ALARMA, ASHLEY MAE M.

BSTM 1-B

TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH

Life is not just about being alive, it is how you live. But living a life with a lot of
insecurities make it even harder to breathe and to feel more truly free. Genuinely free, out of
exhaustion. A burden that I never wish to carry -- no one does. Because while it lasts it gets
more and more heavy than as it is in the beginning.

They said: “Life is hard, don’t make it harder.” Well, life is really hard. It is. Every individual
that is living in this world have their own hardship that life has given to them to conquer.
Hardships that no one can ever know what it felt like. And in the middle of chaos and everything
that’s happening, I found myself silently battling all the insecurities that I slowly build inside of
me. A monster that only me can feel and see, which haunts me every time when I’m alone and it
feels like I’m inside a dark room with a four corners, no windows with a very eerie sound that
only I can hear. Sitting there, with my hand covering my ears and a teary eyes, silently crying
and as my tears keep on pouring I can’t help but to think how awful life can be. And then I came
into realization that it doesn’t matter how long a person live or how older they could be, for us to
estimate what life has thrown at them. To judge other people base on their perception in life
without knowing what they’ve been through just to keep on walking and going in life and to feel
that they are free – escaping the grasps that’s keeping them in the dark. A suffocating one that I
need to discard in my life for me to able to feel the beauty in living in this wonderful world of
ours, despite of how cruel it could get.

Insecurity. One word and eight letters. A one powerful word that can ruin not just eight but
more than lives and dreams. A dreams that always start in believing in ourselves that we are
capable of doing things, taking risks, and getting out of our comfort zone. Taking another path,
following God’s direction and not basing on other peoples’ opinion. A faith in dreams that woke
me up from the darkness that despite of feeling insecure and having a low self-esteem, there is
still a light coming from the opening door, freeing me up from the cage that I made for myself.
And that made me realized that life may be hard at times but it is up to us if we will continue
caging ourselves inside a dark room and refuse to come outside the door to witness the beauty
that life possesses.

My experience in the discovery weekend is an unforgettable one, it enables me to become

vulnerable, to open up my heart to see what’s really inside of it, that sometimes being vulnerable
does not mean you are weak, it represents how strong you are as a person to come out and to
be finally free. That I’m not alone in this world, and everyone wears a mask that will keep them
hidden in the comfort of darkness. It also reminds me to think about the bigger picture rather
than only considering the immediate consequences of any action. Plan for the long term rather
than the short term, otherwise you’ll find yourself focusing solely on the negatives. And the
realization of life itself thought me to consider my life goal and have a better plan for how I can
achieve them. Playing a big part as I enter the stage of growth and development, and explore
my heart’s desires. That is the greatest realization I had after participating in the said discovery
weekend, that sometimes in life all we have to do is to look on the brighter side and have the
courage to take a leap of faith.

ARONDON, NAJEANE IRISSE

BSTM - 1B

When I heard about the announcement for the upcoming discovery weekend, curiosity is
really what I felt that day. I came to ask questions like, what is discovery weekend, how it will
help us in our daily lives? When it's our turn to have our discovery weekend, my first hour there
was very boring because they collected our cellphones, but then when our sessions started it
was very fun. It was very fun because I get to know new friends. We shared our happenings in
life and even our personal problems. I felt so special that day, can you imagine that it was the
very first day of being together with your groupmates but they have the trust in you and was
able to share their problems. No judgement, and you only have yourself there as their shoulder
to lean on. Realization also hit me really hard that day, I came to realize how lucky and blessed I
am for having my family even though there are times that my heart felt hate for them. I know that
they love me for who I am. I've heard a lot of things from them that I've been longing to heard for
years. I am full of love. That pushes me to become stronger each day. If I have the chance to go
back to cabbo, I will definitely go back there. A big big thank you for this great opportunity.

ANTONIO, JOHN CLIFFORD S.

BSTM - 1B

The discovery weekend that held last march 5-7, 2023, at Cabbo, Peña Blanca, Cagayan,
helps us to realize the reality wherein we need to focus more on our self, to God, to our family,
and to other people around us. This program helps me to communicate with other people and it
makes me socially alive. It was so interesting to meet my schoolmates especially the nursing
students from the section of 1G. They are so amazing and approachable and in fact, they are so
friendly unlike others. The message of the program was delivered perfectly. And i saw it in my
eyes that all students well actively participated. The songs that we sang was good and we are
enjoying while singing. This was really an amazing and the song choices was really good. The
songs was stress reliever for me. And also the dance, it was fun and enjoyable. It makes me
feel alive while I'm dancing especially in our last day of living there.

The program taught me about the freedom. They said that the true freedom is that you don't
think any problem or anything that can ruined your mind or anything that might overthink you.
So i ask myself when do i experience the true freedom. Because me, myself, and i always
thinking what would be the next problem after my happiness. In that day, i felt sad but then, i just
realized that i am not the only one who has the problem like that. So what i need to do is to start
changing my mindsets and to start changing myself and look forward. Because sometimes, i am
the reasons why i am not happy about myself that's why i need to change it. It can also helps
me to focused in my study. I need to study very well so that in my future i can taste the true
freedom that i am always dreaming for a long time ago.

The program also taught us how to love our parents and how to give them a better treatment
that they deserved. And also they taught us how to love and to be the son of God. I have so
much word to say about this Discovery Weekend but i need to end it here because it makes me
sad and cry while i am doing this letter. The reasons is that i missed it. I miss the activities and
the people who i met there. I missed them a lot.

The Discovery Weekend with the theme "Total Self Awareness in The New Normal:
Strengthening The Foundation of Our Future" was really helps students a lot and the instructors
did an amazing job. They delivered it successfully. What a great job.

