Showing posts with label life. Show all posts

MADAM GUIARIYA M. KUDA….NAGING BARANGAY CHAIRPERSON AT  MAYOR NG PANDAG, MAGUINDANAO, AT NAG-ARARO NG BUKID NANG MAGING BIYUDA

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Para akong nakahukay ng ginto ng makilala ko si Madam Guiariya sa terminal ng mga multi-cab na nagbibiyahe sa Datu Paglas at Buluan. Ang unang nakatawag ng aking pansin ay ang kanyang damit at mukha na kahit may mga kulubot ay nakikitaan pa rin ng ganda. Malaki ang pasasalamat ko nang pumayag siyang makunan ko ng larawan at nakipag-usap pa sa akin.

Noon ko nalaman na dati pala siyang barangay chairperson ng Pandag, Maguindanao at naging mayor nito nang mai-angat sa pagiging bayan. Dating barangay ng Buluan, Maguindanao ang Pandag. Sa pag-uusap namin ay nabanggit niyang nadanasan din niyang mag-araro ng kanilang bukid nang siya ay mabiyuda, sabay pakita ng kanyang mga kamay na nakitaan ko ng mga bakas ng humilom na sugat sa pagkakahawak ng bakal na araro. Masayang kausap si Madam Guiariya at napansin ko rin ang maliksi niyang pagkilos sa kabila ng kanyang gulang na 76 na taon….at sa kanyang pananalita ay mahahalata ang kanyang talino.

SI JULIET, WALANG KANANG KAMAY...AT ANG KANYANG “FEEL- AT- HOME” CARINDERIA

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Isang fb friend, si Mark Anthony M. Casero ang nagbanggit tungkol sa akin tungkol kay Juliet na ang nakatawag ng pansin sa kanya ay ang kawalan nito ng kanang kamao subalit masigasig sa pagka-karinderya. Mura pa raw ang mga ulam na paninda.

Kaninang umagang-umaga, bago mag-7AM ay pumunta na ako sa address na tinukoy ni Mark...lampas kaunti sa simbahan ng Iglesia ni Kristo, papasok ng San Pablo, bago makarating sa Fernandez Elementary School. Pagdating ko ay tiyempong nagluluto na si Juliet pero walang tindang kape. Nahalata yata na ayaw kong umalis kaya sabi niya ay bumili na lang ako ng kape at may mainit na tubig siya. Tinapat ko agad siya tungkol sa pakay ko na i-blog siya at sa simula ay tumanggi siya dahil nahihiya subalit nang sabihin kong makakatulong ang kuwento niya upang ma-inspire ang iba ay pumayag din.

Apat ang anak niya at ang namayapang asawa ay tricycle driver. CASIṄO  ang apelyido niya noong dalaga pa siya. Apat ang anak niya at tinutulungan siya ng kuya niya sa pamamagitan ng pagpapaaral sa bunsong anak. Ang panganay na nasa Grade 9 ay nagtatrabaho sa isang tindahan tuwing Sabado at Linggo kaya nakakaipon at lumalabas na self-supporting. Ang sumunod na nasa Grade 4 ay nakakatulong na sa karinderya. Nang umagang pasyalan ko siya ay nakita ko rin kung paano siyang tinutulungan ng kanyang nanay at kuya.

Anim na putahe ang niluluto nina Juliet kaninang umaga – pata, dinuguan (Ilocano style), ensaladang labanos, papaitan, at ginisang monggo. Mainstay o permanente sa menu ang papaitan, pata at dinuguan. Ang mga gulay ay pabago-bago. 7AM pa lang ay maramin nang tumitigil para magtanong kung may naluto na. Ang unang inilatag ay ang ensaladang labanos na hindi inabot ng twenty minutes...ubos agad. Ang mga dumating upang kumain ay nag-ulam ng pata at ilang sandal pa ay inilatag na rin ang dinuguan at papait...pinakahuli ang monggo. Wala pang dalawang oras ay ubos ang panindang ulam! Napansin ko ang parang bahay na atmosphere ng karinderya na parang “dirty kitchen” lang at ang mga kostumer ay libreng maghagilap ng kailangan nila tulad ng sili, at kung ano pa.

