my place

ang tagal na...

2009-03-12T06:33:00.000-07:00

yes..ang tagal na..sobra. i am not certain if i missed blogging or not. i don't know..i just longed for the music of my fingers tapping against the keyboard.

sige na nga..aminan na to..

i got envious of grace's blog. it's utterly, utterly charming. and then from there, i started blog-hopping. masarap palang magblog hopping. it's like you get a glimpse of a stranger's insights, and the best thing is you get it from the best possible point of view--his own.

i had always been an avid reader, and blogs are no exception from my hobby. fan nga ako ng blog ni grace eh. hi grace!!!

and yes, let's hope i get to keep this blog rolling.
welcome, karen!!!

yaay me.

"Siyaman" King

2008-07-18T01:25:00.000-07:00

This entry happens to contain my very first written report as a college student. I so want to have it preserved, imprinted and forever alive so I had it posted here. And I wanted you to read it of course.

It was eleven o' clock in the morning. Under the scorching heat of the Saturday sun, Mang Edilberto Palaypayon was yelling his throat dry with two simple words that may be said without so much effort: Antipolo and Junction. Beads of sweat were already forming on his brow, but he didn't take notice. He didn't even bother to use a cheap megaphone or even a cone-shaped cardboard to make himself heard.

“Eh, anung gagawin? Gan'to talaga 'yun,” he said when asked about the nature of his work. “Kesa gamitin ung kwarta sa kwan, eh 'di ipangkain na lang, 'di ba?. Malaki pa naman pamilya ko.”

The 49-year-old man fathers five children. The eldest is eleven years old while the youngest is only two-months-old. His wife, whose name he did not want mentioned, does a few laundry services for their neighbors who can afford to pay her. Eleven-year-old Mike always went with his father every Saturday to help him in his work. No, he was not shouting side by side with Mang Edel; rather, he was on the other side of the highway, begging people for alms. Sometimes, according to his father, Mike sells candies and cigarettes, tabloid newspapers, sampaguita garlands, round rags—basically anything to come up with at least fifty pesos. This happens every Saturday. But what about Mondays to Fridays? “Ay, ako lang. Ginagapang ko mga anak ko, eh. Si Mike kasi, kwan, Grade 2 pa lang. Nahuli siya. Kapos talaga kami.”

It was eleven thirty. Passengers were very scarce at this time of the day because mostly were having their lunches. Mang Edel's pronunciation of the word Antipolo had been shortened to 'Tipolo. One syllable off. That meant less throat works. So far, he had seven passengers sitting inside the humid jeepney. “Hirap talaga ng gan'tong oras. Lahat kumakain eh,” he said. He was laughing then, but he could not hide the fact that he too was starving. One could easily detect the progressively strong stench of hunger on his breath every time he spoke.

Then one lady alighted from the vehicle. She angrily told Mang Edel that she could not wait anymore. Manong driver scratched his balding head in irritation and cursed. “Nairita nanaman si Kuya Leo. Bumaba-baba pa kasi, eh,” Mang Edel commented.

Mang Leo, as it turned out, was his elder brother. He is Mang Edel's only source of income. In fact, according to Mang Edel, his brother was really reluctant in accepting him as a side-kick. They were both getting old and Mang Leo was not at all certain if his younger brother would be able to survive the harsh life on the dusty and polluted roads of Antipolo. Mang Edel proved his brother wrong and has stayed with him for thirteen years now. “Buti nga nandyan yang si Kuya, eh,” Mang Edel said.

He jokingly narrated that he had been to many unsuccessful careers before. He has a vocational degree in welding services and had tried using it to get a stable job. He failed for reasons he did not want to tell. He had served as a guard in M. Lhuiller Pawnshop. Again, he failed. He had tried selling taho and balut, then went back to being a security guard. He was fired, then he landed on his current job. “Nakakatawa nga, eh. Kahit may natapos ka, hirap pa din ng kwan, ng buhay,” he added.

The clock ticked on. It was already 12:15. Slowly, Mang Leo's jeepney became full with perspiring passengers. “Ay, salamat sa Diyos. Napupuno na din,” Mang Edel mumbled after waiting for what seemed like forever. He continued shouting, “Oy, Junction! 'Tipolo, Junction!” The jeepney was waiting for its last passenger before starting the long trip. At last, one came.

“Siyaman yan, siyaman. Makikiurong na lang po,” Mang Edel pleaded the passengers.

It was now full. The engine roared to life and they sped off, ready to wait for another one and a half hour at the end of the trip. Soon, Mang Edel's voice would be heard again.

“Siyaman yan, o. Siyaman!”

--the anchor

Enchanted.

