Makabagong Bayanihan

We wrote this together with my good friend, Airess Casimero for an oration contest in MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology. It won 3rd place because it was not corny enough. We would like to think of this as our Buwan ng Wika article this year. Read on.

Sa mundong lumiliit --- dapat angking TALINO ay magamit upang PAGKAKAISA ng sambayananan ay makamit!

Sa aking mga kagalang-galang na tagapakinig, may nais lamang akong itanong sa inyong lahat at sana'y wag niyong ikagagalit.

“What's on your mind?”

Huwag niyo akong titigan na para bang ako'y isang “status box.” Opo, ang tinutukoy ko ay ang palagi nating kinakaharap na tanong sa bawat araw at bawat sandali na tila ba'y naging bahagi na ng ating buhay ang pagsagot sa katanungang ito. Sa bawat pagbukas natin ng ating mga “facebook accounts” bumubulagta sa ating harapan ang simpleng tanong na ito. Simpleng tanong na nagpabago sa ating pamamalagi sa mundong ibabaw.

Facebook. Isa lamang ito sa mga “social networking sites” na popular ngayon. Sa pamamagitan nito, ang minsang nawala, nagkakaroon ng pagkakataong muling magkita; ang di magkakilala, nagiging magkaibigan. Ikanga nila, isa kang “alien” o lamang-lupa kung wala kang “facebook account.” Ganyan kalaki ang bahaging ginagampanan ng mga social networking sites sa ating buhay.

Ang pagsikat ng mga social networking sites gaya ng Facebook ay nagpapatunay na hindi lamang ang paglobo ng populasyon ang sanhi kung bakit lumiliit ang mundo. Sa pagdami ng mga tao, dumami rin ang mga makabagong paraan ng pakikipagtalastasan. “Share” dito, “share “doon. “Like” dito, “Like” doon. “Comment” dito, “comment” doon. At sino ba ang hindi nawiwili sa napakaraming kaibigan na pwedeng i-chat?

Sadya mang napakalawak ng daigdig, pero dahil sa sadyang maparaan ang tao, mas lalo pang lumiit ang mundo. Ang milya-milyang distansya ay abot-tanaw na!

Marahil masasabi nating napakagaling ng naka-imbento ng Facebook! Isa itong malaking tulong sa ating sambayanan.

Hindi ba't ganyan naman talaga tayong mga tao? Gamit ang angking katalinuhan, ang ating mga puso at kaluluwa ay hinugis ng bawa't pagnanasa upang malutas ang mga problema. Sadyang tayo ay walang kapagurang galugarin ang bawa’t posibilidad upang maabot ang pinakamataas na antas ng pamumuhay.

Bagong panahon, bagong pangangailangan!

Bagong lipunan, bagong pagnanasa!

Batid ang pagbabago sa ating mundong ginagalawan. Ngunit marahil naitatanong natin sa ating mga sarili, nagbago na rin ba ang ating mga pagpapahalaga? Dinala ba ng alon ng pagbabago ang mga katangian nating mga Pilipino?

Isa sa mga hindi ko malilimutang alaala bilang isang residente ng Iligan ay ang kalunos-lunos na sitwasyong sinapit nito sa pananalasa ng bagyong Sendong. Hindi ko na kailangang ipaalala pa sa inyo ang katakot-takot na mga idinulot ng bagyo. Subalit sa gitna ng pagdadalamhati ng lahat, nangyari ang di natin inakalang magagawa ng bawat isa. Tayo ay nagkaisa upang bumangon, upang magsimula muli. At di natin maikakailang malaki ang papel na ginampanan ng mga makabagong uri ng komunikasyon upang mas mapalaganap ang apoy ng ating nararamdaman.

One for Iligan, Help CDO, Tabang Luzon at marami pang iba. Hindi ko mabilang kung ilang tao sa Facebook ang nagpalaganap ng adhikaing ito, kung ilang tao ang nag-tweet upang makatulong, kung ilang tao ang nagpalaganap ng mga mensahe gamit ang kainlang mga telepono upang maipaabot lamang sa bawat isa ang iisang hangarin, iisang mithiin.

