I still cannot recover fully from that embarassing moment this afternoon. And since I publicly uttered that I would blog this. So, here it is!

Being an audience in a quiz show that is only joined by quizzers who eat not-so-ordinary math equations and technically scientific terms was fun! This quiz show by A1, shortened as SMQS, is one of the two quiz shows, MathStat Quiz Show being the other, that I never would want to join because I already know that I don't get a chance to hold the best playing cards.

In all fairness, though I honestly don't think that the theme "Choose Philippines" fits SMQS in any aspect, the club has proven to be a good organizer. From the fresh video presentations, liveliness of both the hosts and the quizzers down to their signature systematic and techie Technicals, the quiz show gets a grade of "A" for me.

After the first round where teams from College of Engineering slaughtered the arena, I sat there at the back talking with friends, colleagues, and org mates.

The organizers then said that they wanted the audience to participate. I thought of trying out. Why? 1st, For fun. 2nd, Walang tumayo, nakakahiya naman. 3rd, Gusto ko yung tumbler na prize. And on top of it all "General Knowledge" daw ang tanong. They assured us when we reached the center stage.

Suddenly it was revealed that the audience participation fell into the trap of reciting "Panatang Makabayan" in front of many other people. Don't forget the microphone.

There were almost 10 of us from the audience. Then we started reciting. Pumalpak lahat except from me because I remembered that line "Dahil Mahal Ko Ang Pilipinas". They let me stay centerstage because I wasn't kicked out of the game. So when the last audience participant standing apart from me wrongly recited the next line of the Panata, I was challenged by the emcee when he asked, "Continue this: Dahil mahal ko ang Pilipinas, diringgin ko ang payo ng aking mga magulang, susundin ko ang tuntunin ng aking paaralan."

I answered, "Tutuparin ko ang tungkulin ng isang mamamayang makabayan." But then the host said it was wrong. He continued the panata with the line that was supposed to be the correct line of what I had just recited. It sounded awful. Why do I feel like the one I recited was the correct one? The awfulness and inappropriateness of the lines uttered by the emcee made the whole audience go wild. I almost went wild too. Haha. Kidding.

As a compromise, they just asked me to sing the National Anthem instead. Yes. Ha? Wait? Sing? Like S-I-N-G? Kakanta? With the microphone. My thoughts went nuts. I don't sing. Not especially in front of many, many people. Brilliant MSUans. Of course, I refused and said "Bibili na lang ako ng tumbler sa comcent."

When I faced the audience again, I saw familiar faces of friends who cheered me up and assured that it would all be fine.

Seriously.

The female host approached me and said, "We're running out of time, it's either you do it or you don't." (Of course. Awh. Hahaha)

So just like that.

Yeah.

Lord, kumanta talaga ako. I started rapping Lupang Hinirang with all my might. In the later portion, I started waving my hand so high like those that One Direction do in their concerts. And on the last part, I sang it like I was singing for a Pacquaio fight.

After everything, after the shame, after the idea that I may be sued for the National Anthem Code of the Civil Law, I still heard claps. If that applause was for trying so hard, trying so little or not trying at all. I couldn't care much. Bwahaha.

Basta natapos. And I did that not because of the tumbler anymore. It was because I'm a Filipino, a proud one. I embrace my heritage, my culture and my country. And please take note of the line that made me stay there in the first place: "DAHIL MAHAL KO ANG PILIPINAS!"

Doing that was the least thing I could do.# [This blog post is memorable. This is my lightest post ever. First time may Filipino words! Whoah! Mabuhay!]