Sudden Fiction

DPC Speech

2010-02-03T22:17:00.000+08:00

The 24th PLDT-DPC Directory Cover Visual Art National Competition:

A Tribute to President Cory Aquino

February 3, 2010, The National Museum

Good afternoon. We thank PLDT-DPC for giving us the opportunity to address the artists’ community, specifically, the young artists, who are with us here today.

The role of the arts in the development of Philippine society has been as important as the discourse of the economy and of politics. As a nation rich in culture and the arts, one has to look into the paintings, literary writings and performances of its artists to discover its lush history.

Art has provided the fiber to its people when society’s structures begin to crumble. The Filipino, whenever he is in dilemma, has always gone back to its cultural roots, has expressed its joys and sufferings, its triumphs and failures, through our mothers’ lullabies, through the stories of our fathers, through the canvas, music and dance of our forefathers.

Clearly, the arts is even more pivotal now as we move to a mode of reform in every aspect of social life. Art has to vibrantly color once again the hope of nation, to beautifully paint the values that we have seemingly forgotten, to recreate sceneries of development, to draw the true soul of the Filipino, full of strength, of perseverance and of faith.

It is just fitting that the theme for this year’s competition is about the late President Cory Aquino. She has provided us an example of the individual, who was able to redefine herself for a dream larger than hers, a dream that was not hers, yet was able to embrace it and live it. Truly, she embodied that the Filipino is worth living for.

Last week, Tita Cory’s first birthday after her passing, the foundation launched the second phase of the iamninoy movement. Let us watch the AVP.

We now invite you to join us in this movement of heroism and sacrifice, of spirituality and love, of self-transformation and leadership. As the youth have embraced heroism through fashion in the shirts and the other merchandise, we aim for a deeper engagement and involvement as we live out such values.

Currently, we have iamninoy-iamcory runners,

iamninoy-iamcory cyclists,

iamninoy-iamcory bloggers

iamninoy-iamcory youth organizations from the Ateneo de Manila University, De La Salle University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, La Consolacion College, and in the other schools as far as Tarlac and Cebu who have joined our movement.

And now, we invite you to be our iamninoy-iamcory artists.

Together, let us use your talents to paint a better future for us, to recreate a nation of heroes, to redefine the Filipino identity. May Cory Aquino’s spirit of sacrifice live among us. Thank you very much.

Sacred Heart Cebu Address

2009-11-30T20:48:00.001+08:00

Boom Enriquez

iamninoy movement

Sacred Heart Cebu Address

Film Showing of “Last Journey of Ninoy”

November 27, 2009

To the Sacred Heart administrators, faculty, alumni, and of course, to you dear students, a pleasant morning. We, as Filipinos, were fortunate enough that in this month of November, we have witnessed two of our fellow countrymen rise up to the global stage and proclaim themselves heroes in their own right.

Embodying the spirit of Filipino volunteerism that bloomed in this very special year of tragedies and challenges, Efren Penaflorida Jr. was named 2009 CNN Hero of the Year. The Cavite City native pioneered a brand of mobile education or what we call kariton klasrum for the urban poor youth. Let me quote him. In his acceptance speech, he says, “Each person has a hidden hero within, you just have to look inside you and search it in your heart, and be the hero to the next one in need.” Beautifully said.

And of course, who will ever forget as the world was able to witness the raw power and speed of Manny Pacquiao in capturing an unprecedented 7^th world title in 7 weight divisions, the first man to do it. By stopping the Puerto Rican Miguel Cotto, our ‘pambansang kamao’ has made boxing history that we may never be able to see again in our lifetime.

Amidst of all the tragedies that has befallen our country this year, these two Filipinos have validated that the Filipino spirit is as strong and willful, that it will not be shaken and that its world-class strength is worth to be respected.

Such accomplishments of two fine young men have made it easier for educators, formators and development workers to promote what heroism and its values mean. Often times in this modern day, it seems that we have failed to look for and locate heroes and in that, we often do not understand what heroism means. Our seemingly misrepresentation of heroism through death for the country by firing squad has made heroism an alien concept to us, especially to the current generation. And yet, with Penaflorida and Pacquiao, they give us the perfect cases for discussion and reflection of what it means to be a hero today.

The Benigno S. Aquino, Jr. Foundation whose task is to keep the spirit of heroism alive through the legacy of Ninoy Aquino has created the iamninoy movement in celebration of his 25^th death anniversary last August 2008. It is a celebration of hope and idealism, a freedom movement, a community of heroes – heroes who give out of sheer selflessness and serve the country the best way they can.

