Cover Letter to my Beloved Professor:

Dear Miss,

Taking this ENGLCOM course is really fun. Although there were boring lessons; after all, it was still an effective tool for enhancing my skills in writing. The S14B will not be complete without Miss Cequena. Miss has already been a part of our class. If Miss were not there, I guess, we are still nothing but a novice. Your good knowledge has helped us in our learning. Thanks so much!

The Tuesdays and Fridays really challenged me. I had experienced of writing for school paper, but this course, gave me more understanding and tips for writing a masterpiece. It also enhanced and improved my vocabulary and communication skills as a writer. By writing my essays, I had practiced DLR. Hoping that I can touch hearts by my essays (Service- Driven Citizen). ;)

I can say that the entry of cause and effect of mine has really engaged my learning to DLR. First of all, I had deep and creative ideas to express my feelings and thoughts regarding the topic. Organizing my ideas and thinking creatively honed me to construct my essay effectively. I also enjoyed writing it because it's all nothing but about my happiness. It was me who experienced the enjoyable and exciting Disneyland. I was writing myself, in short. However, I found it difficult to achieve touching hearts of other people. First, people are judgmental. Second, they only perceive obvious things. But then, I honed service-driven through editing and revising my block mate’s essay.

In the span of 13 weeks, Miss has given us tips to construct essays effectively by organizing our ideas through outlines. It will be easier to have my ideas blend with each paragraph. Also in years of writing, I realized that I must not write because I was told to, but to write for others. There are many styles in the world, but each has their own unique style. Thank You Miss for you had me discovered myself more. 

Argumentative essay is the evidence of my acquired skill. First of all, I think my first draft was a mess. Second, the transitions were in mess. Third, there were not enough facts and data. I could not persuade and please people like that, right?  And so I did my best in revising it like searching more evidences and paraphrasing more. By your teachings, I learned to address my essay to my audience, to organize my thoughts and interests. I also stated examples and action plan in regards to my topic - Mining. Thanks for your comments and telling me my point of improvement.
All I wish for is to touch hearts. I hope if someone reads my essay I could touch them, then I can finally say that I did. Like what you did Miss, your words reached my heart, so thank you so much! I really enjoyed ENGLCOM and I gained knowledge. 

Love,
Danaleene Singh. :)

Table of Contents

“Mining in the Philippines: A Threat to Environment”

As we all know, the Philippines is an archipelago, having 7, 107 islands surrounded by sea. Who would say that we’re having environmental crisis? In 7, 107 islands, tourists, even Filipinos, love to come and to explore our beloved land. The Philippines is rich in land forms like mountains, volcanoes, and plains. Moreover, we are also rich in water forms like beaches, lakes, and rivers. The terrain also has deviant coastline; it has blessed with rocky coves, white beaches, green forests, and towering mountains. That’s why mining industry is now growing in number in our country.

In addition to that fact stated above, economic growth of the Philippines has also incrementally growing. Mining industry boosts up revenues, hence, it can reduce country’s budget deficit (Bataclan, 2008). It also promotes social and cultural development as exports and foreign exchange increase. Mining industry will also help the government to reduce poverty because there will be jobs provided and unemployment will be prevented.As of 2005, mining industry statistics has been increasing; mining goods production has a total of $1 billion; on the total experts of minerals has reached up to $820 million and employment in mining has accumulated up to 123,000 people approximately. Given by these evidences, the mining industry has really contributed to our country (Bataclan, 2008).

On the other hand, there will be a threat to our environment. Moving pieces of earth, clearing of forests, and digging of underground tunnel will cause the ground to collapse. In addition to that, the Philippines is a tropical country; so having mountains and trees, catastrophe will hit the Philippines. Softening of grounds will cause soil erosion; then, flashflood will follow. Trees will absorb it supposedly; however, trees were cleared.

Meanwhile, after mining, usually companies will just abandon the site, thus leaving the land intoxicated. There are heavy metals or elements that remain in the site resulting in spoilage of minerals of soil. Agricultural crops will automatically contain toxics. If it is consumed, it will cause harm and death to the living organisms like herbivore animals and humans (Dr. Regis, 2011). In July 1999, a Mankayan villager named Pablo Gomez tragically died when he was carried away by a landslide. There was also an incident in 1962 that drainage tunnel was put in between Kelly Mine in Gumatdang and the mine in Antamok (Cordillera People Alliance, 2007). It did not just drain water from the mines, but the tunnel drained the water from a major irrigation sources drying up rice fields (Cordillera People Alliance, 2007).

