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MGA BABASAHIN HINGGIL SA KASAYSAYAN NG PILIPINAS

THE COMPREHENSIVE COMPARISON AND CONTRAST OF

SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS IN TERMS OF CULTURE, RELIGION, AND
DECISION-MAKING IN SELECTED COUNTRIES ACROSS THE
WORLD

A Research Study Presented to Mr. Jumel Estrañero for the subject Mga
babasahin hinggil sa kasaysayan ng Pilipinas

Calaor, Ryssel Lou C.

Salazar, Francis Ian P.

BCS12

January 2022
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

TITLE PAGE……………………………………………………………………………...1
TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………………………….2
I. INTRODUCTION……………………………………………………………3
II. BODY………………………………………………………………………...5
III. ANALYSIS…………………………………………………………………16
IV. RECOMMENDATIONS…………………………………………………...20
V. CONCLUSION AND WAY AHEAD……………………………………...21
REFERENCES………………………………………………………………………......23

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure Page
no.
1 Structure about Superstitions 14
1.1 Modified Structure about Superstitions 15
2 Common Causes that Lead to Superstition 15
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I. INTRODUCTION

Since then, people’s lives have been led by various beliefs, whether it is innate by
their culture or it was modified by the environment in which they live in. According
to a study conducted by Chen and Young (2018), superstition is an unjustifiable belief
or custom that results from a supernatural or fictitious impression of causation. It is
commonly known to have a relation with the thought of luck. Furthermore,
superstitions are ideas and practices that may bring certain outcomes; however, this
is usually without any basis in reality or facts (Espinal, 2020).

As stated in a book by Eric Schwitzgebel (2011), modern analytic philosophers

generally refer to the term ‘belief’ as a contemplation that something is true or that
something exists. As a qualification for believing these things, it does not conform to
any wider idea or a deeper understanding on why a person has these beliefs. Across
several countries and cultures, many people believe in some superstitious practice
that could create good luck, as well as bad luck. Some examples of these are seeing
a cat on a way to some place, bringing a lucky penny, and using a broken mirror.

The word “superstition” can be linked to the word myth, however, the two aren’t the
same. According to the article written by the Difference Between (2015). There are
difference between a myth and a superstition, the most significant distinction between
the two is that one is a tale and the other is a belief. A myth can be understood as a
traditional story that incorporates supernatural elements, perhaps with a lesson
however it is lacking in factual accuracy; whereas the superstition is a belief that is
practice through supernatural influences.

Based on the study administered by Tsang (2004), there are two relations between
superstition and decision-making; the presumed logic of decision-making and the
absurdity generally associated with superstition create a conflict between the two; on
the other hand, superstition beliefs and decision-making are correlated in the sense
that the superstition beliefs can be used as a mean to cope up with the ambiguity
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connected with decision making. Moreover, from an article written by Welum

(2020), a person may make poor judgements if they make key decisions based on
fallacious ideas like superstitions. This explains why superstitious beliefs play a
crucial role in decision making, which people consider in their daily lives.

Some countries are more particular regarding their superstitious beliefs than the other
countries. In today’s world, every country has its own set of superstitions. According
to Jarret (2017), each country has its own distinct characteristics, behavior, and
attitudes; this is also applicable for each country’s superstitions. The researchers
focus on five chosen countries. The researchers based their chosen countries
according to an article published on Hello Travel’s official website. Hello Travel is
a marketplace about travel packages discount from trustworthy travel agents all over
the world. As stated from their article about the world’s most superstitious countries,
the top 5 countries are India, China, Greece, USA, Philippines, in particular order.

The study aims to address the following objectives: to determine if the culture
influences the comparison and contrast of the superstitious beliefs between the
selected countries; to determine if the religion influences the comparison and contrast
of the superstitious beliefs between the selected countries; and, to determine if the
superstitious beliefs affect the uncertainty of how a person decides

OBJECTIVES
• To determine if the culture influences the comparison and contrast of the
superstitious beliefs between the selected countries
• And, to determine if the religion influences the comparison and contrast of
the superstitious beliefs between the selected countries
• To determine if the superstitious beliefs affect the uncertainty of how a
person decides
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II. BODY

In this chapter, related literature from local and foreign literatures are provided to
supply a deeper understanding of intentions and goals about the presented topic.

