ANG KAIBIGAN KONG NAHIMASMASAN

AT NAGBAGO NANG MASUPALPAL KO

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Nagkaroon ako ng isang kaibigan dahil sa pagsusulat ko sa internet. Follower ko siya nang mahigit isang taon na ngayon pero ibang sites ko ang binubuksan, wala kasing facebook dahil “wa klas” (walang class) daw itong site. Mayaman kasi kaya matapobre. Pero nang sabihan ko siyang tatlong grupo ang kakonek ko sa facebook, tulad ng mga kababayan at dating classmates, mga kasama dati sa PAL at mga kaibigan nila, at mga taga-ibang bansa na nakakonekta sa pamamagitan ng email ko, tumahimik siya…yan ang una kong pagsupalpal sa kanya.

Ang pangalawa kong pagsupalpal ay nang murahin niya ang driver niyang mas nakakatanda sa amin, sa harap ko pa. Na-late lang ng ilang minuto ang driver na tumae muna dahil sa naramdamang LBM, nagalit na ang kaibigan ko kahit pa sinabihan ko siyang hindi naman kami nagmamadali. Nakakausap ko ang driver at naidaing niya na hindi lang siya ang madalas bulyawan kundi pati ang misis at mga pamangkin nito. Nagulat ako dahil bukod sa maganda ay mabait pa ang misis na mas bata sa kaibigan ko ng 20 taon. Ang mga pamangkin naman ay masisipag at seryoso sa pag-aaral. Pinagyayabang pa niya na “napulot” lang daw niya sa isang night club noon ang kanyang misis na nagbigay sa kanya ng 4 na magagandang anak, puro babae at matatalino pa.

Nang magkaroon ako ng pagkakataon ay kinausap ko siya nang masinsinan. Malakas ang loob ko dahil madalas siyang komunsulta sa akin tungkol sa mga tauhan niya sa negosyo. Higit sa lahat ay ako rin ang gumawa ng mga kailangang dokumento para makapag-apply siya ng negosyo, mula sa pagkaroon ng pangalan nito hanggang sa incorporation. Diretsahan ko siyang sinabihang baguhin ang ugali niya at pabiro ko pang dinugtungan na huwag niyang gayahin ang pagmumura ko. Medyo kinabahan siya nang sabihan kong may mga nangyayaring mismong mga kadugong inaapi ay pumapapatay sa nang-aapi kapag sila ay napuno na. At dahil uso ang kinapping, sinabihan ko siyang baka “ibenta” siya ng mga taong inaalipusta niya, sa sindikato ng mga kidnapper. Lalo siyang nabahala nang sabihan ko siyang artistahin ang misis niya at sa edad na wala pang 30 taon ay baka layasan siya! Ang kaibigan ko kasi ay halos 50 taon na at ang mukha ay yong sinasabing nanay lang ang makakapagyabang….pero ubod ng yaman naman.

Nang sumunod na punta ko sa kanya dahil sa kanyang pakiusap ay nauna ako sa bahay nila. Naipit siya sa trapik mula sa Makati kung saan ang office niya na ayaw kong puntahan dahil sa trapik kaya sa ancestral house nila ako pumupunta sa Pasay. Ang sumalubong sa akin ay ang driver at pinagyabang ang bagong Seiko diver’s watch na ibinigay sa kanya ng kaibigan ko. Habang nagkakape ako, ang misis naman ay nagkuwento na maglilibot daw ang buong pamilya sa ASEAN countries bago magbagong taon at uuwi kalagitnaan na ng Enero…kasama ang dalawang pamangkin niya. Maiiwan ang driver at pamilya nito upang may bantay sa bahay pero pwede nilang gamitin ang van sa pamamasyal. Desisyon daw ng mister niya ang lahat.

