothing.

When we have principles in life, then we can stand up to anyone and anything. We can stand up to the challenges that come our way and that is exactly what each and every Filipino needs to possess in order to make the much needed change, stop the violence, and take the path towards peace. Yet, we must also hold on to the strongest tool to our disposal, our faith in the Lord. For our purpose on Earth is to be stewards to His creations and to maintain peace in the world. We are here not to abuse His creations but to take care of them and of each other. Someday, I hope that we will serve our purpose on Earth, the very purpose why He put us here. To take care of all of God’s creations and to live in harmony with one another. The way I see it, peace is the feeling of security, love, trust, order, and happiness in everything you do and with everyone you meet.

THE DECLARATION BETWEENAngelito Veloso

Within the holy passes of his wordsUnder the heaven, of which we are inThe fierce dominance of masculinityShould never rip apart The essence of the other’s femininity

Knowledge had told you And the othersThat even beyond the instinct of animalsWe are bound to live and co-existWith the other half, without hoveringOver and becoming sexist

I Love Peace by Jupiter Polistico, Youth Solidarity for Peace-Peace Advocates Zamboanga

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BABAEAnonymous

Matalino, malakas at busilakInaapi, sinasaktan ngunitTumatayo at nakikibakaUpang ipaglaban ang karapatanAt ang hangad na pagkakapantay-pantayHindi matatamo ang lipunanAng tunay na kalayaanHanggat hindi lumalaya Ang kababaihan

by Ejem B. Alarcon

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JOURNEY OF A WOMANCherie

I opened my eyesAnd look at this God’s wonderful creationShe was there; a womanCreated for a purpose;Valued for her roleVested with power to begin life

With the passage of timeShe learned harsh realities of life;She was exploited, experienced violenceShe lost her dignity She found herself asking

Is this the people I gave life?Is this the society I was tasked to mold?

A woman criesShe asks for someone Who could hear her voiceAnd help her do her taskTo shape a violent-free worldTo mold peace loving people

THE ESSENCE OF PEACEFerlyn Antiquina

Imagine the color of the skyYou can really see it’s blue, but why?Even the oceans and seas reflect its hueLeading everyone to have a clue

Color blue is determine as peaceWhere you can feel the certain silenceAnd even unity was embraceUpon the beauty of God’s grace

Every individual has its own powerBecause in there hands, peace can be bear

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That will lead to have a better changeNot just for itself but for the country as well

As of now, our country is in troubleThus, it encounters many an obstacleBut through peace, unity is possibleAs a well organized country, since it’s our goal

We can hardly claim the assuranceUnless we will work for what we believeLike we can’t reach the top by just a glanceBut by struggling in every steps that we take

Attaining peace can be made through actionsSince actions speaks louder than wordsAnd words will vanished like the air when blownA reality that will heal a crucial wound

Calm sea, peaceful sky and united countryReally had a proportion and harmonySo the fish can swim, the bird can fly and men can be freeBecause of the existence of peace that will always stay.

KAPAYAPAANAnonymous

Kapana-panabik, kahali-halina, kaaya-ayaKaunlaran at katahimikanKaligayahan at kasayahanKapayapaan ng ating bayanIgiit, ipagtanggol at ipaglabanUpang tunay na kapayapaan Ay makamtan

KARAPATANG PANTAOGenalyn Villaluz

Ako’y isang katutuboTunay na hinahamakAt niyuyurakan akong karapatan

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Iba man aking kulay, buhok at pinagmulanNgunit ako’y tao rin dapat igalangAko ay naririto upang malaman Aking karapatanMagkaiba man tayoIisa ang ating hinahangad...Kapayapaan.

KARAPATAN NG BAWAT MAMAMAYANG PILIPINOSantos

Sakit, sugat pagtuligsa ng gobyernoPagkimkim, pagkulong, pagpatay at pagmamaltratoPilipino magtulugan Isulong ang karapatan ng mga kabataanAting ipagtanggol ang kapayapaan

Nagliliyab na PangarapAnonymous

Ang pagibig at pangarapSana’y may katuparanAng puso ko’y sumisigawNa sanay dinggin nyo

Tandaan nyoItong pangarap ko Ay para sa bayanIkaw at ako Tayong lahatAsahan nyo Para sa atin ito

Katapangan moKatapangan koKarunungan mo Karunungan koSulong CARHRIHLHandagang tutulong

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Sa pagsulong n gating karapatan

Kapayapaan at kaunlaranAy ating makamtanKapit bisig lamangAng tanging kailangan Upang ang naliliyab nating pangarap Ating makamtan

“KAY INANG BAYAN”John Marc Benavidez Estoque

I.Ang pagtahak sa mundong walang katiyakan...Ang paglayag sa bagsik ng karagatang...ni bitui’y walang makitang tanglaw!

