Creek and Mon

Creek and Mon

These are names of two guys who have snared the hearts of two of the most eligible bacherlorettes in the land we call “Tumana”

Creek was first introduced to me as a casual acquiantance of Gina.  The guy looked very pleasant and harmless. I did not know that this guy is already the girlfriend of Gina.  What luck my friend, you have both beauty and brains in Gina.  Our own version of Juliana Palermo, Gina,is the fair-skinned lass with an accent from the south. She communicates with body language and believe me, language hasn’t been this sexy since she came into our Tumana. 

How did I finally learn that Gina and Creek were an item? Here’s the story :I was being coerced into buying öreo cookies one morning by Gina when she asked me my opinion regarding Creek.  I told her what the hell for do you need my opionion? She blurted out that Creek is already her boyfriend.  I gave her a quizzical look as is asking,..”is that the little boy-man, with a kind demeanor?”  So what Unit does he belong to? I found out that Creek works outside the Tumana.  I asked her if she told Creek how we met.  She said she told creek everything. From the time she had a dark-liking for me and eventually backing-off after I told her I was a God-fearing person.  No, actually that was  not how I got to know Gina. It was more of the other way around and it’s being retold as some sort of urban legend within the confines of the Tumana. 

I had the pleasure of seeing Creek recently.  He was better dressed and looked more manly vs the first time I saw him.  Perhaps Gina already tipped him off regarding his looks.  He had a firm handshake and a still pleasant demeanor. I think Creek will be “balanced out”by Gina.  When Mr. Goody Two-Shoes meets Lara Croft, they are both headed into a world of discovery. 

You already met Pia inside the Tumana a couple of stories ago.  Her special someone is Mon. Their story is different. Like the love of Christ that pulls us together, this is, to my mind the working force behind this couple.  Mon and Pia are both heavy into the spiritual journey of life. A faith that took them different paths but eventually met a common cross-road.  While Pia works here in Manila, her Mon spends his day as an instuctor of Information Technology to young college students in Batangas.   Whether distance or faith will keep them together is an adventure that they will take with the love of Christ.

Gina and Pia, I sincerely hope you work out your new relationships. Ako simple lang rules ko in life. Eto sana kapulutan niyo ng aral. Huwag mag nonobyo kung hindi mo rin lang makikitang papakasal ka sa taong yan.    

6:01

Isang “kapos-palad”na nilalang ang napadpad sa Tumana. Di ko mawari kung sino o ano ang kanyang pakay. Mala-diosa ang hubog ng katawan nitong bebot.  Tama ang katangkaran para sa kanyang mga bulubunduking naka turo sa hilaga. Carry nya ang mga “bundok” at kita pa ang mga tadyang niya  so hindi ito taba.  

Susmaryosep, hinahabol naman ng pamalo ang kanyang mga kurbada si katimogan!  Pwede ka mag timpla ng kape at ipatong sa likoran niya, pangako, di ito mahuhulog.

Ang bibig nya ay maliit lang, pero parang nag iimibitang di ko mawari kung ano ang gusto. Naka dungaw lagi ang dila pag nagtatapos ng salita. Susmaryosep, baka madilaan ka eh para kang lollipop na tutulo.

Pero sa aking palagay, ang kanyang mga mata ang huwag na huwag mong TITItigan kung ayaw mong mabighani ng lubusan. Pilikmata pa lang ay napa haba at pumipilantik pag kumukrap kurap siya. Bilog na bilog ang kanyang mga mata at may contact lens pang asul  na nag papa-highlight ng kanyang pupils.  If the eyes are windows to the soul, don’t look into hers. You wont find the door to exit out anymore.

If she only had blond hair, the perfect look alike would be Scarlett Johansen! Swear!

Humilig siya sa isang cabana dito sa Tumana. Kina kausap ang mga mananabas na kanina lamang ay kausap ang isa pang bisitang dumaan, na ang pangalan ay Mane. Susmaryosep, if looks can strip a woman’s clothes, she would be to tally nekkid by the way i can see the guys are looking at her now!

