Flood in a Lifetime By: Jonas Hapinat

A Guest Blog by Mr. Jonas A. Hapinat

Can it be the worst year ever? People were flabbergasted with unexpected turns of events which wreaked havoc to the human civilization. This has been the year which hope is far from reach and disasters are agonizing the lives of every individual whose lives are already miserable--but made more miserable instead.

I was clueless at first, I never thought that something terrifying is meant to come my way. I have grown too complacent of the things that I thought is impossible of happening. As the flood submerged our houses in a knee-high level and it continuously increases in a short-period of time, I was left wondering in fear. Are we hounded by nightmares? That in every month of this year is the prevalence of different suffering which draws tears among our countrymen.

It was 12 midnight when I was startled by mother's panicking voice. She spoke a thunderous voice which lingers upon my ears until now. "The water is here," she shouted with an echoing blast, but behind the loudness is the sound of a mother being terrified of her children's safety. We hurriedly packed our clothes and brought the necessary things above the drawer where the water might not able to reach it.

The entire neighborhood is engulfed with the spirit of 'bayanihan' as everyone extended their hands in carrying each other's refrigerators, televisions and other electronic appliances. We carefully watched the water submerging the floors of our houses into a pool of mud and dirt. When the water reached a knee-high level, we evacuated immediately into my aunt' house, as their house is built significantly higher than the average houses in our neighbourhood. It was in the afternoon that we realized that the water is not yet subsiding, forcing us to evacuate immediately into a 2-storey building where we can have a peace of mind while sleeping the night away.

In the evening, I was forced to sleep in the rooftop, alongside with my cousins, for the 2nd storey house of my aunt is over-occupied by children and aged people. The electricity was shut down and the only source of light we had is the candle that brightened the dimming hope of the quiet night. I run out of battery so I borrowed the phone of my cousin to browse the Internet and update myself with the current situation of my town. It was heartbreaking to see people from different places in Cagayan Valley who were asking for immediate rescue after getting stucked on their rooftops without nothing to eat and drink. I thought that our situation is no better compared to others, but I was wrong, we are much better than them.

It was in the night that a surreal moment in my life happened in the midst of a disaster. I was sleeping with the stars, carefully watching them one by one. I can see them twinkling from up above, telling me that at the hour of darkness, there is a ray of light. I felt like I was in the middle of the universe. As I closed my eyes, I can see them sparkle with glittering hope and resiliency.

It was a flood in a lifetime, a moment that I will remember forever.

- Jonas Hapinat

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Cagayan and Isabela needs HELP. #UlyssesPH

Photo Credits to Lorie Agub

Just after the devastation brought by Super Typhoon Rolly in Bicol, Typhoon Ulysses gave NCR, CALABARZON and Central Luzon nightmarish strong winds and heavy rain downpour submerging affected areas into deep floods more than what Typhoo Ondoy gave last 2009. Two provinces in the North cries for help – Cagayan and Isabela as main dams and Cagayan River overflowed causing severe deep floods that almost blurred the provinces in the archipelago as seen in aerial views. Social Media has been flooded with posts of despair, danger, hunger and grief though citizens are trying so hard to be resilient. This is not the time for division, we Filipinos should unite as one in helping each other never mind politics or social differences. People in the said provinces badly need food, water, basic necessities and to be rescued for those who are trapped by floods in the rooftops.

Photo Credits to Joash Aggabao

Photo Credits to Christina Saquing

I am using this blog as a channel to help my Kababayans in this challenging calamity situation. May this blog post reach everyone who has the heart to help even in the simplest ways.  Here are the hotlines and channels to where you could help and give donations. I would like to thank The Geyser -People's Publication for giving me the list of important hotlines to contact in Isabela and Cagayan. You can reach them at their Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TheGeyserPublication

IMPORTANT NUMBERS TO SAVE!

[Credits to ISU-The Geyser]

PDRRMC Isabela HOTLINE numbers:

