[SYNOPSIS]
Once you enter the field of military, you already digged your own grave"
"Congratulation Captain! You did a great job!"
"For the country and safety of the filipino people I will do everything I can even if it cause my life."
People say that, I Shouldn't have entered this field, sobrang delikado, sinasayang ko lang daw ang buhay ko but sino ba ako para kontrahin ang sarili kong kagustuhan? I was born in this field, I was born to fight for my country and my countrymen.
"That's what I like about you captain, you are making me proud of you more"
"Thank you colonel, this country is really worth dying for."
"It is, by the way, alam mo na ba ang sunod mong assignment?"
"Yes, I've heard about it but wala pang ibinababa na letter for assignment"
"Ang sabi ay sa isang barangay ka ngayon sa samar. Can you handle it? Alam mong isa ang samar sa may pinakamaraming NPA sa bansa. Madalas ang ambush doon, magiging delikado iyon para sayo at sa mga kasama mo."
"Kahit ano pa iyan colonel, sisiguraduhin kong mababago ko ang lugar na iyon"
"You're really into it, I can see dedication in your eyes and always remember, nasa likod mo lang ako at ang iba pang opisyal na naniniwala sa kakayahan mo. Kung kailangan mo ng tulong, don't hesitate to call me."
"Thank you sir"
"Anything. And oh, before I forgot, Samar is my province, we just moved here in Manila but our main residence is now in Tacloban. When you get there and if you have time, pay us a visit, we would love that or we'll just call you pag umuwi kami"
"I will sir"
"Okay,I'll leave you first, I'll just have an errand to attend to"
"Salute sir!"
"Salute and by the way, there's a lot of beautiful girls in Samar, have some and I'm hoping you'll find a girl there and show her what a military love is,see you!"
_______________________
Great things never come from comfort zones."
Yan ang naging mantra ni Aleck sa kanyang buhay. She was living alone for almost seven years now. She left her family to pursue her dream and that's to become a teacher.
She loves teaching-no, teaching is her passion ever since she was a kid. And now, she's grateful for the direction she took for her life. Selfish man kung tawagin but this is the life she wants, she lives for this.
"Ma'am!" I saw my student raise her hand. I am at the classroom right now, teaching my favorite subject, history.
"Yes kyla?"
"Does sacrificing your life to fight against the spanish colonizer proves that you really love your country?"
"It depends on the situation and beliefs of one's self. There's a lot of things you can do to show your love to your country and that includes supporting the government, giving honor by raising the flag of your country on international competition and many more. Remember, if you happen to join any international competition, you are not just bringing yourself in there but also the name of your country-our country, the Philippines."
"What our heroes did during the spanish colonization is their own way of showing their love for our country. They don't just love the country, they just sacrificed their lives to attain freedom and to reclaim our rights as a filipino and as an original owner of the Philippines. And let's rephrase your question. Does loving our country includes sacrificing our lives? The answer to that is YES, too much love for our country."
"Thank you ma'am, now I fully understand the whole thing" she said saka naupong muli sa kanyang upuan."
"That's my duty as a teacher to you my dear students. I am here to teach you and to leave you a remarkable lesson that you can also use in the near future or even in your everyday lives."
"And we are grateful for that ma'am, thank you for being our teacher!" I was shocked when someone shouted.
"Yes ma'am, thank you!" They said in unison and I appreciate it.
"Very much welcome class, I appreciate it but, parang ang advance niyo naman malayo pa ang teacher's day!" I joked to them and it made them laugh.
"Oh siya, let's end it here, Goodbye class, see you on monday!"
"Goodbye ma'am!" They said in unison at isa-isa silang nagsilabasan ng room.
Inayos ko naman agad ang mga gamit ko, pagkatapos lumabas na rin ng room at naglakad papunta sa faculty.
I am smiling hanggang sa makarating ako ng opisina. I saw some of my co-teachers checking some papers in their desk and some are already combing their hair, nagreready na sa pag-uwi. It's already 4:30 and 5:00 ang out namin.
"Ma'am Aleck, you're here na, kumusta ang klase?" bati sakin ng katrabaho ko.
"Okay naman ma'am Bea, as always!" Nakangiti kong tugon sakanya sabay upo sa table ko.
"By the way, sa celebration natin ng buwan ng wika, sabi ni principal, he'll be inviting an army para magspeech di ba patriotism ang theme natin ngayon? Icapslock natin P A G K A M A K A B A Y A N" saad niya sabay muwestra sa kamay niya to emphasize the word.
"Good to know that, one week na lang natitirang oras natin to prepare"
"That's why we will have a meeting this afternoon bago tayo umuwi" sabi ni Kaceey na kakadating lang.
"At exactly 5:00 o'clock?" I asked her
"Yes ma'am Aleck, and it's almost time, let's go everyone?" Yaya niya sabay tumalikod samin at naunang maglakad papunta sa conference room.
Agad naman akong tumayo at ganun din si Bea. Kumapit siya sa braso ko at sabay kami na naglakad papuntang conference room.
Nang makarating kami sa conference room, halos puno na ang mga upuan na nakapaikot sa isang malaking rectangular table.
"Sir James will not make it because of an emergency kaya kailangan niyang umuwi ng maaga and ma'am Agnes is just on her way back from the division office so we can now start our meeting." Saad ng principal namin pagkaupo namin ni Bea.
