Locked in Fear Jail

Here I am standing beside the river. I looked in solitude as I watched the peaceful scenery. This is a perfect moment of reflection and a chance to be alone with nature. Then I was reminded with the saying, Life with a plan is like a river which flows to the sea. No matter what the obstacles, it will meet, it still course towards it's aim- the sea. I relly want to be a nurse someday. That's why I enrolled in nursing. It is the primary means in which I will attain freedom and economic prosperity in the future, an opposite of our situation today. This is not just for myself but also for my family and supporters. Of course, to pay credit for their love and support to reach my goal.

I just came from two days Nursing Students Affiliates orientation at Cotabato Regional and Medical Center, Cotabato City. We will be having our duty there this coming November or December. No wonder. there's no way to put a happy mask this christmas. It will be a darkest moment of my nursing student life, I suppose. Since it's an out base location and we will stay there for six days, I needed more or less ten thousand pesos for transportation, meals and boarding house. Our C.I. for that hospital exposure is very strict. She's like a communist tyrant who annihilate whoever opposed her clinical governance. Discipline, she would say. She is a kind of fear that awakens you in your duty shaking and sweating. So it requires an enormous amount of energy just to keep afloat. She became my C.I. in the classroom setting and I really learned a lot from her and I also proved how really strict she is.

The question still lies in my mind, Is it necessary to be a strict C.I. just to promote discipline and learning? Tsk tsk tsk.. In an article I read, I found out that C.I.s are major contributors to stress. It is not necessary to humiliate the students. IR is enough. Students learned from their lesson. Trauma need not to be part of the punishment. It is humiliating. demeaning and wreaks havoc on morale and confidence. Instructors should positively influence and motivate their students with the credible aura they exhibit. Learning is much more enjoyable and teaching is less of a burden if a harmonious student- CI relationship is established. In doing so, both parties must exert effort to make adjustments in these potentially stressful relationship. Remember: It is better to be respected out of love that to gain it by fear. Respect begets respect. From a purely psychological viewpoint, fear hinders learning and suppresses one's ability to perform to the fullness of his potential.

Since it's birth as a municipality 58 years ago, and even before it's conversion in a component city of the Province of Cotabato on February 12, 1998, Kidapawan has already a lot of attributes that can be considered as its wealth. Being at the foot of Mt. Apo- the Philippines' highest peak- it has one of the best tasting potable water from its various mountain springs, pleaseant climate all year round, wide agricultural lands, rivers, creeks, lakes and forestlands. The city is replete with friendly people who are a mixture of indigenous tribes, Christian and Muslim settlers, enviable peace and order conditions and the abundance of exotic tropical fruits like durian, mangosteen, rambutan, mango, lanzones, bananas and many more.

The abundance of these fruits in the city was the reason why a couple of years ago, the Sanggunian Panlungsod of Kidapawan promulgated an ordinance establishing a brand name of Kidapawan as City of Fruits and Highland Springs.


However, the Brand Name should be appropriately illustrated and characterized through visual representation. Hence, the first ever fruit festival was conceptualized last 2002 by the City of Government headed by Mayor Luis P. Malaluan in coordination with the City Tourism Council.


Now on its 5th year, the Kidapawan City Fruit Festival, now Timpupo Festival which was held last week through the effort of the City Government headed by Mayor Rodolfo Gantuangco.


Some of the major activities conducted were Fruit Float Parade, Fruit Fair exhibit, Fruit galore, street dancing competition...


It was a remarkable presentation for the people because it amazed them when they witnessed different competions despite the treat for possible bombing in the city.


CdK grabs Championship Title

Inter-colegiate Cheering Competition


One of the highlights of the Timpupo Festival was the inter-collegiate cheering competition where stunning cheerers both male and female from different colleges city-wide vied at the city gymnasium last Saturday.


Each team presented their own pieces and breath-taking stunts strirring up the audiences adrenals. The Colegio de Kidapawan cheerers from the Paramedical Department grabbed the championship title. Their one in a million synchronized steps, colorful costumes and well- picked dance routine asserted them from the rest of the squad. Without a doubt, the team deserves plausible first place award. Central Mindanao College was declared as 1st runner up, the 2nd runner up were the University of Southern Mindanao KCC, Notre Dame of Kidapawan College was the third runner up. Other contestants came from North Valley Foundation College, Radio Access Computer College, North Point College of Arts and Technology and the other one.. ahh.. err... uhm, I forgot. :-)