Although mining will contribute greatly in our economy, it will also give consequences. Remember, we are rich in land and water forms; so we have to maintain these gifts from God and Mother Earth. There is also a Sustainable Development that “meets the need of the present without compromising the ability of future development to meet their needs (Brundland report, 1987).” This mining will give us misfortunes; especially to the next generations. If this environmental crisis continues, there will be a possibility that our children, grandchildren and great grandchildren will experience the world without water, without oxygen and without food. It is better to take care of our land. Provided by resources of our country, it is not just mining industry that could lift us up to economic crisis. If we could just sustain and enrich agriculture and ecotourism in our country, mining would not be a threat to our environment.

Sources:

• “What is Sustainable Development?” Retrieved December 2, 2011 from http://www.iisd.org/sd/

• Cordillera People Alliance, “Case Study on the Impacts of Mining and Dams on the Environment and Indigenous Peoples in Benguet, Cordillera, Philippines” (2007) Retrieved November 29, 2011 from http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/workshop_IPPE_cpp.doc

• Dr. Regis, Emilina, “Mining in Palawan and its Impacts to Biodiversity and Local Communities”(2011) Retrieved December 2, 2011 from http://www.alyansatigilmina.net/content/story/july2011/mining-palawan-and-its-impacts-biodiversity-and-local-communities

• Bataclan, Victoria S., “Mining in the Philippines” (2008) Retrieved November 29, 2011 from http://www.intexresources.com/_upl/investor_presentation_vika_atrium_260308_by_the_philippine_embassy.pdf

Sweet Dreams!

Dreams
Image source: http://www.dreamsfile.com/Images/dreams23.jpg

Most people experience a sleep-walk and certainly unaware of what they are doing. Sometimes, when we are asleep, a sudden flashes of lights with a man/woman appears right before our eyes, the man/woman of our dreams. How could we explain this kind of phenomenon? Actually, it is called a "dream". According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, a dream is a visionary creation of the imagination and something that fully satisfies a wish.

Obviously, dreams are somehow an important factor in altering our lives. Ancestors believed that gods bring messages through dreams and visions. By this communication, a divine guidance was sent upon - a truth that could heal, solve problem, yield spiritual wealth and bring serenity to a dreamer. In today's world, Bible was considered one of the oldest books. In Bible, dreams and visions potray messages as warnings, reminders and guidance. For an instance, in the New Testament of Matthew, chapters 1 and 2 tell a dream of advanced warning to the dreamer, Joseph. Joseph was instructed to leave Egypt with Mary and Jesus to avoid Herod's wrath(MacLaine, 2004).

Sigmund Freud
Image source: http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRxot1m2N2c5D1kumMyAw9j_kyfYIz05O-bJOb7-AdIkys2e_hM

As cultures developed, the significance of dreams waned until Sigmund Freud introduced Dream Interpretation(1900). His discovery states that dreams were from memories, thoughts, desires and fears stored in our brains. Then another prominent psychologist expanded the scientific study of Freud's theory, Carl Jung (1906). He stated that dream is a tool to learn and to discover ourselves and to achieve the full potentials of our lives. Jung (1906) also believed that people have the same dreams sometimes because there is a basic knowledge termed as collective unconscious that we share even though we differ in many ways. According to Jung, Collective unconscious contains archetypes, or universal primordial images or ideas (Encyclopedia Britannica Inc., 2011). Example of a collective unconscious is unconscious physical impulse towards an action, an instinct.

Dream has its own purpose and meaning based on what's meant to be. It has different and broad meanings. Dream is not merely a hallucination but a representation of who we are. It is describing our feelings, fears and thoughts. By dreams, we will get to know what we desire for, to understand ourselves and to unleash the true color of ourselves. Then, I can finally say that dream has been a piece of puzzle to acquire your true self.

Sources:
• MacLaine, Shirley, “Dreams & Prophecy: The History of Dreams” (2004), Retrieved November 17, 2011 from http://www.shirleymaclaine.com/topics/dreams-history.php

• “Freudian Dream Tools”, Retrieved November 17, 2011 from http://www.dreammoods.com/dreaminformation/dreamtheory/freud2.htm

• “Jungian Dream Interpretation”, Retrieved November 17, 2011 from http://www.dreammoods.com/dreaminformation/dreamtheory/jung2.htm

• “collective unconscious”(2011), Retrieved November 23, 2011 from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/125572/collective-unconscious