Julius Caezar U.

Malibiran Understanding the self

BSP1D March 1, 2019

Physical Self Sexual self

Spiritual self
 Political Self Material Self

Economical Self Philosophical Self

Julius Caezar U. Malibiran Understanding the Self
BSP1D Feb. 22, 2019

Reflection paper: A Star is Born

It’s love story that shows the true ups and downs of rock stars’ lives; a story that brings the darkness
out of everyone, even those who drown it inside every bottle they can find. A Star is Born brings attention a lot
of issues that more than just rock stars deal with every day. It draws you in with magnificent acting and
beautiful music. Even if you aren’t a fan of country music (like me), you’ll be one after this movie. I listened
to the film’s soundtrack on the entire drive home from the movie theater.
The introductions to the two main characters are vital to the rest of the movie. Bradley Cooper’s Jack
starts a gig with heavy electric country, pills, insane guitar solos, and finishes with a bottle of vodka.
Lady Gaga’s Ally is working in the kitchen of a fine hotel but is bossed around and forced to take the trash out
when she’s off the clock. She leaves through an alley with fog coming from the sewers, and hums a lovely tune
as she does a cute 360-degree spin to match the climax of the song.
These two meet each other in the most unique place. Desperate for another drink, Jack settles on the
first bar he can find; it’s quite colorful and happens to provide live entertainment. Ally gives a stunning
performance that lures Jack in with one glimpse from her beautiful eyes and “La Vie en Rose.” This scene says
a million words, expressing emotions from our two characters, and sparks a fire in Jack, something he hasn’t
felt in a while. Jack, being a famous country singer, is able to find his way backstage to meet the lovely Ally.
Throughout the movie there are these types of scenes that have you on the edge of your seat, literally. You’re
third-wheeling their relationship from start to finish.
A Star is Born will likely bring in many awards for the acting, music, costume design, and possibly for
directing, if Cooper is lucky. If you haven’t already, listen to the soundtrack. You can feel the emotions, pain,
and love in every lyric. This movie was a masterpiece for cinematography and audio. It’s a thriller in the sense
that Jack and Ally’s relationship could fall apart at any moment, and there are even more relationships at risk
besides Jack and Ally’s love life.
On top of our main characters, they add some pivotal supporting actors with Sam Elliot and Dave
Chappelle. Elliot plays the powerful role of Jack’s older brother, who has a strong mentality while still
protecting Jack. Elliot, as usual, brings a lot of heat, but ultimately shows the love that every big brother has
for his younger sibling. Chappelle represents one of Jack’s old friends from home, bringing light into Jack’s
darkness and helping him at one of his lowest points. Chappelle’s character is mainly used to calm Jack and
Ally—after hitting a few brick walls in their relationship, Chappelle helps them fix it with some pancakes,
scrambled eggs, cute kids, a typical family breakfast, and beautiful surprises.
This will be one of the best movies of the year, by far. Incredible acting. Beautiful music. And yes, I cried at
the end.
On top of our main characters, they add some pivotal supporting actors with Sam Elliot and Dave
Chappelle. Elliot plays the powerful role of Jack’s older brother, who has a strong mentality while still
protecting Jack. Elliot, as usual, brings a lot of heat, but ultimately shows the love that every big brother has
for his younger sibling. Chappelle represents one of Jack’s old friends from home, bringing light into Jack’s
darkness and helping him at one of his lowest points. Chappelle’s character is mainly used to calm Jack and
Ally—after hitting a few brick walls in their relationship, Chappelle helps them fix it with some pancakes,
scrambled eggs, cute kids, a typical family breakfast, and beautiful surprises.
This will be one of the best movies of the year, by far. Incredible acting. Beautiful music. And yes, I cried at
the end.
Julius Caezar U. Malibiran Readings in the Phil. History/MWF 12-1:00 pm
BSP1D March 1, 2019

Paoay Church (Ilocos Norte, Philippines)

Historical Background

The Paoay Church (also known as the St. Augustine Church ) is a

historical church located in the town of Paoay in Ilocos Norte, Philippines.
Construction of the Paoay Church was started by the Augustinian friars in
1694. It was completed in 1894 led by Fr. Antonio Estavillo and was re-
dedicated in 1894.
 A three-storey coral stone bell tower stands to the right of the church
which served as an observation post in 1896 for the Katipuneros during the
Philippine revolution against the Spaniards, and again by the Filipino guerillas
during the Japanese occupation in World War II.
The Church is a unique combination of Gothic, Baroque and Oriental designs.
Its facade reveals Gothic affinity, its gables show Chinese elements, while the
niches topping the walls suggest Javanese influence (reminiscent of the famous
Boroboudur Temple).

Known as the “Earthquake Baroque” church in the Philippines, Paoay

church was built of baked bricks, coral rocks, salbot (tree sap) and lumber, and
has 24 carved massive buttresses for support. It is an architectural solution to
the area's challenging, natural setting. Both sides of the nave are lined with the
most voluminous stone buttresses seen around the islands. Large coral stones
were used for the lower level while bricks were used for the upper levels of the
church. The walls are 1.67 meters thick made of the same materials.
Its bell tower, which is detached from its main building, is made of coral stone.
It stands a safe distance away to spare the sanctuary in case of collapse.
Originally, the church roof was thatched; and it is conjectured so that
buttresses not only support walls but give roof access during fire and typhoon.
Parts of the church were damaged during the earthquakes in 1865 and 1885.

