by Martina Magpusao Herras
The Philippine High School for the Arts
Creative Nonfiction 3
Introduction
Ever since I came to Makiling, I took writing a little too seriously. I thought that creating other characters and writing plots of other universes meant that I should exclude my own universe and my own background.
So upon the start of my first fiction class, I swore that I wouldn’t bring up anything personal
lest risk being melodramatic and writing a horrible piece.
I was able to explore worlds that I didn’t know existed. I was able to create different characters. But after a while, writing started to make me weary. I wasn’t as passionate as I used to be. I told myself, “maybe if I did other things, I would be happier”. I was, at that time, about to give up on writing.
Luckily, one afternoon, a friend of mine came to my dorm room with her copy of Bebang Siy’s It’s a Mens World. She had just finished reading it and suggested that I read it too. I wasn’t a fan of essays at all, but since my friend insisted, I had no choice but to give in.
The first essay I read was Milkshakes and Daddies, which was about how the author’s father had treated her out on hot afternoons after school to a milkshake at a local diner—and as she grew up, she realized how it was an attempt to brainwash her into thinking that her mother was a bad person and that she didn’t deserve to keep her and her sisters, ending with the line—“Dad, for the milkshakes, thanks but no thanks.”
That one line struck me hard. I didn’t realize how much you could put into a literary piece without putting too much. I kept reading and reading, and soon enough I found myself unable to put the book down. It was a simple yet witty piece of literature, and I absolutely loved it.
Reading It’s A Mens World gave me a new insight on life—and I realized that I was taking things too seriously for a girl who was 14 at that time. I realized that if I put even just a little bit of myself in my works, then the weariness would disappear and that I would grow to love writing once again.
Bebang Siy saved my life by saving me from the cold clutches of being too stressed and uptight about my life. Through her essays, she taught me how to live life and still be serious about your work.
I instantly became a fan.
When I attended the National Book Development Board’s Literary festival in 2012, I just had to get her autograph. I’d forgotten to bring my copy of It’s a Mens World to the event, so, armed with a pen and just a small sketchpad, I had to approach her. With a smile, she didn’t only give me her autograph, but also chatted with me for a short while. Later on, I opened the sketchpad to read the last line of the message she’d written for me;
“Para sa panitikan, para sa bayan!”
Two years later, at sixteen years old, I still find myself reading her essays again and again—waiting for her second book, It’s Raining Mens to come out. She still is an inspiration, and I still “fangirl” over every post she makes on her blog, babe-ang.blogspot.com. In fact, prior to writing this essay, I had written an email to her with a post-script saying:
PS:
Hi po. Medyo nag-fa-fangirl po ako sa inyo kaya hindi ko po maisulat ang email na ito sa Filipino. Baka makailang “grabe, idol ko po kayo forever” sa email na ito kaya sinulat ko na lang ito sa Ingles para ma-restrain ko ang sarili ko. Pero, honestly, idol ko po talaga kayo. As in <333
Sorry po kung nagambala ko po kayo <3
PPS:
Iniintay ko pong lumabas ang It's Raining Mens <3
There’s nothing to be ashamed of, really. She really is an idol and an inspiration.
Monday, March 31, 2014
Bebang’s World: A Literary Biography of Beverly “Bebang” Wico Siy (Part 2)
by Martina Magpusao Herras
The Philippine High School for the Arts
Creative Nonfiction 3
Half and half (1979-1994)
Beverly “Bebang” Wico Siy was born on December 10, 1979 in Quirino, Manila to Resureccion Wico and Roberto Siy. Her mother is Filipina, and her father is Chinese. She grew up living two traditions, one of the Filipino and the other of the Chinese.
She is the eldest of five daughters—her other sisters being Columbia, Kimberly, Charisse Ann and Erres. Bebang’s parents met when her mother was working as a waitress. Her father was a drinker as well as a smoker—and he managed a rice store and a jueteng racket. Her mother peddled fruits and Christmas decors to get by, as well as delivered lunch to gambling joints.
