Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6

Lucresia's Point of View

"Lucresia, we will be having a meeting later with the heads"

"What's that for?"

"I don't know" Napa-buntong hininga nalang ako. Ano na naman ang pakulo ng mga heads at kailangan may meeting na naman? Today is Monday at ang dami ko agad inayos. Inayos namin earlier ang mangyayaring prom soon. Not totally prom but a prom. Confusing? I am confused too!!!

Naglalakad na ako pabalik saaming room. Gosh, kaka-relax ko lang nung isang araw, stressed na naman ako. I hate this feeling!!!

"Ohh the Campus Chick is now here!!!" Bati agad saakin ni Israel nung pumasok ako ng pinto. Nagtawanan na naman sila magto-tropa.

"Campus chick your face" Mataray kong sagot sa kaniya. Parang nung nagkita kami sa Greenbelt ay mabait siya? Ganon ba siya kapag nasa school?

Saktong pagka-upo ko saaking arm chair, dumating na ang Philippine Politics and Governance teacher namin. We will be having a debate nga pala ngayon.

"Okay as I said on our last meeting, we will be having a debate about the current social issues of the Philippines. You will be divided into two groups. Boys VS. Girls" Sabi ng guro. Natuwa naman ako sa aking narinig. We will crash you boys.

"What an exciting debate! Good luck girls!" Sabi ni Israel habang nakatingin saakin. nginitian ko siya ng nakakaloko. Good luck girls ka diyan. Wala ka ngang alam sa Social Issues.

"Those who's part of LGBT Community, you have rights to choose what you want to join. It's based on your gender preference." I love this rule made by Jhay! Dati kasi nagkakaroon ng gender discrimination between straight and LGBT students so Jhay made a rule in order to protect them. Once someone discriminated them by their gender or race, bye bye to Scout International! Our school should be a gender sensitive and open for third sex.

"You may group yourselves now" Said by the teacher. Tumayo na ang mga babaeng kaklase ko at lumapit saamin nila Arsin.

"Who will be our debate leader?" Tanong ni Genesis.

"Si Lucresia na lang!" Sabat naman ni Samantha habang nakatingin saakin.

"Ikaw Kiara you don't want?" Tanong ni Isabella kay Kiara. Kiara is scholar here.

"No. It's okay. Lucresia is better than me in debates" She responded.

"The one group who will be the winner of this debate will be receiving 20 points for our preliminary exam. Imagine, 20 points na 'yon. You will need more 80 correct answers to perfect it" anunsyo ng teacher. 20 points is enough!

"Yes hindi na ako magiging zero!!!" Natutuwang sabi ni Israel. Competitive huh?

"Okay girls. Kapag debate kasi, for sure may isang respondent lang ang pwedeng sumagot at a time. Kapag nakasagot na siya, sa next topic na uli siya makakasagot so be ready. I will this debate para hindi kayo kabahan. Just focus on our goal. To deliver well our stance. Kung mapupunta saatin ang negative side of specific topic, ilaban lang hangga't kaya? Okay?" nakita ko naman sa mata ng mga kagrupo ko na gusto rin nila makuha ang 20 points kaya determinado ang mga ito.

"Can we use tagalog or taglish because that is our medium?" Tanong ni Michaella.

"Of course, you can but remember, most of the boys here are fluent in English. As long as you can speak in English, go for it. May dagdag points din kasi 'yon. 'Yang tropahan nila Israel, they're fluent in English na kahit sa chat, english ang gamit nila" Sabay turo sa direksiyon nila Israel.

"Okay we will!" Naka-ngiting sagot ni Michaella.

Lumipas ang ilang saglit at nag-umpisa na ang debate.

"Okay social issue number 1, is Sexual Education should be mandatory in schools?" at may ibinigay saamin ang papel na guro. Binuksan ko ito at may naka-sulat ditong Yes kaya nanlaki ang mata ko.

"I think this our luck girls!" Bulong ko sa kanila.

"The first who will answer is the one who got YES. The timer starts now!" kaya dali-daling tumayo si Arsin upang magsalita.

"For me, Sex Education should be mandatory in all schools here in the Philippines. First of all, the students will benefit to it. Some students become curious about sex because of we don't have any knowledge about it unlike in other countries." Confident na sagot ni Arsin at nanatili siyang naka-tayo. Nag-aantay na kami ng sagot mula sa kabilang panig.

"For me, Sex Education should not be mandatory in schools. Sex is very sensitive topic---" hindi na natapos ni Kervin ang kaniyang sasabihin dahil sumabat si Anicia.

"Yes, sex is sensitive topic that's why we need it here! How the students will have a knowledge about it if no one can teach it to us!"

Tumayo si Martin at nagsalita ito. "Our parents can teach it to us!"