HEAVENLY BALACANO
BSTM - 1B

As I sit down to reflect on my discovery weekend, I realize that my family is very important in
my life because they are my source of strength, they are the one who is always there for me if I
have problems, they are my inspiration in my life. Even though we sometimes argue, we fight,
but at the end, family is family. We first learn how to love, and the family is the best thing that we
can have. It is the best blessing that he gave us, so let's be thankful and give importance to our
family.he final day, we began with breakfast and engaged in some physical activity. With the
other participants, we had a lot of fun dancing. Then, they tell us to write a letter to our parents
as well. I ran out of time, but I did everything I could to write a letter to them. After that, we gave
our letters to our advisors and participated in an activity in which we had to respond to the
questions that were presented. The daughter of our mother eagle then delivers a final, uplifting
message, which we will take outside following the discovery weekend. Last but not least, we
give our speakers, advisers, and facilitators hugs. After those hugs, we felt cared for and loved.
Perpetually after we fix our things, put in our baggage, and convey it outside wherein we will
currently pass on Cabbo and have returned to our homes since it is now finished. We are
delighted to have participated in a discovery weekend because we now know more.
So now I thank God because he pulled me to go to that discovery weekend. I am also very
blessed and thankful to my friends, teachers, and new friends, and especially at MCNP ISAP
school, I realized a lot about life.
BENTERO, KYMBER KLORIS G.
BSTM - 1B

Being on a discovery weekend is a time for focusing on your inner life and relationship to
God. discovery weekend brought us closer spirituality, emotionally, mentally. I loved every
discussed and shared by our speakers and I definitely learned a lot. I have learned the things I
need to improve on and I feel ready with the tools to improve and I learned to always be brave
in the coming test of life.it was a great way to relax and take time away from the regular routine
that I have.The activities were made to share our thoughts and experiencees to each other
which have helped me to know more about my groupmates and especially to know more about
myself that activities helped me realized what I am capable of and what I want in my life.The
sharing has helped me to know more about the people around me.My close friends and those
people I only knew by their faces and names . It was a time for me to be able to take a break
from my usual life and take a step back to take a look at where I am at the moment and where I
want to be in the future the discovery weekend was an eye-opener for me.

CABASUG, LYNJEL LEE

BSTM - 1B

To be honest,I thought that discovery weekend will be boring but I was wrong.It was actually
the opposite.It exceeded my expectations.Cabbo wasn't really the first choice venue but God
really had a best plan and thankfully that it was held in Cabbo.The place was really beautiful.It
was breathtaking because the place was surrounded of nature.

I went to Cabbo exhausted,with a heavy heart and with a lot of problems.I used to hide of
what I feel because I'm afraid to judge.I'm afraid that their opinions might hurt me.

I have a lot of realizations.It's not healthy to keep all your problems by yourself because you
will suffer more.You need also to share it to God because in him,he will listen to you with no
judgement.Reconnect with God and he will help you.Don't lose faith with him,he has a better
plan with you.In order to be happy and move forward,you need to forgive yourself and let go of
your worries and the pain of the past.

I realized that we should love and appreciate our parents because they also have problems
that they don't want us to know.Our life has a limit so we have to do everything that we want to
do because life is short.Put God in the center of our life and everything will follow.
CARNATE, ROSELYN
BSTM - 1B

I can't explain what my experiences in discovery weekend but I know for my self that, Jesus
use that program to know myself more, love my family more, and know Jesus more.

On our first day, I don't have any idea what are we gonna do in discovery weekend, it was
all surprised. When we hand our phones to the teachers, I thought it would be boring because
we don't have phones to use to see what time is it now and we can't online on our social media.
But hours passed by and it's not that boring at all because we have activity to do and we can
communicate to our classmates and other people to know them more and build friendships.

On our second day, we wake up early in the morning cause we don't have a watch or
phones to know the time is and it's funny because we wake up three in the morning. But it's
okay, it's okay to be ahead of time rather than to be late. It's just difficult to bathe there because
of the water. When we gather in the morning of our first day there, we started our day with a
prayer and after a little activity we had our breakfast to give us energy on out day.

On our last day, it was the most memorable day for me, because in this day I have realized
all of my wrong doings. In my family, I cannot say I love you to my parents or hug them but I can
do that to my friends. In my God I didn't pay attention to him, I was always busy but I realized
these when I'm there. Including in my self, I got to know myself more. In this discovery weekend
I learn, realized a lot of things.

I'm happy in this discovery weekend and I hope I can do the things that I learned from there.
To be more closer to God, my family, friends, and also for my self.

Aurea Juliana C. Damian

BSTM - 1B

DISCOVERY WEEKEND REFLECTION

I thank God for giving me the privilege to join in this said Discovery Weekend. This Program
gave me a lot of life realizations and i want it to share here in my reflection. It took multiple times
for me to decide what is really meant for me but after this program, i realized that it is not you
who will decide for what is truly for yourself, it is our God's plan and perfect time who will hold us
towards our right path. Sometimes we may not be satisfied or contented of what we have, but
let's accept the fact that life doesn't always go the way we want it to be. This program made me
realized that God is the most powerful and we should surrender all to him 'cause he knows
everything. This program helps me to focus on what will happen today, and be ready for what
may tomorrow give, because that is literally a Life the we should possessed. I am so grateful
that i used to experience this with wonderful people, one thing more that made this Program
special for me is that, i met random of people that i am now considering as one of my treasured
friends. I thank my Father God for using people like our Teachers and Facilitators to share and
deliver his words of wisdom for us, and because of that, my faith in God was strengthened. I
barely open up my private problems, but with my groupmates during the session is, i easily
opened everything to them and they were so kind-hearted when it comes to everyone's story. I
appreciate each and everyone of them, we had also gain learnings in every story of individuals.
I will always look for the beauty of everybody i used to be with during Discovery Weekend. This
will be one of my best memories in my entire college life, everything that happened and
everything i learned will always stay in my heart.

