Congratulations to Kristinne Anne Perez Felix!

I WAS APPREHENSIVE TO converse in public but I subjugated my fear, simulating as if the crowd was faceless, for the sake that I could impart something I conceal within…

In front of the raucous high school horde, I was a guest speaker for the second time this morning. (Last year, I was also the speaker for the same category.)

I hurriedly discussed feature writing because a speaker is supposed to finish in thirty minutes. I assiduously tried to thrash out all the things I want to say; however, I suppose I FAILED! (The time is not enough.)

Afterward, there was a mini workshop-slash-contest for the category, which I’ll be judging. The topic I gave was “The most beautiful person I ever saw” and it should be done in 15 minutes plus a 3-minute extension.

Then the results came…

So I would like to congratulate the writer who I declared as winner of the contest. She’s from Mary Help of Christians School. Below is her winning article.



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“Weathered”
By Kristinne Anne Perez Felix

I flinch at the feel of her weathered hands. She touched my face. I look up to meet her gaze.

“Mama, why are you up so early?” I asked, basking in the beautiful glow of her face. She must have stayed up, never having received even a single wink of rest.

She smiled her beautiful smile, displaying her set of crooked teeth. She didn’t give a reply; just sat there smiling at me.

Mama works really hard for us. Endless days and nights of toiling must have resulted to the weathering of her once delicate and smooth hands.

She was the one who acted as our father and our mother after Papa had to go overseas and work for our sake. In this world, nothing is more important to her than her six children. I remember her telling me, “I would do anything as it is for your benefit.”

Without her saying a word, I told her, “You are indeed the most beautiful person in the world. Thank you, Mama. I love you.”

It was then that she spoke, “I love you too. Go back to sleep, anak.”

-END OF HER ARTICLE-

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Candidly, I don’t know if Kristinne just adjusted to my taste of writing style. Yes, I gave them a photocopy of some of my published articles, but I didn’t give them a copy of the ones, which have the same writing style she used; I keep these for future use.

(Pragmatically speaking, there were only four articles in the copy I gave because a page would cost Php0.60 and if will compute, I would have to spend a lot if I put all my published articles. It would be better if I create my on publication.)

Mary Rose – a CAS Ideas editor – read Kristinne’s article too and she said, “Ay kuya, ginaya lang niya yung style mo para manalo siya.”

But then I thought, “Was Kristinne listening after all? I suppose she can’t absorb and mirror my writing style in a matter of thirty minutes…”

Besides, the time-limit was so short!

Perhaps, she also has the “gift”.

When I was in high school, I never wrote an article like that because I can’t. Just as what most people say, “Wala akong mapaghuhugutan…”

Therefore, her “gift” is even better. She’ll reach farther....