Sealing Friendship with a Bottle of Tanduay

Rain. It finally comes. Pagasa predicted early in May that June will definitely be a rainy month. It was not, at least not until today.  My neighbor, Damulot, expressed his gratefulness out loud: "Hay, saeamat! Makabawi pa ma't a kara ang tanum!"

"Hay, saeamat man sa ing Tanduay.", his drinking buddy answered. "Matubod man ra siguro ay maeamig ro tiempo."

"Hala sige, basta, hin-aga, sagibinan mo ako sa ang eanas ha."

"No problemo." Totog replied, grabbing the glass half-filled with rum. He held it for awhile talking his mind out of the possibility that his landlady might need his services now that the rain has come. Damulot was silent, his eyes focused on the TV screen yet his mind wondered far into the small ricefield that he tilled on leasehold. He worries of the grim possibilities of having a bountiful harvest and the commitment he made of repaying his debts come the harvest season. His attention was called when he heard his buddy spoke in finality. "A, bahala t'a maw don, basta hin-aga, masagibin t'ang kimo, pareng Damulot." The glass still half-filled in his left hand.

The farmer smiled at his tipsy friend. He ordered Totog to swallow his rum and the latter finally did as commanded. Then he grabbed the glass and filled it with Tanduay. He took it and unabashedly made a grimace. "Bah! Mabuot ma't a ing ama a. Gina-euyaw ka man lang nana ay gapinadungoe ka." He jested at the revelation of Totog and stood up, also with finality. He bid the household of his friend goodnight and traced his path towards home where his wife awaited his already delayed retirement.

As he laid his back on his sleeping mat, he thanked again his unknown benefactor: "Saeamat sa uean. Saeamat man kay Totog. Kabay kunta nga hin-aga, indi imaw pag-obligahon ku anang ama. Agahon pa kami masagibin agud matapos eagi. Sa hapon, mahapit lang ako it Tanduay sa baraka. Pasaeamat kay Totog sa anang bulig. Saeamat gid..." And Damulot fell asleep without his noticing it.

Payag sa Anao

A Pastor's Story

On his first sermon, the new pastor engages the churchgoers with this story:

One day, a grieving devoted Catholic went to see her parish priest. She related that her pet dog has just died. She wanted to give it a decent "Christian" burial. She came therefore to request the pastor to say a funeral mass for the eternal repose of her deceased Dalmatian. The Cura gently turned down the request, informing the matron that the Eucharistic celebration is only done for the baptized. 

The rich lady sadly accepted the decision of the priest. She bid him goodbye with a remark, "I understand you perfectly, Father. But it was my intention to offer you 1,000 pesos for the mass." Upon hearing this, the stout priest reconsidered his decision. He pleaded, "Okay, I'll say the mass for the salvation of your pet. How do you want it said, in English or Latin?" 

Welcoming the 2012 Gawad KALASAG Regional Evaluators

     For the first time and due to the prodding of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Balete participates to the 2012 Gawad KALASAG Regional Search.  It is an annual program initiated by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council in search for excellence in disaster risk management and humanitarian assistance at the local level. KALASAG is a tagalog word meaning "shield" and the NDRRMC used it as an acronym to stand for KAlamidad at sakuna LAbanan, SAriling Galing at kaligtasan. Gawad KALASAG  was therefore conceived to protect or shield high risk communities against hazards by encouraging participation of various stakeholders designing and implementing Disaster Risk Management (DRM) programs. The search is staged to recognize outstanding performance and local initiatives.

   The 2012 Regional Evaluation for 2011 DRRMC performance is set today, June 21, 2012, at the Sangguniang Bayan Session Hall. The municipal DRRMC welcomed the team of evaluators from the various regional government agencies with these kind words:

Good morning!

Allow me to take you to a brief excursion into the historic past of our humble town. 

·         Balete was established in 1804 with a population of 3,089 souls.

·         We were then one of the 33 pueblos of the provincia de Capiz.

·         Today, we have grown into some 28,118 Baleten-ons spread out in more or less 11,760 hectares of mostly hilly and mountainous land.