Habang nag-uusap kami ni Juliet nang umalis na ang kostumer ay nagsimulang maghugas ng pinagkainan ang anak niyang babae na siya ring nagluto ng monggo. Marami kaming napag-usapan ni Juliet na tumalakay sa pasasalamat niya sa suporta ng kanyang nanay at mga kapatid kaya hindi siya nahirapan sa pag-alaga ng mga anak. Hindi siya conscious sa kanyang kapansanan kaya lalo akong bumilib sa kanya. Hindi daw siya susuko sa pagsikap hangga’t kaya niyang kumilos dahil may responsibilidad pa siyang gagampanan para sa kinabukasan ng kanyang mga anak.....MABUHAY KA, JULIET!....SANA AY TULARAN KA NG IBA.

ANG KALAGAYAN NG PILIPINAS NGAYON

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

HINDI KAILANGANG MAGING PANTAS O WISE ANG ISANG PILIPINO UPANG MAUNAWAAN ANG MGA NANGYAYARI SA PILIPINAS MULA PA NOON NA NAGDULOT NG PAGHIHIRAP NG NAPAKALAKING BAHAGI NG SAMBAYANAN, TULAD NG:

THE WAY OF LIFE

By Apolinario Villalobos

Somebody asked me if I have a religion, and when I told him, I have none, he told me, so you do not have a way of life…because according to him, religion is a way of life. I did not want to embarrass him as we were in the company of his friends, so I just told him, we will talk later about this.

The poor guy is obviously ignorant as regards “the way of life” which is generic and does not apply only to religion, but in everything as to HOW a person lives his life, HOW he “carries” himself, or HOW he acts in a community, or better, as a citizen. It is about attitude, character, behavior, mannerism, health, ideology, and philosophy being followed.

There are people who follow the philosophy of Confucianism which is not a religion…and their life is based on that. Vegans are people who prefer vegetables than meat and fish…that is their healthy lifestyle – their way of life. Communists behave according to their political ideology…and that is their way of life.

Belonging to a certain religion is JUST ONE OF THE WAYS OF LIFE. Christians and Catholics should behave like Christ. Buddhists should live their life according to the teachings of Buddha. Muslims should live according to the teachings of Mohammad. Protestants should live according to the deviations from Catholicism….etc.

Finally, it does not necessarily mean that if a person has no religion, he is leading a bad life, because, as many thought, HE HAS NO WAY OF LIFE.  On the contrary, many people who do not belong to any religion, IN FACT, act and behave better than those who belong to one.

It is the ACT that should be considered in judging a person, and not the teachings that many of those who are religiously fanatic are taught BUT NOT PUT INTO PRACTICE, as expected of them.

I LOVE YOU TACURONG!

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Maskin ano pa ang ihambal nila

Indi gid nila ako mapasala kon sin-o ako

Kay diri sa Tacurong ako ginbata

Nga ginapadayaw ko gid sa iban nga tawo.

Nawala man ako ng ilang dekada

Lumingon pa rin ako sa mga nakaraan –

Mga araw na tigib ng saya’t ligaya

Talagang ‘di makakalimutan kaylan man.

I will not be what I am today

As I trace my roots to beloved Tacurong

For which more progress I pray

And praises that I could shout in a song!

Daghan pud ko ug gipangandoy

Bisan ug sa kalsada sige pud ko ug dulâ

Nangandoy ug maayong kinabuhi

Maningkamot, di gyud mangayo’g kalu-oy!

Ang pagsisikap ko ay nagbunga

Kaya sa maliit na paraan ay ibinabalik ko

Mga biyaya na aking natamasa

Pagtanaw ng utang loob na noo’y ipinangako!

Here I am, my beloved Tacurong

Indi ta gid tana pag-ikahuya maskin san-o

Dahil kung hindi sa iyong pagkanlong

Basi’g wâ gyu’y nahitabo sa akong pagkatawo!

I LOVE YOU TACURONG!

