M O N A L I S A

Mona Lisa Landmark in MSU-Marawi City

The Smile that Captivates the Heart of the People

I could still vividly recall what happened in one Saturday morning of July 1996 at Rajah Sulayman Hall, Mindanao State University (MSU) - Marawi City.  My Kabs (short for kababayan) knocked our door and informed me that they have already invited 4 other prospects and he wanted to count me in in their group.  As I was so naive at that time, I readily said yes.  We then brought ourselves by foot to a secluded area of Fisheries Village of MSU.  Then there was a short but pompous orientation of what their organization was all into.  After that, we had ourselves blindfolded by our very own hankies.

Then the longest 5 hours of my life began.  It was full of struggle.  I was in deep pain and agony.  I thought I would never make it until the sounds of cheering comrades overpowered the pains as they welcame us in their group.

If given the chance to rewind this chapter of my life, I would still bring myself to this secluded area of MSU Fisheries Village together with my proud and mighty MONANS.

I love MONALISA forever.

Gwen's Firsts

Gwen took a pose before going to NDDU-IBED

Our Gwen's first day of school had a lot of firsts.  It was the first time for her to carry a big-pink-trolley bag that would fit 8 books and 9 notebooks.  It was also her first time to wear a trademark green-checkered uniform of Notre Dame of Dadiangas University - Integrated Basic Education Department (NDDU-IBED).  Likewise, it was her first to step the portals of NDDU-IBED.  And lastly, she stayed on her school unchaperoned.

A Tale of a Buck and a Singing Wall Clock

When my family moved in a remote barrio of Ruparan, Digos City, Davao del Sur last 1986, our first ever precious possession was a buck or a male goat. It was so dear and lovely. It was acting as if it was a dog because we did not have to pull its rope, it would just follow us wherever we may go. In fact, if it would sense that we were near already, this cute and acting-as-a-dog goat would scream to its heart content to get our attention. 

One day, there was a mobile merchant who came to our house to sell anything and that included his infamous singing wall clock. He enticed us by letting his wall clock sing at every hour. Considering that it was also our first time to see and hear such a marvelous wall clock, we were awed so much. However, the wall clock did not cost a penny. It costed a whooping P 600.00, at least that was according to the wise mobile merchant. 

Considering that we did not have the money to buy the singing wall clock, our parents could not do anything but declined.. When the mobile merchant was about to leave our house, coincidentally, my brother came and with him our goat followed. The mobile merchant's eyes were glued to our goat. He then returned to our house. He proposed to have a barter of his singing wall clock with that of our goat. At first, we said no. Our goat would cost more than his singing wall clock after all. But the merchant incessantly persuaded us and he too let his singing wall clock sing, our parents gave in then. Thus, we traded our goat to the singing wall clock. 

However after almost 2 months of singing, our wall clock did not sing anymore.