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Breaking Chains Of Poverty

By Ezra Maramag & Ge Reanielle Castro

Tondo Manila’s poorest neighborhood, the landfill site along Manila Bay is home to a thousand families. People have been living on garbage in this part of the Philippine capital for about five decades. Now, the area known as “Smokey Mountain” is open to tourists But in this neighborhood, everyone, including small children, has a role in the grueling and often dangerous trash-scavenging operation. Trash collectors are exposed to broken glass, sharp objects, endless dirt of flies, waste, oozing methane, and other health hazards, often in oppressive heat or under torrential rains. They are among the more than three million people in Metro Manila who do not have an official residency.

One of our close family friends was Mang Etong, He's the oldest among all of us. Now and again, He guides us through where it's safe and where it's not. One thing Mang Etong always say

"Minsa'y pahirapan maghanap ng bakal at plastik na mabebenta kaya't tiyagaan lang din talaga. Sa hirap ng buhay kung minsa'y 'di kana magiinarteng kumain ng pagpag na pagkain hangga't wala pang dumadapong bulate, pwede pa."

How tough life could be living in a pile of trash. I said

The magnificence of Smokey Mountain is a tragic one, born of the solidity and spirit of its people. Amidst the mountains of trash, children play and laugh, seemingly oblivious to the dangers around them. Women, barefoot and ragged, sift through the trash, looking for anything of value they can sell. Men, their faces covered in rags, picking through the garbage with long metal hooks, searching for scraps of metal they can turn into cash. It is a place of hustle and survival, where every day is a struggle. But amidst the struggle, there is also a sense of community. Despite the poverty and the squalor, people here look out for one another. Neighbors share what little they have, and children play together in the streets. It is a place of warmth and hospitality, where visitors are welcomed with open arms, and no one is a stranger for long.

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“A Soldier: and the Battlefield”

by ezra maramag // REFLECTIVE ESSAY

Have you ever gone through the bittersweet circumstances of life? Where you felt like you fought the unseen force of life? circumstances that are inevitable?

Life can be surprising and so time. Back then my life was doing fine and great. I was minding my own time, I always get the chance to hangout with my family and friends physically and so as traveling far. My favorite line with Mama is

“Ma, alis nako”

“Ma, punta lang kami dito”

And all the things that would convince my mom to allow me and let me go out. I did with all my academic performance but then everything changed. Suspension of classes, Covid 19, lockdown then all went down to having pandemic. Everything feels brand new, a lot has changed. So as the way how people communicate, and socialize and interact. We were required to wear face masks and face shields when going out and it's one of the things that makes me annoyed. My way of socializing was affected and so was my well-being. It's like I'm the soldier in the battle of my state of mind. I battled the thoughts that wanted to drown me and knock me out. I fought myself, the doubts and overthinking but gladly I won the battle I had. I started becoming distant with different people, even with my friends and loved ones. I almost have the minimal amount of interaction due to social gathering is not allowed. I was put into a situation where I no longer wanna interact with people. I was set apart from myself and my family but yet I still found the way to get back to my home and find my peace. I’ve learned how to live independently without the need of help from other people. I said to myself that.

“ I should not live in fear but I should keep my hopes up and stay still, maintaining my faith and strong will”

I’ve learned to accept things the way they are. The hardest lesson to learn is how life would take you from where you are now, so might as well live to the fullest. The greatest achievement to have is having my strong state of mind, regardless of all the circumstances that tested me and my inner thoughts. I seek to learn new things but the greatest lesson comes from the most unexpected situations that would taught me real life lesson.

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Travelogue: “ A berry berry spectacular morning.”

Have you ever been to a freezing place that is well known for its fresh and sweet strawberries? Let me take you to a place you've never visited. Hailed as the summer Capital Region of the Philippines

It is located in Cordillera Region and its province is called Benguet. Baguio is a lone district but is highly urbanized. It is well known as “the city that never sleeps” Baguio was called “kafaguay” by the Indegenous people, also the name Baguio is originated in the American period and is derived from the word "Ibaloi" which is bagiw that is a moss; which was hispanizes as Baguio. It was also established as the Hill station by the United States in 1900. Baguio used to be a mountain zone with highland forest, teeming with various wildlife such as the Indigenous deer, cloud rats and especially the Philippine eagle, and numerous species of flora. Ibaloi and Kankanaey were the first to conquer the Surrounding Places of Baguio, a subtropical highland climate.

There are different places to visit in Baguio.

I treasure visiting Baguio, since not only it has various places to view and enjoy but also it's inviting ambience. The cold breeze balances with the perfect amount of sunshine that gives an equal amount of hot and cold temperatures. I stayed in Baguio for a couple of days. Roaming around Burnham Park, where the historic urban area was preserved, located downtown. My cousins and I got the chance to try their outdoor tourist attraction activities. I got tired of cycling but enjoyed the things my naked eyes were seeing.

I saw a taho vendor and I screamed loud

“ MANOONGG TAHOO! PABILI PO!”