But I digress too much, she’s here to seek counsel daw. Susmaryosep, sa Tumana? Tinanung siya ng mga mananabas kung paano niya nalaman ang tungkol sa Tumana. Naka salubong pala niya si Mane sa labasan at nag kwento kung paano gumaan ang loob niya pag katapos niyang dumaan sa Tumana.  Hay, dapat eh maninngil na kami ng counselling fee!

Bagong “break-up”pala siya. Nag hahanap ng kadamay at konting kaligayahan. Maraming mag bobolantaryong “magpaligaya”sa iyo Scarlett, hehehehe.

Sawang-sawa na daw siya sa mga lalaki at kanilang pambobola. Akoý nagulat. Dahil  sa kanyang angking gandahan ay lumalabas na bobo rin pala siya sa pagdating sa mga usaping pag-ibig.

Kwento siya ng kaniyang mga karanasan sa mga boyz. Susmaryosep, isa siyang certified “chick-magnet”. Pero ang kanyang na-a-attract ay mga Bad Boyz na malalaki ang PAA!

This is how Scarlett is perceived based on her stories : tanga,sa love, two-timer,shoppaholic, sweet, selosa,ma-appeal,lapitin,madaling ma-attract sa boyz,matagal maka move on, hotty and naughty, boobsy,liberated, stupid, magaling makisama, masarap ka inuman, easy to ride(masarap sakyan)

Guys and gals, Scarlett is just human after all.  A woman with all her assets and liabilities.  She is just feeling a bit down because of the stresses of her past failed relationships. I think what she needs now is a just friend, no FUBUS for the meantime.  

Am sure the healing process would be slow but steady. After all, it’s not everyday that the girlfriend of your two-timing boyfriend confronts you at the bar and tells you - “Bitch ka, Pwet mo Lang Walang Kalmot!”

RACE DAY

Looking forward to the weekend give us chills in the stomache. Just thinking of the free two days we get to spend with our family and friends is a mental-drug that leaves us happy .

I pity all the Filipino workers out there who have to come in on Saturday’s.  I believe this is a travesty. Labor lawerys can always argue that a 6-day workweek is not illegal but to me that is plain bullshit and oppressive. Coming to work five days a week beats the crap out of everyone. If I come to work on a Saturday, or I ask others to come to work on their 6th day, it MUST be over-time. Overtime with all the whistles and bells that come along with overtime pay.

This weekend was an exceptionally fun weekend.  Saturday was spent with the children and the wife hanging out in the airconditioned premises of the malls. Celebrating an anticipated mass also at the mall was a bonus. It’s really so hot between 1 to 6pm.  I thank the Lord for giving wisdom to the mall owners and operators for allowing church services to be conducted in their premises. After all, sometime we eat, watch a movie, play at their amusement centers after attending mass at the mall.Not a bad deal for hosting church services.

All of these thoughs are racing in my mind as I reached the 3Km marker of the race. Oh yeah, one gets to think a lot about life where he or she is truly free, in OUR MINDS. That has been my habit when I run. I let my mind fly and think of random thoughts. I just need my I-pod to tune-out the noise of the world so I can reflect on life as I run.

The day is breaking into a beautiul morning as I reach the 3rd water station. I was up and about around 4:30 am and it was still dark. But now, as I hit my stride, I wonder how some people still doubt that there is a God.  Only an omnipotent being we may call Yahweh, God, Jesus, Budah or Allah can create the wonderful breaking of a new day.

The runners begin to sprint as the last marker shows I am less than 500 meters from the finish line.  I have kept a steady pace for the last 4.5Km and it’s now time to let that last burst of energy go.  At approximately 200 meters, I sprinted too. Reaching the finish line isn’t the goal. It’s about completing the race on your own pace.  

That guy on TV with chicks running along side him is actually a nice fellow.  I waived at him as I crossed the finish line where he was being mobbed by a lot of females runners. He looked me in the eye, gave a nod and mouthed - “good job”.

I look forward to next weekend.  I will take my daughter to her first race in school.

5:31

Pauwi na ang mga mananabas ng Tumana. Tapos na trabaho. Isa na namang mahabang araw. Pakiramdam ko ba ay nasa loob na naman ako ng isang episode ng “24″ kung  saan walang puknat na balitaktakan, tagisan ng talino, at nakakapagod na lakaran ang nangyari. Di bale, parte ng trabaho. Hanap buhay yan, kaya salamat pa rin Panginoon.
 