Pagnasang sa kalangita’y makalipad... makalipad ng kahit bali-bali na’ng pakpak!Bigong kaluluwang s’yang kahabaghabagsa mga bitui’y nakatulala kahit walang ninitang pag-asa!

Nangarap balang araw magiging dakila...Nangarap na balang araw na sa mga mata n’ya’y aahon at sisikat muli ang umaga!Nangarap ng dakilang mga bagay na mas malayo pa sa katotohanan...Sa sarili’y nagkumbinsing pakalunod sa ilusyon ng mga pangarap,Sa ilusyon ng mga hangaring imposibleng matahak!

Kaluluwang kahabaghabag... pusong nadudurogNguni’t sa isipa’t puso’y pilit pa ring buhayin ang imposibleng pangarap!

Nangarap ng dakilang bagay na hindi man tiyakKung kayang abutin...Nangarap ng pagkataastaas na hindi naman tantoKung ano ang simulain...Hanggang pangarap na lang ba at wala nang gagawin?

Mabigat na buntong hingang buhat sa dibdib,

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namimighating puso, damdaming naninikip!Mga mata’y hayu’t sapul sa malayo’t malalim ang tinginhabang sa pisngi’y nangabasag na luhang nangingilid!

II.Oh ako’y ilipad mo’t bigyan mo ng pakpak!Nais kong sumisid sa kariktan ng pangarap!Sa mundong ilusyong malayo pa sa bituin...Sa daigdig ng panagimpang malayong marating!

Oh ako’y iyong pag-alabin... itong apoy sa’king budhi...Ang damdaming nagpupumiglas, nangarap na ang mga adhika’y mararating din!Ningas ay pahintulutan mo sanang mag-alab at h’wag manlamig...at gawing tanglaw hanggang sa bagong umagang parating!

Magngitngit ka, Oh kaluluwang nasisiraan na ng loob!Magpumiglas kang parang dakilang leong sa kalayaa’y pinagkait...Nitong pag-asang sa damdamin ma’y nangabasag na salamin...Ningas ng talino’t tapang mo’y iyong pag-alabin!

Kung sa gabing walang katiyakan, walang katahimikan, nagugulong isipan...Kung sa gabing pagtulog mo’y luha ng kawalang pag-asa’y iyong kumot at unan...Hayaan mo at h’wag kalimutang may umagang paparatingat ang bukang liwayway... balang araw ay sisikat din!

III.Wala na ngang s’yang ligaya’ng sa mukha’y makapipinta...liban na sa ang makita’y ngiti sa’yong mga mata!Ni hinagpis at luhang nangapawi na’t s’yang nawala...Na sa’yong pagdusa’y ninitang bagong umaga!

Wala na ngang s’yang bagay ang sa puso’y makagagaan...na kung ika’y malasin ko’y ligaya’ng nararamdamanSa bigat ng ‘yong pasani’y ano’t siyang pagkagaan...Sa sandaling makikita na kitang ‘di na mahihirapan!

Wala na nga ang s’yang sa puso’y makapagbibigay galak!na kung sa mga luha mo’y tuluyan nang nanga-alpas...Wala nang gabing mapanglaw ni ang pagdusa’t pagdalita

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Kundi ang bukang liwayway na s’yang puno ng pag-asa!

Oh Pilipinas, bayan ko! Lupang sinilangan...Aanhin pa nga’ng mga luha’ng ngayo’y nagbabatis sa’king mga matani damdamin sa puso kong kaybigat at nagbabata?Pagdusang sa’yo’y nakalagak, sa iyo nakalaan...