DAPITON, SHEREEZE ANN A.

BSTM - 1B

The reason why we had a Discovery Weekend it’s to know our purpose to God. I learned a
lot of different things during the discovery weekend, the first day we went to Cabbo I suddenly
saw a very wide and calm place. When my classmates and I arrived in Cabbo, we were really
delighted since the things we witnessed transformed our perceptions. When our adviser showed
us our sleeping quarters, we immediately started looking for bed to sleep in. After we arrived at
the quarters, we also arranged our things and prepared ourselves to go immediately to the
session hall for orientation. Our facilitator and other teachers took our gadgets away because
they couldn’t be used during the three days, we were in the session hall, and he immediately
detailed the rules and regulations for our days that would be activities. During the days that I
was there in the Cabbo, many things were realized and I said to myself that “it is right that I am
here”, I’m so happy that I found my self-realization and to share my problems to others and I
realized that we shouldn’t be afraid if we can talk about the problems in life, lets just let them
judge us or believe as long as god knows that you are true to yourself.

In every activity we did, we all couldn’t stop crying and burst into tears because we relate so
much to people who share their problems in life and one of the things that made me cry was the
letter from my mom, I know it’s been too long we don’t along but I really felt her support and her
love for me, she didn’t even witness my achievements, but in that letter she wrote I felt more
how proud she was for me. The Discovery Weekend reflects what you already know, regarding
relationships, friendships and communications to God. I’ve realized so many things that I was
not even thinking of before. Knowing self, you and your family plus God. Discovery Weekend
helped us to validate and strengthen our love for each other.

We really open ourselves up to each other most especially to God. It was a great experience
to be in Discovery Weekend all the experiences shared are truly inspiring. It was a great fulfilling
weekend of learning and sharing, laughing, and crying, of discovering myself, and our
relationship to God. Thank you for this experience. I was a fruitful experience. Right balance of
time and talks with other people and with God.

DAWAY, ANNE CHARMEE LEIGH G.

BSTM - 1B

When I first attended the session in Discovery Weekend, have no clue on what is going to
happen. To be honest, I always thought it would be boring and not enjoyable because I
expected it to happen in Pamplona. I am very excited when I heard that we can unwind and I
can finally go to beach this year and that excitement suddenly disappeared when they said that
it will take place in Cabbo. I was very disappointed that time, I knew from that that I will not
enjoy the activities. I realized that I was wrong. I never expected it to be that good and
memorable. I soon understood my mistake. The Discovery Weekend is something I never
anticipated.

The first day has been really hard for not only me, but for all of us students. We have to
surrender our phones. I said my goodbyes to my friends and family since they will not hear from
me for 3 days. I don't have anything to do but to talk to my friends and reminisce the good
memories we had. It was actually fun because I had a quality time with them and made a lots of
memories. The second day made me realize so many things. First, I was really dependent on
my phone to the point that I can't sleep without holding it. Second, I don't have a social life
because my life literally revolve around social media apps and I only connect with people only
through that. Third, it hit me hard that I didn't savor every moment with my family. I usually tell
them it's "corny" when they show their affection to me but then I realize that many students,
especially my group mates, didn't experience that kind of thing and what makes me sadder is
that they are willing to do anything just to feel the love of their parents and have a chance to hug
them. Lastly, I understood that life offers several perspectives. At that point, I began to overthink
things. What if they may have the same disappointment in my family as I do? I am trying my
best, but I am aware that I am not a perfect daughter or a perfect person. As the evening
arrived, and as I read the letters that my friends and family had sent, my heart ached. Tears just
kept rolling down my face as the emotions started to follow one another. I really want to go
home at that point, embrace my mother, and apologize for everything I've done. I even joked to
my friends that I will forgive anyone who will say sorry that night. And how ironic is that. My ex
friend said sorry to us for betraying us. We hugged and we accepted her apologies. The last day
made me realize I should really tell them how much they mean to me, how much I love them,
how grateful I am that they are my family.

I believe that I am doing better than before ever since I shared my problems and the
situation I'm going through in Discovery Weekend. It felt like the burden that I carry feels lighter.
I realized that it was nice to have these kinds of forums to express your problems and have
others share their suggestions and ease what you feel. After all of in our room shared our
problem, we end the day by praying to God. I realized that the objective of the retreat was to
help the students recognize their calling in life, connect with their families, grow spiritually, and
become much closer to God.

DE CASTRO, MICHELLE
BSTM - 1B

In many people's imaginations, college is an easy time in life for students to have fun and to
not worry. In reality, the majority of students face pressure from many sources. The Discovery
Weekend enriched me with confirmation on how to deal with emotions on myself, others and
with God. I believe everything that we learned on Discovery Weekend will be our take away
from this event. This helped us to get to know each other better. We also discovered so many
thing that we have in common and those that we don’t share an interest with. This event also
helped us understand how we can dialogue better and how to deal with difficult situations. For
us it is the confession since this is the first time we confessed as a student and agreed upon as
child. First day we arrived in Cabbo Peñablanca, we are under a lot of pressure and at the same
time thrilled with what will happen, Before the 1st session started, Sir Aries gave us some rules
that we should remember. We also have to surrender our cellphones so we can focus and learn
to appreciate the time we spend in the Cabbo. After the opening remarks, we went to our rooms
where we will sleep, at first it was difficult to adjust but we managed it. A lot happened on the
second day, the sessions and activities that Sir Aries gave us, the session was to fascinating
due to the fact that we learned many lessons and realized how to appreciate our parents as
children to put God always in the center in the view of fact that God always have a purpose in
our lives. Every activities that we do, there is a realization on reflecting our selves in what our
actions do towards to my family, friends and relationship with God. We share our thoughts,
feelings, emotions and prayers on how we value every experiences that we make through. The
most meaningful and heartless activity or session that we do is when I read the letter from my
mom it was overwhelming feeling. That's all I'd like to say and what I took away from the most
recent event.

