Dean Alvin

                  New Year!!! New me!!! 

             Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012. It is already New Year. We can’t deny that we have made some resolutions for this New Year. Maybe, we have already decided to do or stop doing something.

                In some dictionaries, New Year is defined as the first day or first few days of a calendar year. All of us know that is widely celebrated all over the world as a public holiday, January 1.

                I considered 2012 as a lucky year for me. I considered it as a time for a fresh start. I decided to change something in myself especially my attitudes and even my looks. Last year, I noticed that I became so lazy in doing my works and responsibilities. I became addicted to computer games. I became irresponsible. Now, I want that these attitudes will now be changed. I want a new Dean. I want to change for the betterment of myself. I want to be more responsible this year.

                I promised to myself that I will do everything just to fulfill my goals. I can do whatever others can do. I can change myself.

                Ilokano nak!!!

                Ilocano is an Austronesian language of the Philippine type spoken by about ten million people. It is a member of the Cordilleran language family which comprises the languages of the Northern Luzon.

                We should be proud of our mother tongue. In our country, it has been called the “National Language of the North.”  Many ethnic groups from the northern regions of our country use Ilocano as their dialect instead of the national language of our country which is Tagalog or Pilipino. Ilocano remains a regional language with no political power or use in education past the early elementary years.

                Nowadays, it is noticeable that some of us prefer to use English or Tagalog. We should bear in mind that the Ilocano dialect is our mother tongue. We should use it. We should be proud of it. We should love and respect our own dialect.

                Let’s be one. Let us keep in our minds that pur mother tongue, Ilocano, is essential in fulfilling our goals in life. 

“Ang pasko ay sumapit. Tayo ay mangagsiawit ng magagandang himig dahil sa Diyos ay pag-ibig. Nang si Kristo ay isilang. May tatlong haring nagsidalaw at ang bawat isa ay nagsipaghandog ng tanging alay. Bagong taon ay magbagong buhay ng lumigaya ang ating bayan. Tayo ay magsikap upang makamtan natin ang kasaganaan.”

Christmas is fast approaching. It is the birth of our Dear Jesus.

We cannot deny that materialism has already diminished the real essence of Christmas. We cannot deny that Christmas has been trivialized into Santa Claus, his reindeers, Christmas lights and trees and lots of toys and goodies to bring cheer to humankind on this festive holiday season.

It is nice to say that most of the Filipinos value the spirit and traditions of Christmas. We still look at Christmas as a period of preparing for the coming of God into the Earth by transforming himself into a human being.

 As we approach the actual coming of our Savior, let us reflect how we have, individually and collectively, been preparing ourselves in mind, body and spirit, for this joyful and spiritually reinvigorating moment in our predominantly Catholic nation. Have we allowed ourselves to be fooled by the lies, deceptions and machinations of power, material wealth, influence and even the pride of being more smart and knowledgeable than our fellowmen?

Let us love our neighbors. Let us forgive those people who have sinned to us. Let us help the poor. Let us shower the world with love and happiness. Let us all humble ourselves in the eyes of God just as His Son Jesus came into our lives.