“Paper Roses” by Jolina Magdangal (1998)

“Paper Roses” trail in 6th grade

OPM legend Jolina Magdangal is one of the most memorable artists in my (late) elementary years. I have known her songs, “T.L Ako Sa’Yo” and “Laging Tapat,” among others – but her rendition of “Paper Roses” off her sophomore album Jolina is probably her most memorable track in my life.

I first heard “Paper Roses” in Grade 6 in 1999, just a few days after the debut of her romantic comedy drama series “Labs Ko Si Babe,” starring alongside her on-screen partner Marvin Agustin. It was around the school intramurals period, and the teachers picked “Paper Roses” for the muses of the two opposing factions to sing at their show off in the intramurals pre-opening afternoon.

I belonged to “faction B.” I forgot what my faction was named for for the intramurals. Was it Rizal or Bonifacio, named after the country’s national heroes? I don’t know but I’m sure that I belonged to faction B, and each faction had a picture of their hero on their flag.

I belonged to “faction B.” I forgot what my faction was named for for the intramurals. Was it Rizal or Bonifacio, named after the country’s national heroes? I don’t know but I’m sure that I belonged to faction B, and each faction had a picture of their hero on their flag.

I don’t know why our science and Filipino teacher made us write the lyrics to “Paper Roses.” (Note: I didn’t know the singer of the song until two decades later. I also forgot how I had found out that Jolina Magdangal also recorded her version of the song, but I’m sure it was her version we sang to.) Being obedient students, we copied the lyrics in our notebooks. The teacher also made us sing the song in class, probably to help the faction B muse, who was my classmate, get the feel of the song and to beef up her stage confidence.

Screen grab from the “Paper Roses” MV

(The faction A muse was in Grade 5, a classmate of my brother. Their homeroom adviser happened to be a far distant maternal relative. Her husband was the former head teacher who used to drink with my father at the sari-sari store. The faction A muse’s ‘prince charming’ was her cousin, who was also my classmate. By the way, the faction B muse is a daughter of a woman who married my father’s long distant maternal relative.)

The faction A muse was the better singer because she was an experienced singer and performer. The faction B muse was the athlete, who would later win the bronze medal in the 100-meter dash at a county-level athletic meet.

During one of the days leading to the intramurals, the faction B muse was a subject of teasing from certain people. I still don’t know what started the incident. I was just entering the classroom when I saw some people gathered around the muse, who was crying. I didn’t even know who teased her, but the science and Filipino teacher – who wasn’t even our homeroom adviser – turned her anger on the faction B prince charming – who was both my neighbor and classmate – putting her fingers on his face and leaving a minor scratch. I saw the whole thing because it happened just in front of me.

Minutes later, I approached my classmate and asked how he was. He was obviously pained over the incident but brushed it off, choosing to move forward. (Until now, I still don’t know whether he teased our classmate, who was his muse for the intramurals. Maybe he was in the wrong place at that time and with the wrong people too. I admit he was a bit of a bully, but I don’t think he’d bully his partner for the intramurals. Also, I believe the faction B muse had some confidence issues. She wasn’t much of a looker. I think people teased her because she can’t sing, which could be the reason she cried. I don’t know what happened to her after our elementary school graduation but we were classmates again. She transferred school and was placed in my section in my senior year at high school. We were classmates only for a few days. She left, probably due to personal reasons.)

The intramurals pre-opening event took place in the afternoon, the day before the intramurals proper. Literary and musical events were contested; I took part in two events, both of which I won.

On the day of the intramurals proper, we paraded from our school to a neighboring village and vice versa. A classmate, who was the handsomest guy in class and also an athlete, administered the oath of sportsmanship.

Faction B won the flag-raising contest. Our prince and muse were both athletic. The faction A prince charming, who was another classmate, was the athletic one. (He happened to represent our town at the county-level meet in the previous year.)

I forgot when the faction muses competed against each other at the singing contest. But I could remember it was no contest after all. Even we faction B knew the faction A muse was the better and prettier singer. Anyway, we emerged as the overall winner of the intramurals.

Only a few sports were contested that morning. There was still an hour or two to go before lunch break, so our homeroom adviser, who was our English and industrial arts teacher, decided to hold a class. I remember our lesson had to do with a word search puzzle. I recall embarrassing myself in front of class just because I knew – and found – more words – including those in reverse – than the whole class did at that lesson. 

It was a sunny midday then. Later, when I went out in the afternoon to buy essential goods, I was surprised that the day had turned gloomy and it had rained too. I even saw my brother and the faction A muse’s homeroom adviser waiting for a ride home. A question popped into my mind: why didn’t she go home sooner? 

22 years have passed, and “Paper Roses” by Jolina Magdangal is one of the oldest songs etched in my memory.