First Activity in Creative Nonfiction by: Jay Mark M. Malirong

                               photo from Google.com

1. Compare and contrast the government then and now. Cite lines. 

-The previous government were the martial law was started is good however, it can be abused by the military which can give a trauma and fear to the people in that time just like Therese experienced and her mother in that time, on page 25, paragraph 2 and line 2-3 which stated that "mother of Therese can experienced a fear when she saw the military from the balcony" also same page paragraph 3 line 1-2 which therese experienced a fear of the revolutionary masses marching with the re banners and declaring the end of elitists rule.

 -While the current government has been too far than before, because based on my observation the government nowadays is better than before although the government before was good however I would say that nowadays the government is a better because it provides not all the needs of individuals but they can provide as long as they can such as the free education to all underprivileged people, they give another opportunity to the children life they deserved. Moreover, the government nowadays we cannot deny that some politicians are fighting for their co-politicians just to promote themselves and to see them as good politicians. 

 -However, the previous government and the present has their similarities like some politicians in the past and nowadays it still has a corrupt but we cannot deny that because that's the world/life of politicians. And the biggest problem for some politicians before and now is that, they are not equal to their citizens to people that they have like they are prioritizing the people who are in the position than not. Also, it has some politicians who are good that they fight and advocate for the people who can't speak for themselves. 

 2. Describe Therese Rodriguez. Cite lines.

 -Therese R. Rodriguez is an author of this essay and she is an activist who grew up in the time of martial law, who experienced and witnessed all the bad doings of the military in that time, even the riot between the police and the theresians. She also joined the KDP New York chapter and became a member of the chapter executive board and eventually, the regional executive board. According to the essay of therese R. Rodriguez on page 23, paragraph 1 line 15-19 which stated "therese is now a CEO of the Asian and Pacific Islander Coalition on HIV/AIDS (APICHA) committee Health Center, which serves people who living with HIV/AIDS: members of the LGBTQ community and immigrants of limited English proficiency. 

 3. Make a reaction on the essay. Cite lines. 

-In the essay that I've read which is entitled "TO TEACH THE MASSES A LOVE FOR BACH, CHOPIN, AND BEETHOVEN  , my reaction to this essay is mixed, which I felt joy, grateful, and mostly sad, due to the message that the author stated. We all know that martial law was started at the time of the Marcos administration. When I first read the essay i felt this was very interesting because as a youth it is very important for me to be informed of what happened in the past and what it is. I felt mostly sad because it has negative effects on people even the students and the innocent, and it gives a trauma and fear as stated in page 25, paragraph 3 line 3-4 "Therese was afraid of becoming too closely tied to the activist". I felt joy because despite the challenges that the Filipinos faced at that time they were still standing and fighting for what was right for them, that they can fight not only for oneself but for all. And i felt grateful because this simple essay enlightened me as a youth about what martial law is, that it is not only all about bad doings of a previous government but rather it has a good effect on the people in this time. Moreover, this essay somehow helped me to think optimistically and not pessimistically about martial law because, martial law is good however it is abused by the military.