In other words, it is our campaign of making heroism cool, hip, and relevant to today’s youth – to you, my dear students.

We were concerned about the next generation of Filipinos who would have seemed to forget who Ninoy Aquino was, nor what he did for our country. We were concerned about how the youth would not be able to appreciate the freedom that we are experiencing right now, the freedom to log on to our facebook and twitter accounts and be able to update our statuses every hour, about how we are currently feeling, what we are doing and what do we really want for al of our friends to see.

Apparently, some 30 years ago, such freedom of being able to say what you want to say was prohibited. And Ninoy Aquino just helped us in reclaiming that freedom.

Thus, numerous efforts have been put into place so that you – our dear youth would not forget what Ninoy did and what he has sacrificed for us. Several modes of partnership such as t-shirts, bags and other merchandise have been designed for you to wear heroism. The modern hero was written about in books and through your language, through websites and blogs in the Internet so that you, yourselves, would be able to describe what heroes are for you.

Today, November 27, 2009, is the birth anniversary of Ninoy Aquino and we are thankful that for one whole day, we are to hold several film showings of the documentary, “The Last Journey of Ninoy”. Produced by Unitel and the Aquino Foundation and directed by Jun Reyes, the film takes us to the last moments of a man who readily died for his country in 1983.

In 1983, I was just barely a year old.

And I’m sure, in 1983, none of you were born yet.

This is our effort to visualize to the visual learners and explain to the current generation of what the concept of sacrifice is, of what we mean by being a true hero, of why being selfless is cooler, hipper and more relevant than being self-absorbed.

For about an hour, let us take you to the life of a man who had big dreams and ambitions for himself. Like most of us, we have created dreams for ourselves. And yet, he was able to let go of such personal ambitions for a greater good.

From an ordinary man, he became an extraordinary hero.

And let his story be our story.

Thank you very much and again, good morning.

2009-09-01T19:13:00.002+08:00

edukadong burgis 1
boomenriquez

bagyong jolina
signal 3 sa kamaynilaan
nagsasayawan ang billboard ng anghel at darna
nadadasal na huwag mahulog kay sta. clara

putputan nang putputan
patay-bukas ang ilaw ng mga sasakyan
si manong asul
huthutan pa rin nang huthutan

si kuya baktong
naka-paa
naka-cool air
(iyong sandong butas-butas)
basa sa grasa
at polluted water (tonong kolehiyala)
baka may leptospirosis pa

tumatakbong may basahan
pinunasan
ang windshield
ang bintana
ng drayber
ng passenger seat
sa likod
ng mga nasa passenger seat sa likod

kumatok si kuya baktong
kay edukadong burgis
na himas-himas ang kanyang kambyo

kumatok pabalik
si edukadong burgis
tuyong-tuyo ang labi
at sabi
‘di ko naman siya matutulungan
ipang-iinom lang ang Aking barya
o ipantataya sa lotto’

isa -
- ndaang milyon na ang jackpot.

‘sa mga institusyon na lang ako tutulong
siguradong mapupunta sa tama ang aking barya.’
sabay lamas sa suso ng nasa passenger seat
at humarurot papuntang motmot sa kalentong.

pagdating
ni kuya baktong
sa kubo-kubo sa gilid
hinihimas ng ina ang anak
nilalamas,
baka buhay pa

kinuha ni kuya ang bata
at tinapon sa ilog
kasama ang basahang
walang kinita
kahit barya.

080309

paano ba.

2009-07-25T00:06:00.001+08:00

paano ba.
maipaparamdam
ang pag-ibig
ko.
sa iyo

maging sapat ba.
ang pagbigkas ng iyong pangalan
ang pagdantay ng labi sa iyong pisngi
ang paghawak sa kamay sa paglubog ng araw

ang tumula’t manalinghaga
tungkol sa bulaklak at alaala
ang mag-alay ng uyayi
nang mapawi ang luha

sa pagdating ng takipsilim
bibilangin ko ang lahat ng tala
hahanapin ko ang pinakamalaya
nang ang puso ko.
iaalay.
sa iyo.

