CyberFair Project ID: 4102

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International Schools CyberFair Project Narrative
Title: Festivals of Laguna
Category: 8. Local Music and Art Forms
URL: http://warlock.msc.net.ph/cyberfair_2005/eproject.html
Bibliography: http://warlock.msc.net.ph/cyberfair_2005/bibliography.html

School: MSC High School
    San Pablo City, Laguna, Philippines

22 students, ages 14 - 15 years old worked together to complete this CyberFair project on January 15, 2005. They have participated in CyberFair in the following year(s): 2002, 2003, 2004

Classes and Teachers: Herminia De Gala, Betsy Duma, Sonja Tamayo, Norayda Noreen Caneo, Sheila Alivio, Glenda Belen, Levy De Luna, Francis Dionglay, Lea Capule, Gordon Cardoza, Grace-Stella Paulette A. Suarez

E-Mail contact:

Our School's Web Site: http://msc.edu.ph/hs/

Project Overview

1. Description of Our Community

Laguna, located 30 kilometers south of Manila, the Philippine capital, has a total land area of 175,973 hectares (about 1,795.7 square kilometers). It is the third largest province in Region 4 with 28 municipalities and 2 cities, a total of 674 barangays and is divided into 4 political districts.

Laguna is endowed with abundant natural resources. Bounded by the famous Laguna de Bay on the north, the province's greatest natural resource is water, having rivers and lakes within and around it. Fresh water products abound in the province and is one of its major industries.

The province's forests and fields are ideal for growing rice, coconuts, vegetables, tropical fruits, orchids, ornamental flowers and exotic plants.

Its accessibility from the nation's capital makes it a favorite weekend hiatus for those seeking tranquility from the hustle and bustle of the metropolis. Boasting of its resorts and hotels overlooking lush greens and clear waters, the breathtaking views in the province are enticing to those seeking refuge.

Mount Makiling, the legendary mountain located within the province's depth is a favorite spot for mountaineers, both local and foreign. In its foot lies the famous University of the Philippines, one of the premier and most prestigious universities in the country, making it also the breeding ground of some of the nation's intellectuals.

A number of old churches dotted the province and serves as itinerary for pilgrims with architectural design preserved to further enhance our already rich heritage.

Lanzones, a local fruit is also one of Laguna's greatest pride. Native delicacies made from coconut and other fruits also lure the people to troop the province.

Laguna is really blessed not only with natural resources which the town folks utilize to the fullest, but also with man-made and human resources. It is indeed a pleasure to experience 'Laguna'.

2. Summary of Our Project

The project aimed at bringing to the community the intrinsic worth of our primitive instruments, our music and dances, for they are the expression of our people's soul, character and temperament.

As Tourism takes new trends, new themes, new concepts which now focuses at culture, heritage and the arts, the festivals in our community can give our people more business opportunities. The festivals aim to develop a tourist-friendly society and for our balikbayans to be proud of their hometowns.

Our youth can better acquire our tourism by carrying on the tasks of gathering information, interviewing resource persons, taking pictures and moving people in the community to get involved.

The project presentations will show the unified effort of the local government and the people of the community in organizing festivals uniquely expressive of the livelihood and way of life of their hometowns.

Members of the team project are one way or another direct participants for several years to these festivals such that they are able to relate to its substance and character.

The use of computers and the Internet will help in bringing the to the world our local attractions and cultural heritage.

Inland tourism is encouraged as it is a breakthrough to help us become competitive in the Tourism Industry. Knowing what we are working for in this web page project, we unite through cooperative work to show pride in our local arts and culture.

3. Our Computer and Internet Access

A. Percentage of students using the Internet at home:21-50%

B. Number of workstations with Internet access in the classroom:more than 6

C. Connection speed used in the classroom:dedicated connection

D. Number of years our classroom has been connected to the Internet:more than 6

E. Additional comments concerning your computer and/or Internet access (Optional):

Our school's computer connection is served by MSC.net (www.msc.net.ph), which is owned by a sister company, MSC Communications Technologies, Inc. The school has its own server.

4. Problems We Had To Overcome

Indulging in this noble and stimulating endeavor is not an easy task. As early as October of last year, the preparation for this project was laid. Weekly meetings followed suit for an organized program of activities, foremost of which is mobilizing the students into action. Researches and interviews were scheduled and thus, the students went into action.

Students were grouped and were given assignations as to which festival to tackle. They were made to go to the town of their assignment and conducted interviews with the persons in charge of the festivals. Lack of documented materials about the festivals made it hard for the students to collate the necessary data needed for this project, making them resort to seek for the people who will be able to supply them with the needed information. This posed as another difficulty because the students have to schedule another interview, this time, with new primary sources of information.