(078)323-0416 - PLDT

09215852341 - Smart

09158193187 - Globe

DISTRICT 1 EMERGENCY HOTLINES

CABAGAN

PNP- (0917) 904 0182

BFP- (0917) 816 4240

LGU RESCUE-(0917) 565 6679

DELFIN ALBANO

PNP- (0977) 801 9029

BFP- (0953) 299 9108

LGU RESCUE- (0917) 653 3652

DIVILACAN

PNP- (0998) 967 3088

BFP -(0997) 288 4336

LGU RESCUE- (0919) 892 2240

CITY OF ILAGAN

PNP- (0916) 742 4412

BFP- (0975) 250 1218

LGU RESCUE- (0915) 234 1124

MACONACON

PNP- (0920) 566 7809

BFP- (0997) 288 4336

LGU RESCUE- (0929) 313 2791

SAN PABLO

PNP- (0998) 598 5238

BFP- (0917) 105 5336

LGU RESCUE - (0977) 851 9541

SANTA MARIA

PNP- (0905) 680 0334

BFP- (0917) 801 2748

LGU RESCUE - (0945 188 6494

SANTO TOMAS

PNP- (0975) 906 4763

BFP- (0905) 044 6665

LGU RESCUE- (0975) 052 8519

TUMAUINI

PNP- (0927 382 5487

BFP- (0915) 196 0342

LGU RESCUE- (0975) 994 8281

DISTRICT 2 EMERGENCY HOTLINES

BENITO SOLIVEN

PNP - 0917 508 2945

BFP - 0975 275 0727

LGU RESCUE - 0966 783 3357

GAMU

PNP - 0927 939 6862

BFP - 0975 275 9242

LGU RESCUE - 0927 128 7232

NAGUILIAN

PNP - 0945 335 7311

BFP - 0906 766 6324

LGU RESCUE - 0917 312 7540

PALANAN

PNP - 0998 598 5235

BFP - 0936 798 6959

LGU RESCUE - 0950 091 8241

REINA MERCEDES

PNP - 0935 532 8600

BFP - 0975 883 3915

LGU RESCUE - 0997 609 1594

SAN MARIANO

PNP - 0927 993 5330

BFP - 0975 657 4080

LGU RESCUE - 0917 971 1125

DISTRICT 3 EMERGENCY HOTLINES

ALICIA

LGU RESCUE-(0927)306 5309

PNP-(0917) 819 6449

BFP-(0966) 935 1144

ANGADANAN

LGU RESCUE-(0927) 142 8226

PNP-(0936) 971 413

BFP-(0906) 613 1450

CABATUAN

LGU RESCUE-(0936) 947 1537

PNP-(0915) 667 0205

BFP-(0917) 891 1416

RAMON

LGU RESCUE-(0906) 713 5314

PNP-(0906) 233 7819

BFP-(0927) 743 4104

SAN MATEO

LGU RESCUE-(0997) 538 4008

PNP-(0917) 174 5655

BFP-(0927) 824 9439

DISTRICT 4 EMERGENCY HOTLINES

CORDON

PNP- 0975 923 2655

BFP- 0926 946 8923

LGU RESCUE- 0936 184 5505

DINAPIGUE

PNP- 0928 386 6344

BFP- 0905 415 1335

LGU RESCUE- 0947 398 6624

JONES

PNP- 0935 136 6998

BFP- 0995 883 6125

LGU RESCUE- 0906 557 4826

SAN AGUSTIN

PNP- 0975 493 3840

BFP- 0905 783 5368

LGU RESCUE- 0916 690 9088

SANTIAGO CITY

PNP- 0917 840 6374

BFP- 0997 314 2795

LGU RESCUE - 0905 558 669

DISTRICT 5 EMERGENCY HOTLINES

AURORA

PNP-(0917) 846 1951

BFP-(0915) 198 4117

LGU RESCUE -(0917) 539 7151

BURGOS

PNP-(0915) 727 1471

BFP -(0953) 291 4596

LGU RESCUE- (0997) 211 3563

LUNA

PNP- (0915) 668 1499

BFP- (0917) 506 5840

LGU RESCUE-(0917) 504 2131

MALLIG

PNP- (0945) 745 2028

BFP-(0975) 661 9366

LGU RESCUE-(0965) 223 4514

QUEZON

PNP- (0906) 513 1703

BFP-(0917) 309 2580

LGU RESCUE- (0975) 769 8851

QUIRINO

PNP- (0916) 338 4207

BFP- (0917) 883 0082

LGU RESCUE- (0917) 635 1874

ROXAS

PNP- (0915) 841 4988

BFP-(0935) 935 1065

LGU RESCUE- (0935) 039 2203

SAN MANUEL

PNP- 0935 727 6812

BFP- (0927) 994 2961

LGU RESCUE- (0955) 681 2415

DISTRICT 6 EMERGENCY HOTLINES

CAUAYAN CITY

PNP- 0926 618 5717

BFP- 0926 490 5075

LGU RESCUE- 0927 716 9220

ECHAGUE

PNP- 0917 681 6913

BFP- 0917 500 2585

LGU RESCUE- 0917 626 2352

SAN GUILLIERMO

PNP- 0926 475 8526

BFP- 0906 821 0039

LGU RESCUE- 0967 544 1506

SAN ISIDRO

PNP- 0977 306 9391

BFP- 0915 995 5840

LGU RESCUE- 0926 943 0427

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Nurse Life: Boosting the Immune System

These times of the Pandemic, healthcare workers are considered heroes but that honor cost them to work harder as the cases of COVID-19 continue to rise in most areas all over the world. Every day, nurses face a lot of stress, wear thick PPEs for the whole shift making them give more effort to breathe under N95 masks, skip meals when there are ample of admissions and compromise their sleep cycles because of abrupt irregular shifting changes as well as overtime duties. As nurses working in the COVID-19 Isolation Unit, we have to take precaution to maintain our health and immunity. Being exposed to patients with Coronavirus and taking care of them is a big responsibility to handle that is why we should stay strong holistically to do our sworn duty to our patients and care for our well beings.