Superstitions generally means a belief that is not based on factual reasons or with
scientific knowledge, however solely supported upon trust in luck and other illogical,
irrational, and supernatural factors (Karmakar & Chattopadhyay, 2021). It is innate
for humans to always looking for justifications for a certain circumstance.

CULTURE

Culture is vital to everything that we do in this world. The simple definition of

culture can be classified through shared, symbols, norms, and values in society
(Lebron 2013; Walsham 2002). As stated by Lebron 2013, The term "culture"
refers to a society's way of life. It is described as a set of shared values and beliefs,
or a set of established behaviors, that we share with others in a given culture and
that provide us with a belongingness and identification.

Each nation’s culture has various qualities and attributes that define their own
personalities. Apart from the fact that some cultures possess characteristics that are
similar to others, likewise, some are genuinely unique from others.

As per an article published by C3 Teachers (n.d), Every community in the world

has its own culture. The way a community behaved reflects its culture. How people
lived in the past and how people lived now are all variety of numerous things such
as the languages spoken, customs, traditions, practices, and religious beliefs. All
these things are preserved in the present to be given to the future generations.
To equate culture with superstition, these matters are preserved in the present to
be given to the future generation, and it reflects how the community behaves.
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As stated in an article by Borkar (2018), Indians keep an onion and a knife

under their newborn childs’ bed or pillow to prevent bad dreams from
happening. They also believe that placing an onion under the pillows can
bring a significant vision when dreaming about who their future partners will
be.

Photo credit: foodforthought.wordpress

Chinese people eat noodles that are commonly seen may it be in television
(TV) shows, or movies, and they eat noodles which are noticeably long. As
reported in an article by Lantern Club (2018), this corresponds to their belief
that noodles symbolize the longevity of life, and because of this, when they
cook noodles, they avoid cutting it short as they believe that it will cut the
life’s longevity.

As stated in an article by Chrissy (2021), in Greece, people who sneeze

without a medical condition like cold, believe that they are being talked about
by someone who is not present. They may be reminiscing memories about
someone or just talking about someone generally, and it also does not
conform to bad thoughts, it just must be people talking about someone.

When a person is sneezing, a common response from another person would

be to say, “bless you”, as something that is just funny to do and naturally,
people would laugh after saying it. However, this action came from a
superstitious belief. According to Radford (2015), Americans once believed
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that when a person sneezes, evil spirits could come and enter a person’s body.
Thus, they say “bless you”, to fend off those evil spirits that attempt to enter
the sneezer’s body.

Photo credit: Science ABC

According to an article by Escalona (2018), Filipinos, during celebrations,

gatherings, especially birthdays, serve pancit(noodles) regularly as they
believe that it represents living a long life. Nowadays, it has become quite a
joke and Filipinos may laugh about it, but it still remains served during
birthdays and other celebrations during these days.

Photo credit: Food & Wine Magazine

RELIGION
Superstition is what we often explain as the belief in the mystic connection
that is not based on scientific evidence. These beliefs incorporate with
aspects such as religion and matters that are correlated with that, for instance,
the supernatural ideologies, astrology, omens, witchcraft, and prophecies.
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From a study conducted by Karmakar & Chattopadhyay (2021), religion has

some either good or unfavorable role in individual life and social life; it
ministers people to have principles and norms. Moreover, the study asserts
that religion imparts security and ease to people, however the study also
claims that religion makes people believe in destiny, which will then create
superstition in people’s minds; it even leads to having anti-science behavior
for people. Religion indulges people in having independence on destiny
instead of self-sufficiency.

As asserted by an article from Yale University’s Department of History,

religions have always been a fundamental part of human history in all
countries and eras, and they continue to be so in our own day. They have
been significant factors in shaping knowledge, the disciplines, and
innovation.

As per the study conducted by Mocan and Pogorelova (2014), religion and
superstition since both involve presuming in supernatural forces and they
correlate with onte another. Additionally, superstitious deeds have religious
connotations in many cultures, and established faiths contain ceremonies that
are based on superstitious rites (also known as magic) from pagan cultures.

There are various religious superstitions that the selected countries still
believe nowadays. Some examples are as follows:

On the word of Neha Borkar (2018), in an article that they wrote about Indian
superstitions, Indians avoid sweeping their floors in the evening (especially
6-7pm) as they believe that it will drive away Goddess Lakshmi from visiting
their homes.
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Photo credit: Getty Images

According to China Mike (2020), animals illustrate a wide range of divine

beings that Chinese believe. Dragons, as an example, are used to depict men,
who are capable of accompany good fortune and happiness. Phoenixes,
represent women, who are also bringing optimistic fortune. Turtles possess
two different descriptions as they could portray the longevity and endurance
in Chinese culture, but they also can become a symbol of a bad luck,
specifically in slowing down a business.