DELA CRUZ, MARIE ROSE

BSTM - 1B

From the moment I step my foot in the venue in Cabbo City, I immediately felt the feeling that
someone was waiting for me and I knew who it was. I could relate to all the sessions that were
done, especially on the second day. I realized more that I need to look up to the people around
me, especially my parents. I know that our family is happy but I don't consider it a perfect family.
I appreciate what my parents accomplish even in small things compared to before. We are often
so busy growing up, we forget they are also growing old. Because of the small group sharing, I
understood better that what you see on the outside is not what you see on the inside, not
everything they show to you is true. I understood better why they show you that way because
that's how they were raised. If I think that I have a big problem they are also encountering bigger
and deeper compared to the dilemmas I am encountering. When I went to the discovery
weekend, I didn't know my purpose yet, but since we went out, I understand better what my
purpose is in this world that has accumulated for me. I'm going to take care of myself more
because of the attorney's last session that if you don't like yourself, others won't like you either.
Finally, thank God who made everything so that I can ponder better on everything that happens
in life. As sir, Aristotle said Always be happy and always choose to be happy.

DOMINGO, MARY AIMEE AMORE

BSTM - 1B

I learned about the discovery weekend is to cherish my love one’s and treasure every
moments with them. I realized more about myself. There are many realizations of my past
mistakes.I have a self-discovery is the process of understanding your true self: your values,
your needs and wants. You might have naturally learned some of these things about yourself
over time. Becoming aware of your core values and belief. When you're aware of what matters
to you, you'll make choices that are better aligned with who you are. I’ve also learned about
getting to know who are as a person. This includes reflecting on what your likes and dislikes are
and what you want to achieve in life. When you're discovering more about yourself, you may
also learn what your core principles are and what your potential is in life.Holding on to certain
moments in our lives also reminds us of our purpose in the present. It teaches us not to regret
anything but instead to relish every memory, every lesson learned in the past. At the same time,
it reminds us how far we've come.

DOMINGO, SHEINLOR
BSTM - 1B

Discovery Weekend is a great opportunity for individuals to explore new interest and discover
different perspectives. It provides a space where people can interact and learn from each other,
resulting in a unique and enriching experience. During discovery weekend, I was able to reflect
on my own values and beliefs, attendees engage in workshops, networking sessions, panel
discussions to gain knowledge and insights from experts in their respective fields and
discovered new ways of thinking and problem solving techniques. This experience has given me
sense of clarity and direction regarding my future goals and aspirations. The discovery weekend
is a great opportunity for those students like me or people having a mental breakdown to
comfort them specially to learn, connect and grow.

Being a student and still healing and learning to grow. Being able to grow with a good
mindset. Being one of the participants of discovery weekend and lots of activities and
experience I’ve learned. Some of us grew up being people pleasers, soft hearted, broken family,
a loner one and being compared to others success and all of those pains because of nature,
and just what who we are. And it takes a long time to get to the point where you stop doing
everything you can, to shift ourselves to fit in, to make everyone like us. So when we’re able to
stand up in our own skin without cowering down when someone doesn’t agree with the way you
do it, applaud yourself. Because it takes a lot of courage and discipline in our hearts to be ok
with standing up for ourselves after spending years being what everyone else wanted us to be.
Be who you are not be who they want you are. It’s better to grow with your family and talking to
God than growing with other people who can destroy your future. “Healing is what makes you
strong. Forgiving is what makes you rise. And letting go is what makes you better” instead of
making arguments to those people you should pray them, love and help them change those
attitudes.
The first one that I’ve learned during the discovery activity is being a friendly to others and build
a better communication to other participation and after that we share our deepest experiences
and sharing our story about our lives. These activity makes me realize that every story of our life
is an important part of who we are, and sharing it with others can be a valuable experience.
Sometimes we share our experience to others just to diminished what we feel’s inside. Whether
it’s a personal reflection, a family history or a cultural narrative. Sharing our story can also help
us connect with others and better understanding. By sharing our stories, we can also preserve
our history and ensure that future generations have deeper appreciation of experiences and
perspectives that have shaped us. Some of us crying while their sharing their story not because
of being an emotionally but its really hard to handle it inside. Even though we have different
story, different experience but same feelings, same thoughts and ways to diminished a little bit
of pain. In this activity shows that communication and sharing are fundamental aspects of
human interaction. It allows us to connect with others, share ideas, and build relationships.
Effective communication requires both listening and speaking. It involves understanding the
needs, preferences, and perspectives of others. By sharing our experiences and knowledge, we
gain invaluable insights and learn from each other. And the second activity is all about realizing
ourselves. I really agree that accepting yourself outside and inside is a biggest win as a human
being. As our Atty. Said “before you change your outside, first you should change your inside” if
you already accepted your flaws and your confident to show yourself to other people is a sign of
self-acceptance that no matter what you have and who you are, you’re really accepted and
blessed on what your parents given a life for you. For me self-acceptance is an important aspect
of mental well-being. When we accept ourselves, we are more confident in our abilities and
more resilient in the face of adversity. Accepting ourselves for who we are can be difficult,
especially when we have been conditioned to believe that we are not good enough. However,
by practicing self-compassion and letting go of the need to please others, we can learn to
accept ourselves for who we truly are. Self-growth is a lifelong process that involves cultivating
new skills, learning from experiences, and making changes to become a better version of
yourself. It requires a commitment to personal development and a willingness to step outside of
your comfort zone. There are many ways to grow and improved ourselves, such as setting
goals, seeking out new experiences, surrounding yourself with positive influences, and
embracing failures as a learning opportunity. With the right mindset and dedications to
self-improvement, anyone can achieve personal growth and live more fulfilling life. And the last
activity makes me realize about sacrifices of our parents. In this activity make my deeper
feelings out. We cried aloud to diminished pains stacks in our heart while realizing our dearest
mother and father. Parents are often known to make countless sacrifices for well-being of their
children. From putting their own careers on hold to providing financially for their children,
parents put their children’s needs before their own. These sacrifices often go unnoticed or
unappreciated, but they are crucial for a child’s upbringing and success. Whether it’s sacrificing
their own comfort or time, parents always prioritize their children’s happiness and future above
their own. It’s important to recognize and appreciate these sacrifices, as they shape us into the
individuals we become. So love them with all our heart and appreciate them while they’re still
here.

