Ronel L. Alijado

School Paper Adviser

The Lens

St. Scholastica's Academy - Tabunok

Foundation Times

Foundation University

The Travail

Carmel High School

RONEL L. ALIJADO

MAAYONGTUBIG ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

MOST COOPERATIVE

DAUIN NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL 

TOP 9 AND BEST IN ENGLISH

FOUNDATION UNIVERSITY

AB ENGLISH 2009 

CUM LAUDE

FOUNDATION UNIVERSITY

BSED-CP (ENGLISH)

OUTSTANDING STUDENT OF THE YEAR

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

CARMEL HIGH SCHOOL

2011 - 2012 

FOUNDATION UNIVERSITY

2012 - 2014

ST. SCHOLASTICA'S ACADEMY - TABUNOK

2015 - PRESENT

                   
                                                                              

                        Mr. Ronel L. Alijado and Gianni Napatutan  took a pose after the awarding ceremony during the CEAP-CeSSPA CETA Press Conference and Speech Festival at St. Theresa's College of Cebu last August 27, 2016.

                           I am so happy that Gianni Bornales Napatutan won 2nd place in Editorial Writing contest joined by more or less 30 schools in Cebu. I am more motivated to coach him knowing that it is possible that my student can win. He did win. I am a believer of the Scholastican talents. Scholasticans just need to believe in themselves, to push hard in what they want, and to grab the opportunity.

                           It has not been easy for Gianni because I have been taking time and moment from him. He needs to stop playing badminton just to listen to me about editorials. I ask him to read a lot of articles which I personally researched and gave him. A lot of information! There are times that I seem to reprimand him (I do not. It is just a very strong reminder.) 

                           I do all of these because I have faith in your ability and potential. With that I am giving you an assignment, let us go to Carcar and to Zamboanga. RSPC. NSPC. I am so proud of you, my trophy! Ora et Labora, Gianni and Ronel!

                         Congratulations, EIC!

 

Be Merciful Like God

Written by: Ronel Alijado

St. Scholastoca’s Academy - Tabunok

Luke 6: 36 reads: “Be merciful, just like your Father in heaven is merciful.” How does man become merciful like God? Why is mercy a necessity and an obligation in the current time, given the plight of the local, national, and international spheres? These very questions need truthful, accurate, clear, and practical answers. The options are to forget these questions and to worsen human sufferings and world miseries, or to respond to them and to seek to apply significant, workable systems, approaches, and solutions to turn things around right now. The latter choice is a great manifestation of mercy. It is not education, talent, social class or financial resource which moves humanity to act. It is a heart filled with mercy.

Mercy is forgiving; it is finding time to stop to tend to the needs of people; and it is caring for the Earth. God defines mercy in Matthew in the story of a king and a servant about forgiveness; in Luke, in the Good Samaritan about love for others; and in Genesis, care for the environment.

Pope Francis in his letter asked the Church to rediscover the richness encompassed by the spiritual and corporal works of mercy.

The saints displayed such mercy. Mother Teresa helped the hungry, the sick, and the homeless through Missionaries of Charity. But you do not have to be a saint to change the world for the better through your mercy toward all. Nelson Mandela helped bring an end to apartheid and advocate human rights.Ninoy Aquino Jr., a leading opponent of the rule of President Ferdinand Marcos who declared Martial Law, was shot and was killed for his love for country.

In the present, mercy is much alive through the Samaritan works of organizations all over the world: Wine to Water provides clean water to thousands of people in some African nations; Razia Jan of Afghanistan opened a school to give girls an equal and fair chance of making their dreams come true despite attacks and threats by armed groups opposed to girls’ education. Narayanan Krishnan of India has provided 1.2 million meals to India’s destitute.

Individual people need to emulate these great values and deeds of saints and of heroes to alleviate pains, to eradicate fears, to inspire persons, and to bring happiness, prosperity, security, and peace to all places.

Yet still many pictures of the world seem to be hopeless, dangerous, disturbing, and dark. Most of these phenomena are the consequences of human selfishness, greed, anger, and hate.

In the Millennium Development Goals Report of 2015 by the United Nations, about 800 million people still live in extreme poverty and suffer from hunger.

All over the world, suffering on a large scale has led to an increase in terrorism – the absolute opposite of mercy. From 2000 to 2015, there have been over 61, 000 terrorist attacks globally, killing more than 140, 000 people, according to the Institute for Economics and Peace.

Moreover, the environment is a major world concern. An estimated 12.6 million deaths each year are attributable to unhealthy environments. These deaths are caused by air, water, and land pollution, chemical exposures, climate change, and ultraviolet radiation. In 2015, the World Bank estimated that the world has lost the equivalent of 1,000 football fields of forests per hour for the last 25 years.

The need for mercy is not just individual, but also civic and national. With all these major predicaments, what can governments do all over the world? Countries must collect data to analyze the different societal and political issues to create better decisions, policies, and programs for the development of communities. Each nation must be committed for the goals of uplifting the poor, of providing healthcare, security, and justice, and of protecting and enriching nature and environment. The leaders and the public must stand against corruption to show mercy to the disadvantaged and to improve lives and societies through health and livelihood programs and education.

At the local level, those who have more than they need can donate for food, water, health, clothes, shelter, and education of the marginalized. In their simple ways, people can dispose garbage properly, protect and conserve water and energy, and grow trees.

Selfishness is not always in our best interest, despite appearances. It makes the world more cold and dangerous. Mercy, on the other hand, changes a whole society for the better; it leads to stability and prosperity. It even improves the lives of those who give.

          If every human shows mercy, this world will definitely be a better place for all. All people can be heroes and saints so long as their heart and soul are merciful. This is how we can emulate God and perform His will. As the ancient hymn says, “Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est.” – “Where love and charity are found … God Himself is there.”

Let that place be within our hearts. 

Note: This was the piece that Jomarson Magallon, a Grade VIII Scholastican student, used in the competition during the CEAP-CeSSPA CETA Press Conference and Speech Festival at St. Theresa's College of Cebu last August 27, 2016.  

It is Sr. Roseve Balagat's birthday (April 26). I wrote an acrostic for her and gave her a copy . I hope she will have many years to bloom and to scent. It goes this way: 

Roseve
by Ronel L. Alijado
Rose of Earth blooming and scenting sweetness
Of worms writhing to be winged to reach the Light.
Sun's rays you are - petals
Easing thorns of metamorphosis - the crawl, the chrysalis, the wait.
Verses of this rose sing two hands, heart, and Bible.
Enrapturing the blind, the deaf, the ill, and the hopeless.

 

 

Love's Rest

by Ronel L. Alijado

I stop not that i hear a voice calling me;

I stop not that I see someone looking at me;

I stop not that I hear somebody responding me;

I stop not that I taste that someone kissing my lips;

I stop not that I feel a man holding me to stay;

I stop that I shall rest, but I will go later.

Ashy Verses

by Ronel L. Alijado

Sitting quietly

On a rocking chair

On a paper

I made a poem

To make a world

You and me

Loving me

Not only I 

Love must be

Hugging together

Building home

Raising children

Eyes telling me

You are life

Touches show me

You care and enjoy

Kisses express

You protect and save

Both of us

Picking fruits

Cutting thorns

But the stanzas 

Blown away

To a fireplace

Destroying the world

Turning it into ashes

I realized painfully

It was just poetry

I MISS YOU MRJ!