“We didn’t have a lot of money for the usual luxuries that other children enjoy,” she says in an interview with Ruel De Vera for the Sunday Inquirer Magazine, “Our toys were hand-me-downs and we rarely had new clothes.”
Bebang, being half-Chinese, grew up amidst Chinese conventions. In the essay Nakaw na Sandali, she wrote about how her entire family had to move in with her father’s parents---as he had no money to afford a place of their own.
She even had to steal a box of gum from her grandparents’ grocery glass cabinet, so that she could have a taste of what her cousins were usually given when they visited the house.
She would also tell about how her other cousins were favored by her Amah and her Angkong (Grandmother and Grandfather) because her aunties and an uncle married into Chinese families.
But, despite this, Bebang was a child who danced through life, as if the storm never bothered her at all –as reflected in her works.
Entering the battlefield (1994-2002)
Bebang and her sisters were very young when their parents separated. They became the object of a tug-of-war between her parents, with their father constantly taking them away to live with him in Ermita—until finally, she moved in with her mother.
She went to three elementary schools as a child—in Ermita, Paranaque and then finally in Malate—until she entered the Philippine Christian University Integrated Science High School.
She described herself in her younger years as “Awkward and weird”—and resorted to teasing other people about their flaws, so that their attention would be on them instead of her.
When she was younger, Bebang constantly became the cause of her mother’s pain and headaches. In her essay, Ang Lugaw, Bow, she writes about how her mother cried about her and her sisters on a daily basis--as her father constantly “kidnapped” them and brought them to Ermita.
But every bright side has its shadow.
She recalled in her essay, Sa ganitong paraan namatay si Kuya Dims, about how a trip to province turned out to be a bad one—and how a cousin’s death, which was supposed to make her grieve—made her feel relief instead.
At the age of 9, her cousin brought her into a small nipa hut in the dead of the night and molested her. She openly wrote about this incident in Sa ganitong paraan namatay si Kuya Dims—
“Hindi ako sumagot. Ano naman ang isasagot ko? Ano ang isasagot ng isang nine years old na babae sa ganoong sitwasyon? Yo? Yes yes yo? Tangina mo? Gago ka? Hayop ka? Siyempre, hindi. Siyempre, wala. Wala siyang isasagot. Ang mga nine years old na bata, lalo na’t babae, hindi hinahanda sa ganitong sitwasyon. Kaya wala silang alam gawin.”
“…Pero sa tingin ko, kahit kailan, hindi ko ito maikukuwento sa nanay ko at mga kapatid. Baka sisihin nila ang mga sarili nila. Nasaan ba sila noong mangyari ‘to sa akin? Baka hindi na nila maalala… Ako na lang yata.”
With this entry, she did not only address her own experience—but also reached out to millions of other people who have been through the same thing as she did.
She mentioned in Milkshakes and Daddies about how her father brainwashed them into thinking that their mother was a horrible person. She held onto this thought until her father’s death when she was 15 years old.
She frequently went against her mother’s wishes, and she rebelled as much as her mother asked her to stop.
Fast-forward to 1996, Bebang was admitted into the University of the Philippines. The catch was, she had to enter a non-quota course. She listed down Geodetic Engineering as her first choice as she was proficient in Math and English. Malikhaing Pagsusulat was only her third choice, but at the admissions office—she found herself crossing out the two other courses on her list and applying for Malikhaing Pagsusulat.
But due to financial difficulties, she had to drop out of school. Following this, she ran away with her boyfriend at the age of 18 against her mother’s wishes. In Milkshakes and Daddies, she wrote about how her mother cried over this decision of hers---as elopement was the last thing on her mind for her eldest daughter.
In 1999, Bebang gave birth to her son, Sean Elijah—or EJ for short. At that time, Bebang worked odd jobs as a sales clerk at a pawnshop, direct seller for Avon and Sara Lee, and as a sales staff at a clothing store and—“I realized that if I really wanted him to have a future, I should not be in this kind of job”, she said.
