AN HALBO NGA HAGNA

An Old Family Picture

The following is a narration of one of my experiences in farming . I was born to a typical poor Filipino family living in a far-flung area. As an agricultural community, my family's source if income is derived from farming. It would take 24 hours to travel from Metro Manila to Leyte by bus and about an hour by plane. This narration is written in Waray language.
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Dyes anyos na an nakakalabay. Tuig 1999. Trese anyos an ak panuigon. Duro an turo han uran. Makaharadlok nga kikilat ngan dalugdog. Alas dos pala han kulop pero baga na hin gab-i. Mahagkot hin duro. Baga ak hin sisip-onon ngan hihirantan. Ginkikit-an ko hi Tatay, singkwenta anyos na an panuigon, nga nagtutukdo hin usa ka burta nga inani nga humay. Tikang ha hagna, kinahanglan namon tambakon ha may harani han pinaka-highway nga dalan an am mga inani para matreser na. Harayo nam ginbibinaktas tikadto tikanhi. Hi Nanay nagtutukdo gihap hin burta hin humay. Halbo hin duro an hagna. Oppps! Nahipakulob hi JR, an puto ha magburugto, ikasiyam nga anak nira Tatay ngan Nanay. Mga sais anyos pala an iya panuigon hadto nga mga panahon. An iya tinukdo nga humay nagkahudlog ha kali. Diri hiya ginapaupod ha hagna pero mapirit gud nga bata. Baka hin ginkukunot an ak kasingkasing han mga hinkikit-an ko. Hi Marvin, an sumunod ha akon, in padayon la nga naglalakat para makaabot na hiya didto han tambakan han humay. Makakapahuway gihap hiya bisan pira la ka minuto. Karuyag ko tumuok. Maguol na. Pero damu pa an nakatambak nga mga uhay han humay ha hagna. Makaradlok pa an mga linta nga danay nadukot ha ak panit. Kay ano nga gin-anak kami nga pobre? Kunta nagin riko hira Tatay ngan Nanay. Bumagisbis ha ak mga mata an luha han kapobrehan. Ginkukurian hi Tatay pagtinukdo-tukdo. Diri na malinaw an iya mga mata. May katarata hiya. Hi Nanay bisan kon waray la reklamo, maaram ako nga gingugul-an na hiya. Nahipakulob ak hin pira ka beses. Puno hin lusak an lawas pati na an nawong. Nahangad ak ha langit ngan nagpapakiana ha Ginoo hin damu nga mga butang. Di ak maaram. Basta an ak nakadi ha huna, bubuhaton ko an ngatanan para diri na kami magtinukdo-tukdo hin mga humay ha halbo nga hagna.
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PROFILE: RICHARD "DICK" GORDON

MY FATHER'S 65TH BIRTHDAY

I went home to attend the 65th birthday of my father, Gonzalo Raquel. It was a promise I made with my father before: to give him a birthday celebration when he reached at age 65.

Around 100 people from our barangay attended the celebration including our former barangay captain, the current barangay chairwoman, and some of the barangay kagawads. It was really a joyous celebration for all of us especially for my father. Tears flowed from his eyes when he delivered a short speech of thanksgiving to his family for supporting him and for organizing such event. He was really thankful.

The birthday celebration is quite simple. With a small amount that I have, however, we were able to accomodate the people. We hired a "combo" (just like a music band) in the amount of 2,000 pesos. People started coming into our house at around 10:30 in the morning. My siblings prepared the food - sarsang isda, pansit, menudong baboy, adobong manok, lumpia. At exactly 1:00pm, the emcee (our former barangay chairman and a father of my barkada) announced that the aminudo dance would start. To start the event, my father and a neighbor by the name of Deling partnered in the aminudo. There was a plate over the dusty ground where the dancers would dance around it while people started putting some money bills and coins on the plate. This is customary in our place and in other parts of the country especially in the provinces.

I took a lot of photos. The people really enjoyed the party. We served 6 watercans and a gallon of tuba, the favorite native wine of the locals. The celebration ended at around 6:00 in the evening. I thank the Lord for giving my father 65 years in life, and I am praying that God will lengthen his life. He is a responsible and a loving father to us. I am planning to hold another birthday celebration for him when he reach the age of 70 (my mother would turn 65 that time). 
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BRAZIL GOT THE MISS EARTH 2009 AWARD