Monday, November 28, 2011

Itay, Inay Nasaan Ka?



 This is a song/poem I penned three months ago. About the loneliness of a child because parents went abroad leaving the child in the care of someone else.  It pictures the feeling felt by the child:


Nasaan na ang tinatawag na ilaw ng tahanan

Nasa malayo nagsisilbing magulang nang

Mga anak ng kanyang among pinagsisilbihan.

Hindi alam kung kailan muling mabigyan



Ng pagkakataon na Makita Ang anak na naghihintay

Nasaan na ang tinatawag na haligi ng tahanan

Nasa malayo nagsisilbing utusan nang

Kanyang among gustong-gusto niyang tularan

Hindi alam kung kailan muling mabigyan

Ng pagkakataon na makita

Ang anak na naghihintay


KORO

Itay, inay nasaanka?

Init ng inyong yakap ay lumamig na

Pinalitan ng perang pinapadala

Pambili ng Ice cream para malimutan ka. Itay, inay nasaan kayo?

Kailangan ko ang mga yakap nyo

H’wag nyo sanang bayaran

Ang hinihiling ko Kailangan ko ay kayo

Nasaan na ang mga ilaw at haligi ng tahanan

Nasa malayo naghahanap buhay para

Sa kinabukasan ng anak na minamahal daw

Ngunit ang hindi ko maintindihan

Taon-taon na ang nakaraan di pa

Umuuwi mga apo na ang binubuhay



Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo: Bayani ba o Hindi?



Kung pumanaw si GMA, nararapat ba siyang ilibing sa Libingan Ng Mga Bayani?

“Sa ilalim ng AFP Regulations G 161-373 o The Allocation of Cemetery Plots at the LNMB, bukod sa mga beterano ng digmaan at mga dakilang sundalo, ilan pa sa mga maaaring ihimlay sa LNMB ay ang mga naging pangulo ng bansa, secretary ng national defense, AFP Chief of Staff, at mga dignitaryo, statesmen, national artists at iba pang pumanaw na personalidad na binigyan ng pahintulot ng pangulo ng bansa, ng Kongreso o ng defense secretary na mailibing dito. -- FRJimenez, GMA News …. http://www.gmanews.tv/story/236929/odds-and-ends/dating-tawag-sa-libingan-ng-mga-bayani”">http://www.gmanews.tv/story/236929/odds-and-ends/dating-tawag-sa-libingan-ng-mga-bayani

Sa nangyayari ngayon, kay Ginang Glorya Macapagal Aroyo, mukhang meron uling isang naging president na magiging kontrobersyal ang kanyang huling hantungan!

Oooopppsss, masyado bang maaga? Hmmmm, sa tingin ko ganoon ka-advance mag-isip ang mga tao, eh. Kung ito’y aking naiisip, naniniwala ako na marami din ang nakakaisip sa tanong na ito. At mabuting mapag-usap-usapan na ng mas maaga para mapaghandaan na ng gobyerno ang mga dapat na hakbang para hindi na naman sila malilito pagdating ng oras, at para mapaghandaan na rin ng mga mamamayan.

Kung ang kanyang pagpunta sa ibang bansa sana para magpagamot ay hindi pinaunlakan “despite those pitiful look effect with matching wheelchair” at kahit ang korte suprema ay nagmistulang walang silbi, naiisip ko na “Ano kaya ang mangyayari kay Ginang GMA kung siya ay kukunin na para doon na sa kabilang buhay gagamutin?”

Hindi ako manghuhula, pero bilang caregiver ng sampung taon, ang epekto ng mga nagyayari sa kanya, gaya ng ulcer like na karamdaman, matamlay na pagkain, at stress na kalauna’y nagiging depresyon, idagdag pa riyan ang masamang epekto mga gamot na iniinom, nakikita kong bilang na ang araw ng dating pangulo kung hindi pa siya tantanan sa mga ikinakaso sa kanya - unless na pang-Famas ung mga nakikita natin sa TV at mga media.

Kung ako’y tatanungin, baka matagal ang dalawang taon. Pero sana naman ay malusutan niya ito, dahil alam kong mas gugustuhin ng mga mamamayan na nakikita siyang naghihirap kaysa mamayapa kaagad(Well, ganyan katindi magtanim ng galit ang mga Pinoy, eh)

At sa matinding galit sa kanya ng pamahalaan at ng mga ibang taong bayan, na halos isisi sa kanya ang lahat ng kasalanan sa mundo, “Ililibing kaya siya sa libingan ng mga bayani?”