Wala na ngang siyang bagay higit na mas dadakilasa kung sa sariling dugo, pawis at aking paghihirapna sa abang bayan’t sinta ko’y aking pag-aalayanNang sa dumating ang araw na makitang muli...ang ‘yong mga ngiting muling kikislap, at ang pagdating ng isang bago’t mapayapang umaga!

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ANNEXES

The essays, poems, short stories, artworks and photographs in Anagnorisis have helped us understand further the youth’s perspectives on peace. GenPeace would like to acknowledge these contributors for sharing their insights and creative pieces to the world. Without them, this publication would not have been possible.

Annex 1: List of Poem, Essay and Short Story Contributors

Aldrin Abdurahim, Zamboanga City - Youth Solidarity For Peace -Paz Peace Advocates Zamboanga (Paz)April Anne Dizon, University Of Santo Tomas, ManilaArianne Cariaga, St.Scholastica’s Academy, Marikina CityAubrey Graze V. Pareja, Asia United BankBrian. F. De Eyoy, St. Alexius College, Koronadal CityChristelle Rosales, St.Scholastica’s Academy, Marikina CityCristina Maano, Adamson UniversityDeanne Bianca Roque, St. Scholastica’s Academy, Marikina CityDebbie Cabanag, Fairview, Quezon City Ian VillanuevaJobelle Jocson, St.Scholastica’s Academy, Marikina CityJohn Marc Estoque, St. Joseph’s College, Quezon CityJude Christoper Roxas, Zamboanga CityJude Ortega, Cebu City Junrey Ferenal, Ateneo De Zamboanga University, Zamboanga CityLouis Mark Nazareno PlazaMara Melanie D. Perez, Ateneo De Manila University, Quezon CityMarielle Lois O. Trinidad, Blue Screen Entertainment CorporationMarjorie Maano Noelle Marie R. Salvan, Canossa College, San Pablo City, LagunaPaul Chester G. Alcantara, Canossa College, San Pablo City, LagunaStephanie Castillo, Miriam College, Quezon CityZaira Mae N. Labay, Pasig City

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Annex 2. List of Photo Contributors

Dick Jay Bustamante, Western Mindanao State University, Zamboanga City - Youth Solidarity For Peace -Peace Advocates ZamboangaJupiter L. Pollisco, Zamboanga City - Peace Advocates ZamboangaKara Santos, Quezon City

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Annex 3: List of Artwork Contributors

Alfredo V. Martinez, Polytechnic University Of The Philippines Deoner G. Catamora, EaristEjem B. Alarcon, Polytechnic University Of The PhilippinesEmil Aldrine B. Alarcon, Polytechnic University Of The Philippines Fernando E. Antimano John Mark Sayon John Michael J. Macariola, Earist Justito Fadriquela, Polytechnic University Of The Philippines Lance Kirby T. Yaneza, Feati University Marjorie G. Sazon Rey Lacap, Feati University Reynaldo V. Martirez, Polytechnic University Of The PhilippinesRobert M. Tangtang, Polytechnic University Of The Philippines Ronante S. Maratas, Feati University Rosela C. Andal, EaristSketch Tan, Far Eastern University

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Generation Peace Youth Network (GenPeace) is a national network of organizations and individuals engaged in a youth-led advocacy towards a just and sustainable peace in the Philippines. GenPeace seeks to connect, empower and transform the young generation by making them ardent advocates of peace. Its three main programs are: 1) Networking and Linkaging; 2) Capacity Building and Youth Formation; and 3) Peace Advocacy, particularly the non-violent resolution of internal armed conflicts in the country.

GenPeace partners with over 40 different networks and organizations from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao with core leaders coming from 10 different organizations and networks with expertise in various fields such as Advocacy and Campaigns, Human Rights, Development, International Humanitarian Law and Peace Education among others.

This publication is a portion of the “Sustaining the Youth’s Engagement in Peacebuilding” project in partnership with the UNDP – Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding Programme and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.

You may reach us at: Generation Peace Youth Network (GenPeace)c/o The National Secretariat, Gaston Z. Ortigas Peace Institute2nd Floor Hoffner Building, Social Development ComplexAteneo de Manila University,Loyola Heights, Quezon City 1108Philippines

Telephone: (+632) 4266122 Fax: (+632) 4266064Website: http://genpeace.tk/

ABOUT GENERATION PEACE

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