Pearls in Pigsties

Antonio and Joy (not their real names)just bought an amplifier as a Christmas present for themselves. They are my neighbors. Theirs is a real big family of twelve and I suppose the amplifier is necessary for them to hear each other.

Antonio operates the agricultural machineries of his landlord during planting and harvest season. In the long interval, he takes on some odd jobs in the neighborhood. He's a good and responsible father when he's sober, which is rare. His better half is an ambulant vendor. She sells fish which she takes on consignment from her fisherman brother down the Jal-o River. Those she hawks around early in the morning and hurries home around 10 to prepare lunch for her family.

When Balete was identified as one of the first three municipalities in Aklan (this was later raised to 4 with Buruanga joining Balete, Libacao and Madalag) to implement the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program--popularly known as 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyan Pilipino Program during the Arroyo administration) the household of Antonio and Joy was among those 842 "fortunate" families to have been listed as beneficiaries.(The beneficiaries surged to about 1,785 during the P-Noy administration or about 0.06% of the Baleten-on population) Last December, they were informed that the DSWD Regional Office through the Landbank will be paying over-the-counter each household the amount of Php. 10K representing the 9 nine months backlog. That was the good news. By December 31, the Balete Public Market was crowed by these beneficiaries that each stall holder therein was beaming like the Cheshire cat.

The decision of my neighbors in buying the amplifier is way beyond my comprehension. Just recently, the couple underwent a seminar on Barangay Level Training of Married Couples of Reproductive Ages on Responsible Parenting and Natural Family Planning at the Kabuhian Center. The speakers reminded them how to prioritize their needs and wants and taught them how to manage their resources. But perhaps, Antonio was distracted by the charting on Billings-Ovulation Method that he failed to grasp the meaning of being responsible. Besides, what can you effect about by just having a day seminar on people who have been through a lot all these years.

What I heard of is that having received the money, Antonio requested his wife to hand him Php. 2,500. Then he went to Kalibo to purchase the device. Upon reaching home and with the device now installed to his player, he complained to his wife of the dismal quality of his amplifier. What followed then was a typical argument among husband and wife over the use of money that sadly turned violent considering the insobriety usual of Antonio.

Today, the amplifier is kept by Joy who was nursing some bruises on her chin and shoulders. Antonio is staying at the Police station "to while the time", humming to himself the line, "Regrets, I have a few/but then again/too few to mention" from Paul Anka's My Way.