Since the festivals tackled in this project were conducted in different times of the year, the students therefore weren't able to witness in the festivities first hand. The students weren't able to take pictures of some of the events. Local governments, especially those in which festivals are in existence only lately, weren't able to supply the researchers with the necessary pictures. Thus, another search for individuals who can supply them with the needed materials ensued.

Going back and forth to the town of their assignment proved to be tedious for the students who have to travel quite a long way to get there. Weather has been hideous, with slight showers and cold winds that weren't suitable for a trek around a town unfamiliar to them.

Finally, armed with the resources necessary for the completion of this project, data were collated, edited and then uploaded.

Meeting deadlines is always hard this time of the year because of the activities that coincided with Christmas and the town fiesta. But with the hard work and extra time given by the students and their respective advisers, with the cooperation of the interviewees, the project is finally complete.

5. Our Project Sound Bite

Man is the Lord's greatest creature and has endowed him with intellect and talents which can be utilized to the fullest. Because of his everlasting love for man, He also created environment teeming with riches for man's survival. It is therefore just apt for man to use their God-given talents in glorifying and thanking Him for his blessings using the same gifts that He has unselfishly granted them.

6. How did your activities and research for this CyberFair Project support standards, required coursework and curriculum standards?

'Experience is the best teacher', so the saying goes. Outbound Education or learning and teaching out of the confines of the classroom and campus is an effective way to develop individuals as effective members of the society, an important factor in building a community free from chaos brought forth by ignorance and misunderstanding. Learning with relevance, integration, team teaching and learning are modes adhering to the standards the institution has set forth. Conducting researches, interviewing, finding alternative sources in the absence of such and interacting with different people are not an easy task but were successfully carried out. The worthwhile value of responsibility, hard work, leadership, respect for the voice of authority and teamwork were manifested by the team members not only within the duration of the project but long after its completion. These are more than enough compensation for the difficulties and obstacles that were in the way. The Cyberfair project posed as a perfect venue so that we can keep at pace with the required curriculum guidelines as we explored, investigated and observed. Certain important skills such as critical thinking, vigilance, creativity, and resourcefulness were brought to the surface as we analyzed, synthesized and evaluated facts gathered. Good communication skills were also developed as we interacted with different people in the community as we conducted interviews, from our respected town leaders to cooperative common people. We learned the value of teamwork as we contributed our inputs for the accomplishment of this project. We have learned to appreciate culture, conserve and preserve our natural resources, support our native products, and cultivate talents. Realizing the value of our culture made us even more protective and respectful of our heritage. The use of technology in our project, the access to the internet, fills us with the sense of pride as we bring our very own culture for the world to see, with the hope that they will also find the joy that we feel as they get a glimpse of what we have to offer them.

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Project Elements

1) What information tools & technologies did you used to complete your CyberFair project?

We are indeed fortunate to our institution for providing us with the necessary tools needed for the completion of this project.

Computers and access to the internet was unselfishly provided to us for the completion of the task. Computer units both in the library and faculty room were used whenever there are no available units in the computer laboratory.

Cellphones and landlines were of big help in coordinating with different team members for an organized gathering of information. They were also beneficial for setting up interviews and confirming them. Facsimile machine was also utilized for exchanging correspondences with different resource persons.

Documentaries from local cable television networks and national television and print media, as well as radio coverages are also a vital source of the much needed information.

Capturing the festivals in video and film were made possible through the use of the school's video and digital cameras.

Photos were uploaded on the web page with the availability of the school's digitizers and scanners for all to vicariously experience the festivities.

Knowledge in HTML and Flash software made our webpage possible through the help of our teachers. The office CD writer was also used to store our pictures

Tape recorders, also courtesy of the school, were vital tools in conducting interviews with resource persons.

Our library provided us with magazine and newspaper clippings and articles about the festivals and facts about Laguna Province that were featured in this web page. Our internet connection made our research and correspondence faster ad easier.

And to the people who have unselfishly and courteously accommodated us, supplying us with the information and materials to make this project a reality, the festivals are no longer just a local event but a window of the Filipinos' heritage.

2) In what ways did you act as "ambassadors" and spokespersons for your CyberFair project both on-line and in person.

This project will not be complete without the total involvement for the cause it was set for. Acting as ambassadors for our project, we have to interact with people within our community like members of different municipalities' tourism council and town folks.

An unforgettable experience while working in this project includes going around the province and discovering different customs innate only to a particular town. We discovered the different products each municipality the province has and is used to promote tourism in their area. We managed to see the creativity and ingenuity of the people as they utilize their products during their festivals and street dancing.