·         Our population density ratio is two persons for every hectare. 

·         We are blessed with several waterways, the biggest of which is the Jal-o River. It winds through 8 of the ten constituents barangays of Balete and empties into Batan Bay

·         We are an agricultural community and most of our people derived their livelihood from farming, handicrafts, carpentry and other menial jobs. Our unemployment rate is at 5.6% although the poverty incidence is recorded at 46%.

·         We are a hospitable, fun-loving, God-fearing people. Contrary to folk beliefs, there are no White Ladies in Balete. What we have are Fair Ladies.

·         There are no tourist destinations in our town, although we do have a lot of attractions.

·         We have had our shares of woes and wailings: the worst being thecholera outbreak of 1882. History tells us that some 144 Baleten-ons succumbed to death at the heights of the pestilence. Precisely, that our forebears invoked the intervention of St. Rafael the Archangel, patron of healers andtravelers in the road of life.

·         Our folks used to tell of Typhoon Ogis that can even upturn coconut shells lying in the ground.

·         Then we remember the 9-month drought of 1983 which was followed up by Undang in 1984.

·         The earthquake of 1991 was also remarkable for having sent to ruins much of the old buildings in Balete, the old church of St. Rafael, included.

·         Typhoon Frank in June 23, 2008 passed us by and just uprooted a century-old Thick Tree in our town plaza.

What is phenomenal however was the historic swelling of the Jal-o River in middle of November of last year. With Pag-asa forecasting just a low pressure activity in the area, the flash flood took us by surprise and caused much damaged on our property and enterprises. Fortunately, our people were saved from the clutches of death. (The reported death of an individual was due to a landslide in Barangay Feliciano)

So we take it as the sign of the time; a wakeup call for us to take the bull by its horns.  Despite our meager resources, we converge to make most of the littlethat we have. The old Municipal Disaster Coordinating Council was reorganized to make for the dynamic Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council. The Sangguniang Bayan took aim to revise the 2004 Municipal Environment Code while in the mean time declared a 5-year moratorium on charcoal making in the entire municipality.  Balete PNP and DepED Balete separately initiated tree planting activities within the Jal-o watershed. Other agencies and civil society organizations did their share, however small they seem, for us to approximate the emergence of an ecologically-balanced and enchanting Balete.

Yes, we are enchanting Balete. We have been honored, though poor that we are, by the National Government, when it conferred unto us, for two consecutive years now, the Seal of Good Housekeeping Award. Now, albeit the outcome of this KALASAG evaluation, your presence here today adds up to the feathers in our cap. Precisely, that despite the short notice, we welcome you with open arms. With Mayor Bobby Calizo and the rest of the municipal officials and the people of Balete, allow me therefore to officially welcome all of you today. 

Crossing Bridges in Balete

       Hiking into upland Balete is one of those activities that I find most engaging most especially during the arid days in my restless probings. The lush of green, the chirping of birds, the distant rural scenes, all always offer refreshing treat to the tired eyes and weary soul.





      In my recent escapade, my mind wanders through some existential pathways and bridges and into the thoroughfares of the great and wise.

   

The exercise was exhausting for both the body and the mind.






Even then, the soul is refreshed, the eyes are rested.







                                                                                                        In the silence of the journey, the spirit sours.

Renewed and revitalized. Believing and hope-filled.

         Available and reaching out.

 

Going out of its comfort zone to seek the light of day.

Si Baeägtingaw ag ro Muwâ it Sapá

Anu pa ron ha.

Si Baeägtingaw hay namunit sa sapa. "Sin-o ro nagapamunit sa a'ng sapa?" Ro Muwa nangutana.
"Ako, si  Baeägtingaw!" sabat ku mamumunit.
"Adtunan ko ag itikon si Inang mo." paandam ku Muwa.
"Adtuni." sabat ni  Baeägtingaw.
Ro bantay it sapa hay tumakas paadto sa baeay ni  Baeägtingaw. Idto sa balkon haabutan na si Inang. Dayon anang gin-itik nga nagahambae, "Itik Inang! Itik Inang!......" Si Inang nagligid sa saeog nga nagahinibayad. Nag-ilihi. "Man-o pa ing pagginhawa, Inang?" pangutana ku Muwa sa ina ni  Baeägtingaw.
"Makitid eon lang kay sa pasok." sabat ni Inang.

