A Woman HAS to Fight for Herself

The deal, my office work is from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. I go home pretty late at night, consider also that the distance  from my work to home is far. Good thing during this time of the day (or night) there's no more traffic so I roughly make it home in an hour an a half. 


However, safety and security concerns are adamant since its already deep in the night and you'll never know what type of hooligans you might encounter in the dark road. You always have to be extra careful and really vigilant. And for me, who is a public commuter, riding jeepney since that's the most accessible mode of transportation from Quiapo, I try my best to stay alert. 


Awhile ago, as I was in my regular routine going home, a different threat was imposed upon me, especially my gender as a WOMAN. 


Actually, this type of crime is not only committed at nights, there are bad guys who will still do this during the light of the day where they can be so exposed. I am talking about men who take advantage of women's weakness and violates them for their own pleasure. 


I do not aim to generalize, but this concern, on men preying on women's skin is truly alarming, especially during public transportations where they can have the opportunity to do so. "Makapang-manyak."


What exactly can these "manyaks" do?! One example is (especially in jeepneys) is when a man slides his arms, or hands behind you back, pretending to hold onto the jeep's bars, when what they do is they let their body parts actually touch your intimate body parts, like the breasts! Other times they pretend to sleep. And you'll just feel their hands on you. I know these myself because I've experienced it. I am not ashame to tell so, so that everyone might be aware that you can do something. We woman can do something. From these experiences I learned to fight for myself. 


I give these men warnings. At first I'll look terribly bad at them! Irap ba. If he's not affected, I'll look then irap, and look and irap, until he feels he's being watched. And if it still doesn't wor, I'll speak up, "Manong kamay mo!" 


As I've said, tonight, I got to (darn!) encounter another one. This man, kept staring and staring at me like he's unclothing me. Manyak talaga. Then I would look at him, to make irap, and we would kindat at me (Spare me from the taglish). Darn the man! The other man who sat beside him shook him to give him a warning (nice man really). Unfortunately he won't stop, and the help I did not even ask for remains no use. So I said to myself, no more. This man will not get the better part of me. 


I looked him (madly) in the eye and said, "Manong wag kang bastos! Wag mo kong tingnan ng ganyan! Magkaroon ka ng respeto!" The words spilled out of my mouth with every weight of indignation I can muster. And I knew, that moment, the man, I made him feel ashamed. Of course, everyone in the jeep heard what I said. Serves him right, really wished I could punch him in the face though. It wasn't long before he got off the vehicle. 


Another man asked me when the manyak was gone, "Bakit Miss ano bang ginawa sa'yo?" Then the old lady with her daughter sitting beside me answered. "Tinititigan sya, tapos kumikindat-kindat." She knew. I agreed with her (of course I would) "Opo, nakita nyo po. Ang bastos di ba po? Kaya po kung may anak kayong batang babae, [meron nga di ba!] turuan nyo po na dapat ipagtanggol ang sarili. Di po dapat hinahayaan ang mga ganyang lalaki." 


And with that, the rest of the journey home went as usual, with just me feeling a little too proud of myself. 


Be it day or night, these men do not choose time. What they choose are the victims. Those women that they think would not fight for themselves. Those who will stay mum even if inside they feel violated. 


That's why I believe, women has to assert their being women. We must not let these men, prey on us, on our weakness. Fight. It only takes a little bit of courage. Hindi tayo ang nakakahiya. Ang nakakahiya e hayaang madumihan ang sarili dahil wala kang ginawa. 


These might sound petty but it isn't. There are laws that protects women from these conducts but the more important thing here is for us, women, to protect ourselves first. 




Author's Note. I hope this is worth sharing and geez! Babae! Laban!

A Love Story

Let me tell you about a time when I fell in love. It was a time when I was most frantic, a little too eager, wanting to stir time ahead of its wheels. I just wanted to prove something, and it wasn't even for myself to think with. I was beating a deadline when there was none. It was because I felt different from the rest of the world. 


I was hurt, why can't anybody love me? I thought I am not waiting anymore. And that's the stupidest part of this tale. I might try to sound poetic, yet, I know, I had been stupid. But, when you finish reading this, you'll know I do not regret a smallest thing from this venture of the heart. 