In life, there is always something to be thankful for. It’s easy to complain about how chaotic
the world is and how people can be so evil towards one another, but complaining without action
just doesn’t change anything. If we start loving each other, praying and thankful for everything
we have, instead complaining of what we do not have, we’ll start to appreciate our life on this
earth more

Without love, life can feel empty and meaningless. Loving our family means supporting and
caring for them, even when times are tough. And loving our friends means being there for them
through thick and thin. When we prioritize love in our lives, we can create stronger and more
fulfilling relationships with ourselves, our family and our friends.

DOLUN, SHANE
BSTM - 1B

My reflection on the day I discovered myself is so amazing. First, I thank God for pushing
me to go on that discovery weekend. I learned a lot from what happened, especially about
myself and knowing God, and I also learned that it's not scary to get to know different people,
and it's especially difficult to open up to people, but I was able to do it because of God. And
honestly, I was really close to the Lord before going to college,it changed me a lot when I went
to college. I had many roller coaster ride in my life, including the feeling that no one loved me,
but I thank God because somehow, he still pulled me to go to that discovery weekend to get to
know him again. I felt the presence of God at that time, it's really nice when you return to the
Lord, he will make you feel that no matter what difficulties in life you will experience, he will
always be there for you and there is no serious problem if you always sympathize with the Lord.
I'm thankful that there's such an event at school and it's really fun to experience the feeling of
joy, getting to know in ourselves, family, new and old friends, teachers, and above all, Our
Almighty God.

Thankyou so much MCNP- ISAP I realized a lot about myself and my life.
DUCO, KATHRINZEN U.
BSTM - 1B

March 5-7,2023. The first year student of Department of Nursing (1-G) Physical Therapist
Dental Technology and us Tourism (1-B) go to Vista Cabbo, Cabbo, Peñablanca, Cagayan to
have our discovery weekend. 2 days and 2 nights, it was a very enjoyable, challenging and
successful activity. Enjoyable because we met other students in different courses, we shared so
many things, we hang out like we know each and everyone of us like we’ve been friends for a
long time. Challenging because we have to surrender all our phones, it’s so funny because lot of
us says “hindi ko kayang wala akong phone” “hindi ako makatulog pag walang phone” but
guess what, we survived! Lastly, it was a very successful because the discovery weekend made
us realize a lot of things, it made us go closer to the Lord (he is the center of all), made you
realize that family is the most precious gift that God gave to us, they are the first one you’ve
met, first friend and comfort zone. It also improves your communication skills and also helps you
boost your confidence and socialize with others.

This reflection of mine is all about my realization in our discovery weekend. Every session,
sir Aris never forgot to include our almighty God, when we start, we pray, when the session
ends, we pray. There is a time sir Aris said we need to have a partner, then we pray. The
mechanic of this is you and your partner face each other, your partner have to kneel or sit and
you remain stand, what you need to do is put your hand in the head of your partner and pray for
her/him. After you finish to pray, you need to do what your partner did, and she will do the same.
Because of what we did I learn the real truth, I start to understand the wisdom and being guided
by the Holy Spirit. Also if we pray for someone we doesn’t know or the one’s who had done
some wrong things to us we gain the right to become children of God.

Because of this discovery weekend, I realized also that self-realization can help you
develops self awareness, self esteem and increase your confidence. Being connected to your
inner self, self realization frees you from fear of failure, over excitement and low sense of
self-worth.

Our last night in Cabbo, there’s a session that we have to blindfold ourselves, then your
teacher will come closer to you and guide you to go to your own chair. After that, sir Aris start
talking and he said that we have to imagine what he was talking. What he was saying that we
should imagine, is about how our family suffer if their children had an accident. Then you (your
soul) are there watching how your parents, siblings, relatives and friends crying because of what
happened to you. In reality, you are sitting in your chair with your eyes blindfolded, as you
imagine the scenario, you were crying because you don’t want that to happen in real life. After
that, he said that there is a letter from our parents under our chair, and if we are ready to read it
we can remove our blindfolds. As I read my mother’s letter, I realized how the hardship they’ve
been through for me to pursue and continue my studies. I am grateful to God that he give them
to me as my family because in all the trials and failure before and after my father’s death. As the
youngest they pour me their unending support and love so that I overcome slowly of not having
a father by my side. I graduated in senior high without my father. It so sad and it hurts but
atleast I have my mother and siblings congratulated me and make me happy for those
momentum in my life. I thank God for such a lovely Family I have.

ERANG, JOSEIAH JOY

BSTM - 1B

The Discovery Weekend program given by MCNP-ISAP for 1st-year students was very
helpful especially as the program flow was very clean and organized. All the speaker's lectures
were well presented, and the activities given were very fun, thought-provoking, heart-opening,
and emotional. on our first day in Cabbo, we were greeted happily by the facilitators. They
immediately pointed out where our quarters were to organize our things. After we settled, we
were immediately called to the convention to learn the house rules. After that, they fed us and
immediately sent us to our quarters to take a nap.

