No Place Like Davao

Davao City is known as the “Promised Land” for several reasons. First, it produces an abundant and wide variety of fruits. Aside from the common Philippine fruits such as mangoes and bananas, one can find durian, pomelo, and mangosteen in Davao; and they are relatively sweeter as well. Fruit production in Davao is more successful compared to other parts of the country due to natural factors. Primarily, the geographical location of the city is outside the latitude where typhoons commonly pass, which is why Davao doesn’t experience any storms, and therefore, the harvest isn’t affected. Also, Davao has fertile and massive land areas available for cultivation. Moreover, the fruits are first class because Davao has natural irrigation, being a watershed that collects rainfall. Indeed, Davao is filled with overflowing blessings from the land.


Second, Davao has affordable and accessible beaches. Beaches in Davao have cheaper entrance fees compared to other beaches in the Philippines. For example, the entrance fee of Jones Beach Resort in Talomo costs only Php 15-20. It is also near the city proper. It takes about twenty minutes jeepney or taxi ride. In fact, most Davao beaches are just one ride away from the city proper compared to other cities in the Philippines where you have to ride a boat just to get to the beach.


Finally, we Davaoeños know who to call when there’s a fire, an accident, or a cat stuck in a tree. Davao is the only Philippine city with a social service system simply called “911.” 911 is like a multipurpose customer service department. 911 can help you with virtually anything. For instance, if you were stranded in the long and isolated Diversion Road, it won’t last for long. 911 will come to the rescue, offering transportation to the nearest highway. What’s more interesting is that you don’t have to pay a cent! You can’t dial these three numbers in Manila or Cebu and get the services offered only here in Davao. Truly, if you want to live in a land of bounty, beauty, and security – come home to Davao.

mga kagwang! :D

Editorial Ek Ek

“Sometimes it’s better to be lost anywhere in this world where you can ask directions than be lost inside yourself where redemption lies in your hands alone.”

- Anonymous

“Alone” is a very frightening word. People do things in order to be not “alone”: be identified through your “gang”; be identified through your parents; be coined through your teachers, because through association comes connections—being not alone. We are all in constant search for “belongingness” in our own communities, yet, we neglect to be acquainted with ourselves, and who we really are.

Before, we had submitted to the cultures of our parents, accept everything, feeling guilty when we did something against their commandments. Religion, values, and language, we inherited these things from them. In high school, we submitted to “peer” pressure. Smoking, cutting classes and integrating a rebellious streak to your personality--- these were and still are the products of this social “initiation”. Why are we afraid of being left alone?

Preaching is not my cup of tea, but this “Afraid of Being Alone Syndrome” clearly needs a response. We should not be afraid to know ourselves, or be left alone, because at the end of the day, we really are alone. I remember Sharon Olds’ “Sex Without Love” poem:

they are like great runners: they know they are alone

with the road surface, the cold, the wind,

the fit of their shoes, their over-all cardio

vascular health--just factors, like the partner

in the bed, and not the truth, which is the

single body alone in the universe

against its own best time.

We are the sole sculptors of the masterpiece we call our life, and no one else—that’s what I want to say.

This online magazine was formed to immortalize our struggles—as the sole operator of our lives. The staff aims to capture the memories that had made us who we are, and share it to people who are still searching.

On behalf of the staff, I welcome you to the first issue of our magazine—Handurawan.

Divina Amor Germina
Editor-in-Chief

A Cup in Hand

Among all kinds of coffee available, instant coffee is the most advantageous, because along with its easy accessibility, cost, and the effective boost it gives, instant coffee as simple as it is, is also a soothing treat. I like drinking lots of coffee especially during early mornings where dew still covers the earth, and silence is only broken by the sound of chirping birds and the occasional wake up call of roosters. I enjoy the amalgam of a teaspoon of black, powdered coffee with lots of creamer and sweetener. Holding that cup full of hot coffee relaxes me, as my shivering palms and fingers absorb its fleeting heat. As the warmth ascends and touches my face, its scent, like a mocha cake, soothes my every nerve. Then, in every sip is a clash of a bitter and sweet ensemble, completely different but a perfect complement to the other. It brings warmth that engulfs the whole body, kick starting the brain’s machinery for another day’s work ahead.

Dannel Patrisha Grace H. Hiquina

Putoseko

Melts in your mouth, not in your hand. You’re definitely thinking about m&ms but no, I’m going to talk about the Quezon Province’s delicacy, Putoseko. It’s a round and white biscuit with a powdery feeling in the fingers. The combination of milk and coconut scent invites you to grab a piece. When you take a bite, you’ll have to dig your teeth deep in it to get a portion in your mouth. If you opt not to crunch it and just let the biscuit melt, you’ll feel the powder slowly melting and the sweetness exploding inside. Sometimes, you may even have the feeling that you’re being choked but it’s all part of the experience. It will take a while before the biscuit turns into something soft. You’ll feel the thickness of the powder on your tongue, smooth and creamy. The taste is a mixture of sweetness and milk that you can’t help but take another bite.