The meeting, was unconventional. It involved nothing of "boy looks into the eyes of the girl, vice versa, and there was magic" sort. It was too modern, it only needed technology, the Internet. Too common landings nowadays. 


But I cannot be thankful enough. More than anything, I know I have found a true friend. At the beginning, he was just the personification of a silly woman's dream man--each woman's description of a dream man varies but this one just fits mine. Just that. And then a friend. And then..


What am I supposed to do? When you meet someone that exactly defined your ideal man what would you do? You would want to get more? Wouldn't you? 


Talking had been easy, laughing had been plenty. Beliefs, lessons, experiences, passions, they never ran dry. Always, there was something to share. Maybe I had given too much. I was like an open book, pouring every conversation we had. Maybe he'd noticed, even before I did, that I was falling. Maybe and maybe not.

But it was my fault altogether. I remembered, there were nights I cried. Even before I was sure I like him, I knew that I'll never have him. That's why I cried, and I prayed. I prayed to God, why can't he be the one. 


Because I just know he will never be the one. I just felt it, despite all the conversations, I know I was never there at the bottom of his heart. Never. 


And so I confessed, "Gusto kita."


"May mahal na akong iba."


I did not cry. It hurt, yes, but even before, I had been hurt. Do you think I would cry at night if I wasn't hurt? The tears only come once. 


Then I was proud of myself. 


Because I had been too hard on me. I think the love for the man, it did not came naturally. I was the one who kept digging my grave. Deeper and deeper. I was blinded by the words "ideal," "dream," "knight in shining armor." Obviously he fell short. He was that, but he just did not like me back. 


So I am proud of myself. I just needed that, a slap in the face! I don't like second guesses! I doubt benefits of the doubts! I needed to stop. 


And I did. I stopped. I don't like, or yeah, love him anymore. But he's an eternal friend. He's a confidant. From all these, somehow, we managed to gain the trust of one another. I think this part I'm not imagining. Anything I can openly tell at him, it doesn't need to be important. 


One time we talked, he told me to look at the site of him and his girlfriend. I was all smiles. I was so happy for him, he finally found the one he loved and the one who loved him back. I felt proud of him. 


Then I thought, I felt proudest of myself. 


I know he'd read this, but we can pretend he didn't. :)

Shitty Tranquility

I was at the forlorn fire exit of this old battered building, with no one but myself and something of a creation that kills lives. 


I was smoking again, after almost a year. The moment I got my first paycheck, and encashed it much to my content, what I bought was a pack of cigarette and a lighter. Hah, I wanted to reward myself and that's the most undecent thing that I came up with. I just thought that I needed a "real" break, since I've been the pet of the big boss. And being the pet miraculously translates to being his "alila." I am doing more than I should be doing. End of topic. 


So there, at the forlorn exit, inhaling the crappy smoke and exhaling it almost immediately, I felt so good. Being alone, and just being alone. Looking at the not-very-lovely sight that was old windows, rusty stairs and floors, and a stupid wall, it was quite relaxing. 


I just need that kind of moments, when I get the luxury of being "blank."

It's Rain, and it doesn't Pour

I considered writing a nice article of Rain's gig (for gig it was and not a concert as Rain himself explained in his press conference that a concert consists of three hours straight or more of performing) for The Manila Times, the newspaper I work. 

But thinking it over, I realized all I can come up with is something blog-worthy. If I am to write something to be published and read by the public, what I would want is to come up with something for the benefit of Rain, whether it be more popularity, more fans, more praise and all the good stuffs. Right? However, that being said, I can't do something for his benefit, because, I can't think of good things to say about his gig. 

Sure I did enjoy, but somehow, I knew right there and then, I'm not a fan of him and the whole K-Pop era. I might really really like him back in Full House but not as a singer-performer-dancer. My dear friend, Ara Mae, who gave us, seven friends of VIP tix, said herself that she just wanted to see Rain's abs. I thought, in the beginning that I was indeed a fan of him, but during the gig, I really couldn't bring myself to enjoy his musicality to the fullest. Well, the fact that I was having an hyperacidity attack, that made my stomach ache during the whole duration of the gig might be a big contribution as to why I couldn't concentrate! But all I can say is that half of my mind was trying to focus on Rain's hot dance moves and the half was being consumed by "namimilitpit na sakit" of my stomach. 