On the second day, I had a severe ache because of the pain from my ulcer. I couldn't move
my body and stand up and they almost want to send me home because I can’t stay in Cabbo
while not participating in the activities. Good thing, my best friend gave me some medicine and
it help a lot because, after a couple of minutes, the ache was gone. After that, I came back
immediately to the convention and join my groupmates. The activities that were given that was
so very emotional because it talks about your family situations, especially our parents. We share
what we experienced in our lifetime, we surrender and pray about our problems, they blindfold
us and after some imagination, we received a letter from our parents, we cry, cry, and cry and
that’s the best feeling ever. It makes us feel free and loved. We felt empathy for each of the
participants when they read in front the letter that their parents gave to them. We realized that
our parents had never forgotten us because they truly support and love us. After the activity,
they let us in again in our quarters to take nap and rest.

Last day, we had our breakfast first and had some exercise activities. We had some fun
dancing with the other participants. After that, they command us to write also a letter to our
parents. I run out of time but I put all my heart to write a letter to them, after that we give our
letters to our advisers and had an activity wherein we need to answer the given questions.
Following, the daughter of our mother eagle gives us a last message, an inspiring message that
we will bring outside after the discovery weekend. Lastly, we hug our facilitators, advisers, and
speaker sir Aries. We felt the love and care after those hugs. Forever after we fix our things, put
in our luggage, and carry it outside wherein we will now leave Cabbo and be back to our houses
because it is already done. We are so very happy that we had a discovery weekend because we
learn and know more.
MANAUIS, MIKYLLA
BSTM - 1B

I think everything that we learned about the discovery weekend will be our take away from
this event. This made it easier for us to get to know one another. We also discovered so many
thing that we have in common and those that we don’t share an interest with. This experience
also taught us how to communicate more effectively and how to handle life's challenges. I now
feel educated and skills necessary to make improvements. If we put Jesus at the center of our
relationship, we will be led every step of the way. We are genuinely proud of the chance to
participate in Discovery Weekend. It has worked wonders for us and our relationship in lots of
ways. We thank the Lord for everything.We are glad to the Lord for bringing us his love and
message using his instruments.The discovery weekend experiences is a memorable opportunity
to re-discover and strengthen our love for our family and friends as well as our love for God.

MAMANAO, MARK ANGELO

BSTM - 1B

In the minds of many, college is a carefree time of life where students can relax and enjoy
themselves. The majority of students do, in fact, experience pressure from a variety of sources. I
gained confirmation from the Discovery Weekend about how to handle my emotions as well as
those of others and God. We will remember all we discovered throughout Discovery Weekend,
in my opinion. This made it easier for us to get to know one another. We also learned a lot about
things we have in common and things we don't have in common. This experience also taught us
how to have more effective conversations and handle challenging circumstances. Since this is
the first time we have confessed as students and agreed upon as children, it is the confession
for us. When we first arrived in Cabo Peablanca, we were anxious and excited at the same time.
Before the first session began, Sir Aries gave us some rules that we should keep in mind. In
order to concentrate and develop an appreciation for the time we spend in the Cabbo, we must
also give up our cellphones. After the welcome remarks, we went to our rooms to prepare for
the night. At first, it was challenging to adjust, but we succeeded. On the second day, a lot
happened. Sir Aries' sessions and activities were very interesting because they taught us
valuable lessons about how to value our parents as children and how to always put God first
because He has a purpose for us in everything we do. Every action we take is followed by the
knowledge that it reflects who we are in how it affects our relationships with God, family, and
friends. We express our sentiments, thoughts, and prayers about how much we value each
encounter we have. When I read the letter from my mother, it was the most poignant and cruel
exercise or session that we engage in. That’s all I like to say and learned from the recent
activity.

MONTILLA, HERSHEY ROSE

BSTM - 1B

This is my reflection letter to the Discovery Weekend. At first I am thinking twice if I really
need to join for this Discovery Weekend. But then I did, day 1 was full of expectations. I don’t
really see it will be going just fine as I thought. Not just me, but all of us didn’t expect the
happenings. In all activities the day 2 was over the moon and like out of the universe. The pain,
love, and realization comes up to me. The experience of being in the dark is not that easy. But
trusting the process was not bad. We made it till the end and I am really sure this helps me a lot
and will become my basis to any trials that I will encounter next time. The past is unforgettable
but the discovery weekend was remarkable and keeps enlightening my dark life. This
experience give me hope and strengthen my beliefs. I really appreciate all the listeners and
sharers like me. To all we’re going through our lives we can make it to success just believe that
God is always holding our hands and he will never let us go until we make it to the top of our
goals and dreams. Challenges are part of our living it is our choice how we want to make it or
how we can do it. It is not on others hands it is in our, and the only one who can help us is God.

PAGUIRIGAN, CATE
BSTM - 1B

During the Discovery Weekend, I realized a lot of things and learned lessons that changed
the way I view life. The speaker made me realize that life without parents is like being alone in a
dark place and feeling helpless. He also helped me reconnect with God, because before I was
so down that I always forgot to pray. I feel like God sent me to Vista Cabbo to open my heart
and come back to Him. There's so much that I have learned, such as about friends, family, and
God. All the things that I've learned during our Discovery Weekend will be forever remembered,
and I will treasure the memories I had there. It was fun to attend the Discovery Weekend
because there were different activities wherein we could socialize and meet new friends from
other departments. We worshipped together, we danced together, and we enjoyed all the
games. Every session, there is a realization. I never thought that it would help me mentally. I
really enjoyed my stay at Vista Cabbo. I didn't regret going there because it helped me grow and
appreciate the life that I have right now.

PINEDA, CLARISSE D.
​BSTM 1-B
 Seminars, conferences, and activities in our schools help each and every student in
building, displaying, and growing things that have always been inside of us. Some focused on
our courses or on a specific topic, and others focuses on oneself, in character and reminds us of
who we are. The recent Discovery Weekend has opened my eyes to things I never saw in
myself before, realizations I never knew I had, and the “love” that I thought I couldn’t have.

