The Journey to the Ultimate Boon

“BEFORE THE BEGINNING”

Inside the D401

May 6 2013 - It was a fine day and the sun was shining gloriously. Some of us were very busy chitchatting, some were doing cross-stitch, and there were some who were reading the assigned chapter for that day, making themselves ready for the day’s recitation. This was the scenario inside D401 as we wait for our economics professor, Mr. James Daigdigan. We thought that it would just be an ordinary day for lecture, but we were mistaken.

To be or not to be: That is the question
As expected, it was just a day of lecture. What makes it extraordinary was that Sir James announced something worth listening. He gave the class something to be decided with regards to the completion of our midterm requirements. As far as I can remember, these were the choices:

a.      A written exam for midterms and a blog for project.

b.      A role-playing which depicts the concepts that had been discussed in class.

A series of discussion and incomprehensive murmurs were heard inside D401. We were afraid to take the written exam for it requires a lot of study to do. On the other hand, in role-playing, it’s one for all, all for one. Meaning, it requires teamwork and member participation to become successful.

The class chose letter B. Role-playing to be. 

Hi friends! We meet again!

Of course, every one of us would be comfortable if we are with our peers in doing assignments, projects, and theses. Since we strongly agree with this statement, we chose our own group. Familiar faces, we would say, for these are the same faces that eats lunch together, retook Math 111 with utmost perseverance, and go to Ateneo High School for field study.

However, not all faces were familiar. There were members whom we see, but we do not know. For me, this also makes that day extraordinary – meeting new friends. The first few minutes of our formal meeting was used for chikka. Hello’s, Hi’s, and “Ikaw na pud??!!”

“THE BEGINNING: LET'S DO THIS”

Elephant Tasks!

After a minute of chitchatting, we transformed into a serious, businessmen-like students, as if we were inside a conference hall. We did not do a presentation of sales (just like what business men do in a conference hall).We only wrote the names of the members in a piece of paper and their designated tasks.

These are the group members and their assigned tasks.

Leader                         -           Mr. Pete Mitchell Gepiga

Secretary                     -           Ms. Shahida Michelle Karim-Mastura

Documenter                -           Ms. Valene Hope Hamada-Cebuco

Synthesizer                  -           Mr. Jeffren Pancho-Miguel (Yours trully!)

Group members/Role Players:

Jairus Sator

Lam Sigred Maquinano

Jamille Raymundo Pelina

Emangel Paul Jayme

Marily Mae Tan

Anica S. Mohanty

Anne Dominik Supera

Deadline of Presentation: May 18, 2013! Hapit na!!!

What’s in a name?

Before submitting the lists of our group members and tasks, we also chose our group name. Since Valene and I are die-hard fans of Harry Potter (book and movie), we thought of a Harry Potter terminology. After much deliberation, we thought of naming our group “The-Group-That-Must-Not-Be-Named”, from the antagonist Lord Voldemort “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.” That was it.

The group name was taken from the famous Harry Potter antagonist, Lord Voldemort
"He Who Must Not Be Named"

A group is like an enormous clock. It only works if all the little cogs mesh together


May 8, 2013, Wednesay – the group’s second meeting. Before he (Sir James) dismissed us last meeting, he told us that he will give us time for group meetings in order for us to plan and finalize our simulation concept. So, this was it. Today, we just thought of something interesting to simulate. We have decided to show the determinants in the shifting or moving of the demand curve. Since we want to be unique, we chose the scenario: The demand of condom in a particular situation. 

May 9, 2013, Thursday - the group's third meeting. After class, we met our groups again and planned for the final flow of our role play, and the characters needed in the play. When the planning and role-assigning finished, the group talked about possible schedules of practice if the final script will be handed down already. 

May 14, 2013, Tuesday - The script has been presented to us! Yehey! Sir James dismissed us early for the groups'  planning and furnishing. We went to D405 and start practicing our lines. We found some minor deficiencies in the script. Because of this, we have to edit the script, pina-abrupt, so that we can formally start our practice. The group assgined Jeffren Miguel (me) to do the script editing. The edited script shall be presented the next day. Let the editing begin!

May 15, 2013, Wednesday - Presentation of the edited script. The group leader, Pete Gepiga, as well as the other members of the group approved the script that I edited. So, the formal practice shall be started today! Since most of the group members have classes after Econ class, we have decided to meet in the afternoon to start of our practice. 

The final revised script presented to the group members

These are the characters of our play, and the members who will portray them:

Call Center Manager                          -          Jeffren P. Miguel (me)
Athena                                               -          Anne Dominik Supera
Venus                                                -          Shahida Michelle Mastura
Anna                                                  -          Marily Mae Tan

Bugaw 1 / Host / News Caster        -           Valene Hope Cebuco
Bugaw 2                                         -           Emangel Paul Jayme

Stefan                                              -          Jairus Sator
Brandon                                           -          Lam Sigfred Maquinano
Dodong                                            -          Pete Mitchell Gepiga

Pharmacist / Luningning                   -          Jamille Raymundo-Pelina
Cashier                                           -          Anica Mohanty

Powerpoint Manager - Jeffren Pancho-Miguel
Spectacle - Jamille R. Pelina

Note: All of the group members were propsmen.