THE LOCALITY AS A TOURIST DESTINATION,

HIGH TECHNOLOGY, AND TRAVEL AS AN INNATE DESIRE

By Apolinario Villalobos

First of all, the primary objective of a locality in its desire to become a tourist destination is to earn REVENUE. In this regard, one way is to come up with CONCEIVED ATTRACTIONS, the most common of which is the fiesta or festival. The most important supports for this particular activity are the ACCOMMODATION FACILITIES and the COOPERATION FROM THE RESIDENTS. On the other hand, the offices of the LGU, staffed with SALARIED PEOPLE ARE EXPECTED TO EXERT THEIR SHARE OF EFFORT.

Aside from conceived attractions, the locality can make use of the NATURAL ATTRACTIONS such as swift rivers, caves, mountains, forest with its wildlife, as well as, fruits, vegetables and flowers from farms that grow them being the source of livelihood of the locals.

The local government unit or the LGU is SUPPOSED to have an office for the above objective – the TOURISM OFFICE which should be the OVERALL COORDINATOR. Whoever is in-charge of the said office is expected to be knowledgeable about WHAT THE LOCALITY HAS TO OFFER  FOR THE KIND OF TOURISTS THAT ARE BEING TARGETED, SUCH THAT IF THE LOCALITY HAS ACCOMMODATION FACILITIES THAT CAN SATISFY LOCAL TOURISTS WHO ARE NOT FINICKY, THEN, THE EFFORT SHOULD BE CONCENTRATED TOWARDS THEM. IT IS ILLOGICAL TO EXERT MUCH EFFORT TO ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS IF THEY CHOOSE TO STAY IN ANOTHER LOCALITY KILOMETERS AWAY WHERE “DECENT” HOTELS OF INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ARE FOUND….MAKING THE OBJECTIVE OF THE LOCALITY WHICH IS THE TOURIST DESTINATION INUTILE. For example, if a festival is to be held in town “A” that got no first class hotels so that international tourists stay in town “B” because it has plenty, how can town “A”, then, attain its objective to earn?...In this case, why not put more expectation on the local tourists who are not finicky as regards “international standards”?

Tourism is supposed to generate information, hence, educational. This matter is beginning to seep into the consciousness or understanding of Filipinos who are now appreciating the adage that says about their being tourists in their own country. Students are traveling around on “educational tours”, companies give their employees “familiarization tours” as part of their benefit package, families who can afford to travel and stay in certain local localities are willing to spend. These phenomena are what, whoever is in charge of touristic activities of the locality, should bear in his or her mind….that any Philippine tour destination can survive on Philippine market….festival or no festival.  The international market comes into the picture by way of high-tech promotions…NATURALLY.

TODAY, THE PROMOTION OF A TOURISTIC ACTIVITY OR DESTINATION IS NO LONGER A PROBLEM DUE TO THE PROLIFERATION OF BLOGGERS, BOTH LOCALS AND FOREIGN…THEY WHO VISIT TOURISTIC DESTINATION ON THEIR OWN.  MODERN TECHNOLOGY IS SUCH THAT,  ALL IT NEEDS IS FOR A TRAVELLER TO OPEN A LAPTOP OR DESKTOP COMPUTER, OR SMART PHONE TO CHECK THE INTERNET FOR DESTINATIONS THAT SUITS HIS OR HER INTEREST. CONSULTATIONS  WITH TOUR AGENCIES AND TRAVEL ARRANGEMENT CAN BE MADE DIRECTLY, ASIDE FROM  AIRLINES, BUS COMPANIES OR SHIPPING LINES THAT OFFER CRUISES. IN OTHER WORDS, THERE IS NO NEED FOR TOO MUCH EFFORT, ESPECIALLY, EXPENSE ON THE PART OF THE LGU TO ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS. THE DESIRE TO TRAVEL IS INNATE IN A PERSON, WHETHER HE IS AN ASIAN, AN AMERICAN, OR EUROPEAN. HE WILL FIND MEANS TO BE WHERE HIS OR HER CURIOSITY WILL DRIVE HIM OR HER.

