The Taste of Vigan

    There are memories ever so vivid that no matter how weak our ability to recall them, they rush back every time we smell, taste, or see a familiar object. It is a human nature to connect a passing moment to something enduring, an attempt to appease a deep longing. Perhaps this is why, whenever I mention "I miss empanada," a strange pang aches in my chest.

    In our city of Vigan, empanada is not just a local delicacy, it is a memory of childhood, of Christmas, of town Fiestas, and of smiles free of doubt. In every market, you'll see the old and the young busy preparing empanada. Rice flour dough is carefully filled with shredded cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, Vigan longganisa, and a whole egg, then deep-fried to a golden crisp. Its smell while cooking is like an invitation from the past, the voice of home, and the warmth of Vigan.

     I remember back then, during fiesta, my family would walk together toward the Vigan City Hall, where the sound of the marching band and the laughter of children could be heard. 

    

    Nearby, the Plaza Salcedo stood tall, like a sentinel of time, watching those who passed by, sweethearts, students, and those returning to their roots.

    

    We would often pass by the Calle Crisologo, where the city’s history is preserved. Old clothing, tools, and pictures of Ilocano youth from years past. As I look at them, I feel the similarity between the past and the present. Both of us searching for something, both of us clinging to objects that remind us of where we came from.

    At the Vigan Cathedral, under the high ceiling, I first felt silent contemplation. Perhaps, like the empanada that is carefully folded and sealed until it is ready for frying, we too are shaped by time. Every prayer, every return to the church, is like a search for one’s true self within the process of change.

   

    The empanada maybe has become a symbol of youth and homecoming. With every bite, I recall mornings full of laughter, afternoons spent outside the house savoring the newly cooked empanada, and nights of storytelling as we enjoyed it. But like everything else, times have changed. Fewer people are preparing empanada in the traditional way, fewer children are buying it, and the memories are slowly covered by the dust of passing time.

    Yet, every time I see empanada at the Vigan Public Market, Plaza Burgos, and Calle Crisologo, everything comes back to life. I see my younger self, holding the empanada, running in front of the Calle Crisologo, gazing at Plaza Salcedo at dusk. And there, I realize that the desire to taste empanada again is not merely a craving for food, but a longing for simpler times, for the people who were with me then, and for my city that continues to shape history.

    Vigan, despite the passing years, remains a home of sweet memories. With every empanada cooked, with every sound of the church bell, with every visit to the museum and the municipal hall, the connection between yesterday and today is rebuilt. Like the empanada, we are also cured by time, slowly, and gently, but in the end, we become whole, savory, and true.

    Thus, I invite everyone to discover the beauty of Vigan. Feel the allure of the Calle Crisologo, the historical street lined with ancestral homes. Uncover the stories of the past at the Crisologo Museum, and experience the community's vibrancy at the Vigan City Hall. Don’t forget to pray and reflect at the Vigan Cathedral, a symbol of faith and unity.

    And most of all, taste the empanada. It is the most savory memory of Vigan. With every bite, you will feel the warmth of home, the love of the Ilocano people, and a zest of a culture that the city continues to live out. So if you are looking for a place with heart, history, and a taste of tradition, come to Vigan, and let yourself taste the flavor of our empanada.

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File:Vigan City Hall, Ilocos Sur, April 2023.jpg - Wikimedia Commons. (2023, April 30). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vigan_City_Hall,_Ilocos_Sur,_April_2023.jpg

CALLE CRISOLOGO (2025) All You Should Know BEFORE You Go (w . . . (n.d.). www.google.com. https://share.google/images/qILS1095rVt2TV2Uw

Vigan Empanada - Ang sarap. (n.d.). www.google.com. https://share.google/images/J6pWdaPjViNLjUes

Vigan Cathedral | City of Vigan. (n.d.). www.google.com. https://share.google/images/axd56PT8MhKjqeOGy

The Stream of the Second Quarter

This quarter, I learned that my life, like the water, is meant to flow. The whisper of the stream taught me that water that never moves grows stagnant. Stagnation leads to decay. I will not!! And that clarity comes from disturbance. My heart now understands that to be a person means to change. We are not meant to stay still, we are meant to be a river seeking the sea.

I found that the truest light appears when the path is not easy. Every deep breath I took, every moment I struggled to find the right answer, was simply me proving my strength. The storms I faced revealed a truth written on my soul that maybe disruptions are proof that i am still in motion. I learned that my best self comes out when things are hard. I discovered that the greatest peace is found right after the moment of greatest struggle.

Of course, the water met its stones. This second quarter, i felt the urge to distance myself from everyone, for some time i didn’t want to be me. There were times when the flow felt blocked, and I felt heavy with confusion wnd too many thoughts, too much to hold at once. It was the feeling of the current slowing, threatening to turn a clear stream into muddy water. I also faced moments where i felt the map I was given seemed wrong, pulling me toward places where I didn't belong. Could the challenge be the feeling of being too full, too heavy with worry or thought? Or the problem was listening to whispers that tried to steer my boat in the wrong direction? 

