CREATIVE NON-FICTION

HISTORY OF IRISAN (SUMMARY)

Irisan is one of the largest barangay in Baguio City with 33 puroks and also a largest population where there are still Ibaloi families living there. Irisan way back then was a part of a of Tuba, Benguet under the first mayor Joaquin Smith and a place of who have thick pine forest, gardens, pasture lands and few scattered houses. Irisan comes from the Ibaloi word "idisan" which means a wood used to grind to make it fine.

Virginia Luna, a native from Barlig, Mountain Province knows more (knowledgeable) in the history of Irisan. She first came in Irisan when she was 13 together with her father, Catalino Pablo who is a carpenter in the lime kiln (now called apugan). She first married to Lopez Oseo a local Ibaloi and had a son but later got separated. Then she got married again to Felix Luna also an Ibaloi man with nine children, one adopted and one another step sister. She first served as a barangay council then became a barangay captain (1972-1988) and now one of the barangay kagawad of Irisan.

The original families/settlers in Irisan are the Oseo, Palgi, Gabol, Pucay, Luna, Smith, Alvarez, Maganes, Binay-an, Cutay, Saguid, Catalan, Bugnay, Copero, Tacloy, Menecio, Dusnong, Gayduin, Salda, Mang-os and others.

The titling of lands started at the year 1922 which included Igorot claims called as 211 titles. Oges Oseo has the widest land area while Joseph and Pastor Gabol has the 27 hectares of land here in Irisan.

Lime quarry (apugan) was brought by mining company, Benguet Consolidated Inc. (BCI). It is to supply lime for their gold mines in Itogon which drew many settlers to work in the lime kiln.

Cypress which originally titled in the name of Pucay later turned into subdivisions.

Don Benito Lopez bought land in Irisan which he set up as a school (Baguio Military Institute) for the rich people but later on closed down and taken over by a Korean company which they turned into Cooyesan.

The land of Maganes, Smith, Gabol and Saguid became a ressetlement area that is paid by settlers at 2.00 per square meter. They started to construct houses while others sold the land to third parties without legal titles.

As the number of houses increased rapidly, the city government conducted a demolition because of lack of building permits and legal titles of the land.

Thus, the Irisan before is thickly forested with pine trees are now filled with houses and other structures such as roads, bridges, infrastructure developed by city government serve fast growing population of Irisan. The Ibalois are now extinct/decreasing because of the mixed marriage with other tribes. As time passed by, Irisan changed because of us(people). In order for us to live, we change the beauty of before and change it on what it is before. Because of the mixed culture(marriages)/tribes that are happening, Baguio is not only the home for Ibalois but for a lot of cultures too.

KAIBIGAN.....

KAIBIGAN, SANDALAN

           Sa buhay marami tayong mga problema na pinagdaraanan, mga problema nating ayaw na maranasan at gusto nating kalimutan dahil sa sakit na naidulot sa atin nito. Pero dahil sa  mga  problema natin, marami tayong natututunan. Natutong maging matapang at humarap sa laban, huwag maging mahina at duwag kung alam mong dehado ka. Matutong ipaglaban kung alam mong nasa tama ka at walang maling nagawa.
         

           Sa  kabila ng lahat, huwag nating kalimutan na may pamilya at kaibigan tayong handang  damayan tayo sa ating mga problema. Laging nasa tabi at  pinapakinggan tayo.Nandyan para magbigay ng payo sa anumang problemang darating sayo. Kilala rin kung sino at ano tayo sa harap nila at sa ibang tao.

            A true friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you. They are the one accepts you despite of your attitude to his/her. Cheering you to continue and motivating to keep going on. The one who makes you laugh even if you don't even want to smile. Forgives you whatever mistakes you've done and always by your side to help you when you are in trouble.

              “When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.” 
― Henri J.M. Nouwen, Out of Solitude: Three Meditations on the Christian Life

             “I think if I've learned anything about friendship, it's to hang in, stay connected, fight for them, and let them fight for you. Don't walk away, don't be distracted, don't be too busy or tired, don't take them for granted. Friends are part of the glue that holds life and faith together. Powerful stuff.” 
― Jon Katz

ALL ABOUT ME, MYSELF AND I

                                 KNOWING ONESELF



In life, there are things that we don't want to happen but have to accept, things we don't want to know but have to learn and problems that we encounter that we have to settle because through  our experiences and the people around us we learned a lot of lessons that helps us to know more on who and what we are.


.....Hi there!!!!!

First of all, I'm Lherma C. Limbanan,17 years of age. I'm a senior high school student studying at Irisan National High School.

I am shy and quiet but when I get to know a person I became more lively. I read books/stories or watch TV during my free time.

When I was in grade school. I prefer to be alone than to mingle with other people that's why I don't have a lot of friends. I have a lack of confidence to talk in front of the crowd. I don't talk a lot and I don't like people to draw attention to me.


Now that I am in high school  I am getting out of my own shell. I used to have friends and have confidence to myself because of my classmates, friends and family that cheered me to continue.


To top it all, I learned that to easily overcome your weaknesses you have to be yourself. Don't mind what other people say about you and don't just change for them to like you 'cause you are born to be TRUE not to be PERFECT. Be brave to face your fears. Always stick to the fight 'cause whatever challenges you overcome will help you know more about yourself and know how to handle situations well alone.