Neo Catalyst

Heavy downpour in Sulu By Gamson Jr Mawallil Quijano The heavy downpour in Sulu last Friday, October 23, 2020 caused high floodwater in many areas downtown and hugely affected the businesses of people. The floodwater outside reached almost one's waistline and has also entered many houses and business establishments. I believe it has damaged many foods, drinks, gadgets, furniture, household items and commercial products, too. I hope not.  Photo and caption from the FB page of Barangay San Raymundo:  BDRRM/ Emergency Response Team Ng Barangay San Raymundo agarang rumusponde sa mga pamilyang na trap ng baha sa Sitio Lubbak at Hassan Bridge. Certainly the aftermath of this heavy downpour would make everyone extremely exhausted because of immense general cleaning of the huge filthy muds and garbages that flowed along with the floodwater.  Sulu Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office works intensively to respond quickly to help the affected communities and families o...

September 18: My Fondest Memories in Sulu By Gamson Jr Mawallil Quijano Nostalgia engulfs my heart whenever I suddenly remember all of the fondest memories that I have had spent with my family and loved ones in my beloved homeland, Sulu. As a Tausug who was born and raised up in Sulu, I couldn’t forget it. For as long as I am still mindful, it will always be part of whom I am today. I can still vividly recall when I was still a kid, whenever it is September 18 in Sulu, all of us in the house and together with our neighbors, we were excited to watch the parade outside of the vicinity of Mohammad Tulawie Central School. It would pass along the Scott Road, just only a few meters away from our house in Lower San Raymundo, Jolo, Sulu. The parade was the opening of the week-long celebration of the Sulu Centennial which was organized by the LGUs of Sulu in commemoration of the founding anniversary of the Governance and Public Administration in Sulu which was established by Sultan Shariful H...

My Blog's Brief History I couldn’t remember the specific date, but certainly, it was September 2009 when I went to the Garden Orchid Hotel in Zamboanga City to attend a focus group meeting related to the Hijaab-Niqaab issue with Kah Choy (Dr. Nur Danial) and Kah Warina Sushil Jukuy. On the sideline of our meeting, Kah Choy introduces to me the idea of creating my own blog for my writing in which I elatedly accepted it. Candidly, I was so exhilarated to have my own personal blog because somehow since I had an ardent passion for writing, thus, whenever I want to write randomly about anything that comes across my mind, I now have the platform to feature and preserve some of my humble pieces. Noteworthy to remember that it was Kah Choy, who personally made the blog for me. Then, Kah Warina, my patient, and immensely knowledgeable writing mentor named it for me as NEOCATALYST because it is a blog of a very young neo catalyst for change. Since then, every time I have a new piece, I publi...

  A True Friend is a Lifeline for OFWs By Gamson Jr Mawallil Quijano

How Food Heals OFWs' Homesickness this Eid’l Adha By Gamson Jr Mawallil Quijano July 31, 2020, Friday To opt to be away from beloved families, loved ones and homeland in order to sacrifice and help uplift the well-being of one's family is one of the hardest decisions that every overseas Filipino worker (OFW) has ever made in their entire life.  Relentlessly, for the sake of unwavering love for family, every OFW is more than willing to exhaust all the possible good means abroad fueled by hopes of giving them a better life and education. Undoubtedly, the courage and perseverance that they have always shown are truly admirable.  One of the biggest things that people like us who work overseas struggle with every single day is homesickness. We are always longing for the company of our family and loved ones; likewise, we are also occasionally yearning for our native food, especially during special occasions such as Eid (Feast) Day.  Thankfully, here in Qatar, we have this exper...

https://www.mindanews.com/mindaviews/2020/06/bangsamoro-speaks-making-the-tausugs-realize-the-value-of-education/ Making the Tausugs realize the value of education By   GAMSON JR MAWALLIL QUIJANO  - JUNE 16, 2020 11:49 PM ZAMBOANGA CITY (MindaNews / 16 June) — Today, we pay tribute to one of the greatest Tausug Muslim educators, who, during his time made the Tausugs realize the value of education. Mohammad S. Tulawie, fondly called “Mastal Mohammad,”  dedicated his lifetime to his  Bangsa, Hulah, Agama. The Mohammad Tulawie Central Elementary School in Jolo, Sulu. Photo from its FB page According to the many narratives of our elders, “Mastal Mohammad” was resolute in his sworn commitment to educate his fellow-Tausugs during his time. Tausug parents then were apprehensive to send their kids to school because they thought once they will be educated, they would be converted to Christianity. However, Mastal Mohammad S. Tulawie, in his clairvoyant v...

MY KOKKOK’s UNFORGETTABLE STORY  27 June 2020, Saturday  By Gamson Jr Mawallil Quijano, Uthman’s maternal uncle Uthman Quijano Radjilul Yesterday, Friday, June 26, 2020, my eldest brother called me via FB messenger around 4:46pm Qatar time informing me that my nephew Uthman had a convulsion due to high fever.  Thus, everyone at home was panicking except for my brother who is an EMT and he managed to rush my nephew to the hospital nearby.  Alhamdu Lillaahi, because our house is just adjacent to the ZamPenHosp, he just carried our nephew in his arms as he swiftly rushed to the hospital while Inah, Amah and my aunt followed as they also ran anxiously behind him. Amah, told me that at that moment he felt some chest pain but later on it turned to relief.  Inah told me early afternoon yesterday that my nephew had intermittent fever and that she already gave him medicine.  Nonetheless, they still set an appointment at Ciudad Hospital with my nep...