Thinking, if my stomach isn't having a hyperacidity, would I be able to find good things to write about the whole gig? Perhaps not. 

I just know that if it were Sugarfree or Panic! at the Disco's Brendon Urie performing on the stage, even if it was awfully cramped with people and uncomfortable (yeah that's how VIP is on MOA concert grounds, standing and squirming with everyone else) and I was indeed having hyperacidity, I would still be terribly taking my heart out for them! I would show them my love no matter what.

I swear, I'm the type of a fangirl who gives her all. I'm the type who fights for her idols. Rains is just not one of them. I just can't write something for our newspaper that talk of grievances about said gig.

All the reason I was happy that night, aside from the fact that I was almost limping from pain was the company of my dearest friends in college. And if you might know, not one of us was a genuine fan of Rain. HAHAHAHA, it's funny. The sound of VIP tix was just hard to resist (atleast for me). 

I love my friends, they never fail to give me a good laugh. I couldn't forget also when I was saying harsh words loudly aiming to some dudes behind that kept on pushing forward when obviously there wasn't any more space!!! I was definitely irked and irritated, I was saying something like "Minsan talaga gusto kong subukang manapak ng tao e!" My friends alarmed tried to know what the problem was, only to say to me in return something like, "Dude, Koreano sila. Di ka nila naiintindihan." I looked to the guys behind me and much to my dismay! Darn, they were indeed Koreans and definitely they did not understand any Filipino word I said! How useless. :D

Higit pa sa Rak en Rol!

Naalala ko noong kolehiyo pa ako sa PUP, maswerte ako na nagkaroon ako ng, yong propesor na para bagang sagot sa pangrap pangarap ng mga kolehiyala. Yong prof na bagets! Yong batang prof na bagets na lalaki! Yong prof na bagets na lalaki na kewl! Yong prof na bagets na lalaki na kewl at astig! At yong prof na bagets na lalaki na kewl at astig at ma-appeal! Samakatuwid, hindi ko sya naging 'crush.' Pramis, di ko naging kras si Sir Dekki, sadyang hinangaan ko sya, dahil bukod sa bagets, kewl at astig siya, isa siya sa mga guro na nagbukas ng kaisipan ko. Kumbaga, bahagi ng takbo ng pag-iisip ko ngayon, galing sa kanya. 

Aktibista si Sir Dekki. Isa siya sa iilang guro sa apat na taon ko sa kolehiyo na sa kadakilaan nila ay naimpluwensyahan at nagawa akong tarantado. Hahahahaha, pero hindi po ako tibak. Sadyang minsan, tibak lang ako mag-isip. 


At hayun na nga, si Sir Dekki din nagpapakilala sa akin ng bandang Datu's Tribe. 

Alam mo yon, akala ko dati astig na yong nakikinig ako sa rak en rol e. Pero simula nung napakinggan ko Datu's Tribe, alam ko tumaas na "standards" ko sa rak en rol at musika.  (Yong hinding hindi ko na magugustuhan si Justin Bieber o Super Junior, yaks!) Tapos, kanina (este kahapon, ibang araw na pala ngayon, nangyayari sa mga gising ng madaling araw, adiyes na pala ngayon, kaarawan ng aking ina, happy birthday ma!), nabasa ko napakahaba, as in ang haba talaga! ng sinabi ng Datu's Tribe. Bumalik lahat sakin lahat ng lektyur ni Sir Dekki sa klasrum kong may 'electric fan' pero hindi gumagana. 

Eto sabi ng Datu's Tribe (na susundutan ko na rin ng mga sarili kong kaisipan!): 

First off, we're really not out to condemn other bands. Instead, we're asking all concerned (hindi lang mga banda) to critically assess and/or re-evaluate their perspectives. Though madaling mag-mention ng pangalan, we still shouldn't deny these groups the chance (no matter how remote in some cases) to realize how being rockstars in a screwed-up developing country carries a significantly more demanding set of responsibilities than, for example, being a rockstar in the United States would. 