Sa aking hinuha, ay malaking “HINDI” ang sagot. Nasisiguro kong ito ay ipagkakait din sa minsan ay naging lider ng bansang Pilipinas.

Bakit?


Kung ating pagmamasdan ng mabuti ang reaksyon ng mga mamamayan, ang tingin kay Ginang Macapagal-Arroyo ngayon ay siya ang dahilan ng paghihirap ng buong Pilipinas – “halimaw” ang tingin sa kanya ngayon. At bilang isang tao na gumawa ng hindi karapatdapat sa bansang mahal ay hindi nararapat na ilibing sa Libingan ng mga Bayani, dahil ang mga inililibing lamang doon ay mga mabubuting tao lamang.

Malaki ang posibilidad na ito ay manyayari, at magiging isang malaking dagok-insulto sa dignidad ng mga Arroyo.  Sa mga gaya kong mahilig sa pelikula, alam na natin ang susunod na drama, ipaglalaban na walang ginawang kasalanan si GMA - na siya ay biktima lamang ng maruming pulitika.

Hold your breathe mga kabayan, isang suspense at true story is in the making. Nasasaksihan natin ang isang tunay na storya ng buhay.  At ang maganda nito, kasama tayong lahat na mamamayan sa sotrya, at hindi lang ekstra, dahil kung ano man ang katapusan ng drama ay apektado rin ang ating buhay!

Ano kaya ang mangyayari? Paglalabanan na naman kaya ito sa hukuman? Ngayon pa lang ay alam na natin na siguradong ito ay aabot sa katas-taasang hukuman ng ating bansa - ang Korte Suprema? Pagdating sa korte suprema, ano kaya ang magiging desisyon? Ang suspens dito Kabayan ay alam naman natin na hindi pwedeng pagkatiwalaan ang anuman na desisyon ng Korte suprema.  Ano kaya ang desisyon ni DOJ de Lima at Pangulong Noynoy?  At bilang kasama sa drama, siguradong may gagawin na pagsusuri sa ating mga mamamayan kung ano ang ating opinyon - at nasisiguro ko na doon ibabatay ng administrasyon ang husga kay GMA! Mababaliwala na naman ba ang ating batas konstitusyon?

Ngayon, kung ikaw ang tatanungin, ano ang sagot mo sa tanong na ito, “Bilang naging isang presidente ng bansang Pilipinas, payag ka bang ilibing si Ginang Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo sa libingan ng mga bayani?”

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Sagada: New Summer Capital of the Philippines


If, in case, Baguio City will lost its title as the summer capital of the Philippines, Sagada is very much ready to take-over!

We went home to Sagada last week to show our respect to a dead relative of my wife. I was so amazed by the cold weather temperature of the place. It was so cold that I call it the new summer capital of the Philippines.  If I guessed it right, it was on the 10 degrees centigrade to 12 degrees centigrade.

When I first arrived to Baguio in 1986, it was also cold, and you have to pray the sun comes out to warm up the air, but now, even with the sun is way beyond the dark clouds, you would feel like you’re inside a bakery.  Because Baguio city had lost a lot of its trees due to the establishment of new buildings, its title as the Summer Capital of the Philippines is also weakening. And anyone who have gone to Sagada will agree, that Sagada is now the best destination for people who wants to cool off.

As we were leaving Baguio City in our way to Sagada, it was so warm that you think you are in the lowlands.  The temperature was humid and the smell of the air is not fresh anymore because of so much smoke coming out from cars, and jitneys running on the road – add to it the slow traffic caused by road repairs being done by the DPWH(Department of Public Works and Highways)

I am not a resident of Sagada but it is the place, where my father was born; it was the place his ancestors’ were born and dead.   

Sagada was full of ghost stories and, according to my father, many were true.  This was due to the people's of the old times strong belief of "Anito" or spirit of the dead.  One story my father always told was a person could be carried out literally by ghosts and brought out of the dap-ay (it’s like a nipa hut where men sleeps during the night in the old days, and serves as the justice hall/barangay hall of the community to settle disputes) Aside from the ghost stories, there were also many stories of events that shaped the life of the people of Sagada.

Going there is very exciting.  You travel passing by the Mountain trail where most vegetables that supplies Manila are coming from, like, cabbages, carrots, lettuces, baguio beans, and more.  Aside from the gardens, you will see thick forests of Pine trees, and occasional waterfalls, and thick fogs, which make you think, “Am I in the first level of heaven?”

When you go to Sagada, be sure to bring with you thick jackets if your skin is too thin for the cold weather.  Traveling Mountain trail or now known as the Halsema highway could make you shiver to the bone with cold.  But, don’t you worry, if you came from the polluted parts of the country, be sure that the clean air will recharge you with pure energy, thus it is worth the adventure.

