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EDSA: to the Kingdom of Flames A Return OPTICS / FLEDGLINGS THE QUANTUM ACADEMY by: Keziah Acharon F rom the ashes of oppression to the rebirth of a nation - the Filipinos have managed to turn darkness into light through their will to change the government’s ways. They have added fuel to the fire and the fuel is themselves. The result? No other than the historical EDSA Revolution. But behind the successful revolt of the masses, lies an issue that’s just as controversial as the uprising itself; as the memorable event was commemorated on the 25th of February this year, a priest expressed his thoughts that the celebration of the said event must be on EDSA itself and not in Cebu. But where does the revolution rightfully be celebrated in? Or does it not matter anymore because what matters more is how we celebrate the important event and not the place where it is celebrated? To retain the event’s historical value, we believe that the EDSA revolution should be honored in Manila. Although some say that it is justifiable for the celebration to be held in Cebu because this was where the revolution was brewed. We believe that it is not. This is because we deem that it is not where the fire was started that the event must be honored - but instead, we think that it is where the fire was further intensified that the said monumental event must be held in. The EDSA Revolution is named as such because the actual climax of the rebellion happened particularly in EDSA. Yes, the revolution was formed in Cebu, but where the people legitimately fought for their right and freedom was in EDSA because this was where the nation was against men in uniform. They have added fuel to the fire and the fuel is themselves. With merely pickets stating their command to freedom, the Filipino nation managed to topple down the unscrupulous ways of the government. In the end, it is shown that the voice of the people is more powerful than a strong regime. But how are we to remember the courageous souls of those who came before us? Must we celebrate this muchdiscussed revolution in the land where it was kindled or must we deliver it back to the kingdom of flames? We believe that the EDSA Revolution must be taken to EDSA. We are greatly convinced that a person’s birthday is not celebrated on the day he is conceived but on the day he is born. The Sword in a Pig Pen by: Keziah Acharon Meat is but limited and the carnivorous creatures compete over the scarce pieces. The war gets tougher by the minute and the creatures lessen in number. In the end, only the toughest emerge unscathed, but only the best comes forth with the flesh in hand. Welcome to the real world. The question remains: Must we speak our native language to patronize our own? Or must we utilize the English language to be globally competitive? The world is ruthless on a daily basis, and we must learn to rise above that. We must come to war prepared, and in this case, the English language is our weapon. To limit yourself to one linguistic area means having to close doors on countless of circumstances. It means isolating yourself from the world that awaits the entrance of a bright mind like yours and dismissing all probable success in the corporate world. Learning a new language doesn’t mean that we are ignoring our own. It just means that we are all set to take on challenges outside the fence and that we are capable of adjusting to globalization. We must realize that in today’s time, knowing the universal language aids a person to unlatch more opportunities and unlock gates to a better tomorrow. The combat zone of seeking success is similar to a pig pen - wide enough to roam about in a carefree grace, yet muddy to symbolically represent the challenges it has to offer. The English language is a tool that will pave our way to success but how we choose to follow our roads is completely up to us. OPTICS / FLEDGLINGS 2014 I 5