Oo nga't hindi na uso ang bayanihan. Saan ka pa makakakita ngayon ng mga taong magbubuhat ng isang bahay upang ilipat ito sa isang bagong lugar? Subalit ang katangiang ito'y nanatili at nagbagong-anyo sa paglipas ng panahon. Ang talino at galing ng tao na siyang nagdulot ng mga makabagong paraan ng komunikasyon gaya ng social networking sites ay naging daan upang magkaroon ng makabagong bayanihan. Ang mga tao, saan mang sulok ng mundo ay magkakaisa. Hindi hadlang ang mga milya, hindi hadlang ang wika o kultura sapagkat ang pagkakaunawaan ay nasa puso.

Gaya ng bayanihan noon, ang makabagong bayanihan ay nagbigay ligaya sa ating mga kababayan. Dahil sa tulong ng marami, nagkaroon muli ng mga bahay ang mga nasalanta at nabigyan ng pagkakataong makapagsimula muli. Higit sa lahat, naipakita natin na tayo bilang magkakakapatid ay nandiyan parin para sa isa't isa.

Ito ang itatak natin sa ating mga isipan: na ang mga makabagong uri ng pakikipagtalastasan ay ating gamitin sa mabuting paraan tungo sa pagkakaisa ng sambayanan. Sana'y matanto natin na ang mga bagay na ito ay may mas mataas na paggagamitan at iyon ay ang magbunga ng makabagong bayanihan.

Ngayon tatanungin ko kayo ulit.

“What's on your mind?”

At sa pagkakataong ito naway hindi lamang ang laman ng inyong isip ang inyong isagot kundi ang laman rin ng inyong puso.

Maraming salamat po.

Adopting a Pusakal (Or the other way around)

Last summer after spending almost two months in UP (technically in UP Hotel, I hate getting out) I went home in Dipolog and asked my cousin to get me a kitten to adopt. She said our neighbor's cat just gave birth and her human said the kittens were available for adoption.

“What color is this kitten?” I asked her. She said white and orange.

“Like Garfield?” I replied. She nodded.

When the kitten came it was not the color that I expected. Not Garfield at all, but the most common pusang kalye you see running across the street after getting driven out of a household. I have to admit I was quite disappointed but I dismissed the feeling since I believe racial discrimination must not apply to anyone, even cats. My aunts told me to replace it with another one. I decided not to. This kitten would do.

At that time I had no idea how to deal with a kitten. I just took out a rag, placed the kitten over it and, yes, took pictures. My cousin told me the kitten is a boy and I believed her so I named “him” Albus Albrecht Perseus Janus. That is, after the headmaster of Hogwarts, a painter, a Greek hero and a two-faced god. In short, Albie. Later I learned that Albie is a girl when a boardmate pointed it out but it was too late to change her name. She got used to it already. The last thing I'd want is a confused pet. Anyway, girls with boyish names is the fad. (Yes, I'm referring to you George.)

I was ready to take him to Iligan where I live. So I bought a box for chickens, placed Albie inside and told her,” For the rest of the trip, just imagine you're Schrodinger's cat.” She liked it. (This one is a descendant of Thomas Gray, the cat who went to Cambridge.) The bus conductor initially detested placing the box next to my seat. He said I should put it under the bus together with the cargo. But when I gave him the look that said, “ Are you crazy? You want my kitten to suffocate from inhaling carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion of your hydrocarbon fuel?” he agreed.

In the bus, passengers cannot help but throw a quizzical look at me and the kitten in my lap. (During most of the trip I got her out of the box, it's just humane) One passenger marveled at how cute she is and said, “Ay ka-cute sa iring. Malnourished.” She said this as if malnourished is a synonym for cute then went on to stroke the cat. Still one passenger, the one sitting beside me repeatedly pointed out that Albie is a pusakal. She said pusakal a couple of times I thought she meant Albie, the pusakal of pusakals. To prevent casualties I just smiled as if saying, “Keep your opinions to yourself humans. This cat might be more intelligent than you.”

After 8 hours of travel, mostly of which the beast in my lap was asleep, we finally arrived in Iligan. While heading home with the box so proud that after thinking about it for days, I finally found a cat to adopt 8 hours away, I was welcomed by a group of feline friends available for adoption. It seems that the neighborhood has plenty of kittens to give away.