If you do not believe me, here is a story of one of the people I saw,  a cousin of my wife who told me his story when I wrongly assumed  he still resides in Baguio city.  He said, he had a bypass operation in 2002, and he had trouble breathing when he walks even for a short distance.  In fact, even when he is at home, he feels like being choked and his breathing becomes heavy.

One time, when there was a wedding in Sagada where they were invited, he went home to attend the wedding.  Once he was there, he already noticed a difference in his energy.  He said, he walked without the feeling of being out of breathe, and don’t have to stop to regain his strength.  Right on that moment he told his wife, “Sagada is my home, let us stay here” which his wife happily accepted.

Aside from the cold weather, most of their culture is still preserved which shows you are in a real vacation, especially when you want to forget about the hassles of life in the city. 

Places you can see in Sagada:  Sumaguing cave, hanging coffins, green mountains, old houses, and most of all you could learn firsthand their traditions and culture on how they conduct weddings, which is done after the couple already have a child or more.* How they attend to their dead, and many more unbelievable practices that makes your thinking travel back on the old days of Philippines history.

The people of Sagada are the most friendly, and peaceful people of the cordillera, even during the time of the uncivilized generation of head hunting.  It’s only the people who have fear of their god Kabunyan.  They are the only people who have the word “Inayan” which has no exact translation in English; however, it means, “it is not nice to do bad” especially against your fellow men.

The following images are just some of the views and things you will see and learn when you come to visit.  When you get here, you can ask for tourist guides who will be very much happy to take you around with a minimal fee.


Fig. 1 = This is one of the common scene you'll see as you go up the mountains on your way to Sagada.

Fig. 2 = The Highest Point


Fig. 3

Fig. 4 = The houses you can see at the entrance of Sagada




Fig. 5 = One of the forests of Sagada


Fig. 6 = The century hanging coffins(pointed by the arrows)


Fig. 7 = The traditional way we cook meat, we call it "anger"(a-nger like in apple) or boiled meat with only salt added


Fig. 8 = The "Apag" or serving of wine to those who wants drink to fight the cold weather; This was usually a rice wine(Tapey) in the old,old days.


Fig. 9 = A collection of urinary bladder of pigs butchered during the wake


Fig 10 = Meat being chopped to be cooked


Fig. 11 = It was raining, and Two kids taking advantage of a shade provided by the side of the mountain



Fig. 12 = A foreigner just arrived at the poblacion Sagada or Sagada main center where the police station, market, and business area


Fig. 13 = A man doing his job. Home based wood works is one of the source of income


Fig. 14 = A woman from visayas region selling sweet oranges on the side of the road.


Fig. 15 = Hotel is one of the thriving business in Sagada, so don't worry of a place where to stay


Fig. 16 = Bugang one of the barangays of Sagada


Fig. 17 = The rocks where the dead of the old days were brought up; either the folks hang the coffins with the dead, or make a hole on the side of the rocks and push in the coffin with the dead, or find a cave to put down the dead.

These and more are the excitements you can see when you visit Sagada - the new summer capital of the Philippines!



HINAGPIS SA ABROAD (CAREGIVER’S WOES)


Being away with our family could bring out the best of us, especially, in writing.  One of which is to compose poems, and songs where we tell our feelings when no one is there to listen and give us a shoulder to cry on.   "Hinagpis sa abroad(Caregiver's Woes)" was composed by me when I was thinking how hard was it to be away from our love ones sacrificing almost everything just to give them the best we can give as a parent, a child, and as a brother or a sister, 

I hope this can give an idea to those who's love ones are away, that life abroad is not the best, but one of the worst experience any family would have. 

I hope that thru this song something must be changed and that OFWs not be promoted again as the unsung heroes just to ease the pains they feel, and continue sacrificing to save the country from the corruptions, and selfishness of people who were assigned by the Lord to lead the country from the rot its in.

              1

Kapag amo’y masungit                                                                            
Inis mo’y di masambit                                        
Iyo na lang kinikimkim
Hinagpis sa iyong dibdib
‘Pag s’ya naman ay makulit
‘Di ka pwedeng magalit
Dahil iyong iniisip
Na s’ya ay may sakit
      Iyo na lang tinitiis
     Iyo na lang tinitiis
     Iyo na lang tinitiis

Koro 1
T’yaga lang kabayan
Ang iyong kailangan
Yan ay puhunan
Sa pag-unlad ng buhay
O, kay hirap nitong buhay Pilipino
Kailangan pang lumayo
Para umasenso
Magsilbi sa hindi kadugo.