Naglilipgpit na ako ng mga gamit ko ng may pumasok sa Tumana.  Aba, kawangis ni Manilyn Reynes ito ah! Tawagain na lang naten siyang “Mane”.

Eh kayo ba tinitighawat sa mane? Ako hindi, sa mukha lang!

Ang lupet ng ngiti ni Mane, may mga kasing hawig na labi siyang mga celebrities tulad nila : Vina Morales, zsa-zsa padilla at bituin escalante. O, hindi naman pede kay Pops Fernandez, ibang level yun. paang janitor-fish ang labi nun. Opinyon ko lang ha.

Tinanung ko siya kung ano ang kanyang pakay sa pag bisita. Wala lang, na miss lang daw nya ang mga mananabas ng Tumana. Biniro ko siya, “mabuhay ang bagong kasal-sal-sal-sal! “   Hagalpak ang tawa niya sabay kabig, “hindi pa naman, announcement pa lang sa facebook”.

“Eh kailan ba yan?”ang tanung ng karamihan ng mga mananabas. Malapit na, Y2012. Ahhh..ok…yung lang nasabi namin.

Siguro kako, may hang-up ka pa sa EX-BF mo na dati rin mananabas sa Tumana? Hindi raw…echos!

Gaano mo ba kakilala sarili mo? Let’s take a little test. Kung game ka, we’ll play the Wall of Perception Game. It goes like this. First you would write down all the traits that you think you have and post them on a wall. Next we will ask your friends what they think of you and post them on the wall. When we have the comparative notes, you will learn WHO YOU REALLY ARE.

MANE’S SELF-PERCEIVED TRAITS :

Sweet..
Mabait
Religious
Hi-blood
Iyakin
LOUD
Masipag
Matiisin   

MANE’S TRAITS AS PERCEIVED BY OTHERS:

Friendly
Loka-Loka
Easy to get…along with (kaladkarin)
Sweet
Impulsive sa boyz
PokPok
May konti pa syang sama ng loob
Generous
Jolly
 

Well, well, well..Will you look at that. Mane perceives herself as basically an emphatic person with a hint of a temper.  But take a look of how the world see’s her.  In general,  She is seen as a friendly person, but definitely has a high sex-drive. Hayup ano? UNLI and arrive with a touch of kindness.  Kung naging lalake si Mane, Maginoo na medyo Bastos!

Naging masaya ang pagtatapos ng araw. May konting realizations with the best of intentions.  There is no wrong or right answer for this exercise. It’s just a matter of accepting your self for who you are and what other think you are. Don’t worry Mane, we still love you anyway.   

RAPUNZEL

Markado sa Tumana ang ika 16 ng Pebrero 2010.

Pinaunlakan ang mga tao sa aming munting baranggay ng isang bisita. Di lang ito basta bisita. Mula sa sikat na mga Aleman na manunulat na Brothers Grimm ay binuhay ang karakter na ito. Walang iba kung hindi ang dalagang mala-lubid ang buhok  - si RAPUNZEL

Pero dito sa Tumana, tunay na tunay siyang dalaga. Ga-lubid din ang kanyang buhok. Di mo na nga kelangan buruin na “girl, haba ng hair mo” kasi literal ang meaning nito para kay Rapunzel!

Ano ba pakay niya sa Tumana? Wala naman, napadaan lang upang makipaghuntahan. Bagay-bagay, buhay-buhay, konting biruan.

What seemed like minutes actually lasted for more than an hour. The range of topics was diverse at first but finally zeroed on one topic - What a Girl Looks for in a Guy.

For Rapunzel, these are the traits she is looking for :

1. responsible
2. no vice
3. god fearing
4. white guy
5. hati ang buhok
6. medyo payat
7. boy next door image
8. hygienic (kuko, batok, siko,)
9. ayaw ng may hikaw
10. may panyo
11. magiling magdala ng pink
12. man of few words
13 treats me  like a princess

Di naman siya pihikan o choosy di bah? Mayrun lang siyang white-list ika nga. Yung iba generic sa mga kalalakihan, yung iba talagang mahirap atang hanapin.

