I dedicate this journal to those people who are like me that pursue their dreams no matter what happens and those who never lose hope to strive and fight for their goals and ambitions in life.

      I also dedicate this to everyone that made successful decisions in their life as well as to those who learned from their misjudgments.

     This is also for those who are interested to know more about me and wants to learn how I decide and what are the factors that I consider in my decision-making that they may also apply to their own life.

    I am Maureen Arabela Oliveros Ismael, 19 years of age, from the City of Navotas. I wrote this journal to record and share my happenings in life as well as my decision-making that is significant in me. 

    This journal will show how I pursue my dreams little by little with the help of my significant decisions in life. 

    This may also serve as an inspiration to everyone especially those who are also pursuers of dreams and those who want to know how I examine every factor that may affect my decisions.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    This week the most significant decision that I have made is to help and volunteer at a Padyak Klasrum’s event which also served as Christmas Party for children. To be honest, at first, I was stuck between attending a Padyak Klasrum’s event or staying at home to be safe from the pandemic and not be tired physically. As my mom has a heart condition and is diabetic, my dad on the other hand has high blood pressure, and my aunt has kidney disease, that is why I am very afraid to go outside as my family members  who stay in  our house is  vulnerable to  different diseases  especially  they  are  high-risk   in  the 

continuous spread of COVID-19 virus given the fact that the news reported that there is already an Omicron variant in our country which is worse than the other variants of the said virus.

    Moreover, Padyak Klasrum organization consists of a group of people who are willing to give time, treasure, and talent to teach young people, especially children academically. We are commonly from the different parish organizations in the diocese of Kalookan, and some are pre-service teachers who are willing to be a volunteer with us. We also usually give toys, school supplies, foods, 

and modules that we originally made for them to answer inside their own homes which consist of lessons and questionnaires for the general knowledge of the different subject areas. Padyak Klasrum at first is consist of volunteer bikers during the first Enhance Community Quarantine (ECQ) in our country, however, when the ECQ was lifted, we already had a chance to coordinate with the local government officials of the City of Caloocan and conduct a small event for the kids where we do teaching, storytelling, playing games, and experimenting with of course the observance of the protocol against the spread

of the COVID-19 for every one of us to be safe and healthy.

    This week, Padyak Klasrum, have conducted a Christmas Party event with the children in one of the barangays in the City of Caloocan beside one of the chapels of our diocese where we teach them, do some experiments, play games, and storytelling, we also give them school supplies, gifts, toys, candies, and foods. After that, the parents who are in need was given Noche Buena package by the volunteers for them to celebrate Christmas happier.

   My decision of being a volunteer for this week’s event and not choosing to stay at home to assure of being safe