Thursday, October 03, 2013

Two Words in Our Time

Recently, I have observed two words that have entered our modern lexicon, both of which merit some discussion and perhaps, appreciation.

Consider the first one: selfie. Announced by Time Magazine as one of the top 10 buzzwords for 2012, “selfie” refers to any self-portrait photograph—taken by the subject himself or herself with the use of a modern technology gadget like a cellular phone, tablet, or just about any portable camera; and later uploaded on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or any other social networking site.

Writing for the BBC news magazine online, Charissa Coulthard says that, owing to the fact that this type of photos has been flooding social media sites in recent months, “selfie” has become commonplace enough to be monitored for inclusion in the online version of the Oxford English Dictionary. Coulthard reports that a search on Instagram retrieves over 23 million photos uploaded with the hashtag #selfie, and a whopping 51 million with the hashtag #me.”

Further, one selfie alone posted by one of my FB friends as her Profile Picture elicited some 90 Like!s from all her friends from across the world. What can be more amazing than that?

But among others, selfie serves some purpose. Upon the very act of posting one’s own picture online, the subject flings himself or herself open to public examination. Because the self becomes the subject of public scrutiny, judging from the likes and comments that the post elicits or draws out from other Internet users, he or she can be made aware of their own charm, or the lack of it.

And if one selfie elicits many reactions, with some of them even citing certain aspects of the photo or features of the subject, the whole exercise can guide the person which of their characteristics can be considered desirable—and which cannot.

The concept of selfie then rises beyond vanity, or some penchant to take pride in and parade one’s own beauty. In a sense, the selfie is able to relay back to the subjects not only how they look good to others but how else they can look better.

The entire online exercise—from choosing which picture to post to enhancing them using software applications to actually posting it to eliciting reactions from others—allows for self-examination and even introspection.

Then, there is the other word—“Bombo” or bombo, functioning both as noun and verb—which I suppose has already been a household name long time ago.

In the provinces and cities across the country, the Bombo Radyo by the Florete Group of Companies from Iloilo has permeated the public consciousness owing to the presence of their radio stations across some 20 major provinces in the archipelago.

Through the years, Bombo Radyo has staged commentators and announcers for their news and public affairs department who have criticized on air practically almost everyone whom they consider misbehaving, errant or corrupt both in private and public spheres.

Virtually, the Bombo programs have gained notoriety even as its literal drum noise barrages on air—indeed, in order to parade its subject’s misdemeanors for everyone to hear. While it has gained the ire of its subjects, through time, the commentary culture it has fostered has also helped create a Filipino audience critical of social issues.

So commonly nowadays you would hear how one public figure or even an entirely anonymous person literally “figured in public” because “na-Bombo siya,” meaning—his or her name was mentioned in the Bombo Radyo commentary program), which also means he or she figured in some scam, scandal or anomaly.

During Bombo Hanay or similar commentary  programs, the commentator host raises a particular issue that primarily concerns the public, presents the allegedly errant personalities or officials and then, basing on reports of malfeasance, strips them bare to the bone.

Their accuracy or observance of media ethics notwithstanding, these and the counterpart commentaries in other radio networks keep the public officials and other social leaders in check even as they do not only examine the issue but also more than scrutinize the behavior of the personalities involved.

It is always best to attack the issue as the case in point. At times, however, the verbal criticisms on the radio become vitriol, cannot help but do so “below the belt,” because the host can hardly separate the issue from the personality involved.

As such, the word Bombo performs a function similar to the one delivered by selfie. Through this, Bombo keeps its subjects in check and makes them aware of themselves. And by doing so, the media involved is virtually holding up the mirror of the community to its own constituents to make them see the ills of their own society. Such has always been the mandate of the fourth estate.

In this sense, both “selfie” and “Bombo” subject the personalities or persons to be judged per se; and both forms of criticism create avenues to critique the self, and how it can do better or be better.

While this parallelism may appear new, the thing about self-criticism is not new all. Not surprisingly, such concepts elicited by both words had already been pondered ages and eons ago, particularly by the Greek Socrates,  who said: “The unexamined life is not worth living,” or something to that effect. Trite but true; so trite but so true.