Protecting our Immune System is a must to maintain our body health as we are working in a stressful setting. We protect our immune system by having nutritious foods, enough sleep of possible, wearing complete PPEs and precautions and taking some supplements that boosts our immune system for extra protection not just for COVID-19 but for other communicable diseases as well. At times, we tend to eat late because we want to finish everything in our work without delays and our sleeping patterns were compromised due to shifting hours, these are some of the factors that lowers our immune system and raise our stress levels.

Taking supplements every day helps protect Healthcare Workers from acquiring diseases and maintain the adequacy of the levels of vitamins and mineral in my body in case I am not getting enough time to have nutritious foods. Some of them were Vitamin C, the most important as it gives me stronger immunity to communicable diseases, and Vitamin E to make me glow as working as a nurse could at times make you look haggard due to extreme stress, Fish Oil to maintain my Cardiovascular Health. Beta Glucan is a fiber known to prevent the risk of having Heart Diseases and lowers blood glucose. It is also beneficial in the Immune System as it stimulates the white blood cells when there is a pathogen that could invade the body, this results in stronger immunity of the body. One example of a food supplement containing Beta Glucan is Royale Immuno Boost Premium. This product is good for frontliners like us, nurses for boosting our Immune System.

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Ang Henerasyong Sumuko sa Love (2019) - Movie Review

No Copyright Infringement Intended

DISCLAIMER: This review contains spoilers.

The Millenials are the generation known to be smart, intelligent, passionate and extremely driven to achieve their goals. They are also outspoken and fearless to speak up their minds and do what they feel is beneficial to them. Unlike other generations, Millenials encounter struggles in their social lives as they have full control over their decisions. This film features a group of friends that formed during their freshmen days. The film started when they were on an outing after their graduation. They made a promise to visit the same spot every year no matter how busy and occupied they are. Each four stories revolves on how they handle each of their lives, how society and career had an impact on their views about love and relationships

Ma’an is a crush ng bayan type of a girl. Circumstances pushed her to do her own branding hopeful to be an influencer. Many of the youth of today’s generation is a reflection of her where popularity in social media sites struggling to be someone who does her own ways and getting paid by posting in different social media platforms like Youtube and Instagram. The pressure made Ma’an to wear revealing clothes and naughty image just to attract followers much more when she learned that her ex’s girlfriend is a more popular vlogger than she is. While she becomes popular, the more it made her want more just to feed her insecurities.

Denzel is a budding bar owner with charisma. He love casual dating and one night stands. His dates even offer him to be in a relationship but he always denies and ghosts them afterwards. Not until he met a guy whom he will fall for and changed his view about relationship now wanting to have a commitment. Things did not go well because the man he fell for only wants an open relationship with no exclusivity.

Juna Mae and Hadji were both attracted to each other but they decided not to put labels on their relationship because Juna Mae’s father hurt her mother in the past. They both agreed into living together and sleep on the same bed but no commitment, both are good with the setup until one day Hadji exploded realizing that he wants more starting the tension between the couple.

Kurt, the alpha among the group is a workaholic freelancer pressured by his mother to be the breadwinner of the family since his grandfather did the same. He told his mom about his depression just to scold him that his life is good and there is nothing to be depressed of. Whenever he was with his friends, he seems preoccupied thinking about work and does not seem to know their situations. When they had a reunion outing after a year, tensions arise from the group starting with Hadji and Juna Mae then vented out the disappointment to Kurt. They left him in the resort before getting a phone call from Kurt’s mother that they found a suicide note in his bed. Hurriedly, they found they friend in the dark safe then hugged each other.

All these situations reflects the struggles of young adults nowadays. They do not have time to succumb in classic sweet romance as they were busy facing their responsibilities. It must have been better if each stories were expanded for us to be more sympathetic of the way they behave. A runtime of 120 minutes may not be enough. There are a lot of possible queries a viewer may ask like “What would Kurt’s mother tell him after he comes home from the outing?” Will Juna Mae and Hadji decide for a commitment after they reconcile?” The actors exhibited good acting skills, no doubt. Something in the plot is lacking that makes the viewers wish to have more from the characters.  This movie lacks depth although the concept is relevant in today’s society.