Masunod nga adlaw, namunit eon man si  Baeägtingaw. Pero bago pa pumanaw, si Inang anang ginhab-on sa taeägbasan.

"Sin-o ro nagapamunit sa a'ng sapa?" Ro Muwa nangutana.
"Ako, si  Baeägtingaw!" sabat ku mamumunit.
"Adtunan ko ag itikon si Inang mo." paandam ku Muwa.
"Adtuni." sabat ni  Baeägtingaw.

Ro sapat it sapa hay tumakas paadto sa baeay ni  Baeägtingaw. Idto sa balkon owa na hakita si Inang. Owa man imaw sa kwarto, owa man sa kusina. Owa sa sala, owa sa pantaw. Owa sa kasilyas, owa man sa dapog. Ginutom ro Muwa it usoy. "Ah, madu-om eon ako it bugas sa taeägbasan." hambae ku sapat. "Aha, iya ka gali sa taeagbasan ha!" anang hambae pagkakita na' kay Inang nga nakahab-on sa taeägbasan. Dayon anang gin-itik nga nagahambae, "Itik Inang! Itik Inang!......" Si Inang nagligid sa taeägbasan nga nagahinibayad. Nag-ilihi. "Man-o pa ing pagginhawa, Inang?" pangutana ku Muwa sa ina ni  Baeägtingaw.
"Maku binlod eon lang it bahoe." sabat ni Inang.

Masunod nga adlaw, namunit eon mat'a si  Baeägtingaw. Pero bago pa pumanaw, si Inang anang ginhab-on sa sag-ob.

"Sin-o ro nagapamunit sa a'ng sapa?" Ro Muwa nangutana.
"Ako, si  Baeägtingaw!" sabat ku mamumunit.
"Adtunan ko ag itikon si Inang mo." paandam ku Muwa.
"Adtuni." sabat ni  Baeägtingaw.

Ro engkanto it sapa hay tumakas paadto sa baeay ni  Baeägtingaw. Idto sa balkon owa na hakita si Inang. Owa man imaw sa kwarto, owa man sa kusina. Owa sa sala, owa sa pantaw. Owa sa kasilyas, owa man sa dapog. Owa man sa taeägbasan. Inuhaw ro Muwa it usoy. "Ah, mainom eon ako it tubi sa sag-ob." hambae ku engkanto. "Aha, iya ka gali sa sag-ob ha!" anang hambae pagkakita na kay Inang nga nakahab-on sa sag-ob. Dayon anang gin-itik nga nagahambae, "Itik Inang! Itik Inang!......" Si Inang nagligid sa sag-ob nga nagahinibayad. Nag-ilihi. "Man-o pa ing pagginhawa, Inang?" pangutana ku Muwa sa ina ni  Baeägtingaw.
"Maku tueo eon lang it tubi sa naatas nga sag-ob." sabat ni Inang.

Anu baea kara ro madason? Baea hay nag-ungkat si  Baeägtingaw it pamunit sa sapa? Kon owa t'a, hay siin na ginhab-on it uman si Inang? Hakit-an man dayon baea ku Muwa rong ginhab-unan kay Inang?

Anu pa ron ha.

When Pacquiao Searches for the Universal Man

Ka Ro was grumbling: "Maw ron aki ay entrante. Mirese kana ay pati ro biblia hay pag-entrahan na. Owa ngani si Toto Apol ga-entra karon nga otso anyos ta imaw sa seminario." (That's what he gets when he messed with everything. He's so gullible to even interpret the Bible. Why, even Apol who was in the seminary for eight years is reticent enough from showing off his learning."