JUICYLICIOUS, CRISPYLICIOUS. MY SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION OF JOLLIBEE

2009-07-05T18:37:00.002+08:00

This is my first paper for my Introduction to Sociological Perspectives Class. The instruction was just to write about a social phenomenon and try to apply the C. Wright Mills’ Sociological Imagination in three pages. Thus, formal discussion of structure and theory was not being asked. I wrote the piece before reading McDonaldization of Society to test if I still had my sociologist in me. In terms of the writing style, I experimented on the creative non-fiction type of essay to have that personal and not-so-technical feel.
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JUICYLICIOUS, CRISPYLICIOUS. MY SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION OF JOLLIBEE
Boom Enriquez, MA Sociology

Ever since I was a kid, my favorite fast food chain to eat to is Jollibee. The Jollibee fried chicken was and still is my favorite. Before even Aga Mulach started endorsing the chicken, I dreamed of having my chicken, rice and gravy after a successful academic quarter when I was in grade school. As I got older and bigger, so was my appetite. My order became 2-piece chicken, 2 cups of rice and gravy. Together with my high school barkada, we ‘triked (rode a tricycle) off’ to Katipunan Avenue to nourish our hungry stomachs every week.

As I matured, I went back to my roots. It was as if I was going home to Pampanga when Jollibee introduced the fiesta meal. For a month, my college friend, Jay, and I literally dined in everyday just to order the pancit palabok, fried chicken, rice and gravy. We called that being our ‘Jabee dates’ as we went our way just to eat that it got worse to the point that our girlfriends got jealous of what we were doing.

Today, my capacity and desire to eat as much as before dwindled, but still the non-negotiable is still the Jolly chicken.
C. Wright Mills has invited everyone to look at the personal trouble (in this case, personal delight) to look beyond the private experience and see the relations of it to the bigger whole. Structural changes in history and institutions have furthered affected the personal man, making the personal trouble a symptom of an underlying issue in the public space.

Mills encourages us to privatize the publics and publicize the privates. He states, “no problems of 'the private life' can be stated and solved without recognition of the crisis of ambition that is part of the very career of people at work in the incorporated economy”. With that, it is no doubt that the consumption of a fried chicken or a grilled burger in a fast food set-up represents a much bigger phenomenon and it has been embedded in the Filipino lifestyle.

The fast food era has embodied modernization. Filipino values of family, leisure, ritual and food culture have been profoundly affected with the development of the fast food industry the past few decades. Together with the entry of multi-national corporations, the fast food industry’s contribution to the economic growth (or un-growth) has paved the way in the development of the Filipino’s modern pacing and lifestyle.

Time. Mealtime has been industrialized. Before, the chefs, cooks and mothers picked vegetables in their gardens, and bought chunks of meat from the market. Now, machines and an assembly line cuts, stores, fries and serves the chicken, cutting the preparation of the meal into minutes. For a fast paced kind of lifestyle in the modern urban era, even eating should keep with the pace.

Cooking is supposed to be an art. Timing of the ripeness/rawness, presentation, taste, color and other factors contribute in creating unique cuisines. Yet with the fast food stores, cooking is a step-by-step process like making toothpaste in a manufacturing company. The food is no longer the cook’s creation; rather, it becomes a product of the company.
Taste. Fast food is to make you full more than to make you satisfied. Standardization of the taste comes into play. The Jolly chicken in Manila tastes like the Jolly chicken in Cebu.

Natural and nutrition now take a back seat with preservatives and other non-healthy materials are put into the food for storage and restoration. To induce the real taste of food, it has to have other additives that may not be healthy for the body. As in modernization, there are so many additions to somehow emulate to what is perceived to be as a normal lifestyle.
Family Bonding. The dynamics of the Filipino family has also been affected with the emergence of the fast food industry. Mealtime, before, was a family ritual, which was usually done at home. Traditionally, everyone helps in the cooking and preparation of the meal, and then everyone sits down to partake in the meal.

Now, home is just another option for the family to choose as eating space. There is a de-ritiualization of the meal. With lunch having to be consumed for a specific number of minutes because there are others waiting for the occupancy of the seats, conversations over mealtime is no longer practiced. Family bonding needs to create other spaces as lunches are reduced to food consumptions.

Consumption. “Is that all, sir?” That is the standard line of the person at the point of sale whenever I finish ordering. It may just be a clarificatory question making sure that they have gotten the orders right. But in the modern capitalist society, it is an encouragement to order and consume more.

There are different sizes of burgers, fries, and drinks. There are different sizes of amounts, from the small, medium, large to today’s biggie, venti and grande sizes. Fast food chains maintain the capitalistic notion of consumption, encouraging the Filipino to spend ‘bigger’. The practice is to make a certain combination of food, either I like everything on it or not, making this as a packaged meal. This is supposed to be cheaper as compared as to buying separate entities.