Photo credit: Getty Images

In accordance with an article written by Dilouambaka (2017), people in

Greece put holy ashes on their door frames. They set a cross with the ashes
of the Holy Light candle on the head of their entrances, and they believe that
it brings good fortune to their households.
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Photo credit: Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church

According to an article by Justine Damiano (2018), knock on wood is the

most common superstitious practice in America as it is an extensively known
phrase and gesture. This belief originated when people were not required to
knock on the wood, they just had to touch the wood, specifically the Cross
wood on medieval churches. They believe that knocking on wood represent
a connection to the divine and would bring them good luck.

Photo credit: Business Insider

As reported in an article by Prudente (2021), Filipinos must go somewhere

else before going back to their house after attending a wake or a funeral,
which is locally known as ‘pagpag’. They believe that they need to remove
the bad spirits from the wake to prevent the bad spirits from entering their
house.
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DECISION-MAKING
In everything that people do, in each day, each moment, people always face
a choice. The outcomes will then define what will happen in the future,
admittedly even the smallest actions and decisions can change the person’s
life from inside out.

Creating decisions that are effective, wise and sound is a skill that can be
learned as we progress in life (Leigh, 2017). According to Dixon, J. &
Franda K. (2019) people are easily influenced by feeling of luck conditional
to if it is good luck or bad luck. Superstitions play a big role when it comes
to decision making since people tend to base their decisions on superstitions.

Based on a study Dholakia (2017), “a good decision is one that is made

deliberately and thoughtfully, considers and includes all relevant factors, is
consistent with the individual’s philosophy and values, and can be explained
clearly to significant others”.

Furthermore, as stated by Levental, Carmi, and Lev (2021) throughout

human history, superstitions have served as a basis for making decisions.
These beliefs have evolved in response to humans' ability to explain
seemingly dangerous circumstances over which they have no control.

Glazer S. & Karpati T. (2014) claimed that it is crucial to emphasize that

there is no country that only reinforces only one cultural value, and the
decision-making process is frequently influenced by a boundedly rational
economic system.

The selected countries also demonstrate decision-making based on their

superstitions. As illustrations, consider the following:
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Indians believe that if a black cat crosses their path, it will bring them bad
luck. (Borkar, 2018). They believe that if this case happens, they should let
somebody else pass first before they go. Additionally, according to the
official website of India Today (2015), this originated from the superstitions
of Egyptians who believed that black cats were evil creatures who brought
bad luck in their lives.

Photo credit: India Today

Additionally, according to Neha Borkar (2018), Indians believe that the
number eight (8) is unlucky, as per their numerology, the number eight (8) is
ruled by the planet Shani (Saturn), and so they expect number eight (8) to
bring several obstructions, frustrations, and other negative implications
along their way.

As stated by China Mike (2020) in his publication, number four (4) is

considered the unluckiest number in China because its enunciation sounds
like the word for “death”. Thus, people in China mostly decide not to have
four-storey buildings or even floors that end in number four. It is also stated
that in Chinese elevators, it is noticeable that there is no button for the fourth
floors and even the fourteenth (14th), twenty-fourth (24th), thirty-fourth (34th),
and so on of the buildings. Furthermore, Chinese people really admire
superstitions. Hence, they also embraced the common Western superstition
which is believing that the number thirteen is unlucky. On the brighter side,
the number eight (8) is considered the luckiest number in China because its
enunciation sounds like the word for “wealth”. It is also stated in the
publication that the grand opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics was
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held on the eighth of August on the year two-thousand and eight (August 8,
2008) as a form of welcoming the event with a good luck.

As reported in an article by Chrissy (2021), Greek people also consider black

cats as a sign of bad luck. They believe that if they see a black cat along their
way, it will bring them bad luck all around the entire day, but it can be
nullified through whispering a small prayer.

According to an article written by Hastings (2021), the commonly

recognized Western superstition, known as the ‘Friday the 13th’, originated
and evolved over time and across different cultures. As stated from an article
in the Official Website of History (2017), it came from the biblical event
known as the Last Supper that was held on Maundy Thursday, which had 13
guests at the table which symbolized a bad omen, precisely, referring to
‘death’ and the next day, the Good Friday, Jesus was set to be crucified.
However, in some countries like Greece and Italy, the unlucky day that they
consider is Tuesday the 13th (Chrissy, 2021).