The web page is an effective tool in promoting tourism in Laguna. Through this web page, we can reach people and show them the richness of our culture, how Lague??celebrate town fiestas and promote their foremost products.

Laguna festivals are being recognized by the local and national visual and print media and is shown all around the country. Young dancers, mostly .if not all, students, dancing energetically to the beat of funky music and donned in costumes made from their towns' premier product shows a lot of ingenuity and is an enticing ingredient to lure people in witnessing the events.

As ambassadors, we are working on promoting one of our province's important resource: human resource. Reaching out to different places and showing our locals' talent for utilizing their God-given natural resource for consumption and profit while taking care of the environment and promoting them through holding such festivals. Aside from this, we aim to make other people realize that they can earn if they will utilize their resources reasonably.

3) What has been the impact of your project on your community?

In this age of modern day technology, Internet connection is very common not only within the middle class households but more so in the Internet cafes that seem to dot the country. Not many however, can create a web site that will store valuable information. The creation of this web site, therefore can make a very big difference if we are to aim at putting our beloved province in the tourism map. Many places in the Philippines are well known for their age-old traditions and festivals that even social studies textbooks bear information about them. While most of the festivals in Laguna haven?t been in existence for long yet, they are not far behind in terms of ingenuity and fanfare. Being new in holding such festivities, many people have yet to hear of its existence. The funny thing is, many Lague??realized that they are alien in their very own province, not knowing that there are festivals as such in some of the towns in their very own province. Somehow, it made them proud to see how rich the culture and heritage are in their own province. In the same manner, it is hoped that this web page will serve as a window for the whole world to get a glimpse of how the LagueƱos hold festivals in honor of their patron saint while promoting its own products. Realization that in working together for the betterment of one's community is a very effective tool in mobilizing people into action. Different organizations, both public and private worked for the success of such festivities. In the interviews that were conducted, resource persons showed cooperation with the interviewers, making their pride evident as they presented them with facts. More so, they manifested excitement as they made announcements about the their festivals as one of the features of this web page.

4) How did your project involve other members of your community as helpers and volunteers?

A project as big as this will not be complete without the help of some individuals and organizations who have selflessly given us their time and support. Mrs. Lerma S. Prudente, MSC High School principal, for her never ending encouragement and support, the entire MSC High School students and faculty for their dedication to complete this project. Our endless gratitude goes to people and groups who have helped us in our task by accommodating interviews, supplying us with references and materials (newspaper and magazine articles, pictures) and for their encouragement and cooperation-Mrs. Lerma S. Prudente, San Pablo City Tourism Council President; the Calauan Laguna Municipal Office employees; the employees of Sta. Cruz, Laguna Mayor's Office, Mr. Herradura, head of the Tourism Council of Victoria, Laguna; Mr. Nonong Asilo of Nagcarlan, Laguna Municipal Office, Mr. Norbie I. Tuba??Tourism officer Pagsanjan, Laguna; Michael Delto A. Abariquez, Jr., Municipal Administrator of Pagsanjan, Laguna; Hon. Crisostomo B. Villar, Vice Mayor of Pagsanjan, Laguna; Engr. Eduardo V. Del Mundo, Calauan Laguna Municipal Planning and Development Officer; Mr. Exsy of Calauan Municipal Office, and for the countless others, who have recounted to us their participation and experiences and have made our research a fruitful and enjoyable one.

5) Discoveries, Lessons and Surprises (Optional)

The project made us realize of how, in this age of modernization and technology, people are still very much protective of their culture and heritage, that despite the saying 'go with the flow', they still cling and take pride on what is in their roots. It made us realize that despite the westernization in terms of music and clothing, there is beauty in what is naturally ours. Patriotism is not only confined in being involved in political and sociologically matters. It can also be manifested through arts and culture. Who says that the Filipino youth are so westernized that they don't appreciate our music anymore. Surprising, it is them that are the prime participants in the street dancing that goes with the festivals.

The Philippines is blessed to have been endowed with rich natural resources. It is even more blessed because the Filipinos have been endowed with qualities such as ingenuity and hospitality. Filipinos manage to utilize an otherwise waste material from its forests and waters to something of substance as capitalized during the festivals.

Outbound education has proved to be a very important factor in learning. Aside from gathering information first hand, our students also manage to learn some very important values detrimental to their development as individuals. They learned the value of communication, of not only talking but listening as well. The value of respect and tact were developed in the course of their interviews. And in the end, with the web page complete, the value of cooperation and hard work and how there is always a pot of gold at the rainbows end.

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