Geez, I haven't thought of that.

JanMell Vanity Scripts #10: IN OR OUT?

You may not notice it but it is really hard to get to know someone. Well, there are some people who can get along with each other really well, instantly becoming friends the moment they see each other. But getting along well and getting to know a person are two different things. It is easy to share a good laugh and have fun. What's difficult is to be part of that person's life. 

To be part of oth

er people's lives you need more than just moments together. You need more than just shared laughter and tears, more than just constant communication or lack of awkward moments. What you need is their acceptance.

No amount of effort will do unless they allow you to be part of their world. 

And it is difficult to gain their acceptance. Some of us realize this the hard way when they suddenly find themselves out of someone's life even after sharing a part of it with each other.

You thought you were there. But sadly enough, you were never there in the first place. 

JanMell Vanity Scripts #9: NEVER TOO LATE

Until now I can still remember how at one time in my rage, I took all of his clothes out of the cabinet, stormed into the sari-sari store where he was having his drunken revelry and threw the garments on the dingy floor as if saying that we've had enough of his folly. Yes, it's perfectly fine to us for him to live with his vices and not take a single step into our home anymore. At that time I have

n't seen the expression on his face. I was blinded by my hatred.

On still another occasion, I remember that in my annoyance I hurled a glass jar at him. I missed, the glass jar shattered into pieces. 

I cannot recall how many times I cursed him. How many glass jars I attempted to hurl at him. How many times I wished for him to go away and in so doing us a favor by excusing his abominable presence away from us.

But where did all the hate take me? 

I graduated with Latin honors. I am pursuing a graduate degree under a scholarship that provides me with more than what I need. I am working hard to lift our lives out of poverty. In my two decades in this world, although I had more than my fair share of difficulties I have emerged unfazed and firm. I have given my parents enough reason to be proud of who I am and what I have achieved. 

On quite rare occasions when I am able to come home I looked at my father and saw how years went by. The usually strong and dreadful voice was replaced by a meek and soft-toned one. The once brooding physique was slackened by the burden of age. The once fiery eyes were now replaced by faint embers, mellowed by the passing of the years.

Upon seeing the emaciated figure I suddenly realized how he worked hard for us all his life. How silently he battled his own inner wars. How he kept all to himself and to bottles of liquor. In the company of distilled spirits he surrendered himself. He can't let us see him struggle. He can't let us see him down. Despite his many vices he still provided for us. Though he struggled, he still showed that he is our pillar of strength. 

I could choose to be delinquent. I could opt to be a drop-out. I could waste all my life sulking over the fact that I do not have that ideal father one sees in the movies. But I didn't. And why? 

Because he was there all along. 

I remembered how he would bathe me and my brother when we were kids. He would brush our feet briskly like a dirty pot to make sure we're spick and span. He would cut our nails with the seriousness of an engineer drafting a blueprint. He was even our own personal barber. Although sometimes we regret we had our haircut done by him. Yes he loved us then and he loves us now. And although there may be a lot of times when it is not quite apparent, Time has granted me the silent knowledge that my father loves us. It is I think the advent of maturity that I have come to understand him, be open to him and give him another chance to show how a father might care for his family. 

Today he turns 46. Almost half of his life he has been with me. Although sometimes I cannot feel his guidance I reckon it was because it was I who looked away. I do not wish to sound cheesy but now, I am grabbing the chance to show him that it is not yet too late. 

Happy Birthday, Daddy Eric. I may not consider you the best dad in this world but if ever somebody gives me the power to choose who my father would be, I will never give you up for someone else.

Keep well.

JanMell Vanity Scripts #8: GREEN

Yesterday when we went to the mall we passed by Greenwich and felt a craving for their food. After all, we can't remember anymore the last time we ate there. So this afternoon after waking up (yes, we wake up in the afternoon) we went for it. 

To be honest, Macki's fried chicken (double-dead or not) tastes better and we found the spaghetti bland and unexciting. The only consolation was the

 pizza and this is probably due to the fact that we haven't eaten pizza in ages.

Thanks to their good-looking staff, male and female alike, our mind was preoccupied at coming up with possible pick-up lines to catch their attention and probably sound naughty, at the very least. Say for example:

"Excuse me, mangayo mig water. Apili nalang pod sa imong number." 

