Module 2: Prose

II. It’s year 2025, five years after the spread of Coronavirus which affected the whole
world. With your imagination, think of how the world survived this pandemic and the
technological advancements people made to adjust in the new normal. Arrange the
events in chronological order.

In the article entitled " Experts Say the ‘New Normal’ in 2025 Will Be Far
More Tech-Driven, Presenting More Big Challenges", many of it's concepts were
taken into consideration as I think of how the pandemic survival and
technological advancement have rendered vast implication into a new normal
life.

Generally speaking, the sudden societal change brought by the COVID-19 -

for most people as greater inequality, rising authoritarianism, and undeniable-
rampant misinformation as these too a hold in the wake of the pandemic
outbreak. However we see it, this unfortunate events have brought a portion of
thoughts into consideration of the 'tele-everything' --- people’s relationship with
technology will deepen as larger segments of the population come to rely more
on digital connections for work, education, health care, daily commercial
transactions and essential social interactions. The world for work places, health
care services and social activity improvement, can be better (Anderson, Lee and
Vogels, 2021).

Furthermore, there were many circumstances which may arise such as:
worsen economic inequality; enhancing the power of big technology firms ---
which we have been experiencing right now as the artificial intelligence (AI) is
considered as a great option for newscasting; and multiplying the spread of
miscommunication. Albeit these alarming consequences, this new era might as
well bring us to the new world, making things better into a significant change.
This includes inaugurate new reforms aimed at racial justice and social equity,
enhance the quality of life for many families and workers, People’s well-being will
prevail over profit, The quality of life will improve, and produce technology
enhancements ---AI, VR, AR, ML will yield good and Smarter systems will be
created.
III. Think of what the following objects symbolized and use them in sentence.

Example

"I close my eyes and I can see, the burning light is waiting
up for me, a new light bearer: white candle."

"Seems like you wrote my name by a pencil, for we

turned strangers after as things between us doesn't make
better."

"You bit me when I wasn't looking. Such a

snake, I doubted how we became friends."

"You make me go, uncontrollably flowing

along the river. Thy water unstoppable
journey."

"Take me to sleep that lasts forever, grim reaper."

If prose is the most experimented type of literature, why does fiction still need to
follow elements?

 The most crucial aspect of a tale is to produce a compelling story, hence the
fiction must adhere to certain principles in order to build a story. Authors use
literary devices to make the reader reflect on what they are attempting to convey
and to make the text more memorable, rather than just outlining the facts of the
story. These factors, which range from an allegory to the literary style, will have
an impact on the plot and the people they are associated with.

After knowing the following elements, let us test your understanding. Identify the
elements of fiction in the myth.

1. Describe Ukinurot’s character in not more than 3 sentences.

 In heaven, Ukinurot is a hunter. Who has a keen curiosity and a sincere

desire to learn further about the earth’s overall phenomenon. And due to his
entire devotion to rise his awareness, he boldly and fearlessly dropped down
to earth, a place where he wasn’t familiar with.

2. Describe the setting.

 The story took place in the entire universe. Where, there is an Earth where
there are no people living yet, and a heaver where people resides.

3. What is the conflict of the story? How did it affect the character’s action?

 The plot of the story, specifically the rivalry, otherwise known as conflict took
place in between man and nature. Which had brought a huge concussion to
the character’s action upon seeing the shining water, which is the ocean also
known as marine water. And the green Earth which describes the terrestrial
bodies, such as forest and the mountains.

4. What type of plot does the myth have? Identify the parts.
  Based on my observation upon reading the creation story, the plot is a ‘Flat
Model’. which means, it is one in which all of the data is kept in the same
plane. It's a standard data model that's been introduced first and foremost,
but it's not really scientific. The exposition is when they are living in heaven,
while the rising action when Ukinurot is hunting. And the climax happened
when he saw the earth after he aim to shot the bird and it landed in land,
leaving a hole, then they went down. The denouement took place as they
live now on earth, hence, they can no longer go back since the rope
snapped. The falling is left out since there is no action and events
manifested.

5. What is the POV? Do you think the POV chosen is appropriate? Why?

 The story uses the third person’s point of view. And in my own preference,
this is one of the best point of view to be used in the stories, for it will not
only make the plot understanding and easy to write, yet it also manifest the
essential things to be told by the author to his viewer and let the loophole
remain as it is for more exciting twist and turns of the story.