Nakukuha kasi ng halos lahat yung "asta" ng mga foreign acts (mainly galing US, siempre) without realizing na hindi naman pwedeng yun na ang maging "be-all, end-all" pagdating dito sa atin for the simple reason na IBA ANG KONTEKSTO na kinapapalooban ng mga "artista" sa Pilipinas.

Sa tutoo lang, how can anyone with even half a conscience revel in a "sex, drugs, & rock'n'roll"lifestyle while an overwhelming majority of Filipinos wallow in poverty and continue to face a future without choices? Kung ang mga multi-million dollar corporations nga merong "corporate social responsibility" ek-ek, how can anything less be expected of bands/music artists who are supposed to be more "in-touch" with the hearts and minds of the millions who idolize them in the Philippines?

Siempre meron namang nagpa-participate sa mga cause-oriented gigs. Pero ang tanong, sumusuporta ba sila talaga sa isyung pinaglalaban sa gig o nakiki-gig lang ba sila?

Testingin natin: Kung lagi kayong kasama sa Aids Awareness gigs, gumagamit ba kayo ng condom at prino-promote ang paggamit nito? Kung may asawa, sa asawa niyo lang ba kayo nakikipag-whoopee pag tag-libog?  Kung lagi kayong kasama sa environmental awareness concerts, pinapayagan niyo pa bang magsiga ng tuyong dahon ang mga katulong niyo? Recycled paper ba ang inlay ng albums niyo? Kung human rights concert naman, bumibili o endorser ba kayo ng mga branded items na gawa ng mga child laborers sa mga multinational sweatshops sa kung saan mang sulok ng mundo? Nung naganap ang Ampatuan Massacre, naglabas man lang ba kayo ng fb status update na kumondena dito o nag-announce lang kayo ng gig sched at business as usual lang ulit? (sa makatuwid wag kang ipokrita!) 

To be fair, may ilang mainstream acts na naglalabas rin naman ng material intended to increase social awareness, kaso nga lang, the overwhelming point here deals with aspects of credibility and consistency. Pero bago pa kami magmukhang nagpapakabanal dito, kami mismo aamin na maski kami hindi papasa ng lubusan sa mga standards ng credibility and consistency na lumalabas sa diskusyong ito. On a personal level, mahirap talaga maging consistent at credible sa mundo ng showbiz (yes, nasa showbiz kami, haha). But as far as we're concerned, we DO endeavor to be true to the advocacies we want to represent - and I believe that THAT spells the difference for bands like us. (simple lang, aba siguraduhin mo namang totoo ka sa sarili mo! kumbaga, kung wala ka rin namang paninindigan, o may mga ibang bagay pa na nagtutulak sa'yo sa "advocacy" mo ika nga, aba'y mabuti pang wag na lang! let it be black, or let it be white, but not grey.)

Pero in the first place, kelangan bang gumawa ng explicitly tibak material gaya ng ginagawa ng mga tulad namin just to make a difference sa konteksto natin dito sa Pilipinas? Kahit itanong niyo pa kay Angelina Jolie, ang sagot ay HINDEH. (ang mga susunod na sinabi ng Datu's tribe ang talaga namang tumatak sa akin.)

Imagine nga natin: Ano ang naging impact kung nung multi-sectoral rally kontra Cha-Cha sa Makati biglang tumugtog ang Callalily? Ang Urbandub? Kung nung isa sa mga SONA ng Bayan sa panahon ni Gloria biglang tumugtog halimbawa ang Parokya o Bamboo? Kahit di na sila magsalita, their mere presence in these events would have been a clear statement to their combined millions of fans to think about why their idols are singing in such politically-charged, anti-administration events!

Taking it a notch further, what if during the coming Tanduay Rockfest biglang sabihin ito ng 6cyclemind:

"Gusto lang namin sabihin na sumusuporta kami sa pinaglalaban ng mga manggagawa ng Phil. Airlines! We also oppose the unfair labor practices that continue to go on within this Lucio Tan-owned company. Ay, nga pala! Siya rin ang may-ari ng Tanduay! Rakenrol!"