Or a naughty answer to a conventional dialogue.

Waiter (Referring to the used plates): Sir, pwede na ni kwaon? 

Us: Kwaa na ang tanan sa ako.

Waiter: Sir, naa pay kulang sa order?

Us: Uu, ikaw. 

We have come to the conclusion that in Greenwich, except for their lasagna, their staff might taste better than their food.

Keep well.

Foodtrip, Inc. Part 3

In continuation of our eating spree we forced our friend, the Board Topnotcher to treat us to dinner at my behest. Of all the restaurants that line Technohub we dined at Kanin Club, where I initially hesitated because I thought they only serve kanin. Pathetic.

The beef steak and the binagoongan were good and it became clear to me why they call themselves Kanin Club. It's because they make you eat rice a lot. Ironically, there's nothing special in it. When I'm very hungry it's all the same to me.

We also set out to try the cakes at Maginhawa in UP Village. The original plan was to try the ice cream frozen by liquid nitrogen (if you worry about toxicity, liquid nitrogen is harmless in this particular) however their small store was already crowded with customers and we can't get in. I tried their Brazo de Mercedes and my friend tried the decadent chocolate cake. Based on our reactions, we did not regret not going for the ice cream. 

The cake shop (I forgot the name, goodness) in Maginhawa was small but neat, has nice, soft lighting and relatively quiet. They have books and boardgames stacked in one corner together with colored pens which you use in case you want to pin a shoutout or message in their wall.

Did I posted something? Of course, I did. I was hoping that the right person might be able to read it but ironically I posted it there because I am sure he won't.

Anyway I have mentioned the delectable halo-halo of Razon's but the conventional halo-halo must be found. We had it at Icebergs at SM North Edsa after watching Dark Shadows which was very, very dark except for Johnny Depp. The movie was overrated because he was there and I swear I wished I watched the Avengers for the second time instead. 

Beside the halo-halo is the fries.

One interesting find in UP Shopping Center: Korean ice cream sandwich. Didn't really try it because I'd rather spend my money on Rodic's tapsilog but my friends say it was great.

On my last dinner date with friends before going back to Dipolog we tried KKK at SM North Edsa. I don't know what message they were trying to deliver but during that time I was as hungry as a Katipunero. There was a battlecry of hunger and as their slogan suggests, a food revolution. 

Indeed, the pinakbet and kaldereta served by waiters dressed as Katipuneros were great. Don't read that wrong. The pinakbet and kaldereta were great, not the waiters dressed as Katipuneros. 

Right now I am looking forward to coming back and be with my friends for another foodtrip. I slunked home with a heavy heart because I haven't tried that famous isaw of Mang Larry! Ha ha.

Foodtrip, Inc. Part 2

Again, my friend, one of the Jessicii met up together with college friends at Greenbelt for dinner. (By the way she earlier asked why I call her one of the Jessicii. The Jessicii is actually a group of people whose names are, obviously, Jessica. They initially comprise of Jessica Soho, Jessica Zafra, Jessica Sanchez, etc. She noted how these Jessica's are excellent in their field and what that implies.) After a deliberation of impeachment trial in magnitude we settled for Italiani's and I immediately observed that even if I apply as dishwasher I would never pass. 

The pizza and pasta were great. Not done yet, to an Italiano. Finally I knew why there is a thing as Pinoy style in such food. What caught my taste instead were the signs painted on the high-end restaurant's walls. My friends asked if I knew their translations. I said I quite do. This one means "In wine there is truth."

The service was great, though. And they have great bread. We didn't try any of their desserts so I made up for it the following day by trying I Heart Froyo at Maginhawa in Quezon City just a ride from U.P. Campus. The original plan was to go out for milk tea, which everyone is dying to drink. In the end, I had banana milk tea from Moonleaf and my friend settled with the froyo. I enjoyed the milk tea but it could have been better if I did away with the black pearls. They're a nuisance. 

The following day we had early dinner at Pizza Hut but I was not able to take pictures because I was too busy delivering pick-up lines to the cute waiter for the sake of fun. Asking if he could take my plate after I was done eating I said, "You can take everything from me."

More to come!