My Leader, the Hero; or A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints

One time in the 1980s, a helicopter flew over our small barangay. I went out to join other kids in the neighborhood. The sight was glorious—we saw things falling down from the sky. Perhaps it was the first time such kind of aircraft flew over our neighborhood. 

We the kids were so amazed. We ran around like crazy picking them up as more of them flew down from the chopper. We thought they were money bills. 

They were flyers and pocket calendars belonging to a candidate whom I now only remember as Ballecer. He was running against another candidate named Bubby Dacer (the PR man) for assemblyman in the third district of our province. 

Bubby Dacer’s posters, along with those of his opponents, were plastered everywhere in our barangay, especially on the wide walls of the koprasan of the Bercasios, a warehouse near the marketplace we called Triangle where we bought our goods from rice to fish to plastic balloons to halo-halo. 

The faces of these politicians would be hard for me to forget. Time and again, I would see their faces on those posters pasted on the walls of the koprasan where I usually passed to run house errands. Because these posters were never defaced, it was time—months and years—that eventually wore them away. 

I also heard their jingles over DZGE and DWLV, then prominent radio stations based in Naga City. Young as I was, I also sang (along with) them.

During elections, my mother headed the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) in our grade school. From the sample ballots, I saw and learned to memorize senators’ names who would later be prominent—names like Mamintal Tamano, Santanina Rasul, Ramon Mitra, Teofisto Guingona, Macapanton Abas and Leticia Ramos-Shahani, among others. 

I clipped and mounted their pictures, and also copied their faces on my notebook. Some of these materials I even placed as covers for my school stuffs. 

When Corazon Aquino became president, I copied her image from a poster which was distributed to all the classrooms. For this, I used Cray-pas for a portrait of her which I drew on one of the back pages of my notebook. It was a smiling woman wearing big eyeglasses. 

I emphasized the wrinkles from her nose to the mouth when she smiled. I used orange for her face and black for her hair and yellow for the dress. I was amazed at my creation. I used so much pastel on the portrait of the new president perhaps because it was my first time to use such kind of art material. I rather saw that portrait as that of my mother.

Back then our classrooms had high ceilings—the old Marcos type, I later learned. The Sacred Heart of Jesus was placed on our front wall facing the class—and was flanked by two posters that read—“Knowledge is power” and “Read today, lead tomorrow.” 

The picture of the new president was mounted on one of the corners of the Grade 6 classroom. She was placed along with Jose Rizal and Andres Bonifacio, in such a way that we looked up to them. 

In high school, we were also told to memorize the names of government officials—from our local officials to the cabinet secretaries of then ministries (during Ferdinand Marcos’s regime) and now departments (in Cory Aquino’s new government).

Through time, I got lost in the long list of names of senators and politicians and cabinet officials whose names were changed more often—because they were either sacked or revamped or simply resigned. I came to know more about them, or rather, about them more.

From the news, I later learned of their projects and their programs. Then I was also told of their corrupt practices—of the problems they were now giving to the public. I would also learn the words graft, corruption. Bribery. And plunder. Through the years, I have lost track of who is doing which and what. Who is more credible than whom? Who is more believable? One day, I just didn’t know how to believe in what they’re saying anymore. Or what they’re doing.

One day, I just stopped believing in them. I found there are other better things to do than believe and what they’re saying. Or doing.  One time, I just started to believe that like most children’s tales, politicians and yes, their identities and their sensibilities—such as their faces mounted for everyone to see—are only for children.

Kristo sa Daghan

Igwang mga Kristo sa daghan an mga tugang mo.

Enot na enot, nagpoon sa magurang nindo an ining Kristo sa daghan—ki Manuel dangan ki Emma. Sa Kagurangnan, idinusay nindang duwa an saindong mga pangaran—bagay na nariparo kan saindong lolohon na si Ramon bago siya nagpaaram. Saysay ni Lolo Amon mo, mayo sa saindong anom na magturugang na an pangaran harayo sa istorya kan Kagurangnan sa Banal na Kasuratan.

Yaon ini malinaw sa matua nindong si Emmanuel, na an gustong sabihon, “Kagurangnan yaon satuya.” Sa panduwang pangaran na Neil Romano yaon an pundasyon kan saindong pagtubod asin kan saindong mga ginikanan. An panduwang kangaranan sa Alex Apolinario na iyo an saindong pantolo gikan sa búhay kan sarong santo. Dangan kangaranan kan sarong bayaning nagin panalmingan kan mga Pilipino.