At segundahan sila ng Sandwich/Kamikazee/Chicosci:

"Ido-donate nga pala namin ang buong TF namin sa gig na ito sa lahat ng lung cancer patients sa PGH. Para ito sa mga nabiktima at naging adik sa mga produkto ng Fortune Tobacco!" 

Asteeg, di ba? At wala pa diyan yung mga mangyayaring media frenzy pagkatapos.

The thing is a lot of bands just get too caught up in the showbiz hype that commercial success generates. Many are idolized by millions, but the reality they offer is escapist and far removed from the harsh realities that millions of Filipinos continue to experience everyday. When your stars eventually fade, what will you leave to posterity besides your hit songs? Just adopt a "No problemo! Party time na!" ethic kahit patuloy na inaabuso't inaapi ang mga tao sa paligid natin?

(Ayun naman pala e. Wag na nating ilimita ang sarili natin sa usapang banda. Kung Pilipino ka, kahit ano pa ginagawa mo sa buhay, sana naman, kahit papaano, at ilang beses ko na ba tong narinig, napanood at nabasa kung saan-saan,- sa sarili mong paraan, maliit man o malaki, may magagawa ka naman para sa bayan diba. Ang pinagkaiba, bilang mga musikero na nasa "mainstream" ika nga, aba, tama ang Datu's Tribe. Dahil kayo ang mas may kakayahang maka-impluwensya, mas may responsibilidad din kayong kumilos para sa bayan. Educate. Influence. Inspire. I think what other bands are missing out is that fact that they already have, the medium, MUSIC! And Philippines is a music-loving country.)

I already mentioned before how it's always easier to resign ourselves to fate and refuse to get out of our comfort zones. But given the temper of the times? That's suicidal, to say the least. And there's no excuse for self-indulgence when millions of lives - past, present, and FUTURE - are at stake.

So, saan tayo mauuwi nito? Oo, may pangalan ang Datu's, but our heyday was in the 90s. Bands like most of the ones I mentioned above are, for better or for worse, the leaders of the NEW GUARD. Kayong mga banda kayo ang kasalukuyang may massive media clout, may access sa industry resources, at may pinakamatataas na fanbase sa eksena. Walang dahilan para matakot o mag-alangan kayo sa pagiging progresibo't pulitikal. On the contrary, yung mga tarantadong nagpapabagsak sa Pilipinas nga ang kailangang matakot IF YOU SUDDENLY DO DECIDE TO TAKE ON SUCH A CHALLENGE.

At para naman sa mga taga-suporta ng Pinoy Rock, siguro sa susunod na magkaroon kayo ng pagkakataong makausap/makasama/ma-interbyu ang KAHIT SINO PANG BANDA SA EKSENA, imbes na tanungin niyo kung ano ang ibig sabihin ng pangalan nila o kung kailan sila maglalabas ng susunod na album o kung sinangag o sinaing ba'ng gusto nila sa umaga, bulagain niyo sila. Ask something like:

"Ano'ng masasabi ng banda niyo sa magiging epekto ng education budget cuts sa libu-libong kabataang Pilipino na humahanga sa inyo?"

(Natuwa naman ako dito! Pramis, pag ako talaga may na-interbyu lang! HAHAHAHA! Humanda sila!)

MUSIC IS NEVER ONLY ABOUT ENTERTAINMENT. \m/@@\m/

At ayon! Di ba. Parang nasabi na lahat na wala na akong masabi! Minsan na nga lang ako magsulat, ginamit ko pa sinulat ng iba! HAHAHAHA. :D :D :D

Kung dati si Andres Bonifacio, itak ginamit; si Jose Rizal pluma at papel, si Efren Peñaflorida kariton; si Manny Pacquiao kamao, aba, sa tingin ko ngayon, pwede nang armas ang gitara (acoustic, electric, bass, rhythm), tambol, at mikropono! Rak en Rol mga tsong! 