According to an article by Escalona (2018), Filipinos avoid making the steps

of their home staircases divisible by three. When entering a Filipino
household, there is a chant which are “oro(gold), plata(silver),
mata(death)”. One step stipulates one word from the chant, and upon
reaching the peak of the staircase, the chant usually end with either oro or
plata which indicates good fortune. Filipinos believe that ending the staircase
with mata in the end of the chant symbolizes bad luck.
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Photo credit: Flickr

The diagrams below explain the concept of the paper by showing and outlining how each
portion relate to each other.

Figure 1: The figure is based on a study entitled “Conflict between science and
superstition in medical and dental practices” (Uwayezu et al. 2021)

SUPERSTITION

PERSONAL CULTURAL RELIGIOUS

According to the study conducted by Uwayezu et al. (2021), superstitions can be broadly
categorized for cultural, religion, and personal advantages.

For the present study, the researchers modified one factor among the three factors used in
the study conducted by Uwayezu et al. (2021). The researchers altered the personal factor
to decision-making factor since it is more adhering with the present study.
Figure 1.1: The figure is the modified structure based on a study entitled “Conflict
between science and superstition in medical and dental practices” (Uwayezu et al.
2021)
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SUPERSITION

CULTURE RELIGION DECISION-MAKING

Figure 2: A few common causes that lead to superstition related practices based on a
study conducted by Uwayezu et al, 2021

False Belief

Immaturity Fear

SUPERSTITION

Illiteracy Anxiety

Ritual

From the study conducted by Uwayezu et al. (2021), superstition is mostly resulted from
immaturity, illiteracy, immaturity, and anxiety of the unknown, usually related to the
incorrect clarification of natural events.
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III. ANALYSIS
The concept of superstition in relation to culture, religion, and decision-
making is highlighted in this section of the research. The content on the body
is analyzed and explored in significant detail. The similarities as well as the
differences for each category: culture, religion, and decision-making are
specified and evaluated.

Culture
In terms of superstition regarding culture, China and Philippines have
similarities when it comes to serving of noodles (pancit in Filipino). Long
noodles represent longevity and cutting one's noodle is equivalent to cutting
one's life short. Since cutting noodles is considered bad luck by both
Filipinos and Chinese. The longer the noodle, the better, since it represents
long life. It is believed that Filipino inherited this widely known cultural
belief, and as a matter of fact based on an article published by Chopsticks
Alley (2020) the Pancit dish originates from China, and its name of the dish
derived from Hokkien phrase “plan I sit” which means something convenient
and cooked fast, making it as a form of fast food. Pancit is often prepared for
birthday celebration as this signifies longevity and health.

Several cultures say something along the lines of “Bless You” whenever
someone sneezes similar to how Americans do. According from an article
published by Walker (2018), Some Culture consider sneezing as a cleansing
activity; In Hawaii, people say “kihe a mauli ola” which translates to “sneeze
and live” . For Islams, sneezing is said to lighten the mind and Allah should
be thanked for it. Lastly, for Greeks and Romans responds with “Jupiter
preserve you”. Additionally, in Greece it is believed that if someone sneezes,
it is thought that they are being discussed. As can be seen this kind of
superstition beliefs adhered to each other and have similarities although they
came from different cultures.
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Religion
Americans’ superstition of knocking on woods are figured to come from the
folklore of the ancient Indo-Europeans who believed that trees are housed by
numerous spirits. Another explanation is that people knocked on wood to
ward off bad spirits or keep them from listening while people bragged about
their good fortune, thereby stopping a turn of events. Meanwhile, Christians
have commonly associated the practice with the wood of the cross from
Christ's crucifixion (Andrews, 2018). Filipinos believe in the same
superstition, since most Filipinos presume that spirits and gods live in trees.
For Filipinos, they do when there are times that they say jokes or things that
they do not mean to and wish to take it back to hinder it from happening. By
doing the “knock on woods” the statement or the joke that has been said will
not happen.