When the stones rose up, I didn't fight them. I simply changed my shape. I remembered that the water flows around the rock, not through it. I broke the big, heavy feelings into tiny drops, dealing with one small piece at a time until the path cleared. And when I felt lost, I trusted the deep, quiet pull of my own inner compass. I realized that if I get knocked off of my path temporarily, that just means I was heading in the right direction.

Moving on, I will no longer fear the rapids. I will greet every challenge with the quiet excitement of a river about to meet a waterfall. I will seek the movement, the change, the beautiful disturbance, knowing that these moments are what keep my heart clear and my spirit alive.

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A Spectator's Inspiration

     

The Intramurals are easily the best part of the school year. They turn the whole campus into one loud, fun celebration full of color, action, and strong school spirit. It’s this exciting energy, with the loud cheers, the music, and the bright team colors, that makes the event something I always look forward to. The Intrams gives everyone a great break from the routine, uniting the student body in friendly, passionate games. Knowing that the whole school comes together to be so supportive and energetic for a week is the best feeling.

 This year, the most exciting part of that energy was watching the championship basketball game. The final match was super exciting and showed off great skills, not just a tough rivalry. Watching how the players moved so fast, played great defense, and scored with powerful shots and important free throws was AMAZING. It was much more than just watching, it was a strong example of being dedicated and working hard. Seeing the players push themselves to try their absolute hardest made me really inspired. It suddenly made basketball feel like a game anyone could understand and play well.

  

    That single game changed how I think about sports. Before, I just watched sometimes, but the basketball final made me genuinely curious to learn more. Now I feel like I want to actively follow different sports, maybe learn the rules of volleyball or see how fast track athletes can run. 

    Even better, the whole spirit of the Intrams has made me think about getting off the sidelines and stepping onto the court myself. The Intramurals are a very powerful reminder of how great our school community is, and I already can't wait for the fun next time!

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2nd picture by: Kate Bernice Macaranas 

More than a Month

Last month's Nutrition Month filled me with so much excitement and happiness. I never knew a single month could be so encouraging, fulfilling, and rewarding, all while allowing me to make a real change and influence people.

My classmate from 10-Maxwell and I were chosen to join the regional nutrition jingle competition. We were scared at first, with so many things to accomplish, but through hard work and perseverance, we made it. From singing at the top of our lungs to losing our voices from trying to hit the high notes, all while choreographing and practicing our dance, this Nutrition Month didn't just bring us closer, it also made us more aware of the importance of good nutrition.

Although we didn't get a higher place at the regionals, ranking only 8th, we were able to place 3rd nationally and 1st in our division. In all our efforts, we created a lasting bond. Now, we just laugh about how funny it was when we tried to reach those high notes and how exhausted we were from singing.

Thinking back, the TLE Department truly made our first Nutrition Month more memorable than we ever imagined. It still feels so fulfilling, and I feel so lucky to have been one of the participants. Sitting here and writing this, I realize that Nutrition Month was not just about promoting healthy eating, it was about building friendships, overcoming challenges, and discovering our own resilience. It was a truly unforgettable experience.

An experience that has taught me that the true victory was not in the rankings, but in the shared struggle. We didn't just sing a jingle; we found our voices. We didn't just practice a dance; we learned to stand together. Ultimately, Nutrition Month was a celebration of how much we can achieve when we unite for a single, meaningful purpose.

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Everything, Everywhere, All at Once

In life, there's so much I've come to realize in my first quarter of the school year. I've come to more deeply appreciate the people around me and their influence. But at the same time, this first quarter was also harsh and wistful. It was staying at school until 7PM  almost every day. It was the jeepney rides and the days we braved raging typhoons. It was the overwhelming feeling of everything, the dreams I had to let go of, the words I wished I had spoken, and the actions I wished I had taken. 

The biggest challenge this quarter was probably myself and my time. I found it incredibly hard to manage and work with it efficiently. In this desperate attempt to manage my time, I was always busy and tired. My sleep barely reached five hours a day, which I found dreadful. This was my desperate way of trying to survive the 1st quarter.

But with this inability to manage my time, I was also surrounded by people willing to help me and offer so much love and support. They understood instead of judging my struggles. And with their support, I eventually managed to find my way and crawl out of that hole I had dug for myself.

Moving forward, I will try and try until I can't anymore. I knew we had different situations and dreams, different ways of coping and handling things. But I know that my first quarter was full of trying and loving. I know that it was also full of life. It was full. I was full. I've filled its cup with enough blood, sweat, and tears, and a good laugh. What a privilege it is to have been filled. What a privilege to have been made.