Media. Media plays a big part in the consumeristic culture that we have. The television is as powerful as it has never been, making the air space very expensive and lucrative. Who else would embody Jollibee but by one of the most handsome Filipino actors in history, Aga Mulach? His recall is undisputable. From the Bagets days to now him being a family man at 40, his star power is immeasurable.

Every male dreams of being Aga and by eating what he endorses, the Filipino male hopes to capture even the tiniest bit of his beauty. With his beautiful family tugging along, the Filipino family is driven to consume what the Mulach family consumes.
Food culture. Jollibee has reached all economic statuses in the Philippines. Whenever I go home in the province, my cousins, nephews and nieces ask me to bring them to the nearest Jollibee store so they can eat fried chicken and sweet spaghetti. I would rather prefer to eat the authentic Kapampangan home-cooked meal. But for them, eating at Jollibee is as good as eating a fine dining meal.

Status. The fast food; therefore, helps in dictating the socio-economic class. The filthy rich do not go to such food chains. They do not consider it as food. The bourgeoisie eats at chains regularly to maintain their fast-paced lifestyle. As for the lower class, eating at fast food chains is a reward that they eat there if there are reasons to spend more than they usually spend.

Globalization. The company’s website states, “[Jollibee] is a stronghold of heritage and monument of the Filipino victory”. In a sense, Jollibee becomes a status symbol for the country. Just like Manny Pacquiao, the Jollibee is a symbol of triumph, specifically, a conquest over the colonizer, which is symbolized by Mc Donald’s. In all of the countries, I have read somewhere that the Philippines is the only country wherein McDonald’s is just second to the market leader. It has tried to reinvent its menu, localize its campaigns and yet through all these years, the Filipinos still come more to Jollibee.

To add to that, Jollibee has ridden globalization that there are 50 international food chains in other countries. Notable here is the popularity of the Los Angeles branch, which I hear is doing well. Does this symbolize an attempt to colonize the former colonizer? Does this penetration of the US market represent a turn-of-the-table type of assimilation? Having so many Filipinos in the California area, does the Filipino, through its food culture, influence the food culture of the Americans? Together with the Diaspora of the Filipino workers, can we call this the Filipinization of the world?

I don’t believe that my frequency for fast food will be lessened through this discussion. I, as a regular-wage earner, cannot afford to go to fine dining restaurants always as the others do. In addition, the fast food concept complements the pacing of my city life vis-à-vis my personal life. It is, therefore, a challenge for me to continue reflecting upon this personal delight of mine and provide further inquiry to the public issue it has profoundly developed in the culture of the contemporary Filipino.

Sources
• Jollibee. Retrieved last June 30, 2009 from http://www.jollibee.com.ph/.
• Mills, C. Wright. The Sociological Imagination (1959). Retrieved last June 30, 2009 from http://legacy.lclark.edu/~goldman/socimagination.html.

Sipping Coffee

2009-06-02T08:30:00.000+08:00

Sipping Coffee
Boom Enriquez

Café Mocha. Medium-Sized. It’s the perfect drink. As I rest on a couch in one of the coffee shops along Katipunan Avenue, I observe the movements of people going in and out. Coming from different walks of life and ages, they come in, stay for an hour or two, and then go. I, for one, appreciate this kind of lifestyle. I like to listen to the sounds of chatter of peoples, the smell of brewed coffee and the feel of urban life. It suites me and the others who’d rather sit to quiet down than go out for drinks and dance.

The coffee shop experience is assimilated in the modern Filipino. Ray Oldenburg’s theory of the ‘third place’ is aptly observed in the habit. Aside from the home and work, there is a need to have that ‘third place’ for one to let go of his apprehensions and just relax. The café phenomenon has embraced that. In Katipunan alone, there are more than ten cafés for people to stay, reflect and be with themselves.

I just finished running a workshop to a group of students who were preparing for their organization for the coming year. I was there to facilitate their plans and projects. They were impressive; they actually had good goals for their group. They were excited for the year. They realized that they could actually affect change. I, too, was in a good mood. I ended it with the line, “We live in extraordinary times; thus, there’s no reason for us not to be extraordinary”.

I would like to believe in that. With the advancements in technology, breakthroughs in modernity, unlimited opportunities for development, and the upcoming national elections, I think we will have better lives in the next few years.