My taste bud was overly satisfied with its unique flavored Taho , different from the usual Taho, and tasted its sweet sensation that melts in my tongue. The syrup was freshly picked and made into a Strawberry syrup. Aside from its tourist attraction, I even got to see the magnificent lake. A man made but still it was maintained and well preserved. I enjoyed visiting Baguio not only because of its unique place but also because of its delicious food and drink which was located in Camp John Hay Called Choco-late de batirol. The food was single serving but yet its worth it not only but also their cocoa hot batirol which is purely and freshly made.

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BLACKOUT POETRY

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My Escape to Misery || MEMOIR

By: Ezra Maramag

Once I was told "Not all those who wander are lost’’ but rather wander to see and experience. I could still recall the sound of the sea breeze; the vivid view, and the deep ocean. The absence of motivation affects my capacity mentally and physically. Just like the ocean, my life is full of high and low tides.

Back in the month of November in the first week. I lost my angel, Meowie; my calico dies having a stroke. Here my calvary begins. I was sobbing a river because my calico means a lot to me. A week after a message was brought to me. I was caught off guard because no one expects the circumstance that will occur. A week after having sleepless nights of crying. My mom went to Davao as soon as she heard that my phoebe was rushed to the hospital. I thought my grandma was doing fine and recovering, but then a few weeks later I found that she got into a coma she then everything got worse when my mom told me

“She is no longer with us.”

I was in complete shock. I didn't figure out how to respond to what was going on, sorrow was present in me and all of sudden the blues came my way. My world descends into chaos; feels like I'm flooded by despair. felt like I was stuck in a gloomy room.

I was like the ocean sitting calm but deep. I feel like I'm drowning and no one could save me. Everything was falling apart, I was failing my duties as a student. I lost myself along the way. The absence of my motivation continues to affect me. A weeks of sleepless nights and less of my hunger. My mom decided that we should go home to Davao. It was the last that I’ll see Phoebe’s human body within the coffin sleeping heavily. All the burdens I carried overwhelmed me. I wasn't able to give myself peace in my spirit and mind. I was not able to utter the words

“I'm sorry”

I had a quarrel with Phoebe and it escalated to a point that we weren't paying attention to each other's presence. It hurts that I can no longer reconcile with Phoebe.

A month after her demise, everyone was in a process of grief, little by little waters kept flowing. Moving on with the loss of my beloved Phoebe. My mom wanted to go somewhere in Davao. To get away from the feeling of gloom in our house because everything reminds us of Phoebe. Insomnia hits and anxiety surrounds.

My mom rented a car that takes us to a place called island garden. After long hours of waiting, we arrived at this unfamiliar place. The place was full of green and the ocean by far was seen across the balcony I stand. The wind is as calming as the clouds above. The sun goes down and the stars go up, Shining bright. Along the side, I walk the shore and look around. The tears in my eyes just poured, as I was dancing through the wind. I'm screaming my heart out. All the baggage I carry instantly dropped. Suddenly I felt unrestrained, my chest was not as heavy as before. Samal became my escape to misery. The rhythm of the sea is a music in my ears, the free therapy I could afford.

Therefore, being unstable can hold me back from being genuinely happy. The lack of motivation affects me from being that sociable individual, but regardless of all the struggles I face, just like a human being, it's okay to not be okay, to fall down, and to feel completely lost but what's important is that I get up, stronger and wiser. regain me and put it together. In order to move forward and move on, I need to forgive myself first and let go of all the burdens. Acknowledgment with what I feel so that I know what help I need and how to work on myself.

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A Blast Of Unforeseen occurrence

By Ezra Maramag // SIMILE || METAPHOR

My life is like an ocean. It can sometimes be rough but most of the time calm like sleeping water. Before the pandemic, things were well, I live socially butterfly attached to my friends and I continually see the greater good. But everything twisted when the pandemic came. Sleepless nights, woe, and demotivated, things shifted instantly. The bond and connection turns into a broken record. Felt distant and lost. With unpredictable occurrences, life is a big mystery. I was very cranky and completely difficult to understand; to the extent that I become too harsh towards my mom and is a ticking time bomb, it got to a point where I hurted her feelings because I was moody. there it hit me hard when I saw that she was hurting from the person I become. I made peace my mom and said “sorry, ma” there I realized that having a rough day means that I should become salty and act like a brat. Despite the battles I face, I see the greater good in bringing the best version of myself day by day.

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ORIGIN OF MY NAME

My mama, a god fearing mother, bore me into this world and named me Ezra. A masculine name of Hebrew origin meaning help. Ironically her child is a bouncing baby girl. In Greco-Latin Ezra is called Esdras. Growing up, whenever I write my name.

I always complain about writing the longest name. Repeatedly rant like a broken record. My friends would make of me for having a long name. One morning, while my mom and I were having conversation, I asked my mom where my name came from.

“Jam is from baguio, since your birthplace is there, while Ezra is from the Bible then Leigh is from my name because you’re the only girl among your siblings while Mirasol is my maiden name and Maramag is your father’s last name.” my mother said.

There I understood why and what a meaningful name I have and appreciated it even more.