Eh pag nakita mo na yan sa isang lalake? Anu gagawin mo.  Siempre wala di bah. Kasi, baka di ka naman ligawan.  Tsk tsk tsk. Girl, wag tayo masyado choosy, baka mauwi ka sa bungi. Kinis mo pa naman.

In fairness to Rapunzel, eto naman and attributes niya. Tignan mo kung mahanap mo rin sarili mo :

1. Di Mapaghanap
2. Mukang UNLI na pa-simple 
3. Likot ng kamay, laging sina-sa-ayos ang bra kahit may kaharap
4. Ayaw Pagupit( given, kaya Rapunzel)
5. Praning,  in english - paranoid
6. Kind
7. Compassionate
8. Malande
9. Yeuch..madumi hita, mabuhok
10. May bigote, balbon
11.  Malinis ang mga maseselang bahagi (wax up and down daw siya, di pluck, di shaved)

Kapag kunumpara ko mga listahan nila, tila wala silang non-physical attributes na magkamukha.  So, do opposites really attract? I think so. 

I find hope that Rapunzel would meet this dream-boat of a guy. However, when he does come along, may I suggest that Rapunzel give fate a little “nudge”in her direction so she can be noticed. 

Girl, you are always in a disadvantaged position. What if he comes along he doesn’t pay attention? What if he see’s you but you can’t make him connect with you? Girl, only one answer - NUDGE it a bit. Gawan mo ng paraan at wag kang babagal-bagal.

Who knows, your dream-guy might bump into  SnowWhite since youré too coy to make a  ”pa-simpleng” move.   

Play that Funky Music White Boy

Ang saya noong biyernes sa Tumana.

Bakit kamo? Eh triple-celebration of sorts. Una, pre-valentines. Pangalawa, pre-Chinese New year. Pangatlo at pinaka importante, sweldo ng kinsenas.

Dito sa tumana, may mga nakakatuwang mga kabataan na parang mga “transformers”. Bakit kamo? Kasi po, 830am  to 530pm mga seryoso at dedikado silang naninilbihan sa kanilang mga trabaho.  

“Jingle lang ang pahinga” ang moto ng iba. “Tubig na lang ang kakainin ko”ang moto naman ng iba.  Yung iba ay “check lang”o “sakto lang” ang sinasambit pag tinanung mo kung kamusta ang palo ng trabaho.

Saludo ang Bantay ng Tumana sa inyo. Mga dalaga’t binata na marunong mag pahalaga sa inyong tungkulin. Alam niyo ang hirap para kumita ng pera. Alam niyo ang kailangan niyong gawin upang umasenso kayo.  Sa puntong ito, check ang kasabihan ni Manny Villar - Sipag at Tiyaga o ST lang ang dapat gawin para umunlad kayo.

Pag lampas ng 530 pm, eto na po ang magical-transformation nila.  Isa-isa silang nag gagayak upang rumampa naman sa mga lugar kung tawagin ay “gimikan”.  

Halos hindi mo sila makikila pag natapos ang transformasyon. Hesusmaryoseph!

Ang gaganda ng mga dalaga. Ang pustura ng mga damit. Ang ikli ng mga palda at shorts! Level Up to the max! Ang mga binata, na alala ko ang Back Street Boyz kung pumorma. Makikisag din. Di ko lang sigurado kung may baong kapote sa wallet!

Isa-isang parang mga paru-paro na nag bagong anyo  upang ibukadkad ang magagandang pakpak. 

Ang Bunso ng Tumana ay napaka sexy sa kanyang dilaw na blaus. Siya ang pinaka UNLI ng grupo. Hindi unlimited ha, ANG LIBOG ibig sabihin nun.  Siya rin ang sa palagay ng Bantay ang pinaka malambing sa mga dalaga.

Ang Gimikerang Anak ay mukang modelo ng Europa. Kakaiba siya manamit at tumingin. May pag ka UNLI na di mo mawari. Wag kang tatabi kung mababa sa 5′5″ang taas mo. Magiging kamukha mo si Paeng Giant. Ayus gumiling at game sa dance floor. Siya ang nag anyaya sa mga kabataan ng LIBRE! 