              11
Sa gabi’y puyat ka
Dahil tinatawag ka
Kahit ikaw ay hirap na
Wala kang magawa
Ang mahirap pa nito
Minsan ay inaabuso
Amo mong matino
Lalong pahirap sa ‘yo
    Sa sobrang pagod mo
    Sa maghapon
    Tuliro na ang utak mo.

Repeat Koro….

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           111
Kay hirap talaga
Nasa ibang bansa
Nagsasakripisyo ka
Para sa pamilya
Kahit oras ng pahinga
Ay kumakayod ka
Para madagdagan pa
Dolyar na maipadala
    Makaahon ka lang sa hirap
    Wala nang pahinga
     Ang iyong katawan.

Koro 11
O, kay hirap nitong
Buhay Pilipino
Kailangang lumayo
Para umasenso
Pamilya mo’y iniwan mo
Lupa’y isinangla mo
Magpakahirap ng todo
At magsakripisyo
Baka sakaling buhay ay
    umasenso!!!

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Hanggang Kailan Kabayan?

Hanggang kailan Kabayan?
Hanggang kailan ka magpapa-alipin sa ibang bayan?
Hanggang kailan mo titiisin ang insulto sa iyong kakayahan?
Na pagkatapos mong mag-aral sa unibersidad
Ikaw ay mangingibang bansa para maging alipin lamang!

Hanggang kailan kabayan?
Hanggang kailan mo titiisin na malayo ka sa mga mahal mo sa buhay?
Hanggang kailan ka hihintayin ng iyong mga anak?
Na sa katagalan, hindi na matandaan o maalala ang araw
        na sila’y iyong yakapin at halikan
Habang ikaw ay luhaang nagpapaalam
      para makipagsapalaran sa malayong lugar!

Hanggang kailan kabayan?
Hanggang kailan sarili mo ay dadamutan?
Dahil iyong iniisip na maraming nangangailangan,
At umaasa ng iyong ipapadalang dolyar!
Hanggang kailan mo rin maiiwasan
Ang maraming tukso sa iyong kapaligiran?
Na dahil sa pangungulila at problema
       ay nagiging marupok kung minsan!

Hanggang kailan kabayan?
Hanggang kailan ka aalipinin ng iyong kahirapan?
Kahirapan na bunga ng kasakiman
Ng mga kapatid nating iniluklok sa upuan ng kapangyarihan!
Kahirapan- na bunga ng kawalanghiyaan
Ng mga kapatid nating salot sa bayan!
Kahirapan- na sanhi ng hindi natin pagkakaisa at pagtutulungan!  

Ahhh…… Kabayan….
Napakabigat ng dinadala mong responsabilidad!
Hanggang kailan ka magsasakripisyo?
At kailan kaya ito magwawakas?

(This was published in different my blogs in the internet, but was all removed when the websites
upgraded due to competitions. This is now found in Definitely Filipino as my guest entry,
but I wanted to share it here for the others who would like to read about it.)

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Pilipinas: Tatak Ng Alipin

Ang pangalan ng ating bansa ay simbolo ng isang alipin. Ito ay parang tatak na tayo ay pagmamay-ari ng isang amo na pinagsisilbihan natin. Bagaman masasabi natin na tayo ay malaya na sa kamay ng amo na ito, ang tatak ay hindi pa rin nabura sa ating katawan.

May kasabihan ang mga matatanda na ang marka sa katawan ng tao ay pwedeng marka na malas o marka ng pagiging swerte. At kung ating iisipin, bakit kug totoo na tayo ay malaya na, bakit kahit sa ayaw o gusto natin ay lumalayo tayo at pilit na nagpapaalipin sa ibang bansa? Bakit kailangan natin na magsakripisyo ng dugo at buhay para lamang guminhawa ang ating pamumuhay?

Bakit sa kabila ng kayamanan ng ating mahal na bansa ay hindi natin ito mapakinabangan? Bakit hindi tayo nagkakaroon ng magandang buhay, samantalang kumpara sa ibang bansa na sinakop ng mga dayuhan ay nauna pa tayong lumaya, pero bakit sila ngayon ay mas mayaman na?

Dapat maging buo ang ating kalayaan. Burahin na natin ang pangalan ng dayuhan na umalipin sa atin. Oo, palitan na natin ang pangalan na Pilipinas! Dahil ito ay ang pangalan ng hari noon ng bansang umalipin sa ating mahal na bansa ng 300 daan na taon. Naniniwala ako na bago nila tayo inalipin ay may sariling pangalan ang ating mahal na inang bayan. Yon nga lamang at nawala ito kasabay ng pagkawala, at pagkabago ng sarili natin na titik, kultura, at tradisyon.