An Clemente, kangaranan kan mga banal na lideres sa simbahan kaidto. Siring ki Rosario, an bugtong na tugang nindong babaye, pinangaran an saindang pagtuo kag pagsarig sa kapangyarihan kan pangadie sa paagi ni Santa Maria, an Iloy ni Hesu Kristo.

Dangan man an ngaran mo.

Sa saindo pa sanang mga pangaran, yaon na an krus sa daghan, an Kristo sa buhay nindo. Yaon an pagma’wot kan mga magurang mong gibohon kamong mga panalmingan kan kabo’tan kan Kagurangnan. Dinidekar kan duwa nindong magurang—sindá Manuel sagkod Emma—kamong mga aki ninda sa saindang dakulang pagtubod sa Kaglalang.

Dios mabalos ta saimong nariparo—na mismong an saindang mga pangaran, “Emma” kag “Manuel”—iyong gayo an duwang bahin kan “Immanuel,” an mismong pangaran kan Kagurangnan sa Hebreong pagtaram.

Tibaad nahiling kan duwa mong magurang na an pagsaro ninda asin kan saindang pangaran iyo an paggibo kan katungdan kan Diyos na Kaglalang. Dangan biniyayaan sindá kan saindong anom na búhay, na magpoon kadto sagkod na sinda man magtaliwan, idinusay sa pag-omaw sa Kagurangnan.

Ngonyan na sindang duwa mayo na digdí sa daga, yaon rinirimpos nindo sa búhay kan kada saro an saindang katukduan na mamoot sa kapwa asin magsarig sa Diyos na iyo an poon asin kasagkuran kan gabos na ginigibo digdí sa dagâ.

Sa siring na biyaya kan Diyos saindo, kag ngapit sa mga dalan kan búhay na saindong inaagihan, dai kamo maglihis o mawarâ.

Asin ngonyan na mga panahon, hinahangaan mo an mga tugang mo sa saindang mga nagkagirinibo, sa saindang mga ginigibo. Nin huli ta sinda nagigin panalmingan mo sa kadaklan na bagay sa saimong buhay. Nagpapadiosmabalos kang marhay. Sa búhay kan mga utod mo, yaon nahihiling mo an krus sa daghan kan kada saro sainda, an biyaya kan Diyos na Bathala sa duwa nindong magurang na ipadayon an saindang napu’nan sa tabang nin Kagurangnan.

Emmanuel. Yaon ki Manoy Awel mo an pagiging tiso, an kapas na magkulibat sa estado kan ispiritu mo; iyong gayo, enot niyang konsiderasyon an nasa saboot mo. Sarong bagay na an dakulang kahulugan, sa kapwa asin orog na saimong tugang niya, an pagrespeto.

Sa dakulon nang inagihan si Manoy mo, nahihiling mo saiya an sarong marhay na tawo. Sa dakulang harong kadto duman sa Libod, siya pinapaluhod sa asin o monggo kan saindong Lolo Emiliano ta ngani sana daang magtiso—kaibahan kan ibang mga tugang—na iyo, saiya nag-idolo.

Poon kaidto, nakanood sa pagpadakula kan Lolo nindo; natukduan magtaong-galang sa darakulang tawo, nakanood magpahunod sa saradit na tawo. Dahil kaiyan, yaon saiya an paggalang; an pagtao nin kusog sa kalag kan saiyang kapwa, orog nang gayo kadtong kamo entiro nang magkairilo.

Yaon sa saiyang daghan an ipadagos an pagsarang sa estadong pigdumanan. Saiyang tutungkusan asin susustineran an kapakanan kan kadaklan na saiyang pinu’nan.

Sa simpleng búhay kan maogmahon niyang agom asin mga kabuhan, yaon ki Manoy mo an kaogmahan.

Neil Romano. Nahihiling mo ki Ano an higos kan sarong tawo—yaon saiya an abilidad na magtabang dangan makapauswag bako lang kan mga mahal niya sa buhay kundi kan kadaklan. Siring ki Manoy mo, yaon saiya an pagma’wot na mataparan ano man na bagay na saiyang napu’nan.