TOURISM AS AN INDUSTRY CAN ONLY BE SUSTAINABLE IF THE LOCALITY IS CAPABLE OF ATTRACTING BOTH THE LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS BASED ON WHAT IT CAN “HONESTLY” AFFORD TO OFFER. IF THE TOURIST ARRIVES IN A LOCALITY,  HE OR SHE DOES NOT GO TO THE TOURISM OFFICE, BUT STRAIGHT TO THE HOTEL FOR BOOKING.  IN THE ABSENCE OF BROCHURES AS IN THE CASE OF SMALL LOCALITIES, THE STAFF HANDLING THE RECEIPTION COUNTER CAN GIVE INFORMATION AND CAN EVEN HELP IN ARRANGING FOR A MODE OF TRANSPORT, SUCH AS HIRED CAR, JEEPNEY, OR TRICYCLE.

THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN TO A LOCALITY THAT IS AMBITIOUSLY VYING FOR THE INTERNATIONAL SEGMENT OF TOURISM, IS WHEN A SUPPOSEDLY “INTERNATIONAL” ACTIVITY FLOPS,  RESULTING TO THE DISAPPOINTMENT OF INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS!.... DISAPPOINTMENT CAN RESULT FROM UNCOMFORTABLE TRAVEL DUE TO POTHOLED ROADS TO THE DESTINATION AND UNREALIZED EXPECTATIONS UPON ARRIVAL AT THE DESTINATION WHICH IS THE “TOURIST ATTRACTION” BEING PROMOTED.  AND, THESE GUYS CAN BLOG AND VERBALLY SPREAD DISAPPOINTING EXPERIENCES AMONG FRIENDS BACK HOME! ON THE OTHER HAND,  “INTERNATIONAL VISITORS” WHOSE STAY ARE ON FOC (FREE OF CHARGE) BASIS ARE EXPECTED TO BE FULL OF PRAISES TO SHOW THEIR GRATITUDE TO THEIR HOST.

EXPECTEDLY, FOR THE EVENT TO BE SUCCESSFUL, UTMOST “COORDINATION” TO BE INITIATED BY THE OFFICE CONCERNED WITH THE REST OF PARTIES THAT ARE IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, INVOLVED, SHOULD BE MADE, SUCH EFFORT BEING CRUCIAL.  IF THIS IS NOT DONE, SOMETHING MUST BE WRONG SOMEWHERE.

Wildlife as an attraction will always be there unless, the forests catch fire or illegal loggers cut down trees without let up. Promoting it by attracting supposedly international groups but with the government paying for their expenses is not necessary, in my opinion. Designating a day or days to come up with a semblance of festival is for me, still not necessary, because the wildlife is there 24/7 throughout the year. The same idea goes with the real festivals that have to do with the locality’s customs and traditions, foremost among which is the phenomenal “ati-atihan” festivals of the Aklan, Iloilo and Cebu, the Moriones of Marinduque, etc.

AGAIN…BLOGGERS ARE JUST AROUND – THEY WHO ARE MAINTAINING THEIR SITES IN THE CYBERSPACE WITH THE OBJECTIVE OF FILLING THEM UP WITH INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR TRAVEL IN ORDER TO ATTRACT FOLLOWERS. THE MORE BLOGS THEY MAKE, THE BETTER FOR THEM AS THEY BECOME MORE POPULAR …GIVING THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO OPEN THEIR SITES TO ADVERTISERS…AS THEIR OWN WAY OF EARNING.  THAT IS WHAT HI-TECH LIFE IS ALL ABOUT TODAY….IT AFFECTS JUST ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD…INCLUDING TOURISM!

Depressed…

By Raichi

I work hard to be free,

but still no one seems to appreciate me;

 I know I’m okay, but i still feel awful.

I have peers and friends

many of them, I know they love you (me) ,

but it doesn’t feel like they do.

I’m doing something to make me feel better

but i just don’t know how to.

Man, I’m smiling,

but i wake up every day

with this weird feeling

stacking up problems

that are so unnecessary,

but i hope someday

 I’ll wake up happy and merry…

I know this struggle’s gonna last

and i want to end it… fast.