2008-06-29T20:41:00.001-07:00

Have you watched Enchanted? It was simply the most romantic film I've seen. No other film made me feel so love sick.It made me long for a true love's kiss. I wish, I were a princess in a far away castle and will be swept off my feet by a divorce lawyer. I wish I were Giselle herself. This was the first song in the film. It was a duet actually. You can search this on youtube.I urge you to watch it. It may be cheesy, but then again, it is sweet. It is immaculately sweet!

True Love's Kiss

2008-06-29T20:29:00.000-07:00



TRUE LOVE'S KISS

When you meet this someone
who is meant for you
Before two can become one
there's something you must do

Do you pull eachother's tails?
Do you feed eachother seeds?

No, There is something sweeter everybody needs.

I've been dreaming of a true love's kiss
And a prince, I'm hoping, comes with this
That's what brings ever-aftering so happy
That's the reason we need lips so much
For lips are the only things that touch
So to spend a life of endless bliss
Just find who you love through true love's kiss

Ahahahaha Ahahahaha Ahahahahaha

Ahahahaha Ahahahaha Ahahahahaha
She's been dreaming of a true love's kiss
And a prince, she's hoping, comes with this
That's what springs ever-afterings so happy
That's the reason we need lips so much
For lips are the only things that touch

So to spend a life of endless bliss
Just find who you love through true love's kiss

You're the fairest maid I've ever met
You were made to finish our duet

And in years to come we'll reminisce

How we came to love

And grew and grew love

Since first we knew love through True Love's Kiss!

And I dreamed.

2008-06-29T20:05:00.000-07:00

I dreamed of the weirdest dream.

I dreamed that my mother sold her soul to the devil all for the hopes of assuring my brother's slot in the UPCAT passers. "Para kayong tanga," I remember myself saying this in my sleep.

I dreamed of the scariest dream.

I dreamed that Kevin Gatchalian, my classmate and friend, was dead. I swear. I even saw him inside his own coffin. The left side of his head was swollen it looked like it was ready to burst anytime. I cried. Because inside that coffin was Kevin himself. It was Kevin. There was no mistaking in that. But the scene shifted, and panned, camera-like, on Kevin himself. Kevin was alive, after all. I told him, "Patay ka na, di ba?" And he said, "Joke lang 'yun!" He was laughing. What the fuck is that, huh? I didn't know whether I was the one who was dead when I was talking to a live Kevin, or he wasn't really dead.

I dreamed of the most romantic dream.

I dreamed that I was going to be wedded to a man. OF COURSE, A MAN. I don't know him in the real life, but in my dream, I was more than happy to tie the knot with him! In there, I felt like I had known him all my life. I seldom have colored dreams, but this one luckily fell into that category. I was wearing a pink taffeta bridal gown, and was holding sunflowers. A whole bunch of them. I was all ready to walk down the aisle, but many things interrupted the ceremony. I couldn't remember what they were, but I knew they happened. Louie was the best man. How's that? How's that? But in my dream, he wasn't at all affected. I don't know what the hell's wrong with the film of my dream, but everything fitted perfectly. Everything was simply perfect. Even the way my groom held my hand in his was perfect. And I was so happy.

I wish I would be able to have the second parts of these dreams.

I Am Love Sick

2008-06-29T19:57:00.000-07:00

I feel so love sick. I just finished reading all the romantic snippets I could read from other creatures' blogs. When was the last time I held a boy's hand in mine? Can't quite remember. Before you get nosy, yes, issues with the other boy is over and long gone. Just don't ask any more questions, and kindly zip your mouths shut. Thank you very much.

I feel so love sick. It just sort of punched me right in the center of my guts.

barricading the national university

2008-06-23T00:20:00.000-07:00

On the third day of classes in the hundredth year of the University of the Philippines (UP), a freshman from Cotabato province, a Chemistry major at UP in Diliman, Quezon City, had to drop out. Together with his father, the brokenhearted young man went to see each of his instructors to have his subjects invalidated.

While his Math 17 instructor was deleting his name from the class list, I could see the poverty, desperation, anger and sense of resignation in their faces. It was not the disappointment of winning the lottery and being denied the prize later. The young man is a member of a minority group in Mindanao. Without any connections and in the absence of any socialized admission policy, he qualified as a freshman in the College of Science of UP Diliman, a distinction he earned through intelligence, pure hard work and perseverance amid poverty. But in a few days, father and son are going back to Mindanao for good.

The father explained they could not afford the “socialized” tuition at P600 per unit for students in Bracket C, families whose annual incomes range from P135,001 to P500,000 per annum. The father and son expected to be in Bracket D, families with annual incomes ranging from P80,001 to P135,000. Students in bracket D pay P300 per unit.