On our first day of the Explore Weekend, we had no idea what was in store for us, what we
would do and experience, all we could do was to believe that this would all be worth it in the
end. Our phones and other gadgets were relinquished, and they explained that this was a
method for us to genuinely focus our minds, be free of outside problems and worries, to start
connecting personally with each other, to make friends, and be able to open up to them.

We always begin and end each day with praise and worship, which reminded me that in
everything I do, I should always begin and conclude those by communicating with my God.
Every meal we enjoyed was accompanied by a story. Every activity we did had a lesson
attached to it. And each session we had left us with a deeper lesson.

The most memorable session we had was when we were reminded of how much our family,
especially our parents, loves us. The tears streaming down my cheeks bear witness to how
unconditional their love towards me. And as a result, I'll be forever grateful to whoever began
this Discovery Weekend, as it has ignited love within me.

Every activity and session we had in Cabbo served as a continual reminder to myself that I
am significant, I am enough, and I am loved. I am eager to share this love with those who have
been there for me through both my highest moments of joy and my darkest moments of pain.

PINTUCAN, CAMILLE
BSTM - 1B

Discovery Weekend Batch 2

My realization is that, Communication is the greatest importance. It is important to sharing out

ones thoughts and feelings to live a fuller and happier life. The more we communicate the less
we suffer and the better we feel about everything around. Talking to new people is a great way
to get out of your comfort zone and try something new. The more comfortable you get
communicating, the more open you'll be to trying new things in your life.Life gives us many
opportunities to meet and know various people. Meeting new people can be really interesting
and you might end up having great conversations and learning new things. It's really interesting
to learn how different person view the world , to know their perception and their views on
different topics.I'm a kind of person who loves to meet and talk new people. I basically enjoy
doing that cause it fills my heart with a bunch of satisfaction and happiness.Meeting different
kinds of people has always given me a new experience every time, and the most important thing
that I learn is being yourself .

This is a great experience for those who have never encountered God before. They know
of Him, but don't know Him. Maybe they are curious. Maybe they have doubts. Maybe they
believe their unbelief is truer and more solid than an unseen God. My realization, Once you start
to accept and love yourself and your desired path, the smoke will clear and you will breathe
easy again. Be kind to yourself and life will be a whole lot brighter.Choose to completely
surround yourself with positive, inspiring influences. You will feel much happier and better about
yourself if you do.The most important thing to remember is that you are worth it, you can go
another day, and you can be happy. Life will not throw you anything you cannot handle or
overcome.

ESTRADA, SEANN ALBERT M.

BSTM - 1B

When discovery weekend start, there’s a lot of expectation. Different courses and attitude
that you encountered. It makes you wonder if they are okay.

Discovery weekend it so much fun and enjoy. First, I thought I cannot close them because
some of them are not approachable. But, as time goes on, I get to know them better and I am
happy that I met them. When first night of our discovery weekend it’s innovative because I don’t
have phone. I tried to sleep early but I can’t sleep. And after that I thought what can we do
tomorrow? Is it fun? And I’m already excited. During the second day, the special day. that was
the saddest and happiest part of the discovery weekend. We opened up to each other even
though we are not totally close to each other. Different problems that I heard. there’s a broken
family, experiencing anxiety and depression, rejection by their friends and loss of confidence. It’s
refreshing to be able to share a story with others, heart warming. I’m happy to see others
sharing their problems, especially to the boys. I believe that sharing problems to others it’s not
all about how weak you are, it’s all about realeasing your heart feelings. This was a very
memorable and a amazing experience for me.

Discovery weekend thought us to realize, life must go on, no matter how hard it is. You just go
with the flow and keep fighting. Because If you are suffering right now, maybe sooner or later
your life is full of joy. This discovery weekend it is a big help to us, especially to the first timer
experiencing it.

SUBAC, JOHN EDGAR

BSTM - 1B
 When they say we have a Discovery Weekend in all First Year Students I thought it's kinda
boring and I think I can't enjoy it.

First Day, I am excited because I know that Discovery Weekend is to know yourself more
and to know God more, in our First Day they collected our Cellphones and Watch which can
turn my face sad I also cried at night it is because I can't sleep without using cellphone first, we
also don't know what the time is, we just woke up without knowing what the time is we went
faster to the Comfort Room to take a bath, in this you need to apply a Time Management that is
also the highlights of this event.

On the second day, this day is a Happy and Sad Day we opened up our problems to the
others which is I like it I wanted to open up my problems to a stranger/s but sadly I can't open all
my problems what I'd share to them is the nonsense problem in my life not the worst but it is
okay to me, I also cried when they open up they're problems it is because most of them are
Broken Family and i'm sad with that like how they handle that situation, what I realized here is to
Love my Parents more and be grateful that I have a Complete Family.

Second Night, this night is the night that is memorable and unforgettable for me, On this
night I cried a lot. I cried without knowing what the problem was. I just cried and asked myself
many questions, me and my friends also cried we hugged together with them and said "Laban
lang, kaya natin 'to." I know that each and every one of us has different problems in life, I also
see in their eyes the sadness, the emotion and the guilt. In this night I really want to scream
because I don't know what to open up, we also have the blindfold scenario I also cried in that
night and I cried a lot when I read the message of my Mother and our Adviser, I cried it is
because I want to hug my mom while reading the message I really want to say I love her
because honestly I didn't did that anymore in my entire life. I also cried to the message of ma'am
Ivy because she is the one who is proud of me while fighting my silent battle in life.

Last Day, they gave us the opportunity to write a message to our parents and I write what is
in my heart what I want to say to them.