In the afternoon, after our Philo class, we made use of the room C302 as a venue for our practice. There, the group leader initiated the practice. He told us what to do and how are we going to present what is in the script (like a director, indeed a director!) Since not everyone was present, the first practice was not perfect. The good thing was that the sequence of the events was clear already. 

May 16, 2013, Thursday - For this day, our friend, Odyssa Edig, who also happens to be a talented dancer, taught Lam, Pete, and Jairus how to dance the 26k girls entrance in the game show Deal or No Deal. We had a good laugh watching them as they gracefully dance that 26k steps. After the Dance Sessions, we talked about what and how to do the props. We also assigned who will edit the songs for spectacle, and who will reserve the equipment. 

The three boys - Lam, Jairus, and Pete as they practice the 26k steps.
Choreographer : Odyssa Edig

May 17, 2013, A DAY BEFORE THE PRESENTATION! There was no lecture-discussion happened inside the classroom today. Instead, the groups were given the whole period to practice and prepare for the final presentation. Our group has decided to utilize the time in making props, and to familiarize the lines.

Taking the role as the cashier, BS-Biology student Anica Mohanty familiarizes her lines.

Pharmacist Jamille Pelina memorizes her lines with the help of Marily Mae Tan

The girls, with Lam, as they make the TV Set and other props.

Taking the role as news caster, BSED-ENGL student Valene Hope Cebuco
searches the web for the latest HIV/AIDS news, and asking the opinion of Jeffren Miguel
whether the news is good for presentation or not. 

Say "hello" to the artistas-to-be on the screen!

In the afternoon, our group had a general and final practice at C302. We were trying to make things perfect before the final presentation. 

Scene 2: The Bugaws and The Gals meet.
Emangel with his high fashion pose.

Bugaw 1 and Bugaw 2 in Gay Lingo conversation

Practice makes perfect. Is it a Deal? or No Deal?

Pete Mitchell Gepiga, the group leader, gives his comments on the group's performance.

After the day's practice, we went home exhausted. The big event will happen tomorrow.

God bless us all.

________________________________________________________________________________

THE DAY OF PRESENTATION

May 18, 2013

(Smart Araneta, pero char lang)

(D402)

For some Ateneo de Davao University students, this day was just an ordinary day - a new day to eat kwek-kwek, read books, kiss loved ones, etc. But for us ECON students under Mr. Daigdigan, this was the day that we are waiting for: The Final Presentation - THE ULTIMATE BOON. 

At first, we were worried because we did not have much time for practice because of conflicting schedules. Furthermore, we were also worried because we were the last group to present; we might not have enough time since we still have to arrange our props and prepare the audio-visual system. 

I arrived school late. What I saw as I entered the classroom was this:

Shahida, Lam, and Marily cover the window panes to make the room darker

News paper!

After seeing my groupmates in their BUSY MODE, I also made my self busy by double checking the spectacle, backdrop pictures, and the powerpoint presentation to be used. 

Jeffren Miguel, in a serious mode facing his laptop, prepares the powerpoint,
spectacle, and background music for the FINAL presentation

Aside from this, the first group to present was also busy preparing their props, audio-visual system, backdrop, and everything that they need in their presentation. Minutes after that, the show started. 

Let's skip other groups...

Now it's our turn to present!

This was our scenario:

We, the Group That Must Not Be Named integrated the concept of supply and demand, opportunity cost and shortage by portraying the socio-economic realities of prostitutes in Davao City. 

The first concept we focused on our roleplay is the law of supply and demand which was presented by showing how demand of prostitutes increase due to a positive change in the income of the people. The depiction of the notion of opportunity cost was also shown in the role play by describing how the pople responded to the tradeoff between AIDS and the use of contraceptives. 

The last concept we added from the market forces of supply and demand is the idea of shortage. In the roleplay, we exhibited shortage by illustrating the reactions of the people when the news of AIDS becoming rampant in Davao City appeared. 

In summary, we assimilated the ideas from the market forces of supply and demand by showing the reactions, decisions and opinions of the people to fully describe the realities of society and how economics played a big part in the mindset of the people.

==oOo==

It was all worth-it! Thank God!

Even though miscommunications arise during our presentation, such as failure to play the desired spectacle for a particular scene, and show the background pictures as the characters converse, our group was still happy, for we were able to deliver our presentation successfully.

This activity was a fun experience for us because we were able to bring out the best in ourselves. The bond of friendship was strengthened, as we face this with courage, respect and perseverance. There may be ups and downs as we plan this presentation, but in the end, everything turned out to be better.  :))) 

Congratulations everyone! We did it hooray! 
Thank you, Sir James!

This is how we do business. Charing. 

Are you guys haffie?!

Wacky!

To watch our FINAL PRESENTATION, 

Visit this website:

 http://youtu.be/SiBI5GC1hEg