Dangan yaon ki Ano an dai pagsagin-sagin na rimposon sana an mga namamatean kun an mga ini makakakulog sa kalag kan saiyang mga mahal sa buhay asin mga tugang. An pagpadangat niya sa mga nguhod na tugang, orog na sana man. Kan mga aki pa kamo, an turno kan Ina nindo saiya binabayaan. Araki pa kamo, siya na man an dakulang sarigan kan saindong magurang—nagmamanehar kan kapakanan kan kadaklan. Kaya sa saiyang mga aki, ipinapagiromdom, ipinapaarog an siring na kamalayan. Yaon, iyo ini, an biyaya kan Diyos na saiyang tinutubudan. Kaya na sana man yaon saiya an kaogmahan.

Alex Apolinario. Ki Irmanong Alex, mayo nin dakul na taram, kundi katiwasayan; bako man na pirming rarom, kundi baga kahulugan. Saiya, an magagayon na mga bagay sa kinaban igwang tamang kapanahunan, bako gabos na bagay tinataram ta nganing maintindihan. Bako na habo niya lang man nanggad magtaram, kundi na para siya tibaad yaon sa linong, yaon sa tuninong an hararom na kahulugan.

An simple niyang búhay ngonyan minapagamiaw saimo na tibaad bako gabos tinataram para maliwanagan. Yaon an katiwasayan—aram niyang an pagsakripisyo igwang balos na kasaganaan. An paglapigot, sa katapusan, nagiging kaogmahan.

Siempre sa tahaw kan ribok kan mga tawo, yaon an silencio kan tugang mong ini ho—bakong padalos-dalos kun siya magdesisyon sa saiyang ginigibo. Gabos na anggulo ririkasahon niya antes mag-abot sa pwedeng mapapangyari asin maginibo.

Tuninong, hipos na nagmamasid, dangan nakikidungan sa hulag kan banwaan, yaon sa saiyang daghan an biyaya kan Diyos na magtios dangan magpadagos magbaklay sa pinili niyang alagyan. Siya madagos-dagos asta makaantos sa saiyang papadumanan.

Clemente. Ki Mente, saboot mo, igwang orog na biyaya an magin nguhod na tugang kan nagkaerenot na tolo—yaon saiya an biyayang tiponon an gabos nindang ugali dangan isabuhay sa saiyang sadiring pakahulugan para sa saiyang kapakanan. Nagiging panalmingan niya an saindong mga matuang tugang.

Yaon ki Mente an pakikipag-ulian. Actualmente, minarhay niyang makauli dangan makapagpoon sa banwaan na saindong dinakulaan ta nganing maging harani sa pamilya asin mga tugang. Yaon saiya an paghadoy na kamong nagdadakulang pamilya pirming magkairibahan. Dawa kaidto pa, aktibo siya sa pag-urulian. Kun igwang tiempo haling Manila kaidto, siya mauli ta mauli ta ngani sanang kamo gabos magkanuruparan, magkairistoryahan. Mayo siyang panama sa pungaw sa siyudad—pirming an puso niya minabuwelta kun sain asin kiisay ini igwang lealtad.

Ki Mente yaon an pagkamatinao, an pagma’wot makatabang nang gayo sa siisay na nangangaipo. Iyong gayo an naiisip mo, sa ngonyan na mga tiempo, garong kandidato, nagpapanao nin kun ano-ano sa kada barrio—alagad pagmáte mo, an padangat mong tugang na ini ho, bakong pulitiko.

Sa eskwelahan sagkod sa barangay kaidto, natawan siya nin pagkakataon na magdalagan sa lokal na pwesto—alagad garo bagang dinehado. Duman siya nakanood na dai niya kaipuhan nin hagban na puwesto ta nganing matuod na magserbisyo—“to serve and not to count the cost,” nanu’dan niya sa sarong dating poderosong militar na an ngaran San Ignacio kan pagkaadal niya sa Ateneo. Garo nabasa na nindo an istoryang ini’ho. Iyo, tama an iniisip mo. Sa saiyang daghan, yaon si Kristo.

Yaon ki Mente an paggalang sa mga tawong nasa katungdan—an pagbisto sa kapasidad kan katungdan para sa kapakanan kan kadaklan; bako kan partikular na tawong yaon sa pwesto. Siring niya ngonyan na yaon sa gobyerno sa serbisyo publiko—siya ngonyan iyong tinutubudan, pighahagadan nin tabang, sinasarigan.