Ka Ro was reacting to the announcement that Pacquiao lost his belt to the younger Bradley. The alcohol was already working wonders on his neurons. He played the host and was now articulate to entertain his guests. He went on to enumerate the variety of interest of the man:

• Boxing Champ -the first to have held the title in eight divisions.
• Politician. He is presently a Congressman, and now is considering to run for Governor in 2013 as he is yet disqualified to seek for senatorial seat by virtue of his age (40 is the minimum age for one to be eligible to run for that office)
• Fowl breeder
• Billiard and basketball affecionado (and bettor; ever heard of his bet during the Miami Heat-Boston Game 7 match?) 
• TV Hosting and show business
• Composer/Music Recording
• Businessman
• Military reservist with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel 
• Devout Catholic who recently has found his "new" life in another Christian sect 
• Family man and typical man (whatever that means) 

Ka Ro claimed that Manny lost his focus for being a polymath. He is no longer that single-minded warrior that he used to be. He has given up simplicity in exchange for universality.

Ka Ro has many things in his mind. But the beers are drying up and the hour is already late (or early for the next day). He wanted to explore the intricacies in Vegas but perhaps, that thing will be calendared as an Unfinished Business. Anyway, the rematch has long been announced and the fans are aching for vindication. It will come to pass in November.

Photo courtesy of Chris Farina/Top Rank via Manny's Official Website

(He sure has opinion once he got to see Bradley in a wheelchair--so much like the former president and former chief justice, I suppose)
_______
An updated article about Manny Pacquiao is found in this link: Wikipedia
Manny's Official Site is in this link: http://www.mp8.ph/

Communicating Heritage and the Mystique of Tourism

     I got an invitation from the National Historical Commission to the two-day LGU training on History and Heritage on July 19-20, 2012 in Tagbilaran City. The activity it said, aims for a three-fold objectives:

• Increased appreciation of the value of history and cultural heritage
• Raised consciousness on the relevance of historic or heritage conservation and
• The identification of local historical and cultural sites as tourist attractions

    On a personal note, I see this invite as the long delayed follow up to the NHC initiative of encouraging local government units at documenting their respective local histories which the National Historical Institute (NHI) reechoed throughout the country sometime in  late 1998 or early 1999. That call did served as an impetus for Balete to look back into its historic past and to try to remember or regain its lost memories by taking the horns of those falsified saga behind the so called El Tiroteo de Agtawagon. Looking back, much have been done, although great are the possibilities waiting for the researchers to discover of our rich history and heritage as Baleten-ons.

 

Now that the NHC is offering us yet another opportunity, I am tempted to readily grab it as if pushed by the Romans' command: Carpi Diem! But something in the objectives of the training held me back. There is something in my psyche that have not been articulated with respect to the way local cultural and historical heritage such as Boracay and the Sto. Niño Festival have turned into. However you look at them, the paradigm of commercialism has succeeded in presenting them as just entertainment to ease the collective boredom. It is more fun in the Philippines, our banner says.

   It is sad to note that those heritage sites or events failed to serve as fulcrums for learning and amplifying the coded memories of our race. I have always believed that while it is necessary for economic growth to materialize for a sustainable development, it is equally important also to consider social advancement and environmental protection to approximate human well-being and spirituality. These three aspects of sustainable development must go hand-in-hand if we are to demystify tourism as the ultimate reason for identifying and promoting local historical and cultural sites.

___
  For some serious stuffs on heritage education the following articles/materials/sites might be of help:

• Seeing with Young Eyes: Third Sub-regional South-East Asian Teacher Training Workshop on Using Art to Teach about World Heritage. Penang, Malaysia, 15-21 January 2006
• Ivan About Town 
• Philippine Heritage Watch
• Heritage Conservation Society
• UNESCO's Memory of the World 

Poetic

       







           My poetry is returning to me. Precisely that my sleep these days are shallow and disturbed. Poetry awakens the passionate mind from its slumber. It begets something out of the unprocessed perceptions of both the conscious and the subconscious. It goes beyond logic. It is rebelling yet tolerant of the things that are. It is even if it isn't.