By the end of June, two of my good friends are leaving the Philippines and work abroad. Whenever that crosses my mind, I feel a certain mix of happiness, relief and envy. They deserve better lives, better careers, in spite of everything that they will be leaving. As for myself, I continue to prepare for that time to when I need to choose that road.

Harris will be leaving for Kuwait by the first week of that month. He will be bringing with him his creativity and gift for writing. When we talk, we talk about everything: from the gossips from his work, his actual work, to religion, philosophy and literature. Once we were having coffee, people were looking at us as we fought over Nietzsche, Marx and Kant until the wee hours of the night.

Noel will be leaving next. In every two weeks, he will be on transnational flights as he will be teaching piano and music lessons in Monaco and Qatar. I will miss his pastas and sauces. He taught me the differences in the tastes of wine and their origins, as he was a connoisseur. His playing of the piano and operatic voice were music to my ears. His passion for life exudes in his aura.

Thinking about their leaving makes me teary-eyed. But by this time, I should have gotten used to this. In the last 5 years or so, family and friends have left. I have a tito and tita in Hong Kong, a pinsan in Indonesia, a couple of kumpares and kumares in Singapore, some kapitbahays in Tel Aviv and Dubai, katrabahos in Japan and US, and some former kaklases and estudyantes in London and Canada. And every time one leaves, gloominess fills me up. There’s no difference with how I feel now.

My kid brother is now in a long-distance relationship. His girlfriend needed to go abroad for two years so that she can have a better chance at saving for her family. My girlfriend has a pending application to work in Australia. Once the country opens for recruitment again, anytime, she will be going there.

Is this the call of being extraordinary? To decide to uproot oneself and leave home? To sacrifice all the work and relationships that were developed and just make new ones?

It seems that I have misunderstood what extraordinary means. Being extraordinary today may mean joining the other eleven million Filipinos struggling in other countries, looking for and re-determining their identities in lands that never will be their own. Being extraordinary then is to hope that after living most of their adult life outside the country, they will be coming back to a life they used to hope that they have.

It takes a lot of courage and necessity to do join the Diaspora and this is an extraordinary decision. But come to think of it, with the numbers of working abroad rise steadily every year, it may just become as ordinary as the decision to go to college.

I also think about going. Who wouldn’t? With salaries three times as much as what I am having here, who wouldn’t want to have that? I plan to get married in a few years. The thought gives me the discomfort. How will I pay for the wedding? How will I pay for the rent and bills? How will I send my future children to school? How will I raise a family with my meager salary, which it can’t even support myself now?

But I do have the best job in the world. I work with young minds, eager to learn, with dreams bigger that my dreams, and hopes up as high as the skies. I feed off from their energies. I get a kick out of their aspirations in life. I keep telling them that success here is possible, that their goals are plausible.

I remember my pact to myself back in high school that I won’t leave the country. With clear vindication, I promised myself to slug it out here for the rest of my life.

Now that I am older, I think twice if ever I would not be breaking that vow. I feel that someday, I will be joining Noel and Harris and the others who are abroad, trying to fit in a different society, missing their own homes and families, at the expense of having a sustainable life. It’s as if I have a clock that is ticking until the alarm rings for me to wake up and go with them.

That truly saddens me.

Ironically, my work requires me to not give up and continue hoping. I need to inspire and motivate the young to stay, to fight it out here, and to eventually lead the country. Does this vulnerability make me unfit as a mentor and adviser? I hope not. I hope that it will make me more secure with my decision to stay on, continue to do what I do. I hope that somehow, all these questions that linger about stability will be answered.

I’m done with my coffee. It was good, as usual. I thank the barista for it. I decide to go home and get some sleep. For tomorrow, I will be running another workshop, guiding another group in their plans, forming young minds, telling them to be extraordinary in these extraordinary times.

Sa Iyong Kaarawan

2009-03-07T03:05:00.001+08:00

Sa gabing ito, nais kong pagmasdan ang buwan,
Titigan ang liwanag na pumapaimbulog mula sa kadiliman.

Nais kong mangarap.
Na gaya ng buwan,
Balutin ng aking pag-ibig,
Ang lahat ng iyong agam-agam.

mental block

2009-03-01T22:41:00.000+08:00

kahit pigain at palipitin;
walang nang mailalabas,
tuyo't ubos na.

ipukpok man sa pader;
dugo ang lalabas,
at di salita,
ideya,
o talinghaga.

tigang na nga ang aking lupa.

Realization

2008-07-07T08:53:00.001+08:00

The modern man is cursed to produce and create. To make him sit down and watch the sun set is to strip him off of his humanity.