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Project LINIS

~

 Beautiful 

green leaves, 

the air we breathe, 

the water we drink, the 

soil that grows our food,and 

 rustling while the wind blows. 

Would you not want to let the

 next generations experience this, 

the calming and soothing feeling

 that these living things bring to us. 

By knowing the importance of the 

environment and how to protect it,

 our responsibility is to take actions, 

not only the sake of us but also for

 the sake of the future generations. 

Educating each other is crucial in 

promoting environmental aware

-ness, and by teaching the young 

people the importance of our 

environment we can guara 

-ntee that the future gener

-ations will continue to 

prioritize environ

-mental 

c

  o

    n

      s

        e

          r

           v

             a

               t

                 i

                  o

                     n.

 Through working together, we can create a sustainable future for all.

We cannot always sculpt a precise face of the future for our youth, a world that is free of all challenges and uncertainties. Picturing the beautiful green leaves, the air we breathe, the water we drink, the soil that grows our food, and then gentle rustling of leaves in the wind. Would you not want to let the next generations experience this, this feeling that feels like an alternate of analgesic and acetaminophen, a drug and some sort of crystalline used in a medicine to relieve or lessen pain and suffering.  These are what connects us to something larger than ourselves, giving us a sense of peace and belonging. By knowing the importance of the environment and how to protect it, our responsibility is to take actions, not only the sake of us but also for the sake of the future generations. Wouldn't we want our children, and their children after them, to share in this connection? Educating each other is crucial in promoting environmental awareness, and by teaching the young people the importance of our environment we can guarantee that the future generations will continue to prioritize environmental conservation. Through working together, we can create a sustainable future for all.                   

We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future

A quote by Franklin D. Roosevelt. (n.d.). https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/72364-we-cannot-always-build-a-future-for-our-youth-but

copyright free nature video free download | copyright free nature . . . (n.d.). www.google.com. https://share.google/images/0bNTYEvGuj4ECvhij                                                                                                                                                       

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Are We Looking at the Same Sky: A Letter to the President

 Dear Mr. President,

Are we really looking at the same sky? When you look up, you probably see stars that shine bright in the depths of the night. But our realities are different. When we look up, we see roofs overlapping each other, with electrical wires tangled beyond reason. So few stars appear from our view that we have to try our very best to get a peek at a beautiful sight that others take for granted.

And when this sky we so admire weeps and roars, its thunder being its bullets, we are submerged. The frequency with which the sky weeps is, you said in an interview, why "we should shift our mindset as this becomes the inevitable." It is admirable, indeed, that we Filipinos have the ability to always adjust, to swallow the words that are about to question such statements and just be proud of the fact that we are viewed as strong and resilient while we suffer. Even if we know better, we don't do better. I hope we don't have to wait until we are fully submerged in the water, dead because the only thing we were holding on to were promises that we deemed were strong enough to keep us afloat.

I live in a place where the city is almost 30 minutes away. People have to wake up much earlier than usual as the traffic can feel like it takes forever to reach their destination. On a bad day, the journey can easily stretch to an hour or more. Yet, this experience isn't unique to my place, this happens every day all around the country, forcing the people to wake up early and come home late, only to earn minimum wages that barely make a living. Our only question is: Why has the government never resolved these problems despite having billions of pesos in the budget allotted each year?   

Watching your SONA last July, your promises, plans, and actions were, honestly speaking, not enough. Is the government really there? We need to put an end to the romanticization of Filipino resilience and start holding the government responsible for its failure to provide long-term solutions to issues and problems that our counry faces. We are similar to the tangled, twisted electrical cables that dangle over our streets. We are unable to claim that our stories are uncommon.  We are identical, and the same adversities have bent, knotted, and torn us apart. Our lives are a chorus of common hardships and resiliency, a loud, chaotic, and neglected choir. I hope that your plans will one day truly change our sky and help us rise above the water. 

Ultimately, the true measure of your plans won't be in the promises you make, but in whether the stars we see from our streets are finally the same ones you see from yours.

.

  Threads. (n.d.). https://www.threads.com/@aencille/post/DMfOPpEz7jI?xmt=AQF0ABh2wWK3muWObPmnXgVbQQonC0jjE9tsiF7Rw0h6IQ

  Dava, B. (2025, July 24). Marcos says Filipinos need mindset shift as typhoons become inevitable | ABS-CBN News. ABS-CBN. https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/7/24/marcos-says-filipinos-need-mindset-shift-as-typhoons-become-inevitable-1505

 Tangled electrical wires are seen along Kapalaran Street in . . . (n.d.). www.google.com. https://share.google/images/fAqF8ODdPQuAqiBhc

  HIGHLIGHTS: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s SONA 2025. (n.d.). www.google.com. https://share.google/images/XHQdYNSKUFGkPvL0I

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