I didn’t attend my only class Thursday morning. I have devoted the whole time putting up posters, which were directly advertising about the Black propaganda for Monday, in every building of the school. I really wanted to put one right at the entrance but two guards were assigned there. I waited for them to leave their posts but they didn’t so I opted for the most frequently passed by bulletin boards.

The whole thing in itself was thrilling and at the same time, scary. I’ve been shaking all the time and I had to wait for the halls to clear out of students and school guards because at that moment I still didn’t know how many were in favour of changing the school name and how many (if ever there) were not. I felt like Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible trying to do something no one, I think, ever yet dared to do in Mapua. I have done everything alone in swift movements, completely aware of where I could be now had I been caught. But in that point in time, all I wanted was for the people who are in power would take time hearing what we, the students, have to say about the things that mattered to us and I knew someone has to make a start.

Using a folder and a hospital micropore, I have hidden the paper posters beneath the folders only exposing the parts were the tapes were then I would lean on a prospective space, discreetly pressing on the hospital tape then I would go away pulling the folder down and leaving the paper sticking onto the wall. Clever idea, it may sound but I have faulted twice leaving the poster upside down, so I had to rush back. Man, it sure racked the hell out of me!

In my escape, I was greatly in awe not only because of what I have done but also because I found others have also done the same on my way out. At the Mechanical Engineering Department alone, the consistent happy or sad polls were replaced with the question: “Pabor ka ba sa pagpapalit ng pangalan ng Mapua?” Yes or No, and as expected the yes button was ahead with more than 300 points but I still can’t believe 64 had voted yes. I presumed someone must have just played around with it. And outside the school were papers posted on walls and posts with a ‘No to Malayan!’ message on it, making it clear that a war had just erupted between the students and the school and someone even created an online petition regarding it. To sign click here. Now, I’m feeling great, I guess were getting somewhere here.

After a few minutes, I passed by again the halls where the posters were and I felt so glad seeing the other students circling around each one, I joined them and keenly observed their reactions (little did they know that the culprit was just in their midst) and I was deeply elated by every nod of agreement the message had received. It made me feel that they have somehow made my efforts worthy and I have done something that could make the school administration realize how their actions make us feel and could just somehow make them rethink their horrible decision.