Sumilao: Tagumpay ng Institusyon

2008-04-16T01:43:00.001+08:00

Isa sa mga konseptong paborito kong itinuturo ang institusyong panlipunan (marahil ay isinusuka na nga ng mga estudyante ko ito). Manghang-mangha ako kung paano naisakonsepto ng sibilisasyon ang kahalagahan ng isang institusyon at kung paano napapagalaw ito sa modernong mundo. Nabuo ang mga institusyon sa lipunan sa layuning palakasin at bigyang diin ang pinahahalagahan ng mga tao sa isang komunidad. Produkto ng tao ang institusyon para protektahan unang-una, ang tao, at ikalawa, ang sama-samang pinahahalagahan. Nais din protektahan ng mga institusyon ang lipunan mula sa mga taong may hawak ng kapangyarihan na hindi maisasantabi ang interes ng nakararami para sa sariling pagyaman.

Kung susundan ang kaso ng mga magsasakang taga-Sumilao, kahanga-hanga ang tagumpay na nakamit nila sa pagbabalik muli ng kanilang lupain. Ibig sabihin, naging epektibo ang paggawa nila ng pag-iingay para marinig, hindi lamang ng San Miguel at pamahalaan, kundi ng buong bansa na nakagugulat na hindi malay sa ganitong uri ng problema. Kabalintunaan ito dahil matingkad ang ganitong uri ng problema sa buong bansa at sa kanyanag kasaysayan, ngunit tila nakapikit ito sa pagtugon sa problema ng sakada.

Makikita rin ang tagumpay ng mga institusyong nakibahagi kung paano nila nagampanan ang kanilang mga tungkulin para tugunan ang pangangailangan ng tao na siyang pinagsisilbihan nila. Naipakita ang napakahalagang papel ng civil society sa pagpapatingkad ng kaso ng mga taga-Mindanao. Patuloy na umuusbong ang kapangyarihan ng civil society. Malawak ang kanilang saklaw, mula sa mga mag-aaral, akademya, Simbahan, hanggang sa NGO at PO.

Nais kong bigyang-diin kung paano nanguna ang Simbahan sa pagtataguyod ng paghingi ng solusyon sa problemang ito. Hindi pamumulitika o pakikialam sa pamahalaan marahil ang naging motibasyon ng Simbahan sa pagkakaroon ng posisyon ukol sa isyu, kundi nais iparating ang kahalagahan ng isang pananampalatayang nagtataguyod ng isang katarungan para sa lahat. Ang katarungan ay hindi lamang para sa mga taong may mabuti at maginhawang kalagayan sa lipunan, kundi ito ay para sa lahat. Ang pananampalataya ay hindi abstrakto, kundi umiiral sa araw-araw. Ang pag-iral nito ay mararanasan sa manipestasyon ng katarungan. Kung hindi nararanasan ang isang makatarungang lipunan, tinutulak ng pananampalataya ang tao para makamit ito.

Kahit paano, kailangang bigyan din ng komendasyon ang korporasyong nakipag-ayos sa mga magsasaka. Wala sa interes nila ang pakinggan ang hinaing ng nakababang uri. Ngunit, marahil dahil sa sunud-sunod na pag-iingay ng mga institusyon, kinailangan na rin nilang makinig at makibahagi sa pagbibigay solusyon. At ang pagbibigay ng lupa ang siyang hakbang.

Sa sama-sama at organisadong pagpapahayag, magkakaroon ng mas malakas na boses ang isyung itinataguyod. Pinatitingkad ng kaso ng Sumilao ang kahalagahan ng pagbibigay ng tiwala sa pinapahalagahan ng mga institusyong binuo ng lipunan.

Tinanong ng aking mga estudyante noon kung may pag-asa ba ang mga katulad ng mga taga-Sumilao na nasa mababang antas na nakikipagtunggali sa isang makapangyarihang institusyon. Marahil, mas malinaw na ang sagot ko ngayon.

Mukha

2008-03-18T08:55:00.001+08:00

Ngayong Semana Santa, sinisikap kong kausapin si Jess. Tuwing ganitong panahon, nasa ibang lugar ako na malayo sa aking pamilya para mahanap Siya. Mas kumportable ang ganoong sitwasyon dahil makapag-iisa ako, nakaayos ang pupuntahan ko sa isang kapaligirang maaring makapagdasal.