"Not all the students are comfortable to discuss it with their parents!!!" Naiinis na sagot ni Sophie.

"for me, we're lack of budget in our education system and if sex education will be mandatory, where we can find funds for it?" sagot naman ni Jhay kaya napa-isip din ako. Saan nga ba?

"Para saakin, magagawan ng paraan kung gugustuhin talaga. We should be openminded for before implementing it here" sagot ni Michaella. Tama nga naman dapat maging open minded muna ang mga Pinoy para sa sex education.

"Times up! The winner is the girls!" Naka-ngiting saad ng teacher kaya napangiti rin kami. Umupo na ang mga naka-tayo para sa susunod na social issue.

Nakita ko naman si Israel na para bang nare-relax sa kaniyang pag-upo. How come na hindi siya makasagot ngayon?

"Next issue, All drugs should be legalized" biglang nanlaki ang aking mata. Huwag lang mapupunta saamin ang YES dahil against ako doon.

"Open your papers now" at binuksan ko ang papel na ibinigay uli ng guro. Yes! We got no!!!

Napatingin naman ako sa mga lalaki. I know Israel and Isaiah do drugs. Minsan nga sabog pa silang pumapasok eh.

"The timer starts now!" pero wala pa ring tumatayo sa kabilang panig.

"Ma'am I think this is too sensitive" puna ni Israel sa topic. Ayaw pang sabihin na natatakot silang sumagot.

"Sex Education is also a sensitive topic but you have opinions about it. You know what, kung wala naman kayong ginagawang kakaiba, there's nothing to worry about" napakamot nalang ang mga lalaki sa kanilang ulo. Ano kamot ulo dahil walang masagot?

Napatingin kami sa biglang tumayo. It's Elseam. "I'm against for legalizing all types of drugs. But when it comes to recreational and medical use, why not? As long as you use it in moderation"

It's our turn!

"Legalizing drugs won't be helpful for our health." Sagot ni Isabella.

"Kaya nga in moderation diba and medical use?" pag-uulit ni Anthony sa sagot ni Elseam. I sighed.

Israel stand up. Okay mukhang sasagot na siya. I'm waiting for his opinion... "Marijuana should be legalized since it's helpful in our body. Most of actors uses it to stay awake during their hardcore taping and I think there's no problem with it"

Napangiti ako sa aking narinig. What a crap.

"That's why people became addict because of drugs eh" Nagulat sila nang bigla akong magsalita at nagtinginan saakin.

"Times up! The winner for this round is the boys" nawala ang ngiti saaking labi. What???

"But why Ma'am?" Tanong ni Kiara na tila bang naguguluhan.

"May point ang mga boys. Legalizing all drugs are dangerous but legalizing a specific drug for recreational and medical use is okay as long as we use it in moderation. Actually, in America, every April 20, they celebrated an occasion for smoking of marijuana" paliwanag ng guro.

"Yes tama ang sagot ni Israel. Some or most of the actors uses it to stay awake during their shooting. Hindi naman sobra ang pag-gamit doon dahil it can make you super high at the same time" Dagdag pa niya. Fine, they won.

"LGBT Rights should be legalized same as SOGIE Bill?" tinignan ko na ang papel na ang ibinigay saamin at good thing naman na YES ang nakalagay dito. actually, this is the most intriguing and difficult social issue so far.

"The timer starts now!" sinenyasan ko na si Luis na sumagot since he's a gay. I think mas maganda kung sa kanya manggagaling ang opinion since siya ang member of LGBT.

"For me Ma'am LGBT rights and SOGIE Bill should be implemented here in the Philippines. Some people say we don't need it but for us who feels the discrimination, we badly need it to protect us. You don't have any ideas how hard to part of LGBT Community and to face discriminations and judgements of the other people. I think Supreme Court should pass the SOGIE Bill like what the other countries did. We want to be happy too. We want to marry our loved ones here without migrating in another country." Medyo naantig ang puso ko sa aking narinig. Ang hirap talaga maging ikaw kung natatakot sa tingin ng ibang tao.

Mayamaya lamang tumayo na si Mark, a Christian and religious student. Mukhang gyera ito...

"Marrying with same sex is a sin. That what's written in bible"

Sa girls, tumayo si Kiara upang magsalita. "The one who brought Christianity in Philippines are the Spaniards. Now, Spain is open for Same Sex Marriage. They don't have any discriminations with the third sex. And if being a LGBT is a sin, why does God created them? Every God's creature has a purpose." Well said Kiara!

"But based on the Family Code of the Philippines, marriage as "a special contract of permanent union between a man and a woman". The Constitution of the Philippines does not prohibit same-sex marriage. Adoption for same-sex couples are not allowed either" Sabat naman ni Lucas, isa pang Christian at religious student. Hay nakoooo!!!