RosarioKi Nene mo, yaon an kaogmahan nindong magturugang. Yaon saiya an pakikipagsapalaran. Pagkaagom ni irmana mo dangan kan magpamilya na, nahiling mo saiya an isog kan sarong babaying igwang paninindugan. Sa sibot na siyudad na saiyang dinayo, nagpundar siya duman dangan nagpadakula nin pamilya—katuwang an saiyang mamomo’ton na bana. Nagdadakula an saindang pamilya dangan padagos na nagdadanay sa biyaya nin Diyos.

Yaon saiya an pagkamaginibo. Siring man nindo, sa ara-aldaw na ginibo nin Diyos, nagtatrabaho. Siring man saindo, nagseserbisyo-publiko, nakikiulay sa mga nangangaipo, sa maraming tao’y nakikitungo.

Dangan man an pagkamatinao. Dawa kadtong daraga pa sana siya—hugos nang entiro sa saiyang mga sobrena asin mga sobreno, napapaogma ining mga kaakian sa harong man o sa tinampo. An pagtabang sa tugang na natitikapo—yaon na gayo. An paghadoy sa arog mong nasasakitan garo niya na baga naging pangangaipo.

Siempre yaon saiya an pagkamainamigo. Sa dakul niyang naging amiga sagkod amigo—yaon an mga pinsan, mga kairiba sa kwarto, mga dating kabiristo—ngonyan siya asin an saiyang pamilya nakakapadayon, matiwasay na nakakadungan sa buhay sa siyudad na pano nin gamo.


Ngonyan sa saimong pagsosolosolo, nadumduman mo an mga tugang na kairi-iriba mo sa harong nindo kadtong nakaaging tiempo—alagad ngonyan yaon na sa saindang sadiring mga estado. Gabos na sainda pamilyado; dangan man saimo. Namamatean mo an siring na biyaya orog ngonyan na ika harayo na sainda, sindá na sa ining dalagan kan búhay, iyo an saimong mga parte-daryo.

Napagamiaw saimo kan saindang mga agi-agi—pagkatapos kamong magkairilo pagkagadan kan ama mo saradit pa sana kamo dangan pagtaliwan kan Iloy nindo kadtong darakula na kamo—na nungka kamo liningawan kan Diyos na saindong tinutubudan.

Dios mabalos sa mga Kristo sa daghan na iyo an mga tugang mo.


Biernes Santo
Calle Fatima, San Vicente
Diliman 

My Leoncio Deriada Review Appears on Aklan-based The Explorer!



Saturday, May 25, 2013

A Man Apart


I like him—not necessarily because he Like!s everything I post on this media site (well, he doesn’t) but because since he has not liked everything I have posted here, therefore we don’t necessarily agree on everything—and that feels good.

I like him—not necessarily because he covered me from the bullies in high school when I first came to the Ateneo as a wide-eyed freshman; but because he rather allowed me to explore the same halls of learning myself, two years after he himself experienced its culture of privilege and excellence.

I like him—not because one time he cried foul—(he did not even scold me)—when he saw me using his Mendrez shoes in the same NatSci class we were in—but because he just kept his cool about it, and did not really mind.

I like him—not necessarily because he once told me to pursue my passion to write but because he constantly articulately shares with me the portrait of some beautiful past, some house of memory to where I constantly return—through writing.

I like him—not necessarily because he helped me find some place to stay when I finally quit working in the province to seek the busy life in the bigger city; but because he regretted it when I constantly consciously let opportunities pass me perhaps only because at that time, I thought I had thousands of them.

I like him—not necessarily because he gave me words of advice when I almost gave up the city life but because he shared silence even when he saw I was missing greater opportunities when I was about to quit.

I like him—not necessarily because he gave me money when I was broke but because he constantly reminded me that there are no rich people who cannot be in need and there are no poor people who cannot afford to give. (These words—or their sense which he must have first heard and understood in the chapel where we attended Sunday Masses—now spoke to me more than they sounded.)

I like him—not necessarily because he hosted me unfailingly in the house which he helped establish with his wife in the city but because he shared with me his blessing of children and family in an otherwise unfriendly city.

