STRESSFUL EXAMS !!!

Things to worry on examinations: grrrrrrr...

• Philippine Literature (Mactan 1521, To Rizal, 1896, Footnote To Youth)
• Entrepreneurial Development (Chapter 5 -Small Business is Beautiful)
• Engineering of Software Subsystems (Entity-Relationship Diagram)
• Team Building (Game Theory, Team Complex)
• Computer Programming 2 (Arrays, Object-Oriented Programming)
• Internet Technology (Bookmarks, E-Commerce, Online Directories, Search Engine)
• Principles of Information System Design (Chapter 5, 6 and 7)
• Rizal (Buod ng Noli Me Tangere)
  

To Rizal by G. Burce Bunao

Many poems have been written about Rizal. Here is one dedicated to him by a young admirer. It is optimistic in the sense that the writer tells of the fight for freedom being carried on by our heroes after Rizal.

Here is the poem:

Not unshaken by the wailing waves
And yet unshattered all through stern and bow,
Here on the shore of Peace for which it craves
The ship has come from shadowed oceans now.

But you, my skipper are not here to see
The port to which you taught us steer the ship;
Some tyrant hands had snatched you from midsea
And hurled your body on Death's finger tip

Until the hero's blood from out your heart
That fed the firm conviction of your mind
Dropped on the surging see like many a dart.

But then we would not turn nor lag behind,
For every drop of blood that stained the path
Engendered hope, and strength, and vengeful wrath.

MACTAN - 1521

We have our choric speech (choral reading) on our subject Philippine Literature next week and our piece is entitled "Mactan - 1521 by Virginia B. Licuanan". See our script below:

SOLO: Mactaaaannnn !!!!

ALL: 1521 !!!

ALL: A messenger from the Spaniards came

That day fifteen twenty – one;

He came in Magellan’s name

To the island of Mactan.

GROUP M: To Lapulapu who was the chief

That on Mactan did reign

He said,

Messenger: “I ask in our leader’s name

A tribute for the king of Spain.”

Lapu-lapu: “A tribute for a foreign king?”

GROUP L: He heard proud Lapulapu say.

Lapu-lapu: “Tell your leader that not a thing

Will the chief of this island pay.”

GROUP L: “We and our fathers and their fathers before

Have on this island lived:

We owe no tribute to any king,

And no tribute shall we give.”

Messenger: “If you do not give what we ask,”

GROUP M: Was the messenger ‘s reply,

Messenger: “The Spaniards will come with guns and swords

And you and your men shall die.”

Lapu-lapu: “If they have guns,”

GROUP L: Lapulapu said’

“So have we our weapons too;

If the Spaniards to our island come,

They shall see what bamboo spears can do.

GROUP L: “The Spanish swords are made of steel

And their armor strong and bright.

Against all weapons we shall win

While we are in the right.”

GROUP L: Lapulapu’s eyes flashed as he repeated,

And his voice did proudly ring:

Lapu-lapu: “We are freemen and will pay

No tribute to a foreign king.”

GROUP M: When Magellan heard Lapulapu’s words

He said with all disdain,

Magellan: “How dare this little chief affront

His Majesty of Spain?

GROUP M: “Our guns and swords this man’s

False pride will break

If he will not tribute give,

Then tribute we will take.

Magellan: “We’ll show this chief that our word

We can follow with our deed.

Prepare there three ships and sixty men,

And I myself will lead.”

ALL: For the island of Mactan

The Spaniards did set sail,

Their guns and swords in brightly display

To make the enemy quail.

ALL: Their ships and armor were a glittering show

Of military might;

Never had the peaceful Mactan waters,

Mirror such a warlike sight.

ALL: And when they anchored dropped

Off the palm-fringed Mactan shore,

Magellan: “I’ll teach this chief a lesson,”

The Spanish leader swore.

ALL: He led his soldiers to the beach

In full battle array.

Magellan: “My men, for our king,

GROUP M: “Magellan said,

Magellan: “Let us make this a proud day.”

GROUP M: “We have or guns and armor;

Our enemy has none.

Our swords against those bamboo spears –

The fight’s as good as won.”

GROUP L: But Lapulapu stood proudly

As the Spanish troops drew near.

Lapu-lapu: “No shining Spanish armor

Will save them from my spear.”

Lapu-lapu: “Aim true!”

GROUP L: he told his men,

Lapu-lapu: “When your spears you fling,

Remember that freemen do not bow

To any foreign king.”

GROUP L: Steel sword against bamboo spear –

It seemed an uneven fight,

And the Spanish armor

Increased each Spaniard’s might.

GROUP L: But Lapulapu and his brave men

Into the battle led.

And soon the blue-green Mactan waters

With Spanish blood grew red.

Magellan: “Fight on my men.”

GROUP M: Magellan cried,

Magellan: “For His Gracious Majesty….”

Lapu-lapu: “Fight on, men of Mactan,

GROUP L: Lapulapu said,

Lapu-lapu: “Fight for our liberty.”

ALL: The cause of liberty lent more strenght

Than Spanish steel and lead;

And soon Magellan lay dying,

And his soldiers all had fled

ALL: And Mactan is an islands

That lives in history,

Where one brave man died for a king

And where another lived for liberty.