UP president Emerlinda Roman seems to be disconnected from reality, or she must be fooling herself by insisting that the new Socialized Tuition and Financial Assistance Program (STFAP) is fair and proper for an “iskolar ng bayan” [scholar of the nation]. Her family should try living on P6,666.75 a month (which when multiplied by 12—the number of months in a year—equals P80,001, the lower bound of Bracket D incomes).

UP, no longer conscious of its role in society, chooses to ignore the long-term impact of offering greater genuine educational opportunities to the brightest among the poor, who are getting poorer amid the reported economic gains of the country. Socialized admission and tuition fee schemes do not lower academic standards. I’ve had countless students from public schools and far-flung provinces. They come to UP not as well prepared as their counterparts from the best schools in Metro Manila. But many later outshine the sometimes overconfident Manila-raised kids.

After the new STFAP took effect last year, UP is no longer an option for the brightest among the poor. I agree with the cab driver whose daughter qualified for UP Diliman, as narrated in Youngblood (Inquirer, 3/24/08) by Mariel Kierulf Asiddao, a UP Mass Communication student. The cab driver insisted it was ESTIFAK and not STFAP.

NOLI N. REYES, professor, Institute of Mathematics, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City

*From the Philippine Daily Inquirer, letter to the editor

to the mary grace's of my blog

2008-06-21T01:14:00.000-07:00

TO MARY GRACE THE MORE:

As in Mary Grace Mora. I find it friendly of you to leave comments and visit my blog. I visit yours too. Wordpress db? I just do not know where to leave comments.

TO MARY GRACE THE PET:

As in Mary Grace Petil. Ayan, I made an entry na. And I made an exclusive one for you! Every week lang ako makakagawa kase every time I use the web, it would be for research purposes. I hardly have any time for blogging. But I promise to update you in my blog and leave my traces in yours.

--the anchor

sandaang taon na.

2008-06-21T00:26:00.000-07:00

OKAY. So this week, UP commenced its centennial year. Yeah, thousands of things happened. A certified eventful day. And what makes it extra special is that I saw a hundred jiggling naked stretchmarked butts today. And of course, coupled with a hundred pendulums swinging down their fronts while running. I refer to the infamous oblation run.

It was my first time to see pendulums live, up close and personal. No, not literally close. Just the term. I was in the Palma Hall that time, munching down my dessert. And then, people started screaming. Oh, I joined them. I cheered my throat dry and yelled my head off. I mean, I just can't contain the excitement. This was one of the firsts in my life. I never imagined that it would be like what I saw. I even ran after them. You know, to see more of their butts. Their stretchmarked butts. HAHAHAHA!!!

I was not in the mood to go to my next class that day. My prof is gay, and I thought he'd be goggling at all the precious nakedness of the APO frat and forget all about our class. But no he didn't. But yes, he did watch the butts. AAAAarrggghhh...I thought it would be a class-free day.

Oh, of course, there were the ever-present student activists. I did not have to talk about them so much. They'll be taking up too much space in this entry. I really can't see the reason why they have to be in the streets at this age when they should be in their classrooms sitting prettily. Why can't they just behave?!

--the anchor

Thank You!!

2008-06-15T23:24:00.000-07:00

Sige lang, keep on dropping comments. I think I'm starting to develop a burning passion in reading your comments on my place. Thank you so much. Kase naman, noh, bagong gawa lang to, mainit-init pa. So I was hoping talaga na people will get to read this. Sana everyone will keep on reading it. I so love entertaining my audience, super.

*At syempre, ang conya-conyahan ko, noh?*

--the anchor

Lightning Rally

2008-06-15T23:04:00.000-07:00

I forgot that what I am going to tell you happened like...what, a week ago? This may not even come as news to you. At any rate, I'll still blabber.

The freshman welcome assembly was one of the most eventful days of my life. As the program neared its last part, which is a presentation from the UP Pep Squad, a few members of the League of Filipino Students took the scene. Gawd. We were enjoying the dance portion, and there they were, harassing the event! If they were asking for the removal of the tuition hike, why can't they do it some other time? You see, they were spoiling the fun! I so hate it. But I was twitchy because it was my first time to witness a student rally.

Anyway, so the program ended with the univ hymn. The student militants balled their fists and raised it. The pep squad joined in. There was an unmistakable air of defiance from them. Here comes the spoof: A few freshies did the same. Duh? Like they understood it all. Admit it. Bagong salta pa lang kaya tayo! Ano ba? I was taking the rally seriously, but I almost laughed my head off when I saw some freshies raise their fists. It's too early to fight the administration noh. Study first then fight later. tsk tsk.