I like him—not necessarily because every Sunday he sends me a personalized text message about the priest’s homily, but because with it he reminds me of God’s unfailing love and my mortality.

I like him—not necessarily because since he has discovered running, he has encouraged practically everyone he knows to take to it seriously; but because his effort to convince them about its benefits helped everyone to have the necessary diversion from the daily grind.

I like him—not necessarily because in the past, for countless times, he shared material comfort in that one household of modest means, one almost in constant need at the time—but because his generosity and sense of always sharing what he had been given put a smile on the face of each of us in the family.

Indeed, the man I am talking about sounds familiar. And all this time, I have always admired him. Perhaps after all my heroes die and my idols fall, on my list he will sure be the last to inspire. I am privileged to have known this man. And I respect him. My dear brother, Mentz. 

Tuesday, March 05, 2013

The Writer of Our Discontent

Mayong maogmang persona sa mga obra ni Frank Peñones, Jr. Kun igwa man ngaya, mabibilang ta sana sa muro an magayagayang mga tema sa saiyang mga rawitdawit. Bako man nin huli ta gabos sainda nagmumundo kundi nin huli ta an kadaklan sainda igwang dakulang disgusto sa mga bagay sa palibot ninda.


In 2010, Bikol poet Frank Peñones, Jr. (FPJ)
considered that the plethora of Bikol literature,
flowing from the current output of individual writers altogether
contribute to the flowering of the Bikol literature.
Gabos sainda igwang mga isyu—igwang mga reklamo. Partikularmente, kadaklan sainda, dai kuntento, o masasabi tang mayo nin kaogmahan sa mundo. Sa manlaen laen na rason. Kun ano-anong kadahilanan—alagad ta sa kadaklan na beses, nin huli ta sinda nadada’tugan, natutu’makan, o nasasaniban.

Normal man sana ini—kun susumahon ta o kun hihilingon ta an palibot kun sain nabuhay si Frank Peñones, Jr. Nabuhay si Frank Peñones, Jr. (FPJ) bako man gayong harayo sa palibot na pig-itokan kan kinaban kan saro pa man na FPJ—an artistang si Fernando Poe, Jr.

Puwede ta nganing sabihon na an duwang FPJ—duwa katao, sarong pangaran—nin huli man sana ta tibaad pareho an karera ninda sa buhay. Magtao nin boses sa saradit, sa inaapi, sa dinuduhagi, sa mayo nin lugar sa kinaban na ini.

Mala ngani ta sa enot na tataramon ni Paz Verdades Santos sa Cancion can Tawong Lipod, an panduwang poetry anthology ni Frank Peñones, Jr. na paluwas pa sana, nasilag kan Bikolista kun pa’no siya nagpumirit na ipadangog an saiyang tingog sa saiyang mga kahimanwa dangan man sa gabos na Pilipino.

Sa nasambit nang koleksyon, sinaro-saro ni Frank Peñones, Jr. an pagbubuyboy niya sa mga isyu kan saiyang banwa. Gamit an manlainlain na persona sa saiyang mga tula, tinawan duon ni Frank Peñones, Jr. an balor kan paghiling kan mga Bikolano sa saindang sadiring dila, na nangangahulugan nin pagrumpag kan mga institusyon arog kan gobyerno, simbahan asin ano man na status quo.

Sa kadaklan niyang mga obra, tinuya-tuya niya an mga yaon sa poder. Binunyag niya an mga anomaliya kan mga poderosong abusado arog kan academya, kamara asin pulisiya.

Sa mahahamot na rima sagkod mga paghorop-horop sa nagkapirang buhay kan saiyang mga persona, hinalayhay niya sa madla an bata kan sosyedad na minaratak sa derechos kan ordinaryong Bikolano.

Ano daw ta igwang kung anong kamunduan sa kada tingog na pinapataram sa mga obrang sini ni Frank Peñones, Jr.?