Nang dumating ang kaibigan ko, halos naubos ko na ang pangalawang mug ng kape. Nagmadali itong nagbihis ng damit pangkalye- puruntong shorts, ukay na t-shirt na bigay ko noon, walang relos at singsing at naka-tsinelas. Samahan ko daw siya sa gumagawa ng mg kariton sa Bambang at Baseco. Sumakay kami sa LRT-Libertad, bumaba sa Recto at nag-commute na papunta sa dalawang destinasyon. Mula sa Bambang ay pumunta pa kami sa F. Torres, malapit sa Arranque, at dahil hindi pa kami nakapananghali, kumain kami sa puwesto ng lola ni “Pango” ang nai-blog ko noon kaya nakilala din niya. Isinama ko siya sa Lawton kung saan kami nagpahinga ng mga kasama ko (“gang of four”), at nagpilit pang pumunta kami sa Luneta upang hanapin ang manikurista na nai-blog ko rin na nakita namin sa tambayan ng mga seaman at may inaasikasong kostumer.

Habang nag-aabang kami ng jeep na masasakyan papunta sa Libertad, Pasay, nagpasalamat siya sa mg “pamasko” ko sa kanya. Nagturo lang ako sa itaas bilang sagot at nag-high five kami, sabay tawa, pero napansin kong nagpahid siya ng mga mata. Alam kong mababasa niya ito dahil ipinaalam ko sa kanya upang maging inspirasyon siya ng ibang matapobre na hindi pa nagbabago.

(Ang salitang “matapobre” ay hango sa salitang Kastila. Ang “mata” ay death at ang “pobre” ay poor, kaya para sa akin ang taong matapobre ay pumapatay ng mahihirap, sa pamamagitan ng pag-apak ng kanilang pagkatao.)

MAY ISANG MANDARAYA

….TEACHER PA!

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Ano pa nga ba at sa panahon ngayon

May mga pandarayang nangyayari

Sa lahat na halos ng pagkakataon;

Malakas ang loob ng mga gumagawa

Mukha’y makapal at matatapang pa

Pati ang konsiyensiya’y di alintana.

Paano kaya kung teacher ang gagawa?

Katulad ng nangyari sa isang bayan

Na maunlad, tahimik at mapayapa;

Nagpatimpalak, ginanap upang matuwa

Mga estudyante sa isang eskwelahan

At ang mga hurado ay mga maestra.

Nguni’t ng masaklap ay nakalusot pala

Ang isang hurado ng contest na ito

Dahil ang isang kasali ay nephew niya!

Itong teacher itinuloy pa ang  paghusga

Ganoong pinag-uusapan na ang isyu

Na kapalmuks siya at walang hiya talaga!

Dahil sa pangyayari, ano pang tiwala

Ang maipapakita sa mga teacher natin

Na dapat sana ay pagmamalasakitan?

Paano pa silang sundin ng mga kabataan

Kung katarantaduha’y ipinapakita nila

Kaya’t sila’y nililibak, sa halip na tularan?

ANG RESULTA….NANALO ANG PAMANGKIN NIYA!

The “Good Hands” of Metrobank- Tacurong

By Apolinario Villalobos

Transacting business gives me jitters, not because of anything else but because of the required IDs and people who will “handle” me. As regards IDs, I am wary about what I have because they might not be honored, and for the people who will attend to me, my apprehension is that they might be snooty, unsmiling, robotic in manner who stick to their rules to the last letter, and most of all, the ambience of the office which can give clients negative feelings at times.

During the time I was back to where I saw first the ray of light, in Tacurong, I thought of dropping by Metrobank. The transaction was simple inquiry. Looking at the imposing, albeit, simply architecture office building, I was carried back to the days when the bank was yet renting a ground space in one of the first commercial buildings in my hometown, now a city. Metrobank was the first commercial/universal bank that gave Tacurong a semblance of progress due to its presence. Before its coming, what we had was just the Tacurong Rural Bank that served the needs of the locals and those who live in nearby towns. Transactions were about agricultural loans and savings. That was during the early 70’s, as I remember that some of my batch mates were employed by Metrobank after graduation in 1975.

I left our place to work with Philippine Airlines and due to the scheduled training in Manila, was not able to join the graduation. We were the last graduates who were not less than 60, as the college department was temporarily closed due to the unrest that engulfed the province. I had the chance to take a glimpse of the steadily growing bank every time I come home for a day or at my longest stay of 4 days, Finally, I had my chance of experiencing how it felt to be in the “good hands” of the Metrobankers-Tacurong when I thought of inquiring about their offerings.