Furthermore, Indians especially Hindus do not sweep and mop at night since
they believe that it might bring some negative impacts. Sweeping and
mopping when it gets dark make their Goddess Lakshmi leave the house,
which this may refer to valuable things; since Goddess Lakshmi refers to
wealth. This belief can also be compared to the superstition beliefs of
Filipinos. Filipinos believe that sweeping at night sweep away good luck
aside from good luck it also sweeps away wealth that is bestowed upon the
house (When In Manila, 2018). Manjeet (n.d) believe that sweeping at night
makes the atmosphere feel dusty as most houses were made from mud before,
and these dust can go to the nasal area and body, which will urge people to
take a bath. And taking bath at night may cause cold and fever or flu, which
according to him is the main cause of making this superstition.

In Greece, people are known to put burn ash crosses on their door frames for
good fortune and luck, this can be compared on what Catholic Filipinos do
during Ash Wednesday; priest draw the sign of cross in ashes on the
forehead. From an article released by Klimakin (2017), ash symbolizes
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mortality and this practice existed before the emergence of Christianity since
it was a symbol of mourning for the dead in Ancient Greece and Egypt. Ash
reinforced the idea that none of us are immortal, and that we shall all become
dust, ash, at some point in the future. This belief also serves as a solemn
reminder of human mortality and the necessity for agreement with God.

DECISION MAKING
In many cultures, it is a common superstition that seeing a black cat either
brings good luck or bad luck. Some cultures consider black cat as symbolism
for wealth, luck, and fortune, while for some cultures, the black cat is
considered to be sign of poverty, evil, and bad luck. In retrospect, cats have
always had an influence on human culture. According to the article from Ask
My Cats, some culture used to worship and praise them. Although, during
the Middle Ages, they were thought to be disguised witches. Black cats are
depicted in mythology as both a virtuous and awful beast. For instance, in
the United States, Greece and India, seeing a black cat is considered bad luck.
Meanwhile, people in the United Kingdom, think that if a black cat crosses
your path, then it signifies good fortune. Another example is that in Egypt,
black cats were especially valued in Egypt because they resembled Bastet,
the cat-headed goddess of the household, fertility, and protection from
sickness. The truth is that no matter what we do, black cats are no different
from other cats. It is just their hue that distinguishes them. Any beliefs that
deny any living being the right to be treated well is a clear indication that is
has to be terminated.

Moving on, when it comes to numerology, some numbers are believed to be

auspicious or lucky while some are considered to be inauspicious or unlucky.
Seeing these number with its corresponding significance according to
superstition may influence how a person will act and decide. In China, the
number four (4) is regarded to be the unluckiest which is why how Chinese
react when they see this number has an impact on how they behave. Another
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indication would be that in India, the number eight (8) is associated with ill
luck, but in China, the number eight (8) is associated with good fate. The
same may be said for number thirteen (13) and Friday the 13th. Despite
that Tuesday the 13th is considered unlucky in Greece. This also explains
why some infrastructures do not have 13th floor, same with some airlines they
do not have 13th row. But in country like Italy and Brazil their airlines do not
hace 17th row since number seventeen (17) is considered unlucky. All of
these factors and numerical meanings continue to influence how people make
decisions in their daily lives.

The superstitious beliefs that were shown in terms of decision-making had

their deciding factors for the turning point of the decision. Those factors that
were displayed in the sources correlate to the common causes that lead to
superstition based on the Figure 2 (see here). As a common example, the
superstitious regarding the black cat, comes from the fear and anxiety on
catching a bad luck. Thus, a person would result into believing that
superstition as they feared of possessing that bad luck that may affect them
in the long run.

The diagram from figure 2 explains that the common cause why people
believe in superstition are the following: false-belief, fear, anxiety, ritual,
illiteracy, and immaturity. The researchers from the present study consider
these causes correlative when it comes to decision-making, since the
mentioned grounds impel individuals to believe in notions that promote good
luck and can potentially protect them from bad luck which then becomes a
key factor in people's decision-making.

Parapsychologist Dr. Dagnall and Dr. Drinkwater (2018) discussed that

many people find that engaging in superstitious behaviors gives them a sense
of control and relieves anxiety and distress, which is why superstition levels
rise during times of stress and anxiety. This is especially true during
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economic downturns and periods of societal instability. Although there may

be no concrete definition of superstition, this generally means a faith in
supernatural forces — like fate which is a desire to be bias on unpredictable
factors which helps resolve doubt and uncertainty.

There are many superstition that includes wearing charms, certain attire,
favoring specific colors and number, avoiding certain circumstances and
visiting areas linked with good fortune; all these may appear insignificant,
but in reality these superstition can impact real-world decisions.

