sabayang recitation

First year high. Winners for RTPI’s choral recitation competition were being announced. We, students of I-Daffodil weren’t expected to win, being freshmen and all, and I guess we ourselves weren’t expecting to win either. And we didn’t. But we did our best, that’s okay for now. No big deal.

Second year, same competition. A whole year in RTPI under our belt, we went to the choral competition with more confidence, with more conviction to do better than the year before. After reciting “I Am A Filipino”, we were a bit giddy. Hey, we did real well; we might just pull an upset and win this one. “The winner is… II-Rizal”. We won! What could be more “Filipino” than for the Rizal section to win the competition? Against all odds, we did it.

Buoyed by the victory from the previous year, we know we have a very good chance to win back-to-back. Our confidence was strong as the Molave tree, but we didn’t take the competitions lightly. “Not yet, Rizal, not yet. Sleep not in peace: There are a thousand waters to be spanned; There are a thousand mountains to be crossed; There are a thousand crosses to be borne…” we thundered, loud and in unison inside the Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Tanghalang Sining (EARTS). And after all was said and done, we, III-gold, were back-to-back champions.

The final year. We can make history with a three-peat at the choral recitation competition. As the top section of the senior class, we were expected to win but the IV-Molave was also good, as with the top section of the junior and sophomore classes. The piece was the poem “Mactan-1521” and that’s what we were feeling, the whole Spanish armada out to get our title. But we won’t lose without a fight. And we didn’t lose.

IV-Nara, back-to-back-to-back, three-peat choral recitation champion!

Yeah, those were good memories. RTPI high school life wouldn’t be complete without talking about those choral competitions. Those were the times that the whole class becomes one. With one goal. But those wins didn’t come easy.

And Philip knows this all too well.

For he was the sculptor who molded the class’ different strong personalities to move in one direction. He was the conductor who weaved his Fantasia-baton that made this orchestra a three-time champion. Yes, he was also the dictator who terrorized us whenever we’re not producing the results he expected of us.

First year, during our practice, out of frustration, he threw a flower vase. Deo was unfortunate enough to be at the wrong place and at the wrong time. He got wet.

Second year, Philip yelled and angrily threw an adobe brick which landed in front of the-still-unfortunate Deo.

Third year, again, out of frustration, Philip hurled a broken chair during a practice at the school rooftop. After a near miss of last year, this time, the chair hit Deo. The projectile wasn’t aimed at Deo and he knew that, it was just that unfortunate for him to be at those exact places.

Fourth year, a pattern was developing. Every year, Philip would get angry with the class and would throw something, anything. And Deo was always in the way of the thrown object. Having this in mind, Deo was then very alert during practices. But Philip, surprisingly, didn’t throw anything that year.

It was hard to be in Philip’s shoes in those times. It was hard to come up with an idea for a winning performance and it was much harder to lead this class in those practices. But he did it.

I don’t know if we, as a class, expressed our gratitude to Philip back then. I don’t know if Philip knew how much we appreciated all his efforts. But then again, it wouldn’t be too late to say thank you now, is it?

Thanks Philip.

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Kung may choral recitation sa English, may Sabayang Pagbigkas competition din tuwing Linggo ng Wika.

Unang taon, mga baguhan pa tayo nun, mga virgin pagdating sa mga kompetisyong ganun. Hindi tayo nanalo. Okay lang. May susunod pang taon.

Sekendyir, alam nating kaya nating manalo dahil nagawa natin ito sa choral recitation. Kaya nating mangarap na manalo at talunin ang mga mas matatanda sa atin. Pero, subalit, datapwat, hindi tayo nanalo/ Okay lang yun, we can’t win them all. Give chance to others muna.

Ikatlong taon, ito na ang taon na mananalo tayo sa Sabayang Pagbigkas, sabi natin sa ating mga sarili nun. Nag-ensayo tayong mabuti. Inaabot pa ng gabi sa praktis. No sacrifices, no glory. Yan ang motto natin. At ang nagwagi! Ewan ko, basta hindi tayo. Olats. Shiet! Nadaya tayo! May favoritism. Yan ang mga alibis natin. Maghanda kayong lahat next year.

Fourth year, IV-Narra, the proud, the mighty. Imposibleng mabokya tayo sa Sabayang Pagbigkas. Ibubuhos na ang lahat ng makakayanan. There is no tomorrow dahil huling taon na natin sa RTPI. It’s now or never! And the winner… (drum roll) …

Umuwi tayong talunan nun. Pakers. “Who cares about Sabayang Pagbigkas? Mas prestigious ata ang choral recitation, no? Bleah! La wenta” we silently, bitterly said to ourselves as we bid RTPI goodbye.