Questions on “Terminologies” in the Philippines

By Apolinario Villalobos

The title of this blog refers to the names being used today by various sectors of the Philippine society, such as:

Mga Batang May Pangarap

…tulad ko rin noon

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Isang tanghaling katatapos ko lang kumain sa pastilan ni Luz, ay biglang may nagdatingang mga grupo ng kabataan….mga pupils ng Tacurong Pilot Elementary School. Ang pastilan ay malapit lang sa eskwelahan at sa labas ng plaza. Noon ko lang napansing alas dose na pala ng tanghali. Sabi ni Luz, sa kanya kumakain ang mga bata kapag “bitin” ang pera nila kaya nagkakasya na lamang sa isang balot na pastil na halagang Php10 at yong okey lang sa kaning tutong, ito ay libre na, pati ang sabaw. Kaya pala kung minsan ay wala akong naaabutang tutong. Akala ko ay inuubos ni Luz na mahilig din sa tutong. Ang ilan sa mga bata ay nakita ko na sa palengke na nagtatrabaho bilang tagatapon ng basura ng mga tinder at “errand boys”. Umamin ang karamihan sa mga batang wala silang pambili ng pastil at sumama lang sa mga kaibigan nila upang mamasyal sa plaza kaya ginawan na lang ng paraan upang lahat sila ay makakain ng pastil.

Maliban sa dalawa na Grade 5 pa lang, ang iba ay Grade 6 na kaya tinanong ko sila kung gusto pa rin nilang mag-aral sa Tacurong…sa National High School. Tatlo ang nagsabing sa Griῆo National High School, sa barangay Griῆo para hindi na daw gagastos sa pamasahe….taga-roon kasi sila.  Nang tanungin ko kung gaano kalayo ang bahay nila mula sa school, binanggit nila ang estimated distance mula sa kinalalagyan namin hanggang sa isang maliit na mall…na ang tantiya ko ay isang kilometro ang layo! Ganoon kalayo ang lalakarin nila mula sa bahay nila hanggang sa eskwela sa umaga at pauwi sa tanghali para mananghalian at babalik para sa klase sa hapon, at pauwi na pagkatapos ng klase….total na lalakarin sa isang araw ay 4 na kilometro!

Yong isa ay kukunin ng tatay na nasa Cebu…hindi na ako nagtanong kung bakit nandoon ang tatay at baka may makabagbag-damdaming madiskubre lang ako tungkol sa pagkatao niya. Yong iba ay sa Tacurong National High School na lang daw dahil may mga “suki” sila sa palengkeng “pinagtatrabahuhan”…pagtatapon ng basura at bilang “errand boys” kaya maski papaano ay may kikitain sila.

Lahat sila ay may mga pangarap na “maging” pagdating ng panahon. Apat ang nagsabing gustong maging pulis, dalawa ang gustong maging “army”,  ang iba ay gustong maging titser at ang isa ay gustong maging engineer.  Ang isang nahiyang kumain ay binigyan ko na lang ng pera para may pambili siya ng kanit banana cue kapag nagutom dahil may mga nagtitinda naman sa labas ng gate ng school nila. Pero binulungan niya ako ng, “babaunin ko ito bukas, uncle…”.

Bilib ako sa kanila dahil lahat sila ay malinis ang pinagkainan…wala ni isang mumo (wasted rice) na naiwan sa dahon ng saging na pinagbalutan ng pastil at pinggan.  Wala ring natirang sabaw sa mangkok. Ang mga pinakita nila ay palatandaan na karapat-dapat silang tulungan.

Nakita ko sa mga batang nakausap ko ang buhay ko noong nasa elementary ako na nag-aaral din sa “Pilot” na ang dating pangalan ay “Tacurong Elementary School”. Hindi kalayuan sa kinaroroonan naming carinderia ni Luz ay ang bakery na pag-aari ng mga Garcia at sa tambakan nila ay namumulot ako ng mga pakikinabangan pa, lalo na mga malalaking plastic na supot na ginagamit kong “bag” para sa mga gamit ko sa eskwela at ang mga mas malalaki pa ay pinagtatagpi-tagpi ko upang maging rain coat. Ilang dipa lang din mula sa carinderia ay ang kapitbahay naming may puno ng sampalok na ang mga lagas o mga nahulog na hinog ay pinupulot ko upang ibenta sa eskwela para may pambili ako ng papel man lang. Meron din silang puno ng balimbing na ang mga manibalang na bunga ay hinihingi ko para ibenta sa palengke pati ang mga hinog na bunga ng kaimito (star apple) namin, tuwing Sabado at Linggo. Nagtinda din ako noon ng pandesal sa madaling araw.