Tumayo pa ang isang member ng LGBT na si Philip, a gay.

"You know what guys, stop being discriminative huh? May pabible verse pa kayo akala niyo naman kung sinong malilinis ang loob. We people has sins! Huwag niyo lang isisi saaming mga LGBT ang lahat because naiiba kami sa inyo!" Matapang na sagot nito. Eto na po tayo, nagdadamayan na ng religions...

"Tama na 'yan mukhang nagkaka-initan na. the winner for this round is the girls" napa-ngiti naman ako sa aking narinig. Well.

"Okay we have different beliefs and opinions about this and we must respect everyone's opinion about it okay. I'm not against with SOGIE Bill. I have my brother who is gay too. I never discriminated and treated him different. Mas pinaramdam ko pa ngang mahal ko siya. He's brave enough to show his true colors. Ito ha, I want SOGIE Bill to be a law also. I want him to be happy. I know it's a sin but as Kiara said, God has a purpose why he created them. Wala naman sigurong masama sa Same-Sex Marriage kung matututo tayong tanggapin kung anong bago sa ating society ngayon. We're now living in 21st and not in 16th century anymore. That time, discrimination and racism is relevant. But now, we should throw it away. Tandaan niyo, LGBT members are human and don't treat them as a toy na kapag ayaw mo, sisirain mo nalang o itatapon. Love them and make this world peaceful." Natuwa ako sa sinabi ni Ma'am kaya pumalakpak ako. Gumaya naman ang mga kaklase ko. No doubt why PPG is my favorite subject because of her.

"Okay next topic na tayo dahil baka may mag-iyakan pa! hahaha! Ito last issue na ito. This issue has been circulating here inside of Scout International and I want to hear the opinion of the SBO President and head of Miggy Club. Come in front please" nagulat naman ako nang bigla akong tawagin ni Ma'am. Nakita kong naka-ngiting nagpunta si Israel sa unahan kaya nagpunta na rin ako dito.

"So you know what's that issue right? Na papaltan ang curriculum ng Scout International and we will adapt the American Education system. Are you in favor with that?"

Sabay kaming sumagot ni Israel.

"Yes"

"No"

"Why are you in favor with that, Israel?" napatingin ako sa kay Israel na sumagot ng Yes.

"You know what MA'am, American Education system is much better and we should adapt it. It will open more opportunity for the students in the other countries specifically in USA" he has a point but still wrong.

"How about you Lucresia, as a SBO President, why you're not in favor with that?"

"It will lead the parents a confusion. Some of them can't understand the K-12 curriculum, American pa kaya?" sagot ko. Totoo naman talaga ang sinabi ko lalo na ang differences ng Moving Up sa Graduation.

"So you won! The girl group will receive 20 points in prelims!!!" at nanlaki ang mata ko sa aking narinig at natuwa ako.

"You may take your seat. Thank you!" dali-dali akong bumalik sa aking upuan at niyakap sila Arsin.

"Okay tama si Lucresia. It will lead the parents in confusion. pero kapag napatupad 'yon, no choice but the next batch will adapt it. So that's all! Thank you guys for your cooperation! I love your answers! Bawi ang boys next time ha? Bye!" at lumabas na ang guro.

"YES WE WON!!!" sigaw ko. I can't explain how happy I am.

"Tara na sa meeting. Nandoon na ang DIA" pagyayaya ni Arsin habang nag-aayos ng kaniyang bag.

"Sunod ako" Sagot ko at umalis na sila.

Inayos ko lang ang mga gamit ko. habang nag-aayos ay biglang lumapit saakin si Israel at bumulong sa tenga ko.

"I still can't forget it, baby girl!" at tumawa ito ng nakakaloko. Tinignan ko siya ng masama at lumabas na siya papuntang meeting room.

"You bastard"

~*~

Kasalukuyan kaming nasa meeting with the heads. They're convincing us about the American Education System pero sabi ko nga, ayaw ko. Ako kasi ang masusunod at pipirma ng policy na 'to since ako ang Presidente. Ang nagfile ng policy nito ay ang President na kabatch ni Margarette which is two years ago at kapag hindi ko pa rin napirmahan, mababasura na ito.

"Lucresia, please cooperate to us" Sabi ni Mr. Gregorie saakin habang abala ako sa pagbabasa ng message. Naka-received kasi ako ng message from that number again...

3rd Promise: Be physically busy and find a new passion

Discover your hidden talent! Go girl!

Napa-ngiti ako sa aking nabasa. Sakto, may piana lessons ako ngayon. Wala lang I want to learn how to play an instrument.

"Sorry guys but I have an important matter. We can discuss about this next time! Bye!" kinuha ko na ang mga gamit ko at lumabas na ng meeting room.