Ross Fievanni A. Inguillo

Floating

In learning how to swim, it is important to learn how to float first. First, you should learn the basic kick that will keep you floating in the water, the breast stroke kick, a swimming stroke in which both arms are extended and pulled back together in a circular motion while both legs are thrust out and pulled back together. See how the frog kicks in the water, it’s as simple as that! Imagine you are in the deep water in a standing position, just bend your knees as far as you can while keeping your feet together and stretching your knees away from each other. Then kick downwards as hard as you can while spreading your feet apart as far as you possibly can. After that kick, straighten your lower body then back again to the first step. When you are in the water, you don’t need to do that kick always; just do it once, relax you body, trust in yourself that you won’t drown and let you body float in the water, later you’ll realize you’re floating in the water. When you feel that you are going down, don’t panic, just kick again and do the same process. The very important thing that you should always remember is that you should not panic, don’t let the water swallow you; instead think that the water is carrying you. And that’s it, now you already know how to keep yourself floating in the water. However do not try to do this alone because it’s just your first time. You should have someone who knows how to swim to supervise you while you’re learning how to float.

Malkuth Richard A. Anggadol

Floating

In learning how to swim, it is important to learn how to float first. First, you should learn the basic kick that will keep you floating in the water, the breast stroke kick, a swimming stroke in which both arms are extended and pulled back together in a circular motion while both legs are thrust out and pulled back together. See how the frog kicks in the water, it’s as simple as that! Imagine you are in the deep water in a standing position, just bend your knees as far as you can while keeping your feet together and stretching your knees away from each other. Then kick downwards as hard as you can while spreading your feet apart as far as you possibly can. After that kick, straighten your lower body then back again to the first step. When you are in the water, you don’t need to do that kick always; just do it once, relax you body, trust in yourself that you won’t drown and let you body float in the water, later you’ll realize you’re floating in the water. When you feel that you are going down, don’t panic, just kick again and do the same process. The very important thing that you should always remember is that you should not panic, don’t let the water swallow you; instead think that the water is carrying you. And that’s it, now you already know how to keep yourself floating in the water. However do not try to do this alone because it’s just your first time. You should have someone who knows how to swim to supervise you while you’re learning how to float.

Malkuth Richard A. Anggadol

Badminton

Badminton offers a wide variety of basic strokes and players require a high degree of skill to perform them effectively. One of these is the forehand stroke. Forehand strokes are executed with the front of the hand leading and it’s performed with proper body position and precautions. In the midcourt, if you’re right handed, do the right forehand grip; position your body in the center of the court with the right foot forward and left foot backward, both bent slightly, making sure that your body is a bit diagonal to the face of the court so that you can monitor all sides. In the rearcourt, it is advantageous and advisable to throw as many forehand strokes as possible because you can create more powerful and invincible shots. To do that, position your right foot forward, midbent and your left foot backward also midbent but slightly diagonal and apart from your right, raise your right hand (with the racket) and return the shuttlecock using upper forehand strokes; it is advisable to hit the shuttlecock when it’s still above you to produce a more aggressive and power shot. With the proper position, the forehand stroke can easily be executed and performed with minimal stress and body strain.

Nel A. Paronda

Love Confession

It was my first love confession. It was a Monday evening when I rode with my best friend on his motorcycle to my girl’s house. As we were getting closer to the house, I saw her uncle standing outside, so I told my best friend to drive faster so that the uncle would not see me. But I was spotted anyhow so we stopped. Her uncle interrogated me for almost half an hour before calling my girl to face me. We were at their porch, we talked for almost three hours, we talked about our happy moments in high school, in college, our experiences, changes, and finally, we arrived at my most awaited part, the confession. At first I was hesitant to say the words, but because of the time pressure, the rain, and her aunt singing a romantic Filipino song in their living room before us, I was compelled to say that I love her. At first, she didn’t want to answer it but I still continued chatting with her. In the end I told her that it was my last visit, and if ever she won’t accept me, I will never go back to our place again because I have no reason to come back if not for her. I don’t know if it pressured her so much that she instantly said yes, and that answer felt like an angel blessed me for eternity. I was so happy that I wanted to shout but I couldn’t utter a word, I wanted to jump but I couldn’t move. I really can’t describe how I felt that time, it was an overflowing joy and my heart was pumping so much blood. I held her hands and I couldn’t breathe. I did not notice the time until my insistent best friend interrupted and told me that it was already time for us to go home because he was very sleepy. My girl wished me good luck and safety as we depart. It was the most memorable night of my life.

Nel A. Paronda

Guilty Pleasures

One of my unforgettable experiences playing in Sequel Internet Café is the first time my friends and I played overnight. It was like having a sleep over in a friend’s house, the only difference is that we were not in a friend’s house and we did not sleep at all; we instead played games the whole night. I can still remember that night, after the Freshmen Night event, around midnight last year. I was so exited that time because at last, for the first time, I could experience playing computer games with my friends overnight. As we got closer to the place, my excitement kept on growing. When at last, we arrived, to our surprise and disappointment, there were no vacant computer units for us, even though there are almost a hundred computer units in that branch. So we just waited for units to be vacated. It was around 3 o’clock in the morning when I felt my eyes wanting to close shut but still I resisted. It was already 6 o’clock in the morning when we stopped playing and went home. Our parents of course, did not know about all these “mischievous acts” we did; what’s important was that we had done nothing wrong, except for the little lies we told to cover up for what we had done. In my case, I told my parents that after the Freshmen Night, I stayed the rest of the night in the EBL dormitory and went home the following morning. The guilty feeling is always there, but there is one thing that’s important for my friends and me and that’s the clean fun we experience once in a while.

Malkuth Richard A. Anggadol