Friday, February 15, 2013

Feeling Good


Birds flying high; you know how I feel
Sun in the sky;  you know how I feel




Breeze drifting on by; 
you know how I feel




It’s a new dawn; 
it’s a new day,
It’s a new life for me

and I’m feeling good


Fish in the sea;
you know how I feel

River running free;
you know how I feel

Blossom on the tree;
you know how I feel


 


Dragonfly out in the sun;
you know what I mean, 
don’t you know

Butterflies all having fun;
you know what I mean




Sleep in peace 
when day is done;
that’s what I mean




And this old world is a new world;
and a bold world for me





Stars when you shine
you know how I feel

Scent of the pine
you know how I feel




Oh freedom is mine;
and I know how I feel 



It’s a new dawn; 
it’s a new day,

It’s a new life for me
and I’m feeling good







Words and Music 
by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse
1965

Friday, February 01, 2013

Kadakul Mga Sementadong Agihan sa Ateneo de Manila


Kadakul mga sementadong agihan sa laog kan Ateneo de Manila.

Kadakuldakul igwang sasakyan na nagraralaog sa campus, alagad kadakul man an pwedeng agihan kan mga nagralalakaw na arog ko. 

Sa arog kong naglalakaw palaog sa eskwelahan na ini, igwang halaga an mga agihan na ini. Kun palaog pa sana ako dangan maduman ako sa bagong Rizal Library, pwede akong mag-agi sa Gate 3, kun saen makurbada an sementadong agihan parani sa mga edipisyo kan Ateneo, pabalyo sa University Drive, pirang lakad na sana sa tugsaran kan Rizal Library. 

Kadakuldakul puwede kong agihan sa palibot kan eskwelahan. Sa mga agihan na ini, nasususog ko an mga opisinang pwede kong dumanan; dangan an mga transaksyon sa mga opisinang kaipuhan kong tapuson. Igwang mga sementadong agihan hali sa canteen pabalyo sa Faura Hall, hali sa bagong Library paduman sa lumang Rizal Library; dangan man hali sa Registrar’s pasiring sa Pangilinan Center for Student Leadership.

Marahay-rahay an ginibo kan Ateneo administration para sa mga arog kong pedestrian. Pigrala’gan ninda nin kadakul na aagihan sa campus ta nahiling nindang kadakul na estudyanteng nagraralakaw. 

Magayon magparalakaw sana sa laog kan campus kan Ateneo de Manila. 

Marhay siring man an naisip kan administrasyon na magtanom nin mga dakul na kakahuyan sa tahaw kan maribok na Katipunan area sa Loyola Heights. An kadaklan na building digdi yaon sa tahaw kan mga dakul na kakahuyan na garo man sana kadlagan. Pag-agi mo sa garo sadit na kadlagan na ini, dai mo maririsang yaon ka sa siyudad. 

Pagkatapos kong maagihan an sadit na kadlagan na ini, maaabot ko na an mahiwas na football field, ­harani diretso paluwas sa Gate 2, kun saen pwede akong maghalat nin jeep ukon taxi paluwas sa Katipunan.

Paglakaw-lakaw ko sa mga agihan na ini, mamamate kong yaon palan ako sa sarong trangkilong lugar—sa lindong kan nagkapirang mga narra asin acacia, marurumduman ko kun saen na ako nakaabot, dangan mapag-iisip-isip ko kun saen naman ako maduman.

Dai nararayo an mga istrukturang ini sa natura kan sakong ginigibo ngonyan.

Sa laog kan library kan Ateneo, kadakul akong nagkakarabasang mga scholars sagkod writers na pwede kong susugon ta nganing magkaigwa nin direksyon an papel na sakong susuraton dangan kaipuhan tapuson sa lalong madaling panahon. 

An mga ideyang nagkakabarasa ko iyo man an magiya sako kan ano man an pwede kong ihiras o ilantad sa  sakong papel ngapit. 

Ms. Doreen Fernandez
Sa “Research in the Highways and Byways: Non Traditional Sources for Literary and Other Research” ni Doreen Fernandez, kadakul an pwedeng susugon kan scholars na arog ko kun pa’no makukua an mga impormasyon na pwedeng pag-adalan.

Susog ki Fernandez, dawa yaon na kita sa panahon nin internet, kaipuhan ta man giraray bweltahan an fieldwork na iyo an mga enot na pamaagi nin pagkalap nin impormasyon para sa satong project, literary man o bako. Kadakul-dakul an pwedeng agihan ta nganing malaog an kinaban na pag-aadalan.