Tulad ng mga bata ay nangarap din ako noon…libre lang naman kasi!

Tula para sa Lenten Season…

Ang Lilim (Shade)

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Ang lilim ay nagdudulot ng ginhawa

Sa katawang nanlata dahil sa init ng araw

Kasiyahang may ngiti ang sa labi ay namumutawi

Lalo na kung makakakita nito sa kainitan ng tanghali.

Sa ibabaw ng mundo ay marami nito –

Iba’t ibang lilim na na ating nadadanasan

Lalo na ang lilim ng tahana’t ating mga magulang

Mga lilim na sa buhay ay nagagamit na sanggalang.

Ngunit ang pinakamalawak na lilim

Na sa sangkatauhan ay nagbibigay-lakas

Ay sampalataya sa Panginoon na hindi matitinag

At sa tagal ng panahon ay lalo pa ring tumatatag!

PRAISE THE LORD!

Incidents in my Life that Make Me

Believe in Fate and Destiny…and GOD

By Apolinario Villalobos

I may not have a religion but I believe in God. As I am moving toward the threshold of my life, a simple assessment of what have been happening to me made me realize that my God is basically responsible for everything and HE even used other people, too. At this juncture of my life, I cannot deny that my decisions at times have negative effects in my life due to the abused excuse…human frailties.

Today, I am really feeling the “purpose” that HE gave me. My having been born in a poor family, orphaned at an early age that resulted to more deprivations did not prevent me from finishing my education. HE made go out of my birthplace when I worked with Philippine Airlines and was even made to choose a far-off station of the said airline, Tablas in Romblon, as my first assignment. HE prepared me for the PAL job by exposing me to office work when I was hired by the Department of Social Welfare when I was about to graduate from college. HE made me finish my college despite the impending odds, as after our batch of less than a hundred that represented four courses, the college department of Notre Dame of Tacurong closed down.

A guy, I did not personally know, being just a friend of my friend, and who was working with PAL in General Santos station was instrumental in my “entry” to the said airline by sending me a telegram with just my nickname on it but with my office address to tell me about their recruitment. Out of almost a hundred applicants coming from prestigious colleges in Koronadal City and Cotabato City, only four of us were able to hurdle the preliminary interview. At the General Santos station, my documents were lost but HE made me go through the final interview in Davao station based on the trust of the interviewers from Manila…with an arrangement for my documents to be submitted later. HE made me work for an airline despite my AB course intended for teaching.

HE prepared me for my writing which could have been my real purpose in life. When I was in first year High School, I was made to edit the high school organ, THE GREEN EMBER, although, while in elementary, I was already composing poems and “tula”. I used the skill to work my way through my difficult journey along the corridor of PAL, with the editorship of the company’s TOPIC Magazine as another junction of my career. I went around the country because of the job exposing me to different realities of life.

My writing made me express what I saw and experienced while living in Manila. An important episode of my career in PAL was having been absorbed by the International Sales department , the airline’s flagship with offices located along Roxas Boulevard in Ermita…the “red district” of Manila. I made the area as my base as I explored the “other side” of the big city that brought me to Divisoria and the slums of Tondo. In those places, HE showed me the disgusting faces of poverty. HE made me realize that poverty is more of a result of corruption and exploitation, than indolence.

Along Avenida of Sta. Cruz, streets of Ermita and the dark nooks of Roxas Boulevard, HE showed me the various faces of prostitution etched on the faces of the juvenile males and females to the heavily made up faces of matrons with advancing age of as old as 60! HE showed me the various faces of poverty suffered by new-born infants to the dying emaciated bodies on sidewalks.

HE made me write against corruption, exploitation….expound on the causes of poverty, prostitution and drug addiction. HE made me write about the neglected communities whose members fled from the unrest and hunger in their birthplace in Jolo and Tawi-tawi…the Badjaos. HE made me expose to the world the aspiration of those who want to have a better life and the desire of others to reach out to HIS other creatures.

But I still feel inadequate despite all that I have been doing for HIM and my fellowmen….I still feel that I owe HIM a lot for my life…for which a “Thank you, Lord” is not enough.