Baguio News

Sunday, 24 April 2011 19:05

Its been weeks that I did not continue writing my Blog, today its Sabado Gloria its time to wake up and work. In my last story me and my friend Ashley Salvador were at the gate of the US Naval Base Sangley Point in Cavite waiting for the USN personnel who will escort us to the Recruiting Office to take the first exams given to applicants who would like to join the US Navy or the US Coast Guard.

Finally, we who were scheduled to take the examination that day were allowed to enter the gate and brought to the building where the examinations were administered. The first examination was a written test. One by one we were called to the test room and each of us were assigned to one of the stools that were arranged on two sides of a long table. The table had been sectionalized with installed ply-boards that divides the whole length of the table so you can not see the person infront of you. A ply-board  division had been put up between examinees so that there can be no way of cheating by looking at your seatmate’s test paper. Once seated we were ordered to look straight and not to talk. There were 80 of us applicants who were scheduled for examination that day. Then each of us were given a sealed brown envelope containing the written examination. As the envelopes were distributed someone was barking orders not to touch the envelope, look straight ahead and keep our mouths shut. I was scared stiff, and maybe so with the rest because this was our opportunity to greener pastures that none of us would like to miss. Newly sharpened pencils were also distributed to each of us for our use. Once all the envelopes and pencils were distributed the test coordinator gave us information on the content of the envelope and how to enter our answers. Maybe to give as a break before we start the test he stopped giving anymore instructions then after a couple of minutes he ordered us to open the envelope and start answering the test questions.   After an hour the test papers were collected so with the pencils and envelopes that were provided. Again the orders was not to move, look straight ahead and keep our mouths shut.

The examination was not that easy but it was a multiple choice type. I am sure the majority of us or all the applicants kept their fingers crossed and guessed for the correct answers. I was not sure of all the answers I made but kept on shading the answer of my choice with the black pencil. We were under time pressure so I just prayed that hopefully I will pass the test. Finally our numbers were called and as a number was called I hear someone move away from the test table but we can not look around because someone was barking at us to look straight and keep our mouth shut. My number was called and so I stood up then someone  directed  me to a room where I saw a few of the applicants sitting  on a bench.  I sat down with them. Still the order was to keep our mouths shut and not to move until our name is called. Someone in the inner room calls a name and an applicant  enters the room. It will be for awhile, then another name is called but no applicant walked out. I was the last to be called and I entered the room still scared. I saw an officer  sitting behind his desk who ordered me to move closer to his desk. He asked me where I was from so I replied that I was from Baguio City. The next thing that he said caught me off guard, it was a question; I can’t remember the exact words but its something like this;  If the Commanding Officer of your ship tells you to abandon ship, what do you do?  I must answered right because he told me that I can go and wait outside.  He directed me to another door.

The door opens to another side of the building and I saw the same guys with me inside who were also waiting outside as instructed. There were eight of us then who were questioned by the officer. We really did not know what was happening, some of the guys were whispering that maybe we passed the written examination and had just gone thru with the interview. Here we were again praying hard that we will all pass the interview. Then someone comes out from the door where we walked out after the interview and he had some papers. He gave the papers to each of us and told us that what he had given us were our next appointment dates, then ordered us to line up and he escorted us back to the gate.

Ashley was there patiently waiting for me but I noticed that he was so happy. He told me that the first group that walked out thru the gate were talking about failing the written exam and the next group to come out will be those who passed. My friend knew I passed and it took me a couple of hours to know about it. Our trip back to Manila was a joyous one but I started worrying because Ashley was giving me instructions on what to do and pointing out landmarks to watch for on my next trip to Sangley Point Naval Base. When we reached Manila, he showed me where to walk to get to the bus stop going to Cavite. It will be several weeks when I will make the next trip but I was worried already and hoping that Ashley can find time again to accompany me. He was a student in one of the universities in Manila and they will be doing several projects on the time frame scheduled for me to report to the US Naval Base in Cavite. We took a jeepney ride to the Dangwa bus station and Ashley stayed with me until the bus left for Baguio.

Click http://www.explorephilippines.net for tourist information

It was night time when I arrived in Baguio and I walked to Brent School, I was still a worker in the school. I told my father and my coworkers that I will be making another trip. The next day was back to work and still worrying about my next trip to Cavite. On weekends the work load in the kitchen was not that much so we get off early. I went home to see my mother and brothers in Guisad to update them about my trip to the Naval Base in Cavite. ……..more to come