Saro na digdi an pakikipag-ulay  mismo sa mga tawo, na pwedeng magtao nin yaman kan eksperyensya sa kung anong tema. Yaon man an mga sightings o idtong mga daan nang mga dokumento o materyales arog kan mga peryodiko, souvenir programs, o mga noticia kan KBL (kasag binyag libing) kan mga tawo sa sarong lugar asin iba pa. 

Susog pa ki Fernandez, orog na igwang pakinabang idtong mga daan nang mga vocabulario (dictionaries) na pwedeng makua sa sarong lumang harong. Sa ganang kanya, ini an mga pamaaging sinusog ni Fernandez kan sinundan niya an pag-adal kan native drama sa akademya.

Sarong padabang maestra sa Ateneo si Doreen Fernandez. Dawa mayo na ngani siya, an tinunton niyang agihan iyo an naggigiya sa nagkapira niyang estudyanteng ngonyan nagtuturukdo na man digdi sa Ateneo.

Siring man, sa Brains of the Nation: Pedro Paterno, T. H. Pardo De Tavera, Isabelo De Los Reyes and the Production of Modern Knowledge ni Resil Mojares, tinunton kan mahigos na Cebuano scholar na ini an mga agi-agi kan nasabi nang tolong ilustrado na kontemporanyo ni Jose Rizal kadtong turn-of-the-century Philippines.

Susog ki Mojares, sa dakilang balimbing na si Pedro Paterno asin sa siyentipikong si Trinidad Pardo de Tavera masisipat kan iskolar an mga klase nin pag-ako kan mga Pilipino sa kolonyal na mananakop na Kastila sagkod Amerikano.

Susog ki Mojares, ano an dalan na inagihan ni Paterno? Ngonyan na panahon, dai man nanggad siya bisto sa pahina kan satong kasaysayan apwera na siya an sinasabing Dakilang Balimbing sa istorya kan banwang Filipinas. 

Ipinangaki na Chinese mestizo, nag-istar si Paterno asin nag-adal sa Espanya; nakiamigo sa mga maimpluwensyang Kastila; dangan nabuhay na Espanya sa kwarta kan pyudal na palakaw kan saindang mga kadadagaan digdi sa Pilipinas.  Kan mawa'ran na nin poder an Kastila na haloy man na panahon niyang inadalan, sinerbihan dangan linangkaba, nagpakupkop tulos si Paterno sa mga impluwensya kan mga Amerikano asin ta nagin pang tagapamayo kan Malolos Congress dangan miembro kan First Philippine Assembly. 

Arog ni Rizal, halangkaw an pinag-adalan ni Paterno; alagad ta an gabos niyang napag-adalan iyo man sana an nagpugol saiyang dai maghulagpos hali sa poder kan regimeng Kastila.

Saro man na maray na linalang na luminakaw sa daga si Trinidad Pardo de Tavera. Kan siya nagin doktor pagkatapos mag-adal sa Pransya, dakul an sainyang nailagda na mga publikasyon bako lang manongod sa medicina, kundi patin sa mga aspeto historical kag kultural kan satong bansa. 

Alagad siring man kan ibang miembro kan mga landlord class kaidtong panahon, asimilasyon sana kan kultura kan mananakop an muya ni Pardo de Tavera asin bako man nanggad totoong katalingkasan kan Pilipinas. Palibhasa edukado kan Sulnupan an duwa, dai ninda malikawan an gabos na pinag-adalan na naglalangkaba sa banyaga asin an sociedad na saindang ma'wot na dai marumpag. Kan uminarabot an mga Amerikano, dai sinda nin ibang alternatibo kundi magluhod, mag-arang, magsamba sa bagong kagrogaring kan banwa.


Luwas sa pagigi nindang mga asimilador kan duwang kulturang banyaga, dinara kan duwang ilustradong ini an posibilidad na pwedeng gibohon kan siisay man na Pilipino. Pareho sinda kagsurat kan mga libro sa manlaenlaen na disiplina. Dai matatawaran an saindang tali, an pagkamaalam ninda sa lado nin historia, siyensya asin literatura.

Alagad an kadunungan man sana ninda dangan an kamawotan na makisama sa mga nasa poder an nagpugol ta nganing dai sinda bistohon sa historia kan satong banwa.

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