6. What is the tone and mood?

 Upon my keen observation to the narration, the story has a light and calming
tone, and uses a variety of tones which is appropriate to a certain scenario
given.. and the mood of the story remains uncomplicated.

7. Generate the theme of the story.

 The life bearer from millennium, continuously gives hope and color to biotic
an abiotic creatures, alongside the whole universe and its galaxy.

Magnificence

Questions:

1. Describe the characters of the young boy and young girl.

 The unknown girl in the story was seven years old, a shy and bright girl with
a happy brother named Oscar, who’s eight years old.
2. When the mother told the father about Vicente’s actions towards the kids, how did
the father react? From his reaction, what kind of father is he?

 I have seen a variety of father's characteristics, and one was his. He seems
like disinterested to what happened. He is that type of a father who is not
responsible for taking problem like Vincente seriously . An unaffected father
represents absentee parenting and/or busy making money. And some of
them, just does not care at all.

3. What kind of mother do the children have?

 As a women and the second child of the family, based on my past

experience of being the guidance of my two little sisters, it was not easy to
see them being bullied or harassed, anything that might hurt them, even to
any children worldwide.and in this context, with the way the mother in the
story handle the situation, I could therefore conclude that she is one of those
parents who is often making hands-on parenting and an attentive mother to
their children. A strong as well, for being able to protect and fight the
children.

4. The pencil was mentioned many times. What does this object represent in the
story?

 The pencil in the story represents the interest and the lack of things where
the children are looking for someone who can provide it for them.

5. Magnificence mean impressive. When translated in Filipino, this word means

kadakilaan. Why does the story have that title?

 The word kadakilaan refers to the ability of a mother. Since, she was
magnificent in her role protecting her children and punishing their abuser.
Albeit of the fact that we are parents and children must receive an
appropriate disciplinary action, however, we must be conscious as well with
the extremity of the active we provide, and that include defining abuse from a
play, joke, discipline and etc.

6. How did you react to the story? What would you do if this happens to someone
you know?

 Personally, I don’t take matters like this lightly. I always consider them as an
alarming societal issues and concern that we must look and keep on track
with. Therefore, I would also do the same as the mother did. I can help and
 fight as much as I can - but of course in any possible means that is
appropriate to the offense. Although, I think that I will be furious, however,
using emotions in deciding what to do to the opponent or abuser wouldn’t do
good to all of the individuals involve. I will take necessary steps, such as
asking about the situation, getting point of view in every person, stating the
subject matter to the involved and discussing the fault and necessary action
to be done to settle the matter.

7. Every year, cases of women and children violence are piling up. It is even
happening now?

 The government is only the supporting organization and set of people in the
community with regards to settling the concerns - to be watchful to what is
happening. The main moderator of this should be the family, and it started
from the parents or guardians. Who should b responsible in paying more
attention to their children, the security, knowledge and way how to escape
the situation if possible or handle situations such as this.

Module 3: Prose

Trace your roots from you until the last generation your family could remember. Take
note of your ancestors’ ethnic groups. Draw your diagram on the space below. You
may use a separate sheet if necessary. Based on your tracing, how many ethnic
groups do you see? What are they?

HALF-SPANISH HALF-SURIGAONON

MANDAYA MANDAYA

MANDAYA MANDAYA

MANDAYA
What creation stories do you know of? Summarize what you have remembered and
write it on the space below.

Daragang Magayon

Magayon was the only daughter of Makusog (strong), the tribal chief of
Rawis, and Dawani (rainbow), who died shortly after giving birth to her. She grew
up as a very beautiful and sweet woman that struck the swains from faraway
tribes who vied for her attention. Unfortunately, none of these young men had
captivated the heart of Magayon, not even the handsome but haughty Pagtuga
(eruption), a hunter and the chief of the Iriga tribe. Who gave fabulous gifts to
Magayon, yet was not enough to capture her attention.

One day, Daragang Magayon was bathing in the Yawa river when she
slipped on the rocks. Unfortunately, she did not know how to swim. Panganoron
was passing by and saw what was happening to Daragang Magayon, so he
saved her from the river. He began to court her, and after some time Magayon
accepted his proposal and he received her father's blessings.

However, when Pagtuga knew about the relationship between Panganoron

and Magayon, Pagtuga kidnapped Magayon's father and asked Magayon to be
his wife in exchange for her father's freedom. Panganoron knew about the
situation so he asked his warriors to join him in the war with Pagtuga in the
mountains. The war was fierce and breathtaking. The people and Magayon
watched the war between the two of them. In the end, Panganoron killed
Pagtuga. Upon his victory, Magayon ran to embrace her lover

As Magayon ran towards her lover, an arrow shot by one of Pagtuga's

warriors struck Panganoron, killing him. Magayon held Panganoron as he died in
her arms. Pagtuga's warriors surrounded the lovers as Magayon took the knife
from Panganoron's side and shouted his name before stabbing herself.

