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Showing posts from February, 2025

Ilocos Sur's Kannawidan

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The Kannawidan Festival in Ilocos Sur is a vibrant celebration of Ilocano culture and heritage. It's a time of year filled with colorful street parades, traditional dances, and delicious food. But beyond the fun, Kannawidan holds deep meaning for the people of Ilocos Sur. The festival's name, "Kannawidan," comes from the Ilocano word for "harvest." This highlights the festival's central theme: celebrating the bountiful harvest and thanking the spirits for a successful agricultural year. The region's economy relies heavily on agriculture, so a good harvest is crucial for the community's well-being. The festival is a way to express gratitude for the land's abundance and to honor the hard work of farmers. Kannawidan showcases Ilocano traditions through various activities. The street parades feature elaborate floats and costumes, reflecting the region's rich history and artistry. Traditional dances, often depicting farming practices or...

A Celebration of Love

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Valentine's Day, celebrated every year on February 14th, is a day focused on love and affection. While its exact origins are a bit mysterious, it's a time when people show their love for friends, family, and especially romantic partners. We celebrate Valentine's Day for a few reasons. It's a chance to express appreciation for the important people in our lives. It's a reminder to cherish our relationships and to let those we care about know how much they mean to us. The holiday also has a strong commercial aspect, with many businesses promoting gifts and special events. But the core idea remains the same, showing love and affection. There are many ways to express affection. Some people give gifts like flowers, chocolates, or jewelry. Others write heartfelt cards or letters. Some people prefer to spend quality time together, going on dates or having special meals. The most important thing is to show genuine care and thoughtfulness. It's not about the size or c...

CBR: A Visual Journey

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  Community-Based-Research Journey This photo captures the very beginning of our CBR journey. This moment we divided our CBR project tasks, there are five of us in a group and the CBR has ten parts so by each will do two tasks. The energy was a mix of excitement and focused determination as we embarked on our individual responsibilities. Teamwork makes the dream work! This is our official team. This photo just finished taking one by one pictures of us for our team profile. The carefully chosen pose and the shared smiles reflect the mutual respect that developed throughout our collaborative process. Each member's unique contribution is represented in this image, a visual testament to the strength of our collective effort. More than just a photo shoot, our Saturday excursion to Vigan's enchanting Plaza Burgos and Calle Crisologo provided invaluable inspiration for our CBR project. The historical significance of these locations, coupled with their pictures beauty, sparked creative...

Q3 Looking Back

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  My recent learning journey has been a fascinating blend of technical skill development and practical application. I learned in coding HTML, specifically creating frames and lists, which proved invaluable for structuring our community-based research (CBR) project website. This experience highlighted the importance of understanding website architecture for effective content organization. The CBR project presented challenges in data collection, as some community members were hesitant to participate, causing delays and increasing pressure. This underscored the critical role of proactive communication and trust-building in community research. The web design phase proved unexpectedly difficult. Initially, I struggled with layout, color schemes, and aesthetics, revealing a need for further skill development in this area. I'm lucky because i have a supportive friend provided invaluable guidance, helping refine our data collection methods and significantly improve the website's de...

Unity in Celebration

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Imagine the vibrant streets of the Philippines, alive with the joyous energy of Chinese New Year. Red lanterns sway gently in the breeze, casting a warm glow on smiling faces. It's a scene that beautifully showcases the rich tapestry of Filipino culture, where centuries-old traditions intertwine with the vibrant spirit of the nation. This isn't just a borrowed celebration; it's a heartfelt adoption, a testament to the enduring friendship between Filipino and Chinese communities. As we look forward to Chinese New Year 2025, let's explore why this festival resonates so deeply within Filipino hearts and how it strengthens their unique identity. Think of the countless stories woven into the fabric of this celebration. Generations of Filipinos and Chinese have shared their lives, their cultures, and their dreams, creating a bond that runs deeper than any single event. Chinese New Year isn't just a holiday, it's a living testament to this enduring relationship, a...

Vigan Legacy

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  Vigan, a beautiful city in the Ilocos Region, has a wonderful history. It's changed a lot, going from a small town to a famous UNESCO World Heritage City and one of the New7Wonders Cities. This shows how charming it is and how hard its people have worked. Before it became a city, Vigan was a busy place, perfect for trading and sharing cultures. The Spanish left their mark on the city's buildings, giving it a special look. Imagine walking down the streets, seeing old houses that tell stories of families who lived there long ago. Life was simpler then, but the community was strong, keeping its traditions alive. Even back then, people loved visiting Vigan because of its beauty and history. This year, Vigan celebrates 24 years as a city. Its old streets are now full of life. Calle Crisologo, with its amazing Spanish-style buildings, shows how important Vigan's history is. The cathedral is a beautiful place of worship, important to the city. Vigan has grown, but it still...