Both I and my nephew were in our best “ukay-ukay” attire – cheap walking shorts and faded t-shirt, and of course, in our favorite slippers. The smiling guards opened the door for us. We found the bank full of clients, proof that they are really “bankable”. As we waited for our turn, my nephew approached somebody if we could be attended as what we wanted was just inquiry. We were referred to the Marketing Destk…and the rest was the smooth handling that I was expecting.

My visit to the bank proved that its famous jingle which includes the line, “you’re in good hands with Metrobank”, is indeed, true.

Respect Should Prevail over Arrogance

When Presenting Views in the Internet

By Apolinario Villalobos

Definitely and obviously, differing views create rifts and even violent reaction among internet users on different issues. Commentors on blogs are themselves, considered as bloggers. Those who post extensive write-ups on issues, who consider themselves full time bloggers are just “view initiators”. Ill-feeling even among friends results when commenting friends criticize the blogger as a person which for them is the reason why he came up with certain blogs. On the other hand, the criticism of some commentors, though, directed to the issue, are ill-founded and tainted with more selfishness, rather than with consideration of the majority. An example is the issue on the corrupted educational system that encourages the use of workbook-formatted “text books”. Some commentors who can afford the sky-high cost of books that should be purchased every start of the school term, have no kind words for bloggers who criticize the government agency for continuously allowing such practice to happen.

Another is the issue on the killing of drug lords and pushers. Just because the rich feel safe inside their homes in exclusive subdivisions and because they do not go out often to earn their keeps and if ever, in chauffeured expensive cars, they criticize the killing which for them is against the right to live, instead, of appreciating the result which is the eradication of the criminals who kill the innocents who have the same right. Those who are exposed, however, to these criminals because they live in thickly populated communities and slums, feel otherwise, so that they are thankful that the criminals  are eliminated before they can go on spreading terror. IN THIS REGARD, ALL OF THEM, DESPITE THEIR DIFFERING VIEWS ON THE ISSUE, SHOULD BE RESPECTED FOR THEIR OPINION FOR AS LONG AS THEY DO NOT EXCHANGE ACCUSATIONS, AS BY ALL INDICATIONS,  IT IS CLEAR THAT WHAT IS GOOD FOR SOMEBODY MAY BE BAD FOR ANOTHER.

Views that may enhance the blog of the initiator should be presented “based” on his presentation, hence, should come out as not necessarily criticisms. If this happens, it would encourage others to come out with their own without fear of being lambasted. A heated uncalled for heated exchange can be avoided if commentors will only respect the blogger and fellow commentors. Telling the blogger and other commentors that they are wrong because their views are different, is tantamount to showing the arrogance of those who do such, because their act is a clear manifestation of their “felt superiority”. The view of the latter can be better appreciated if they are humble enough to just simply present them and if they need clarification on certain aspects they should say so.

The internet, particularly, facebook should not create ill-feelings among friends with differing views for which subject personalities such as politicians do not give a damn. Personally, I like Duterte because of his effort to eradicate or at least minimize the drug problem in the country, aside from his inspiring phenomenal soar to power despite his humble beginnings. But I do not like his brashness, especially jokes on women which are better shared during drinking sprees. So viewers could see that I am not 100% for Duterte as I only like him for the good aspects of his person.  I also have nothing against the Catholic Church, but only to her erring priests and nuns. I have the right to present my observation as I feel for those who are concerned and affected. This attitude also goes for my view of other churches and religious communities, because, first and foremost, my being a Free Thinker makes it so. I am for ALL for as long as they are good and not selfish.

If I had been selfish, I would not be blogging, risking my security in the process, due to the sensitive issues that I am tackling. I would just also be enjoying my life and what is left of Nature which is my other passion, while not giving a damn if families are affected by the drug problem and the Catholic flock who are fooled by SOME of the priests to whom they give utmost  respect because they view them as “representatives” of God on earth. 