P.S. Sugarfree po ang pinaka-paborito kong local band, mabait po sila.  :D :D :D HAHAHAHAHAHA

Of Old People

I have nothing to do. I'm currently in our office in The Manila Times and, yep, I'm bored waiting for our Editor in chief's edited editorials (redundancy at it's finest). I am to proofread it before it gets to the layout artist's hands. I dunno why but the opinions and editorials are a bit late this day. Hmmm hmmm. Though I have nothing bad to say about our editor in chief. He is a nice old chap that reminds me of my Lolo. Somehow, it's nice to be sweet to this old man. 

Well, is he really the topic of this blog? Perhaps not... Maybe I'm just bored and wanted to write anything, however random it may be. Since I'm in our office, might as well write about the people here. Need I mention that our Big Boss Sir Klink, CEO, President, the highest editor in the land, just happened to enter when he was supposed to be home by now. Well, he's not. And most of us, already in a lagging state, is just wasting time in Facebook. Dearest Facebook.

Well, Big Boss, we DO our job... And I just lost my train of thought. Because the work I was waiting for came and of course, I finished it first. 

Now, what on the world do I really want to say? My observations, perhaps? 

If I will, it will be like this. The bosses here, the editors, they are quite old. You know it when you get near them and you just now that smell. Smell of long gone time, the smell of experience; smell of old perfume, the smell of knowing!

It's the air they carry. The hair of the old dudes might be close to that of Noynoy but believe me their smarter! I could never really compare them to Noynoy. And do you Ninoy, Noy's father, the martyred Filipino, had been a correspondent of The Manila Times himself. 

If not baldy, well, the hairs whitey! (smiles)

But their appalling hair is not the point. They have this certain judgment of what news, stories, life experiences and events are worthy enough for the common public to know! Yes, they might look boring, and they might really say boring stuffs, but I don't give a damn. I'm young and I'm attracted to listen to them. Listen to their better understanding of the world! My golly!

I want to grow old like them. Working. Doing what probably took up the entire time of my life. And still growing older and older by the day with the routinely things I did when I was young. I'm right here at the office. Writing to my heart's content. People grow old but passion does not. I admire the editors of The Manila Times (I'm admitting, I admire Big Boss slash Kuya too).

Sa Bukid

Sa bukid, patag ang pilapil, tabas ang talahib, walang tanim na tubo, walang magsasakang kinamkaman ng lupa ng Hacienda Luisita, walang bakas ng kontrobersya, walang bakas ng kasakiman. Ang bukid, sadyang naiwan sa paglipas ng panahon, kinalimutan ng kaunlaran, hindi na kailanman natamnan. Isang lupaing malawak, kalawakang walang hanggan, isang kawalan. 

Ngunit sa gitna ng kawalan na ito, ito rin mismo ang siyang "gitna." Ang bukid, malawak, sa ilalim ng langit, ay nayayapos ng buhay! Dahil sa palibot ng kawalan na ito ay isang komunidad ng mamamayang Pilipino. Ang parihabang bukid, sa bawat gilid, may kanya-kanyang hangganan. Sa bahaging silangan ay hilera ng mga kabahayan hanggang sa bandang likuran. Sa kahabaan ng kabahayan ay pansin ang prominanteng puno ng mangga. Mababa at mayabong ang mga sanga nito. Mayabang ang puno, takaw-pansin. Hindi maiwasang pamyistehan ng mga adik sa prutas. Pinagsasamantalahan ang walang humpay na pamumunga ng punong mangga. Sa kanlurang bahagi ay hilera muli ng kabahayan. Ngunit sa kalayuan ay matatanaw ang mga nagtataasang gusali sa mas sibilisadong bahagi ng siyudad. Dito rin sa bahaging ito mapapanood ng buong giliw ang paglubog ng araw. 


Samantala, sa hilagang bahagi ay ang basketball court para sa mga manlalarong mambobola. At sa kaharap nitong kanluran, ay ang mga bahay na iskwater, nanliliit sa mga naglalakihang townhouses ng isang eksklusibong subdibisyon na itinayo sa gawing likuran nito. Tanging isang mataas na pader ang naghihiwalay sa lugar nila sa lipunan. Isang konkretong patunay na kung may mga nasa itaas, ay mas maraming nasa ibaba.