Ang Ate Ron ay naka blusang itim na Hesusmaryoseph ang nipis. Aninag mo na ang Mayon at Pinatubo! Pero class ang dating, mukang foreigner ang ganda niya. Ang balita nga puro englesero lumalapit sa kanya.

Ang dalagang ‘Kenya ang may pinaka magandang ngiti at ayus.  Panalo sa boto ng mga hurado ng Tumana. Killer legs na pag ka kintab-kintab! Naka puting shorts na lalong humuhubog sa kanyang J. Lo ass!  Siya ang rebelasyon ng gabi. Parang nakita niyo ang klasic na ganda ni Susan Roces na nasa modernong katawan ni Jessica Alba (hindi ito tiya ni panchito ha! ).

Si Jaboom,ay well. obyus sa pangalan, Kapos Palad in a good way!  Eto ang energizer-bunny. Pag katapos gumimik, magapapalit ulet ng pamasok at mag oobertime pa. Eto ang orihinal na mananayaw. Wag kang tititig sa mga mata niya, siguradong ma-akit ka.

Di papahuli ang kanilang Kuya  Checkered na polong pula, slim fit na maong. Alang brief. Loko lang. Merun daw.  Pag oras ng trabjao seryoso ang taong ito.Pag gimik na, apat pala butas ng tenga niya, lahat may hikaw. Hesusmaryoseph. Nung nakita ko mga larawan niya at ng mga kasama nyang sumasayaw, alam kong PANALO si kuya. Akoý pupusta na walang mahigit beinte anyos ang mga na-do, este naka-sayaw niya.

From 531pm to 531 am the following day, party to the max and mga binata’t dalaga ng Tumana. And they deserve the break. They deserve to be young, strong, and beautiful.  Chillax and enjoy for Monday brings another round of real-world challenges. Akoý nagagalak na marunong mag balanse ng buhay ang mga kabataan dito sa Tumana. Ang trabaho, trabaho lang, walang personalan. Ang gimik, syiet, anyhting goes!

Enjoy life! Cheers! Eh ano kamo ginagawa ng mga Thunders pag ganitong okasyon? Sobra ka na..Ibang Kwento naman yun.  

Ladies and gentlemen of the “Guest List Club”,be proud, we are proud of you. Pictures pa please    

Is the heat getting to you?

We must always ask our selves, specially at times of doubt if we are still serving a purpose. Doubt is not always a bad thing. Doubt challenges not only the heart but also the mind. Doubt begs oneself to ask critical questions and hopefully find answers.

We have different ways of handling doubt. Some would say, when in doubt, decline.  Some would say, when in doubt, just have faith.  There is no exact formula to handle doubt.  It will come at you like the devil and it’s up to you to flee or fight. There is no wrong or right answer.  The good thing is that you can make a decision after you experienced self-doubt. You are one dead mother-fucker if after experiencing self-doubt, you can not come up with an informed decision. I pity you.

We experience different levels of pressure at work. In the scale of things, we all have problems, varying in degrees of difficulty.  We may live and work in a democracy where we can shout out all our opinions regarding life. However, In my opinion you may damn your work and the organization when you are already OUT OF IT.  You are one ungrateful mother-fucker if you have the guts to shout-out to the world your woes with your work but can’t find the balls to live up to what is expected at you at work.  Remember, all of us are expendable when we work.  You are not unique. There will always be other younger and more qualified talents out there, waiting to be plucked from obscurity. 

So is the heat getting to you? Get the fuck out of  the kitchen. Otherwise, your organization deserves loyalty to the end fidelitas ut th terminus .  Shape up or ship out. The organization has ways of getting back at you, more ways than you know. If you need to vent out your angst at your work, your organzation, do it in the privacy of your mind at heart.  Be careful that you dont bite the hand that feeds you.  If you are really feel clueless as to what your day would be like at work, go on leave.  Your unproductive mind is useless and you are likely to make mistakes which will be exposed over a period of time. 

