Writing, Communicating Results, Finalizing/Revising

TASK 1: Flash Fiction

“I was sitting in an antique, golden chair in our ancestors’ house. I found myself alone.
Everybody was dead.”

It was one fine day when I was strolling at the park. I came to meet familiar faces smiling at me,
and so I did smile back at them. They were so friendly and so ‘good vibing’ that I started to feel so light
and easy. I met my neighbor walking her big and fluffy dog and we had a chitchat for a while. But for no
reason, I unconsciously held and cuddled her dog, then looked at the eyes of the cuddly creature. With
so much amusement, I felt that I can’t take off my eyes on its blue eyes as I was hugging him with so
much joy. With the beautiful color that its eyes have, I saw something inside it and remembered that I
was about to go to my grand grandmother’s house to bring some strawberry pie. And so I continued
walking with the thought of it.

The road was green with tall trees on the sides of the walking path. On the far left side of the
road were flowers of different colors: yellow, blue, orange, red, purple, and white. They were so
beautiful to the eye, so relaxing. On the right side of the road were weeds with tiny flowers, and
something caught my attention while I was walking. I walked close to it and realized that they were the
usual ‘makahiya or turog-turog’ plants that grow everywhere in the forest. I used to touch them
everytime I come across them when I was younger; the fascination I had with them still lives on me. So I
touched them with a smile in my heart, reminiscing my memories when I was just a kid. So they ‘slept’
of course.

As I went back to the road, I could see the house where I was supposed to visit, but the thing is
that I don’t have with me the pie that I was supposed to bring to my lola. And with that, I don’t want to
tell you how I got the pie with me… I want to tell you… I already have it with me now!

I continued walking and walked across the longest bridge which I think the San Juanico Bridge. I
gasped on the cold air and thought that it’s going to snow so I ran a little bit for I could freeze and
sneeze to death because of my allergic rhinitis. How I hate this rhinitis! Then, to my amazement, I
realized that I have to go through first Danhyanggok where I used to eat my lunch under a giant tree.
With the numbness of my feet, I could not help but stop for a moment and rest under said tree when
Mudeok and Naksu ran towards me to catch the flying arrow. I was so scared that I stood with fear and
ran away without saying hi to my long-time friends, Mudeok and Naksu. I went ahead and finally my
grandparents’ door was right in front of me. I knocked three times then the door suddenly turned into
gold dusts and flew around me.
I slowly walked inside and hugged my grand grandparents then expressed my joy and delight meeting
them in person. They led me to the kitchen seeing that I was so tired and gave me something to eat. I
was so hungry that I barely chew the lagikray and camote with kuyog, sili and lemon. I was so satisfied
with the food they served me.
 Then I walked across the living room to have a good chat with my lolo and lola when I
remembered that I don’t have with me the pie. I left it under the tree! (Anyway, Mudeok and Naksu
would surely take care of it, and I didn’t have the energy to walk again.)

We had so many things in our talk and night time came. I went to the bathroom to freshen up
and dived down to the bed. It was a very nice feeling after a long tiring day of walking. I was thinking of
the next day adventure when I remembered that I have to reclaim my throne in Yuan as Wang-yu gain
his. So I stepped down the stairs and heard my grand grandfather call me, Seung-nyang and told me not
to forget the stone that was in the care of Ding. I just nodded because I felt my head aching so much
with the next twist. I found a racking chair at the center of the living room and sat there, closed my eyes
for a while. I was thinking of the plans how to reclaim my throne, but what concerned me most was how
I am going to get the precious stone from Ding, when Ding is out for the SEA Games. I decided to go
ahead and opened my eyes…seeing everybody dead, with their spirits ascending the skies.

TASK 2: Feature Article

Rapu-Rapunhons Cry on Transportation Modernization

Rapu-Rapu is a third class municipality in Albay with 36,151 population based on the 2020
census. This municipality comprises three separate islands namely Rapu-Rapu Island, Batan Island, and
Guinanayan Island with 34 barangays in total. Source of living is primarily dependent on fishing, farming,
and small businesses like sari-sari stores and the like. The mode of transportation is the modern fast
craft and the roll-on and roll-off (roro) ferries.

During the 90’s up to 2017 as I can still remember it, people would travel the waters through the
wooden-hulled water crafts without worries on their pockets. Almost every other day, residents would
go to Legazpi City to buy their essentials alongside with the plan of going to places for adventure and
amusement. They would carry with them almost all members of the family, even infants since the
transport fare was so affordable with the maximum of 80.00 pesos in 2017. It seemed to be a must that
when one travels to the city, he or she must carry some luggage: ice chests full of fish, bags, sacks, boxes
of local goods such as coconut, bananas, vegetables, etc. All these were carried without hassle on the
part of the traveler since all these were taken care of by the crews of the vessel, with very minimal
charge on the owner. Everything may be taken aboard and the boat safely docks in the port of Legazpi.
Moreover, one had the option of either going on a trip in the morning or in the afternoon since there
were two schedules of trip in a day.

All these suddenly changed when the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) announced the
incoming phase-out program as to be directed in the modernization of domestic sea transport.
Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade made national statements on said modernization which
according to him, all to be done for a safer, more convenient, and more comfortable service. Operators
of wooden-hull sea vessels were encouraged to invest on the modern sea crafts such as the fast crafts
and the ‘roro’ ferries.

During the initial phase of the implementation of the modernization, some of the residents liked
the idea since it would be a new experience to travel on a big and metal craft without the thought of the
cost and the inconvenience it could bring especially to small business owners. They loved the idea of
taking pictures with the views of the new transportation vessel, looking like tourists in facebook as they
posed and took the ‘selfie’ shot.

All these made a shift and did not last when the boat fare spiked to 230.00 pesos from Rapu-
Rapu to Legazpi City with minimal difference relative to the distance of departure to the port of Legazpi.
The people therein felt that the change in the transportation system is a form of deprivation of their
basic rights since it is not only the fare that they were exorbitantly charged with, but with the additional
burden of the port’s entrance fee in which all passengers regardless of age are to pay 20.00 per head,
with a minimal discount for students who could provide an identification card only, and for senior
citizens. All the privilege that these people enjoy before were no longer in the current picture, and
moving from one place to another means extravagant spending, with the disadvantage of the
inconvenience of carrying luggage of goods for subsistence.

Presently, Rapu-Rapunhons are in utter dismay of their condition since majority belong to the
low income class and to the poor class based on household income in reference to the economic
standing determined by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies. Their economic status is the
major battle that each individual faces, hardly making all ends meet, while said modernization
exacerbates their condition. The pervasive effect of this event brings not a new and fresh face to the
general public but a deceptive promise of safer, more comfortable, more convenient, and enjoyable
experience.