Kung papalitan natin ang pangalan ng ating bansa, ano ngayon ang magandang pangalan nya? Ito ay matagal ng pinagpapalitan ng galing sa mataas na sangay ng gobyerno natin subalit hindi sila nagkaunawaan dahil wala silang mapagkaisahan na pangalan, gaya ng pangalan na Maharlika, at Manila. Kaya nanatili ang tatak na Pilipinas sa atin.

Pero ang pagkabigo nila noon na magkaisa sa pagpapalit ng pangalan ng bansa natin ay hindi ibig sabihin na tapos na ang usapin. Dahil, kung hindi man tayo ang magkaayos ngayon, alam ko na sa mga susunod na henerasyon ay mayroon maipapanganak na makakaisip na hindi dapat na Pilipinas ang pangalan ng bansa natin at siguradong ilalabas pa rin ang usapin na ito para pag-usapan.

Isa tayo sa henerasyon na iyan, at aking tatanungin sa inyo kung ano ang magandang pangalan na ipapalit natin sa pangalan ng ating bansa?

At kung ako ang inyong tatanungin mga mahal kong kababayan ay, PERLAS NG SILANGAN (puwede rin na PERLAS lang) sa sarili natin na wika at sa englis ay PEARL OF THE ORIENT(or simply PEARL). Ito ay batay sa pambansang awit natin na Bayang Magiliw, at saka nabanggit din ng ating GAT Jose Rizal sa kanyang mga sulat. Ang mga ibang bansa ay kumbinasyon din na naglalarawan sa kanilang bansa, gaya halimbawa ng: United States o Estados Unidos, United Kingdom o Britanya.

Kabayan, ano ang iyong palagay/opinion sa bagay na ito?

1. Gusto nyo ba na palitan ang pangalan na Pilipinas?

2. Boto ka basa pangalan na PERLAS NG SILANGAN O PEARL OF THE ORIENT?(Kung Payag ka sa pangalan na ito, ano ang dapat na itawag sa atin na mga mamamayan?)

3. Mayron ka bang maimumungkahi na pangalan na mas nababagay sa ating inang Bansa?

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

The Fear of Going Home



In my ten years of stay abroad, it was disheartening to know that almost all of the Kababayans* who are there are afraid to go home - for good.  No one will admit it face blank, but that is what his or her words are saying.  The common words will be, "In two more years,” “In four more years,” or, “I'll go home once I could saved enough to put up a little business."  On my part, I said, “In four years, I should be home!”

Life there is not a joke.  It is a real struggle day by day.  As I watch my friends and the others, I saw how much they value their time.  On days they were supposed to rest, they will use that to go to part time jobs to earn more dollars to send home.  I myself had to go in different places to give massage treatment, massage relaxation, to customers who called me for my service.

In my first year, I thought it was peanuts, that in a couple of years, all my dreams will be achieved, but, like the others who went there first, I was dead wrong. Ten years gone and I was still struggling to earn more. 

Because Israel allows only a limited years of stay for foreign workers, in the 3rd year, most if not all kababayan start to worry about looking for a place or another country to go into before their time is up.  The reason was that they had not achieved their dreams yet. Their savings, if they have, was not enough to carry them through, especially when they have children in college.

Thinking about all the unachieved goals and stream of unending expenses ahead, makes each one of us cringe to think about going home yet. 

The scream of being with our children and families is being overcome by the fear of not being able to give them their needs, and the fear that we do not have a business or any other source of income to sustain us. 

Add to that the news brought by kabayans(countrymen) who just arrived from a vacation to our beloved country-Philippines.  That life in there is terrible.  Business is not doing well.  The prices of goods now doubled compared to the prices when you left two or three years ago.  The government officials are all corrupt.  There are no jobs, and if there is one, the pay is not even enough to pay for your bills, and pay for the travel from home to work. These news and more negative things about our beloved country always make us think, not twice, but a thousand and one times about going home.

Fear gripped us, because we know for a fact that most ex- abroad who tried to settle home after long years of being away, went back abroad just after a year of staying home because of one or all of the reasons stated above.  In fact, I am contemplating to do the same and break my words of not going away from home again.

Every OFW wants to go home. But the dilemma of where to find the next source of income is too much to think about, so they rather make the most of their time while they have the chance and health to work for “a few” more years.