I have seen people come and go.  The twin biggest mistakes they often do are : openly admit they are bored at work, openly admit they are better than others.  You can’t be better than them if their paygrade is higher than yours.  So to all of you gripers out there, shut the fuck up. Cyber space ain’t  so small after all. Eyes are watching, people read, and you dont have a monoploy of doubt. 

Something to think about for you who doubt where you are now - Am I still serving a purpose? If you can honestly say yes, then stay and work as a TEAM.  If you can honestly say no –get out of the organization, I will find someone who deserves the post. When youré out of the organization, damn it to your hear’s delight.

 If you are in doubt and undecided still, you are one dead mother-fucker.   

LONG TABLE

Ever sat in a long table before? I bet you had. At a certain point in your life, you have enjoyed good food, drinks, and the company of others as you were seated in long table. Perhaps there were even guests who came and went to be with friends at the long table.

Yesterday, I had the unenviable opportunity be called again to sit on a long table.  But yesterday was not a festive occassion. Far from it, it was a somber event.

I was asked to join and be a judge versus one of my peers. It was an administrative proceeding were the future of an individual was decided based on the facts of a case. The complainant as well as the subject were also seated at the long table.  

The complaint against the subject was read. The possible penalties were recited. It was an eary droning voice that almost hypnotizes you. 

The subject was asked to answer the charges raised against her. The subject just bowed her head and started to cry.  “No contest”… she softly sobbed. She admits to all the allegations and is ready to face the consequences.  The particapants seated at the long table were stunned. They were prepared for a long, drawn-out discussion. They got what they wanted to hear in under five minutes.   More tears followed from the subject. No more questions were asked by the others seated on the table. The admission of guilt was enough to close the proceedings at the long table. 

I rose from my chair, asked to be dismissed and proceeded to take lunch. I could not eat at the long table with them. I could not eat  where they passed judgement on my friend eventhough she owned up the infraction that was charged against her.  I could only weep in silence and pray that now my friend moves on to better things.

I would dread the day I get invited again to sit at another long table. 

KAMPANYA NOONG DECADA 80

Watching the 2010 election campaign unfold on TV and hearing it daily on the am radio brings back memories….

The 80’s, after Tita Cory was catapulted into the presidency sparked a new era in Philippine politics. The dusty ,old, and withering policticians were suddenly invigorrated with new life. A hope if you will, that democratic changes will soon follow.

In our province, my father was a respected lawyer and staunch supporter of the hybernating Liberal Party. The party  has been practically been crippled and in a catatonic state of sleep after a decade of martial rule. The stalwarts of the party have either been jailed, into self-exile, abducted, or terminated( today it is what is referred to as - SALVAGED).    

 Being a lawyer, my father decided to stay in the country and be the legal counsel to the principals of the party thrown in jail by the dictators machinery.  Those were trying times. Money from lawyering political prisoners was practically nil. You simply did it for a higher cause.  Since no money circulated from his law pratice, it was our mother who supported us by being the dutiful wife who sold at the provincial market every morning.

But that changed almost over night when elections were announced to restore the institution of the Philippine Congress.  Almost overnight, the news spread like wild fire and reached our province.  By mid day the next morning. Old pary mates of my father were already at our house planning their political moves. They were animatedly dicussing their proposed candidates for all levels of the provincial spectrum.

As you may have guessed, my father was tapped to run for Congress.  In an instant, his life and our family’s life were transformed into  potential public servants. What I did not realize that there were also potential threats that came along a political family’s life.

The campaign started innocently enough with a kick-off rally at the provincial plaza.  People who I never saw in my life would  walk up to my father, shake his hands, whisper something into his ear and act as if they were best of friends.   I found it too surreal but I guess that was what campaigns and elections are for.

The next few days, men with guns  appeared at our house. I was so scared when I called my father. My father laughed it off. He said those were our “private security” provided by our political allies. It was my first time to ever see rifles and pistols of everysort. They rotated in guarding my father and our family. I remember the detail of 20 men were relieved every 6:00 am in the morning like clockwork. There was also a group called  ”close-in security” of five men, really mean mother-fucker looking dudes that never left my dad’s side till the end of the elections. The 20 security detail were amiable enough and they allowed me to play with their weapons and that’s how I developed an interest in guns that would be a lifelong romance for me. But that’s another story. 