--the anchor

I so love UP.

2008-06-15T22:50:00.000-07:00

Okay. I had a few problems with my blog that was why I wasn't able to post anything new and juicy recently. Apparently, it is now doing okay.

On to the main topic:

As freshies, we were given handbooks. But hey. This is not your typical handbook. I refer to a CD, which we aptly call the Freshman Survival Kit. Sure, it contains anything and everything freshies need to know about the univ. And the best part of having this CD is that I get to hear the UP Centennial Song about a hundred times. I was not into the fighting maroons spirit yet, but when I heard the song, I felt like I glowed with pride. It was a rock song actually, and I guess that fact makes the UP studes cherish it more than the UP Naming Mahal. Try to listen to it, it is on the web, anyway. Very easy-peasy to find. It was composed by Herbert Rosales, and whoever he is, two thumbs up for a job soooo well done. The song made everyone burst at the seams with pride.

UP Ang Galing Mo

INTRO:
C#m   B   A-F#m   B

I.
E
Narito kami nagpupugay
E
Sa unibersidad ng aming buhay
C#m               B
Ikaw pa rin ang binabalikan
C#m              B
'Di pa rin malilimutan
A          F#m       B
Ikaw ang UP naming mahal

II.
Salamat sa iyong mga guro
Salamat sa iyong pagtuturo
Taglay niyo ang kahusayan
Taglay niyo ang karunungan
Hinubog niyo kami sa kabutihan

REFRAIN I:
   E          G#m
Sandaang taon na tayo
A                       E
Lagi ka pa rin sa aming puso
        E        G#m
Kaya't kami'y sumasaludo
A-F#m         B
UP ang galing mo
A (break)     E
UP ang galing mo

III.
Wala nang iba pang maihahambing
Sa talino mo't angking galing
Daanin man sa siyensiya
High-tech man o kahit ano pa
Ikaw UP ang nangunguna

IV.
Sa iyong mga dugo ang kasaysayan
Dumaloy sa pag-unlad ng ating bayan
Sagisag ka ng kagitingan
Bandila ka ng kalayaan
Pag-asa ka ng mamamayan

REFRAIN II:
Sandaang taon na tayo
Lagi ka pa rin sa aming puso
Sandaang taon na tayo
UP ang galing mo
UP ang galing mo

(repeat INTRO 2x)

REFRAIN III:
Sandaang taon na tayo
Lagi ka pa rin sa aming puso
Sentro ka ng pagbabago
UP ang galing mo
UP ang galing mo
Sandaang taon na tayo
UP ang galing mo
UP ang galing mo

--the anchor

WELCOME!

2008-06-10T01:07:00.000-07:00

And, oh, by the way. This is my second blog entry for the day, and I'm supposed to welcome you in getting a good peek at the manner by which I give pieces of myself away through talking. I mean, typing. So, WELCOME! Actually, don't you think this is what I should have accomplished first before blabbering about first day foolishness? Anyway, what's done is done. Feel free to comment about anything. That is what blogs are supposed to do anyway.

--the anchor

the first words of the first few pages of the last chapter of my student life

2008-06-10T00:26:00.000-07:00

This is greater than what i expected it to be.

It's my first day in UP, and I had anticipated so many things about what would possibly happen today that I could feel the end of my hair become edgy with excitement. I had prepared myself for this event during the last few days of summer. I bade Martin D. goodbye (He is the only DJ whom I listen to every day. As in, EVERYDAY!); I kept all my drawing materials away (These are my loyal companions whenever I feel like flexing my creative juices at home); I ironed every possible piece of garment so as to have absolutely hassle-free days (In fact, I do this every week. I iron every clean garment that I could lay my hands on. Sayang nga daw sa kuryente sabi ng mama ko. hehe.) And so on and so forth... I felt that with all the preparations I had done, I would be more than prepared to face today's event. So I slept with nothing but a tingle of excitement on my mind.

I woke up at precisely 3 am feeling heavy. It's like I couldn't get back to sleep no matter how I tried. I so wanted to fall into Slumber Land again, but I just couldn't. Then a sharp white pain exploded in my right shoulder when I tried to yawn. I tried to remember anything that happened last night that might have caused this sudden jolt of pain. Then it all occurred to me. I was way too excited for today that I forgot to relax myself before dozing off to sleep. So there. Pulikat ang inabot ko. My shoulder muscles were too cramped while I was asleep. And there I was, squirming with pain, trying to suppress both a good cry and a good laugh at my stupidity.

I thought that preparedness is the only key to get you through a special event. Uh-uh. Not anymore. At least not when your body shook with so much anticipation that you almost died after 3 and a half hours of sleep.

--the anchor