TITLE: Ang Henerasyong Sumuko sa Love

MAIN CAST:

Tony Labrusca as Kurt

Jane Oineza as Ma’an

Albie Casiṅo as Hadj

Myrtle Sarrosa as Juna Mae

Jerome Ponce as Denzel

 

DIRECTOR: Jason Paul Laxamana

WRITER: Jason Paul Laxamana

GENRE: Coming of Age, Romance, Drama, Friendship

PRODUCED UNDER: Regal Films, Largavista Entertainment

YEAR OF RELEASE: 2019

MY RATING: 3/5

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Over Zoom Specialty Coffee Najran

Spending quality time with friends or alone in a nice coffee shop is a good way to unwind after work or school. Over Zoom Specialty Coffee is located at Prince Ibn Abdulaziz Road, Najran City. The café highlights good variety of coffee brews and flavors as well as cakes and pastries. The ambiance is great as the inside of the café is cozy and well decorated. I like the colorful artificial trees and flowers. My favorite are the giant teddy bear sitting across one of the tables making this coffee shop Instagram worthy.

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Bonding with Friends at Bowling Town Najran

 

A night out with friends would be so much fun with cool activities that are challenging and fun at the side time. This was the first time we had bowling on a night out. Hitting the target pins. The more pins, the better or should we say, all pins. Bowling town is an amusement center located in Al-Faysaliyah Najran. They also offer other activities aside from bowling with a bar inside for having drinks and relaxation. I highly recommend trying this activity with your group of friends, the more the merrier. First, you need to pay out like 15 SAR each to register then form a group of four players for one lane. Then your names will be on a screen showing your records of strikes. Play your heart out and cheer for your friends. A must try for everyone.

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HEARTBREAK AND HEALING

To be healed from the blow of a heartbreak is not an easy thing to achieve. Like a broken glass, your heart not be the same anymore. It changes you to the person you were before. The length of time for someone to heal from a heartbreak varies from one person to another. Some may last from weeks while others spent years to find themselves whole again. For you to heal your broken heart does not happen overnight and should involve your conscious choice to move forward from the agony of being submerged into mixed emotions of regret, despair and loneliness to overcoming them to attain inner peace and healing.

ACKNOWLEDGE THE PAIN: Start by being aware of your emotions. Cry all you want and find ways to release your feelings until you find relief. It is better to feel the utmost intensity of the pain from heartbreak than make it dwell inside you. There were countless of ways to release your frustrations in good ways like shouting it all out in a place where you are alone. Let yourself have some time to grieve. Feel the pain until it hurts no more.

FOCUS ON YOURSELF: Do your best to give all your efforts in putting yourself first before anything else. You need to take care of who else but you. Have some focus on things that yields self-improvement and would make you feel good like trying a new hobby and exploring new places.

FOCUS ON THE PRESENT: No matter how rough and aching those memories you had in the past, they should all stay in the past. What happened already could not be brought back again. Avoid yourself from thinking about regrets as doing so will turn you into a bitter person. Instead, start again as you wake up in the morning with a positive thought that great things are about come. There were new pages in your life waiting for you to fill and it will all start in your present.

FOCUS ON YOUR HEALTH AND WELLNESS: A healthy body is a pathway into a good well-being. Too much sadness could lead to poor nutritional status as you exhibit no appetite or in the opposite, you succumb into stress eating that could lead to serious health risks. Sleep disturbance is common in people who are heartbroken and it could lead to low mental functioning, poor judgment and less focus. Make an effort to take care of your health. Eat nutritious foods, do your best to have an adequate sleep and regular exercise as doing so helps you release hormones like endorphins, which gives you a positive and happy mood.

DO A SOCIAL MEDIA DETOX: How can you move on if you still keep on stalking the person who broke your heart? I know it is very challenging to do but blocking, unfriending and unfollowing the people who made you hurt will give your mind a break. You have to put in your mind that their existence does not matter in your life anymore and there is no use of looking on their social media profiles and posts as it may give you more longing than letting go. Taking a break from social media in general is also a good idea to cleanse your mind from the toxicities of seeing posts or people that may remind you of your heartbreak.

ACCEPT THE TRUTH: Accept that things won’t be the same anymore. That the person you have loved before won’t be a part of your life from now on. Acceptance is the last stage of grief. After overcoming the grieving process, accepting the reality of your loss frees you from the chains of the painful memories, anguish and guilt. You will then realize that you must continue living and move forward. The truth as they say, will set you free.

DO NOT CLOSE YOUR HEART IN FINDING LOVE AGAIN: You are now in a new journey. Life is full of surprises along the way. Have faith that one day, love will find you when you least expect it. Open yourself to the world, have fun and love will follow.

 

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