ANG BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT

NG JPLS TODA (BARANGGAY REAL 2, BACOOR CITY)

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Ang Justinville/Perpetual/Luzville/Silver Homes Tricycle Operators and Drivers Association (JPLS TODA) ay nagsikap na magdaos ng simpleng basketball tournament sa abot ng makakaya nito. Hindi sila gaanong nangalap ng mga donasyon, maliban na lang sa mga tropeo. Ang kaunting pagkain at mineral water ay gastos ng mga miyembro at opisyal. Ang bayad naman sa professional na mga referee ay may malaking discount. Nakatulong din ng malaki ang basketball court ng Silver Homes 1 na walang bubong at libreng nagamit. Nagtiis man sa init ng araw ay enjoy pa rin ang mga team na naglaro sa elimination rounds dahil idinaos  sa hapon kung kaylan matumal ang biyahe. Ang championship game lang ang idinaos sa gabi ng Sabado, December 12 upang malaman kung alin sa natirang tatlong team na “White”, “Green”, at “Blue” ang magiging champion. Inabot din ng apat na Sabado at Linggong palaro o mahigit isang buwan, bago umabot sa araw ng championship na paglalabanan ng nasabing tatlong team.

Nakakamangha ang pagkamasigasig ng mga organizers at mga miyembro dahil sa kabila ng halos walang pahinga nilang biyahe na kung minsan ay inaabot ng gabi ay pinilit nilang maidaos ang tournament.  At, sa kabila pa rin ito ng pinagkasyang budget. Pagpapakita nila ito ng kanilang tapat na pakikipagtulungan sa programa ng lokal na pamahalaang lunsod ng Bacoor na sa ngayon ay nasa pamamahala ni mayor Lani Mercardo-Revilla. Ang nasabing programa ay idinaan sa Barangay Real 2 na nasa pamamahala naman ni Kapitan BJ Aganus. Sagot din ng samahan ang tournament sa panawagan ng bagong presidente, Rodrigo Duterte na gamitin ang libreng panahon sa mga bagay na makabuluhan sa halip na sa droga.

Tulad ng mga drayber ng jeep at bus, silang mga traysikel naman ang minamaneho ay hindi rin ligtas sa mga hinalang gumagamit ng shabu dahil sa paniwalang nakakatulong ito upang makatagal daw sila sa puyatan. Totoo man o hindi, ang mahalaga ay pinapatunayan ng asosasyon na wala ni isa mang adik sa kanila o talamak ang pagkagumon sa nasabing bisyo. Wala ni isa mang kasong may nawalan ng katinuan mula sa kanilang hanay dahil sa droga, tulad ng mga nababalitaang nangyayari sa ibang lugar.

Ang mga opisyal ng JPLS TODA ay sina, Danny Sagenes (Presidente); Freddie Casil (Bise-Presidente); Davis Sagenes (Kalihim); Rolly Guevarra (Ingat-yaman). Si Danny Sagenes ay nakaka-siyam nang taon bilang presidente dahil nakitaan siya ng sigasig na ang hangad ay maisulong ang kasiyahan at kapakanan ng mga miyembro. Bukod sa tournament, nagdadaos din ang samahan ng Christmas party kung kaya ng budget mula sa buwanang ambag ng mga miyembro dahil sa mga bibilhing pagkain at regalong ipapa-raffle. At, dahil maganda ang kanilang layunin, kalimitan ay may mga homeowners na nagkukusang magbigay ng donasyon. Hindi rin nawawala ang donasyon mula sa barangay at pamahalaang lunsod ng Bacoor.

Ang mga ginagawa ng samahan ay ikinatutuwa naman ng mga homeowners ng barangay Real 2 na panatag ang nararamdaman…taliwas sa mga nangyayari sa ibang barangay kung saan ay atubili ang mga umuuwi ng dis-oras ng gabi at sumasakay sa traysikel. 

The Philippines’ Early Commercial Intercourse with China

By Apolinario Villalobos

The early recorded commercial intercourse between the Philippines and China was dated 982 A.D. when a certain Sung-Shih (History of the Sung) mentioned about traders from Mo-yi or May-I, referring to the Philippines and sometimes the island of Mindoro, and who came to the southern coast of China. But even much earlier than the said date, according to a noted historian Berthold Laufer in his “Relations of Chinese to the Philippines”, and Austin Craig in his “A Thousand Years of Philippine History Before the Coming of the Spaniards”, among the goods from the Philippines were birds, pearls and tortoise shell, to which, another historian, Chao Ju-Kua added, yellow wax, cotton, medicinal betel nuts and “yu-la” cloth. Proof of the early trade relations between the two countries are the archaeological sites that date back to the T’ang dynasty, in Babuyan islands, coastal areas of Ilocos and Pangasinan, Manila, Bohol, Mindoro, Cebu, Jolo and Cagayan de Sulu, and Mindanao.