The next few days were also interesting.Vehicles with boxes went to our house.  The boxes were filled with cash of assorted denominations. My father told me they were donations of support for the campaign. I was in charge of counting and stuffing amounts into small brown envelopes after writing a numbered code on the envelope. My cousin accounted for all the envelopes I stuffed with cash and it was a pretty neat operation.  It was only later when I studied in Manila and took up Law that I realized that my little cash-flow operation could have been payola-money for the leaders of the campaign. 

My father so so proud of me at that time that he even allowed me join the road-trips on his provincial sorties. You felt invincible with a throng of men protecting you and your family. But we were in for a humbling experience. In one municipality, there was a military checkpoint.  The checkpoint did not allow the security detail to enter the town because they said we looked like an invading army. My father asked that only one of his bad-assed close-in security with a pistol accompany him. The solidiers agreed and we entered the town.  The convoy of 12 vehicles was now defunct. We found ourselves in a lone car were my father, myself, and the body guard rode quietly. We reached the plaza uneventfully and the usual road-show started. In the middle of the program, two unidentiied men weaved into the crowd and were headed towards my direction.  I only had a flashlight stuck in pants waistband. I instinctively rached for it while keeping my eyes on the two men headed my way.  The two men froze as they saw my hand positioned at the back of my pants. They did a 180 degree turn and started moving towards the platform were my father was speaking.  I began to ran around the crowd trying to circumvent the obstacles so I can warn my dad. The next I hear were distinct gun-shots.Bang-bang-bang.

Panic broke out and the crowd dispersed to take cover.  When I reached the stage, my father’s shirt was bloodied in his chest area and he was slumped on the ground.  There was a body on top of his torso, also bloodied as well. With tears running from my eyes, I disengaged their bodies. To my surprise, my father’s eyes were open and  his chest still weaving. He was alive! The body guard was able to shield my father and took the fatal bullets in his body.  I still pray for his bravery to this day and without him, my father’s life would have ended as another statistic of election-related violence.

My fathers supporter whisked as away when they saw us walk off unharmed from the stage.  We were rescued by the people, not by our body guards.  They escorted us in a mass of bodies, linked arm-to-arm out of the town and into the safety of our security detail.

We trooped back to to our house, shaken but not beaten in spirit. My dad assembled all of the family when we got home and packed quickly. We moved into a safehouse that looked more like an old military bunker because the “apartment”was under ground. That was three days before the election.

Today, my sons can sing any jingle that the 2010 campaign airs on TV.  I could only hug them now and wait for the day when I can tell them how their grandfather ran the campaign back then.

Oh by the way, he won that election.  He was co-author of the law that de-centralized the police and military. Because of my father’s efforts at the 1st congress(afer martial law) the police is now under civilian authority which can never be abused again by the military to suppress the people.

A Time to Pray

I feel that a friend is hurting but she’s also painfully shy to say what’s her beef with the world.

I feel that a friend is so happy that the worst is over but don’t know how to express it.

I feel that a friend needs physical-healing but would only trust western-medicine for the cure.

I feel that a friend is loosing herself in unknown despair but can’t open up to let others help her.

For all these times that my friends are happy,sad, in despair, or simply confused, I offer them my prayers.  I sometimes tend to be angry when my friends do not share their feelings, specially in the bad times.  I have come to realize realize that they are trying to solve it on their own that’s why they are not sharing the burden with anybody else. It’s not that they suddenly became indifferent or numd, it’s just perhaps they need the space to sort things out.

To all of you, you know who you are, I offer you my daily rosary.

 I pray for your peace of mind. I pray for you when you are sad and you can not express it.

 I pray for  you in your triumphs because you  tend to forget to say thank you to God. 

I pray specially for you when you get mad, confused, and angry. Those are useless emotions that will only pull your spirit down. Smile a bit, it really does wonder.  I hope God will give you a touch-point to channel those negative emotions away.

I will not give up on you my friends. We all go through cycles. I will patiently wait to hear you out.  I will always reach out to you, it’s simply my nature. 

There is a time to pray, it’s all the time, as long as you can, as much as you can.