This Discovery Weekend is one of my 'For Keeps' things because of the experience i've got,
the lesson I learned and the Friendship I made, this is the best and memorable in my life this
year 2023, what I learned is to love your Parents more to Know God more and to know yourself
more even though you are stress you are allowed to take a rest and smile, sharing your
problems to others is also helpful to lighten up your feelings also Time Management is
important. Lastly, you don't need a cellphone to be happy, spend your time with your Family and
enjoy it. Discovery Weekend is the best!

TUMARU, KHARYLLE
BSTM - 1B
 When I am in Cabbo I have so many realization like a family relationship, no one is ever born
into life alone. Everyone has shared the bond of family, at least at birth, and for many people it is
a bond that will follow them throughout life. For many people it is the most important bond of all.
Family means many things to different people, yet the word itself can bring about a host of
emotions from anyone who hears the word uttered. As a child growing up in the 20’s the family
dynamic was defined by the people we grew up with were related to by blood, and extended to
the many family members of the different generations that made up the family unit. I have fond
memories of growing up with love and compassion, by the people who I was surrounded with.
The people may be different, but, the bonds will grow and develop in our existence. I remember
the feeling of completeness and security I had growing up with my mom, dad, grandparents,
and extended family members. I always felt like I belonged and was accepted for me. People
are not perfect, sometimes in actions and words, but, knowing the unconditional love that we
are surrounded with by our families keeps us grounded in our true selves. Now that I am older, I
feel the same security that I experienced while growing up. A familiarity of comfort that brings
me to a place of peace and security. My own comfort zone where I am loved, happy, cared for
and needed. A family can be defined in many ways, but the common denominator in all is the
love and fulfillment one gets by being surrounded by family members. Families can sometimes
be at odds with each other, but the strain of this type of relationship usually creates an upsetting
feeling to the people involved. People want others to rely on, talk to, do things with, share, love,
embrace, and be part of. No matter what the family dynamic is the qualities the word family has
will remain the same, as time goes by, and life evolves once again for every person living their.

VERONILLA, SANDRA MAE

BSTM - 1B

As my experience in discovery weekend that held in Cabbo Peñablanca, first i've learned a
lot from this and have a lot of realization that i might be wrong doing this or that but one thing i
realize after that night in discovery is a cry on that night i literally dont know how to feel and also
i dont know how to engage with emotional i cant control as i close my eyes and hear sad song i
remember my family my love ones and my relatives.

In the discovery weekend i wasn't able to know what is in that event i have no idea what's
going on with the event after knowing and having an idea on what discovery weekend is i'm a bit
curious about it i'm very excite. In every session in that event is so enjoyable there's a fun not
only in groupings but in all.

Second thing is that i'm able to communicate with God. I've learned a lot from this session
because i'm wondering if God tells me what to do and what he will do in my life after i step out in
that discovery weekend, as the facilitator said i forgive others but can't forgive myself i don't
know what to do with that i'm confuse because all of the time i dont know if i forgive myself or
not, but one thing i learn is to speak and open up with God to only trust is to the Lord, we need
to communicate/pray and continue our lifestyle with God is in the center of our life. In that
session i was able to be close to God and learned to talk to him everytime not only in hardtimes.

And lastly in forum about family, while doing my letters to send to my fam/parents i'm crying
inside because all of the time i don't do that kind of thing but in the discovery weekend i tend to
do it now without any hesitation. And also i feel sorry for my mom and dad for not giving them
the same energy they give to me but now i know they deserve so much better they deserve to
be loved and embrace to and that the thing i learned from the discovery weekend.

WADWADAN, EVERLY T.
BSTM - 1B

Life is full of up’s and down and sometimes we need to let our emotions show and share to
other in order to let things go and we have to be true to our self and to others to create a strong
bond with the people we love. In the discovery weekend at cabbo, at first I was hesitant to go
there but I think it is a God’s way in order for me to learn things that will help me to realize a
parent’s love for their children is unconditional.

It was a great experience to be in discovery weekend and it was amazing because it was
held in a peaceful and beautiful place in Cabbo. The event was great because we can be able
to improve our communication skill, team building and having fun even with a little things, the
event help us to get to know each other and their life situation, we also discovered so many
things that we have in common and those that we don’t share an interest with, with my
classmates and also with the student from the other department.

I learned a lot especially about family like sometimes we have to share our problems to seek
help with our family not only friends and we have to learn to be open in order for our relationship
to our family will strengthen and importantly we have to put God always before others and we
should never forget God in our happy days.

Learning is about looking at things differently, making your life a little better every day, and
trusts God’s plan for us because God allows us to experience the low points of life in order to
teach us lesson that we could learn in no other way.

ZIPAGAN, NICOLE
BSTM - 1B

My Experience during Discovery Weekend

 Discovery Weekend is one of the best things that happened in my entire life. It’s not just a
way of being together but also a new way for us to learn, share, and grow.

Joining discovery weekend as a first-timer was really a good decision because I learned a lot
of things, was able to express what’s on my mind, and gained clarity about who I am and what I
want to do with my life. I must say that it was both fun and sad. The activities we participated in
with various MCNP-ISAP students made it enjoyable and exciting. On the other hand, it was sad
because of the stories we exchanged with each other. After hearing their stories, I came to the
realization that although we have pursued different paths, we have the same goal in mind, which
is to have a brighter future. I also realized that we all have silent battles, and all I wanted was for
us all to get over the problems we keep to ourselves.

The Discovery Weekend is jam-packed with life’s lessons and insights. I want to thank my
professors and the activity’s host because without their support, this activity would not have
been successful and would not have helped to deepen my relationship with God and other
people. Because of this, I learned that you also need to learn to love and forgive yourself, even
though you have been through a lot in life and made mistakes and taken actions that you regret.
Time is gold; appreciate the ones you love in life, especially the people around you, and always
think that God is one of the reasons why you are still here fighting. Always believe that it is not
too late to achieve your life goals. Just believe in yourself and don’t lose hope because nothing
is impossible in life.