Accordingly, Chinese junks would leave the southern coast of China for the Philippines during the month of March and their travel would take about 15 to 20 days. The same junks would prepare for the return trip during the month of June. Trading was done with haste, usually three to four days at one convergence point along a safe coast, then, they would move to other traditionally appointed place, as some natives proved to be hostile.

The commercial intercourse brought about cultural enhancement on both trading parties. On the part of the Philippines, according to Filipino anthropologist, E. Arsenio Manuel, about 522 words in the vocabulary of Pilipino language are of Chinese origin. Among them are, bihon, miki, miswa, mami, kuchay, tokwa, kinchay,  lumpia, lome, kimto, goto, batsoy, tsa, liyempo, kamto, biko, bitsu, hopia, petsay/pechay, bakya, jusi, siyansi, ate, kuya, diko, ditse, sangko, siko, and siyaho.

As mentioned among the pages of “Ming History”, traders from Fukien of southern China flocked to Luzon to establish trading colonies, so that when the Spaniards came, they found well-entrenched Chinese communities along the Pasig River and the coastal areas of Pangasinan and Ilocos. While the Philippines was under the administration the Spaniards, there was a time when the Chinese were expelled. Upon realizing, however, the need for the business acumen of the Chinese, they were encouraged by the colonizers to return but made to dwell in settlements outside the Walled City or Intramuros, which was called “Parian”. That is how the Manila Chinatown, the oldest in the whole world came to be.

Historically, the Chinese were never interested in politically colonizing any of the islands of the archipelago, unlike the Spaniards who came to the Philippines purely for this purpose. It is for this reason that when the Hispanic administration of Manila took effect, there was no resistance from the Chinese community. If the dynasties of the mainland that saw the growth of trading with the archipelago had any intension of annexing it to their kingdom, they should have done it long before the Spaniards came. But Chinese traders came and went, instead of even a single Chinese soldier. It is for this reason that China can never site history to attest her rights over a major part of the South China Sea or Philippine Sea. Their trading ancestors could have named some islands and bodies of water in and around the archipelago but only for their convenient reference and nothing else.

THE BENEFIT OF APPLE CIDER VINEGAR AND OLIVE OIL

By Apolinario Villalobos

When I had a severe pain in my chest just under the breast bone, I thought I was having a heart attack. After enduring it for several days, it went away. The next pain I had was on the right side of my stomach that radiated to the back just above my right buttock, I thought it was an indication of the spread of cancer cells from my prostrate, but I was not experiencing difficulty in passing urine in the evening…so the thought gave me relief. The pain went on especially in the evening so that I had to hold my breath every time I change my position and when I get off the bed. Fortunately, when I confided with a friend, he told me that he had the same experience. But he was able to “cure” it…The cure?....APPLE CIDER VINEGAR! My friend took a spoonful of the vinegar at around 11PM or 3AM with a little water.  That’s the time when it gets to work….softening stones in the gall bladder. After 2 months of consistent “therapy”, the pain was totally gone according to my friend.

In my case, I enhanced the “cure” by taking 1 teaspoon of olive oil with 1 spoon of apple cider vinegar at either time mentioned in the previous paragraph. I thought, if the pain had got to do with galls stones, then those that will be softened by the vinegar and get released could be lubricated by the oil for easy expulsion. Also, I took 1 spoon of the vinegar with my dinner at 3PM. I diluted the vinegar in a mug of water with 1 spoon of honey – my personally concocted “softdrink”. After less than 1 month of such regimen, the pain was gone. It entailed a lot of discipline considering the time that I had to wake up, but the sacrifice paid up.

By the way, don’t worry about the acidic taste of the vinegar and the oily taste of the olive oil. Just force the idea in your mind that what you are doing is much cheaper than having complications later on which might require operation. Also, the “acid” in the vinegar is alkaline which our body needs, too.

Here’s how I do it: I first take the olive oil, followed by the vinegar, then honey (optional). But since I am used to the vinegary taste, I can even take it straight without water or honey….for the sake of healthy living. I also sprinkle some drops of the vinegar to my rice to make “Japanese rice” but enhance the taste with some drops of soy sauce, olive oil, and chili powder.