During an excavation inside the church in 2000, a prehistoric human

skeleton and fragmented ceramics were discovered and are now in display at
the National Museum. According to historians, the bell tower also served as a
status symbol for the locals. The bell would ring more loudly and more times
during the wedding of a prominent clan that it would during the wedding of the
poor.

Paoay Church is part of the UNESCO World Heritage List. It currently is a

property of the Diocese of Laoag, Ilocos Norte.

Paoay’s former name was Bombay. Its site was originally located in the
village of Callaguip along the coastal shores of the South China Sea, now a
barrio of Paoay. It is approximately two kilometers west of the present town
proper.
From the date of early settlement to 1701, little could be said about the
activities of the early settlers of Paoay except that much had been done in the
clearing of the forests nearby. They converted the forests into rice and sugar
lands through the slash-and-burn method called ‘kaingin.’
 The early settlers were of a peace-loving tribe, but their major problem
was the frequent furious incursions of Sea Rovers and Moro pirates called
Tirong who looted indiscriminately their agricultural produce and other
valuables. In order to protect themselves from further incursions, the folks
moved towards the nearby inland where the present town proper is now located.

In the farther western inland, there were also settlers who formed the
neighboring town of Batac. Sensing that the Bombay people had suffered too
much from the Moro raids, the people of Batac offered the people of Bombay to
live with them. But the brave and maverick folks rejected the offer and instead
they uttered "Maka-paoay kami" – an Ilocano dialect jargon meaning they could
live independently.

The settlers from Batac were offended and it was from this incident that
the name of the town came to arrive as Paoay. The first inhabitants might have
come from Bombay, India because the early name of the town was Bombay and
settlers in the early days usually named the land settlement they found after
the name of their country and place of origin. When the settlers from Bombay
arrived, they found the Indonesians already making headways in clearing the
forests. Later, the more civilized Malays came and they drove the Indonesians
away. Some were captured and held slaves to help improve the land settlement.
Those who opted to live with the Malays stayed. The two races turned blended
that it is now hard to trace the single origin of the early settlers.

How to get there?

To reach Paoay, one can take a commercial bus in Manila bound for Laoag
City-Travel time is more or less 10 hours. As for Air Travel, there are a number
of Local and International Airlines that services the Manila-Laoag routes from
Manila Terminal to Laoag International Airport-estimated flight time is 45
minutes.
 Tirad Pass National Shrine (Ilocos Sur, Philippines)

Historical Background

The province of Ilocos Sur is a myriad of cultures and histories serving as a

living museum of its spirited past. National shrines, historical landmarks,
national and heritage museums, ancestral houses, and cobble-stoned streets –
they were all witnesses of the province's rich and historic past.

Tirad Pass, declared a National Shrine, had been the last stand of the Filipino
Revolutionary Forces under General Emilio Aguinaldo during the Philippine
Revolution of 1896. The Battle of Tirad Pass was led by the youngest Filipino
General Gregorio Del Pilar.
The Eventful Battle of Tirad Pass

This battle is referred to as the "Philippine Thermopylae". This historical battle

is a Philippine-American war between sixty brave Filipino revolutionaries
commanded by Brigadier General Gregorio Del Pilar and five hundred
Americans of the 33rd Infantry Regiment under Major Peyton C. March. It
happened on December 2, 1899 and led to the death of 52 out of 60 Filipinos,
including General Del Pilar.

In honor of Del Pilar's heroism, the Philippine Military Academy was named
Fort Del Pilar and a historical marker was placed at the site of the battle. It
was declared as a National Shrine located in the Municipality of Gregorio Del
Pilar.

What is the Battle of Thermopylae? It was a clash between an alliance of Greek

city-states, led by King Leonidas of Sparta, and the Persian Empire of Xerxes I
over the course of three days, during the second Persian invasion of Greece. It
took place simultaneously with the naval battle at Artemisium, in August or
September 480 BC, at the narrow coastal pass of Thermopylae.

A Trail to Tirad Pass

Tirad Pass is a testament to the heroism and bravery of General Del Pilar and
is a reminder of the strong will and patriotism of Filipinos, which is why the
site remains a popular tourist attraction.

A trek to the peak of the Tirad Pass will bring you back in time. A foot-long
stone marks the exact burial spot of General Del Pilar. Lying across is a
marker mounted by the Philippine Historical Commission in the 1930s. This
has been recently developed as a two-layer shrine where the monument of Del
Pilar on a horseback now stands.

Mount Tirad Pass is also a challenging hike for many mountaineers. The
mountain is 4,000 feet above sea level that will give you a breathtaking view
from the summit. One quite interesting thing about the site is a display of a
multitude of quotes at almost every point of the trail that give inspiration to
the hikers.

Travel to Tirad Pass!

From Manila, there are various bus terminals to choose from that goes to the
Ilocos. There is one in Edsa-Pasay (Partas Bus Terminal) and in Cubao (Partas
Bus Terminal & Florida Bus Terminal). I suggest you take the evening trip
because it is a long 9-hour bus ride to Vigan.

Then from Vigan, I suggest you hire private transportation as the must-see
places are in between towns. If not, there are tricyles, buses, and mini-buses
that ply these towns which will bring you to the historic Tirad Pass.