Celebrating Buwan ng Wika 2024 – Part 2: The Morning Part of the Program

Hello, Hivers! This is makiyumee and I am back again with the second part of my blog series which is Celebrating Buwan ng Wika 2024! You can read part 1 here and now, without further ado, let's dive into the blog now!

August 30, 2024, marks a special day on my customized calendar of school tasks and activities. The day is Friday, and this day is our school's celebration of the Buwan ng Wika 2024. Yup, I customized a calendar just in case I forget things. I've been experiencing some signs of aging these days like forgetting where I had put my pen or what was our meal last night and sometimes because sitting all day inside the classroom, I can feel my back and neck pains—I can feel that I am really getting old, for real.

The time was 6:40 a.m. when I got to the campus, which was a little early. Even though the sun was already shining, the campus was still covered in a cool, peaceful morning air. The morning dew continued to hold on to the leaves and trees as I walked by, shining in the gentle light. It was calm, as if the day was just getting started.

Since I had no traditional clothes, I decided to wear the Tamad sa Buwan ng Wika Starter Pack which was a black shirt, black jeans, a malong and shoes. Before the event began, a few of the early-arriving students were busy putting up their booths and stalls and getting everything ready. Their conversations filled the peaceful morning air, along with the noises of things being moved. I noticed a few of my classmates arriving early as well, and we worked on the task at hand. We prepared our booth's materials and moved them to the covered court where the other groups were getting ready.

The court started to change as we put things in their proper places; it was covered in bright decorations and exhibits. Excitement filled the air as each group brought their unique character to the celebration. Feeling happy of what we had accomplished and excited to watch the day play out, we assisted one another in making sure our booth was ready to go.

Soon, the 3rd years who were assigned with the attendance began their task and all the students lined up by their attendance sheet to sign their time in before going to the back of the covered court to start their lines for the parade. Original Pinoy Music songs were blaring from the speakers along with the excited chatters coming from the students and the masters of the ceremony were also energetic and wearing Filipino traditional clothes with was the barong tagalong at the baro't saya.

The program formally started when the attendance was taken. The opening event was a wonderful sight: a parade of students dressed in traditional attire. Students paraded around the covered court one by one, showcasing their beautiful traditional attire.

The students walked by, proud of their background, and the crowd stared in wonder as each step appeared to convey a bit of history and culture. They all found their assigned seats after the procession ended and got ready for the next part of the celebration.

The event began with a series of speeches and introductions that set the tone for the day. What truly delighted me, though, was the following segment of the show: Zumba! The music had barely started when I could already feel the excitement in the air. With everyone rising from their seats, it was impossible to stay still because of the energetic beats. It was the perfect way to get everyone moving and excited for the enjoyment that waited ahead. With a swift spread of laughter and good cheer, the entire court was soon packed with students dancing, letting go of their morning tiredness and welcoming the day.

I joined my classmates in dancing, experiencing the lively beat as we all moved in sync. Seeing @iamcheerfellll, one of my classmates, lead the Zumba in front of everyone was what added even more uniqueness to the experience. She's such a talented dancer, and I was delighted and proud to see her fearlessly lead the group. Her movements had a lot of energy, and soon the entire court followed her. As my classmates and I danced to the upbeat music and became swept up in the excitement, we couldn't help but join @iamcheerfellll.

The next portion of the event, the Budots Challenge, started after the Zumba ended, leaving everyone exhausted and energized from all the dancing! We had all been waiting for this moment, and I could tell it would be the funniest and thrilling moment of the day. The enthusiasm in the covered court reached a new level as laughter filled the air and students and instructors prepared to show off their wildest moves. Excitement was in the air as everyone wanted to see who could do the craziest and greatest dance movements. When the instructors and students performed dance routines to the famous Budots song, the audience went crazy.

As the instructors of our class took the stage to perform the Budots dance, I let out a loud yell. They moved with such passion and energy that the entire audience went crazy. I joined in with my classmates, lifting our voices as high as we could and proudly calling out the names of our instructors. With every step they made, we couldn't resist chanting louder as the music erupted. The entire court looked to be vibrating with excitement as a result of their spreading enthusiasm. It seemed as though we were all dancing with them and taking part in their enjoyment. It was such a fun and crazy sight to see!

After the challenge, the masters of the ceremony shared that it was finally time to settle down as we reached the next part of the program, and this part was the time to show and contests for the event which was the Pista sa Nayon where the stalls will showcase and sell Filipino made foods and desserts, the Budol Fight which was a contest on which sections has the best set of Filipino foods for lunch, Abakada Pili Na, Familipino Feud and many more.

Now, we have reached the end of today's blog and that would be all for this part. Stay tuned for there will still be a part 3 and I will see you all on the next part!