Ngunit ano man ang katayuan nila, naka-aangat, may kaya, o sadyang salat, iba-iba man ang putahe ng bawat pamilya, may nag-iisang pa ring sangkap na hindi mawawala. Ang bawat bahay ay may kinukopkop na bata. 


At sa bawat batang iniluwal sa lipunang ito, ay nagtitipon-tipon, dito, sa bukid. At ang kawalan, unti-unting napupunan. Ang bukid, inihandog ang sarili sa mga kabataan. 


Sa bukid, walang palaruan, ngunit ang mga kabataan, maligayang naghahabulan. Sa baku-bakung lupa, nadadapa at nagagasgas ang mga tuhod. Sa mga nagkalat na bato, sa mga ligaw na damo, sa alikabok at putik, naglalakbay ang mga maliliit na mga paa. Lahat ng larong pambata ay nasasabuhay pa rin dito sa bukid kahit na patuloy ang modernisasyon ng panahon. Iniwan muna ang mga PSP, Gameboy, Xbox, o video karera. Sa bukid, tumbang preso, luksong-baka, patitentero, langit-lupa, mataya-taya ang bida. Espesyal din ang buwan mula Pebrero hanggang Abril, mga panahong sagana ang hangin. Napupuno ng makukulay na palamuti ang langit. Mga saranggola, paparada sa langit, iba't ibang gawa, iba't ibang kulay, iba't ibang laki ng mga batang iba't iba din ang edad, laki at kulay. Pataasan ng lipad sa kalangitan, dagitan ng mga saranggola, kiskisan ng mga pisi, paunahang maabot ang mga ulap.


Dito sa bukid, sa panahon ng tag-araw walang limitasyon ang kasiyahan. Takipsilim lang ang pahinga. Isa-isa nang lalabas, maghahanap, at magtatawag ang mga ina ng kanilang anak. Oras na para umuwi. Hahalik ang dilim at magbabalik ang kalungkutan sa bukid. Ngunit huwag mangamba, muling sisikat ang araw. At ang mga bata, muling magbabalik, sa bukid. 


Hindi rin mapapantayan ang papel ng bukid sa panahon ng tag-ulan. Sa urbanidad ng komunidad na ito, lahat ng kalat, basura, baha, na walang ibang matunguhan ay dito sa bukid ang bagsak. Pero sa mga ganitong pagkakataon, ang bukid na nagmukhang lawa sa gitna ng kabihasnang walang pakundangan sa kapaligaran, ay nagmimistula pa ring paraiso ng mga kabataan! Isang libreng palanguyan.


Kung maraming mang kumokwestyon sa dumi at sakit na maaaring mabatid sa paglangoy sa maduming tubig, meron pa ring mga magulang na hina-hayaan ang mga anak sa panandaliang saya ng paglangoy-langoy sa batis, lawa, o di kaya swimming pool! Hindi pa rin talaga mawawala ang mababaw na kaligayahan ng mga batang ito. Nagtatampisaw, lumalangoy, nagsasabuyan, naglalaro. 


Ang mga bata, sa paglalaro ay malaya. Sa bukid, ang kanilang tawa ay tinatangay ng ihip ng hangin. Sa bukid, ang kanilang mga gasgas sa tuhod ay nagmamarka sa lupa. Sa bukid, ang kanilang mga laro ay magmumulto, sa oras na iwan na nila ang pagkabata. 


Maghihintay pa rin ang bukid sa gitna ng lahat. Ang mga dating bata magkakaroon ng sariling pamilya, sariling anak. Isang bagong henerasyon na sa bukid matatagpuan ang kabiyak ng kanilang pagkabata. 


*My fascination with old places, sparked with Rizal's El Filibusterismo's description of Old Manila, inspired me to write about this prominent spot in my village. Because indeed, everything changes. Years from now, this "bukid" may not be the same "bukid." That's why I'm freezing right now its purpose--IN words. This way, I can remember how this "bukid" became part of my childhood. (PERO HINDI AKO LUMANGOY SA BAHA HA! XD)