This shows that sometimes superstitions can provide reassurance and can
help people cope with worry. While this may be true, the article published
by Dr. Dagnall and Dr. Drinkwater shows that superstition-related behavior
can become self-reinforcing, in a sense that the behavior becomes a habit,
and if an individual fails to follow the said superstition or “ritual” can result
in worry and anxiety.

This suggests that the next time an individual encounter a superstitions like
breaking a mirror, seeing a black, or encounter the number 13, they shouldn’t
worry since it is probably just a trick of mind.

IV. RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the analysis of the cited sources, the following recommendations
are presented:
1. The continuation of this study involving different countries, or context
is recommended.
2. Other researchers may utilize this study as a reference for any related
studies.
3. The use of the same concept, involving actual respondents and research
instruments in a face-to-face setup is also recommended.
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4. Measuring superstitious beliefs involving different set of factors (other

than culture, religion, and decision-making) can also be implied.

V. CONCLUSION AND WAY AHEAD

This study entitled “The Comprehensive Comparison And Contrast Of Superstitious
Beliefs In Terms Of Culture, Religion, And Decision-Making In Selected Countries
Across The World” aims to answer the following questions:

1. To determine if the culture influences the comparison and

contrast of the superstitious beliefs between the selected
countries
2. And, to determine if the religion influences the comparison and
contrast of the superstitious beliefs between the selected
countries
3. To determine if the superstitious beliefs affect the uncertainty of
how a person decides

Based on the overall review of the gathered data and resources, the
following conclusions have been decided:
1. Superstitions are pervasive in many traditions and cultures, others are
rooted in certain cultures. Superstition is one of the most common types
of oral folklore and its concept refers to beliefs and influences that are
not compatible with logical reasoning. Even though superstitions have
similar universal patterns and trends, cultural interpretations and
resonances can vary greatly.
2. Religious beliefs have the power to impact a person's thinking, whether
in a favorable or bad way. Religions and superstitions can be linked since
they both impact each other, as seen by the instances given above.
Oftentimes superstitions are driven by religion, and conversely.
3. Relying in a higher power or supernatural confirmation that what people
do might affect their fortune or misfortune in life as these superstitions
become a key factor in people's decision-making. Superstitions lead
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people to believe in beliefs that promote good luck and can potentially
protect them from bad luck, these beliefs become a major influence in
rational decision.
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REFERENCES
Andrews, E. (2018). Why Do People Knock on Wood for Luck? Retrieved from:
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MESSAGES TO THE PROFESSOR

Good day Sir, I would like to express my thanks to you, you're such a great professor not
only for me, but also for my classmates. I am sure even in the other sections that you handle,
you still perform at your peak. You are an inspiration to me as you deliver things with
passion, and you make us feel that you really want us to learn in various ways. You also
want us to learn not only your lessons in module, but you also teach us things that we can
use in real life situations which really touches my heart. Even though I didn't see you in
person, as we didn't have the chance to meet in face-to-face classes, I'm still glad that I met
you virtually and I will truly cherish the memories that we had during this time that you
are my professor. If I see you someday, maybe in our school, when face-to-face classes are
available, I won't hold back, and I will be the first one to greet you. Once again, thank you
for teaching great things to us and I wish you great things ahead of your journey, sir.

—=Francis Ian P. Salazar, BCS12

Greetings, Sir Jumel!

First and foremost, I'd like to convey my heartfelt appreciation to you, sir Jumel, for being
such a thoughtful, humorous, and intelligent professor. BCS12 is extremely fortunate to
have you as our professor in this subject, Babasahin Hinggil sa Kasaysayan ng Pilipinas;
you have taught and continue to amaze us with your exceptional insights and instructional
approaches. Sir, I am sure you have influenced a lot of students, and I am one of them. Sir,
you have encouraged me to be the greatest version of myself, especially with all of the
accomplishments you share with us and the way you manage to work on many tasks at the
same time. You motivated me to work harder, and you demonstrated that, like you, sir,
your students' skills are boundless and limitless. I wish you all the best in your personal
endeavors sir, may it be on academic, career, and personal pursuits! Even though our
connection will come to an end here, I am confident that you will continue to make us,
your students, proud of you. Sir, I hope to meet you in person someday. Thank you very
much, and may God continue to bless you.

—Ryssel Lou C. Calaor, BCS112