Ngunit ngayon, pinili ko na manatili sa bahay, makasama ang aking pamilya na matagal ko nang hindi nagagawa dahil abala ako sa ibang bagay. Mas mahirap na kausapin at hanapan nang oras ang pagsasarili.

Kaya sa bawat panahong nakapag-iisa, isinisingit ko ang gawaing iyon. Oo, mali iyon dahil kailangang hanapan talaga ng oras. Ngunit, nagsusulat ako ngayon bilang pagbabahagi at hindi bilang pagdedepensa ng aking mga desisyon.

Isa sa mga nagustuhan kong konsepto ng pamimilosopiya ay nang mabanggit ni Levinas ang pagkamangha sa pagkakakita sa mukha ng kapwa. Mapapatigil ang isang tao at makikita ang tunay na pag-iral niya sa pagtatanto niya sa mukha ng kapwa. Dahil sa mukha ng kapwa, makikita ang pagkahubad nito, at matutuklasan ang sariling pag-iral sa paggunita ng sariling pagkahubad at pagkatao.

Ito ngayon ang motif ng aking pagninilay. Hanapin ang Diyos sa mukha ng kapwa. Babasahin ko nga ang Ethics and Infinity ni Levinas ngayong buwan para sa aking pagninilay. Madadagdagan pa ang aking pagninilay sa mga susunod na araw.

Favorite Line from Kuko

2008-02-20T10:27:00.000+08:00

Ang paborito naming linya nina Perry at Dom mula Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag ni Edgardo Reyes:

Pol: "Kalimutan mo na si Ligaya. Hindi ka liligaya sa isang Ligayang hindi mo makita."

Sayang. Hindi namin lubusang masinsin at mayakap ang giyera laban sa city ni Julio dahil kulang sa oras.

Tama si Pol, bitawan na ang hindi naman makita. Hehe.

Ibang Nibel

2008-02-06T01:29:00.000+08:00

Ganoon pala talaga. Handa mong bitawan ang lahat kung kailangan.

Aral sa Pagtuturo

2008-01-28T07:06:00.000+08:00

Hindi ako naniniwala sa kasabihang may matutunan ako sa aking mga mag-aaral kahit na ako ang guro. Hindi ko nga alam kung natututo sila sa akin, puro kabastusan at pagtataray lang ang ginagawa ko sa loob ng silid-aralan. Hindi sa mayabang ako o kung anuman, hindi ko pa kasi nararanasan ito.

Nakatutuwang isipin na sa mga huling buwan ko sa pagtuturo, tsaka ko malalamang may katotohanan ang kasabihang iyon. At hindi pa sa loob ng paaralan ko matutunan ito mula sa aking mag-aaral.

Ang sabi niya, bakit pa raw siya magagalit sa isang tao ngayong papalapit na ang katapusan? Natigilan ako. Bahagi ako sa pagdarama ng hindi kaaya-aya sa ibang mga tao. Ngunit, bakit hindi ko lubos mabitiwan ang negatibong emosyon samantalang patapos na ang lahat? Bakit hindi ko na lamang palampasin ang mga nagawang pananakit ng tao at tumuloy na lamang sa landas na tinatahak.

Siguro, habang nalulunod sa mundong tila nais parati na may patunayan, naiiwan ang tunay na sariling marunong magpatawad, na marunong lumimot ng masamang alaala at tanawin ang kagandahan ng katotohanan.

Sa aking mga mag-aaral, nagkamali ako. Marami akong natutunan sa inyo araw-araw.

Ironic

2008-01-28T07:02:00.000+08:00

Hindi ibig sabihin ng magkasama, kasama nga.

At iyon ang pinakamasakit na pakiramdam sa lahat.

Unang Luha

2008-01-28T07:00:00.000+08:00

Umaga. Mainit. Mausok. Trapik. Maingay na musika. Bumubusinang dyip. Nakangiting bata. Nakakunot na mama. Usok ng sigarilyong galing sa pulis. Pawis ng kargador. Inaantok na ale. Ang bilis ng galaw ng mundo.

Biglang nangailangan ng tisyu.

Ikaw kasi.

Napipiping Sigaw

2008-01-24T23:55:00.000+08:00

Puwede bang sumigaw nang napakalas? Pero, iyong walang makaririnig. Kasi batay sa mundo ngayon, bawal na ang madrama.

Rant Mode

2008-01-17T21:51:00.000+08:00

I really have issues with selfishness and insensitivity.

O well, pagod lang siguro. As if hindi na ako nasanay.