"Okay, as for our buwan ng wika celebration, our theme is pagkamakabayan. That's why ang design sa stage at sa buong school ay tungkol doon, from the gate to the c.r and to each of the classroom. We'll make it as a contest para may involvement ang mga bata. Kung anong room ang pinakamaganda ang design yun ang mananalo. So class advisers, kayo ang bahala sa pag disseminate ng information"
"
"Recycled ba sir or kailangang gumastos talaga?" Tanong ni Sir Carl, isa sa may advisory class.
"Mixed, hindi naman kasi natin maiiwasang hindi gumastos eh, pagandahan ito ng classroom so sa ayaw at sa gusto natin, gagastos talaga tayo. Let's just ask for a contribution sa mga bata, I know they'll cooperate naman."
"Noted sir"
"Aside from the design, may iba pa po bang contest?" Tanong ni Bea.
"Yes, any suggestions?" Tanong ni sir.
"Sir, spoken poetry, magugustuhan iyon ng mga bata" suggest ni ma'am kaceey na agad namang sinang-ayunan namin. Sakto lang yung activity sa panahon ngayon, lalo na't nauuso sa mga kabataan.
"We'll include that, may iba pa bang suggestion?"
"Debate sir" I suggested
"What would be the topic ma'am Aleck?" He asked
"Since our theme is patriotism, the topic that we will give to the students is 'Does sacrificing one's life proves the love to the country?' tama lang yung topic sa theme"
"Okay, we'll include that one also. May iba pa ba?"
"Poster making sir"
"And slogan making sir"
"Okay, isasama din natin yan. May iba pa?"
"Okay na po yan sir, lima lahat. Tapos games na ang iba" ma'am Ericka said
"Yes sir, tama na yun, magpa games po tayo para lahat makasali including us teachers" ma'am Bea
"Okay sige, and now for our guest speaker. We will invite an army, and I want you ma'am Aleck to take charge of it" he said while looking directly in my eyes.
"Ha?! Bakit ako sir?" Sabi ko na gulat na gulat sa sinabi niya.
"Because I said so, and I also trust your charm ma'am Aleck kahit mga students pinag-uusapan ka at hangang-hanga sayo"
"Sir naman, mga bata lang yun" sabi ko sa nahihiyang boses.
"Hay naku ma'am Aleck, tanggapin mo na" saad ni Ma'am Bea na may halong pang-aasar sa tono ng pananalita.
"Oo nga Ma'am Aleck" segunda ni sir carl saka ako kinindatan.
"May choice pa ba ako?" Tanong ko sabay tingin sa principal namin.
"Nope, so yun nga Ma'am Aleck will take charge of the guest speaker. We'll give a letter for formalities aside from you, speaking to him na mapapayag na mag speech sa celebration natin." Mr. Principal said.
"Him sir? Ano pong pangalan sir?" Tanong ni Ma'am Bea. Naunahan niya kong magtanong.
"Captain Matt Maverick Taylor of Team Charlie, 8th Infantry division." Principal
"Where can I see him sir? Saan siya nakadestino ngayon?" tanong ko
"Sa may brgy. San Fernando, andun ang kampo nila"
"San Fernando? Kay Major Alcaraz po yun di ba?" Kilala ang San Fernando sa buong lugar namin dahil doon palagi nagkakampo ang mga sundalo at marami talagang NPA doon.
"Nadestino sa ibang lugar si Major. Si Captain ang pumalit sakanya. Mga isang buwan na rin ang nakakaraan mula ng madestino siya" sagot ni principal
"How did you know that information sir?"
"Nagkita kasi kami ni Major bago siya nalipat at naikuwento niya iyon sa akin."
"Okay sir"
"Alright, I'll just send the letter to your email, iprint mo na lang Ma'am para by monday, diretso ka na sa kampo, pwede ka nang di pumasok sa umaga"
"Okay sir, copy"
"That's all, starting on monday lie-low tayo, more on preparation na. Sige goodbye and ingat sa pag-uwi."
"Thank you sir!" We said in unison saka isa-isang nagsilabasan ng room. Sabay naman kaming naglakad pabalik ng faculty. Mabilis ko namang kinuha ang bag ko at nagpaalam na sa iba na mauuna na ako.
Nakakapagod ang araw na ito pero worth it naman. I love teaching. It's been my dream since I was a kid. I thought it was easy because I have the passion and the heart of a teacher but I was wrong. It was so hard lalo na at maraming pagsubok ang dumating sa buhay ko at dinagdagan pa ng mga propesor ko na halatang hindi pagtuturo ang gusto.
Namulat ako sa katotohanang hindi lahat ng guro totoo sa kanilang napiling propesyon. According to the code of ethics of the teacher, they are responsible for student's learning.
It was written at the code of ethics section nine that says that a teacher shall ensure that conditions contribute to the maximum development of learners are adequate and shall extend needed assistance in preventing or solving learner's problems or difficulties.
Also, a teacher must treat every students with kindness, equality and and respect, without showing favoritism prejudice or partially.
I experienced section discrimination, unfair treatment to the students and getting that undeserving grades.
However, despite of those struggles, I was able to survive the college life without having a failing grades. I managed to graduate with a latin honor. It was my achievement and I will forever treasured that memories I had when I was in college.
Nang makauwi ako sa bahay, agad akong nagbihis at naghanda nang matulog. Bukas na lang ako kakain. I am always like this every friday. I sleep everytime I get home, I don't mind eating kasi sa sabado ko yun ginagawa nagluluto ako ng maraming pagkain at nagdadala ng pagkain sa isang ampunan para sa mga bata.
After I checked the doors and windows of my house, I turned the lights off and doze to sleep.