Magayon's father, who had witnessed their death, buried them together. As
time went on, they noticed something about the place where Makusog buried the
 lovers: It started to form into a volcano, and when the people saw it, Makusog
named it Mt. Mayon, after his daughter's name.

Some people said that it's a curse because she took her own life, but myths
and legends said Magayon is the volcano and Panganoron is the clouds that
surround the beautiful volcano.

Answer the questions below in 3-5 sentences only.

1. In the story How the World was Made, different characters were introduced which
symbolize how the Mindanawons live their life and value what they have. How is the
story affecting in the aspect of spirituality of the modern citizens of Mindanao?

 The story has an impact on the spirituality of modern inhabitants of Mindanao

since it demolishes their traditions and religious beliefs, as well as their religious
beliefs. They only believe that God created the universe, and particularly that
God created the Roman Catholic and Muslim religions.

2. In the line “Pandaguan did not die. After lying on the ground for thirty days he
regained his strength, but his body was blackened from the lightning, and all his
descendants ever since that day have been black. His first son, Arion, was taken
north, but as he had been born before his father's punishment he did not lose his
color, and all his people therefore are white. Libo and Saman were carried south,
where the hot sun scorched their bodies and caused all their descendants to be of a
brown color. A son of Saman and a daughter of Sicalac were carried east, where the
land at first was so lacking in food that they were compelled to eat clay. On this
account their children and their children's children have always been yellow in
color.”, how did it portray the differences of culture of the Whites, the Blacks, the
Yellows, and the other races?

 Black is the perfect example of how color meaning can differ from one culture to
another. As I read thoroughly --- quite a lot of racial discrimination and
differences brought by skin color diversities, I have come to this one research
putting much effort into making hypothesis for this three: black, white and yellow.
It's stated there that the first hypothesis where dominant whites are endowed
with positive traits and minority groups with negative traits was only partially
supported. Another hypothesis concerning minority acceptance of a negative
image ascribed by the dominant group, which was true in the 1930s, was invalid
in this study. The whites were stereotyped as materialistic and pleasure loving;
the blacks, as musical, aggressive, and straightforward; and the Japaneses, as
industrious, ambitious, loyal to family, and quiet.

3. In The Children of the Limokon, why do the Mandayans consider the limokon as
their ancestor?

 They believe that the men are came from the limokon in which in the Philippines,
it is a type of bird with an ability to talk. It is known to lay two-eggs in a different
places; hatching a male and female little birds. The reason why they've
considered limokon as their ancestor.

4. For the Bagobos in the story Origin, what is/are considered the most important
thing/s to have?

 In the story, water and plants were the most valuable things. Even until now, it is
where we get everything for survival. It is present in the ecosystem that is
inevitably needed by the man to survive.

5. What similarities do the stories have?

 Both stories have come into an idea where humans are from the dirt. This is one
of the text you'll be able to find in the bible or parables as well. And in this
regard, they are bound to make more and multiply their races.

6. After reading all of them, what can you say about Mindanao’s culture as reflected
in the stories?
 As reflected in the story, valued beliefs and practices are actually manifested in
this present times. And with the existence of this stories, as a Mandaya myself,I
get to have a deeper understanding why my ancestors and family believed and
practiced what they have.

Mainstream media has done efforts in telling the stories of Mindanao. Brillante
Mendoza’s film Mindanao and ABS-CBN’s A Soldier’s Heart are samples of their
work. How about you, as a Mindanawon, how would you encourage Mindanawons to
appreciate what we have, especially with our culture?

 Cultural heritage is central to protecting our sense of who we are. It gives us an

irrefutable connection to the past – to certain social values, beliefs, customs and
traditions, that allows us to identify ourselves with others and deepen our sense
of unity, belonging and national pride. And in my own little way such as
supporting SUGNO and other Mindanawons' cultural heritage preservation and
conservative related activities shall be supported by me. Through celebrating
Filipino culture and achievements, people are reminded of the importance of
embracing their identity as citizens of the Philippines. By connecting with the
heritage, they can develop a strong sense of belonging which can help foster
unity and create a positive future for the country.