Di Ako Makatulog

2008-01-10T01:19:00.001+08:00

Pagod na ang diwa, ngunit gising pa ang katawan.

3 Araw Na

2008-01-04T21:01:00.000+08:00

Paano ko ba sasagutin ang mga tanong kung okay na ako na ayaw kong mag-alala ang mga kaibigan?

Hindi pa eh. At mukhang matatagalan bago ako makabangon. Naghahanap ako ng pinakatamang analohiya, siguro ang pagkawala ng kalahati ng kaluluwa? Pangit. Haha.

Hindi ko alam. Ayokong mag-isip, ni ayokong isipin kung ano ang nararamdaman ko.

On a lighter note, you surprise me. Everyday.

Paalam sa Unang Baboy sa Langit

2007-12-11T18:11:00.000+08:00

Sir Rene,

Hindi man lang ako nakapagpasalamat at nakapagbigay parangal bago ka man lang pumaibabaw sa sansinukuban. Nagpapaumanhin ako dahil doon. Lalo akong humihingi ng paumanhin dahil ipinagpalit kita sa ilang mga bagay na kaya namang ipagpaliban sa ibang araw.

Marami na ang pagpupugay sa iyo at marahil manliliit ito sa ibang manunulat. Ngunit anuman ang siyang maging paghuhusga nito, mananatiling itong personal na testamento ko para sa iyo, sa mga sandaling kita’y nakatrabaho at nakasalamuha at sa panghabambuhay na naiwan mo sa akin.

Ikaw ang kasama ko sa araw-araw noong ako’y bata pa. Sa mga palabas mo, namulat ako kina Pong Pagong, Kiko Matsing at iba pang tauhang nagturo at nagpatawa sa akin.

Pagdating ng kolehiyo, ang mga dula mo ang siyang nagturo sa akin kung paano maging tao. Ang mga dulang pinanood ko, binasa ko at mga papel na ginampanan ko na sinulat mo ang siyang nagbigay kahulugan kung ano ang buhay.

Nang magbalik ako sa aking pagkabata sa pagkukuwento, ikaw ang aking parating itinatanghal. Ang mga mapangahas na temang pambatang-pangmatanda ang siyang nagbigay ng dahilan kung paano ko gugugulin ang buhay.

Ang mga sanaysay mo ang siyang nagtulak sa akin para sabihing ipagpatuloy ang paglikha ng sining, sa anumang paraan.

At sa kakaunting oras na ikaw ay aking nakasama, nakausap, at nahingan ng payo, ikaw ang siyang nagpaliwanag kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng pagpapakatotoo sa sarili, bago sa iba.

Sa lahat ng ito, salamat. Kulang ang isang artikulo para ilarawan ang aking galak na ikaw ay aking nakilala.

Pinunong Puno

2007-12-02T17:38:00.001+08:00

Isa sa pinakapaborito kong konsepto ng pinuno ang ay paglalaro sa salitang ito. Ang salitang-ugat nito ay puno. Inaasahan sa bawat pinuno na siya ay maging puno at ang tungkulin niya ay punuin ang kanyang kapwang kulang.

Isipin ang isang baso. Malalagyan lamang ang baso ng sapat na tubig. Kapag sumobra, aapaw na lang nang aapaw ang tubig at masasayang. Kailangang isalin sa ibang baso ang tubig para hindi masayang.

Ganoon din sa pamumuno. Inaasahang isalin at punan ng isang pinuno ang kanyang kapwa. Tila umaapaw ang pinuno. Tungkulin niyang ibahagi ang kanyang sarili, ang kanyang umaapaw na sarili para sa iba na nagkukulang, ang ibang nagkukumahog na mapuno, ang ibang nauuhaw na mapuno.

Kung ang ibang puno, bakit uubusin ang umaapaw na sarili para punan ang ibang gayundin umaaapaw? Bakit sasayangin ang sarili sa ibang hindi naman kailangan nang pagpupuno? Samantalang marami naman ang nangangaiangan nang pagpuno.

At sa katapusan ng araw, kapag naubos, muling bumalik sa sarili at punuin ito. Hanapin ang posong magpupuno ng sarili. Huwag hayaang maubos. Muling magpapuno. Nang sa susunod na araw, matuklasan na ang sarili ay muling puno. Muling umaapaw. Handang ibahagi ang pag-aapaw na iyon sa kapwa.

Baby Steps

2007-11-14T06:40:00.000+08:00

I'm now a serious blogger.