Sobrang kahirapan ang nararamdaman ngayon sa maliit na barangay namin sa Tabontabon, including my own family. Grabe, maraming pamilya ang hindi nakakakain ng tatlong beses sa isang araw. Kelan kaya mararamdaman ng mga taga-Jabong yong tinatawag na prosperity? Yong mga pananim na palay, wala pang bunga. I've talked to my father over the phone earlier today, at sinabi niya na papausbong pa lang daw ung mga butil ng palay. With the impact of El Nino sa Pilipinas, malamang na matatagalan pa na mamunga yong mga palay sa lugar namin. Nakakaawa ang mga tao. Naaalala ko ang nanay at tatay ko. Kaya nga nandito ako sa Maynila nagpupursige para makatulong sa pamilya ko.
Ang nangyayaring ito sa baryo namin ay microcosm ng nangyayari sa kabuuan ng bansa. Maraming Pilipino ang nagugutom dahil sa kahirapan. Walang pambili ng pagkain, gamot, at pangtustos sa pag-aaral ng mga anak. Anong kinabukasan ang naghihintay sa pangkaraniwang Pinoy? Heto na naman at campaign period na. Habang ang mga kandidato ay gumagastos ng milyong-milyong salapi sa mga advertisements at kampanya nila, milyong-milyong Pilipino din ang naghihirap at walang makain. Mga taong nakaupo, kelan kayo matututong tumayo? Tingnan ninyo ang tunay na kalagayan ng nakararaming Pinoy.
Showing posts with label The Filipino Family. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Filipino Family. Show all posts
HALBO NGA HAGNA
Halbo nga Hagna
ni Marlon B. Raquel
Gintutukdo ha bawbaw han ulo
Us ka burta hin gin-ani nga humay
Pabalik-balik ngadto nganhi
Harani 500 ka metro an tal-ang.
Kamakaharadlok mo kikilat
An dalugdog baga'n eroplano nga tihulog
An kalangitan nagnginginurutob
Nagtutuok nga puno hin kasubo.
Puno'n lusak an ak nawong
Aguy! May linta ha ak tiil
Makangingirhat baga'n bampira
Nahipakulob pa ha kali tungod han kahadlok.
Copyright 2009. Marlon Raquel
December 29, 2009
AN HALBO NGA HAGNA
An Old Family Picture
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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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JUST A THOUGHT
Should I have the power to decide what kind of life I would have, I would choose a perfect life. I want to enjoy life free from condemnation and ridicules of other people-Christians and non-Christians alike; a life full of material blessings man could ever imagine; a problem-free life that I don't have to seek solutions nor select from alternatives because there's no problem in the first place. But all these things seem impossible.
How I wish I had grown up in a well-to-do family, where its members do not worry about what to eat and wear; where a sickly brother could immediately be treated with medicines; where all the children will be able to go to school and reach their ambitions such that they will receive their college diplomas; where parents but anything they want and their children want - be it a simple thing or a luxurious one.
Many times in my life I've been dreaming for a family whose love, peace, and unity reign in every heart. How wonderful it is to see a father and a mother loving each other, being faithful to one another in spite of difficult circumstances they are facing. How good it is to see parents taking good care of their children, loving them with equality, and teaching them the moral values and attitudes they need for them to become good and productive citizens.
Is it not praiseworthy for the children to love and obey their parents? To care for them in times of sickness? To encourage them when they are in hopelessness and troubles? How about the relationship among the children? Should they love each other as they love their parents? Is there a need for them to help each other in times of problems and difficulties? To advice and rebuke the other when he surpasses his limitation? And praise him, on one hand, when he has done something good?
No one is perfect, and nothing is perfect.
August 17, 2005 11:00 AM
Boarding House, Jones Extension, Tacloban City