She had also promised in front of her father’s grave that she would finish college, so she went back to UP after saving money from working as a waitress. She re-enrolled in Malikhaing Pagsusulat, and realized that she’d loved it there. “Sobrang bagay ako dun” she mused. And, of course, her hard work was paid off in full—as she graduated Cum Laude. She said, then “I realized that finishing (college) with honors isn’t about being smart but because people enjoyed their courses”.
Her son was six months young when she and her boyfriend broke up. “Higit sa lahat, sa tatay ng anak ko para sa hindi pagsusustento at pambabalewala sa mga pangngailangan ni E. Biruin mo, kung di mo ginawa yan, siguro napakarami ko nang na-miss na karanasan bilang nanay. At wala sana akong karapatan na tawagin kang LOSER. Imagine?” —she wrote in the acknowledgment page of It’s a Mens World, referring to the man who had left her to care of their son on her own.
Her son wrote a journal entry in her computer, and Bebang had posted it online;
“Hi ako si ej sept .29 ang aking karawan. Parehong Filipino ang tatay at nanay ko.ang mga magulang ko ay nag-kawatak-watak .ang nanay ko ang nag-palaki sa akin.masaya na ako sa kanya pero minsan nakakainis kasi minsan hindi nya na ako inasikaso kasi maraming work eh pero ok lang kasi mama ko naman siya eh at siya naman ang nag-aaruga sa akin pero nag kabati ulit ang pamilya naming kaya balik na naman ang mundo ko.9yrs. old nako kaya marami na akong alam.isa akong sped student ang hirap nga eh sabi ko nga eh parang gusto ko ng somuko eh pero dati lagi akong ina-away kaya ngayon iba na ang makikita nila isa nang matolino at palaban na sean Elijah w. siy “
Emerging as Victor (2002-onwards)
After her graduation, Bebang started working on several writing projects with different publishers—putting to use the great talent that she has within her. She even wrote an erotic short novel in 2006 entitled Mingaw, and she describes it as being “very bold and very raunchy.”
Afterwards, she worked for an NGO called the Creative Collective Center, Inc., and later on went to teach English to Korean students in Kalayaan Avenue, Quezon City. She also taught Filipino courses at the University of Santo Tomas. She was also the Executive Officer for Membership and Documentation of Filipinas Copyright Licensing Society (FILCOLS), an organization of authors and publishers that helps fight for the economic rights of copyright holders.
It was when she was taking her Masters in Filipino Literature at UP when her teacher, Vim Nadera, told her to find a publisher for the manuscript of It’s a Mens World. One year later, it came out in September of 2011—thus, the birth of Bebang’s second child, her first collection of essays.
The book flew off shelves quickly. Readers, such as I, found her style witty and charming. There is no hint of forced humor or anything to that name in her book, as everything came out naturally.
This kickstarted her career as becoming one of the nation’s youngest to-watch-out-for writers.
She has been christened as the “Bob Ong with Ovaries”, writing in a really funny and informal way—with a deeper meaning behind each text. Her humor comes from personal experience—which gives the readers sense of “learn from other people’s mistakes”.
And of course, by this time she has reconciled and fixed everything with her mother. She thanks
her in her book, “Thank you, ma, sa lahat ng mga sermon…Kahit lagi mo akong inaaway, mahal pa rin kita.”
When I asked for her autograph, she had written clearly on the pages of my sketchpad; “Dear Martina, sana’y na-enjoy mong basahin ito dahil nag-enjoy din ako sa paggawa ko nito”—a physical manifestation of how much Bebang Siy is passionate about her work.
It’s A Mens World
“…Kung meron kang gustong patunayan, ihanda nang bonggang-bongga ang sarili sa mga posibleng mangyari dahil siguradong may kapalit ito. Minsan ang kapalit ay maganda, minsan matamis. Pero minsan din ay mahapdi at minsan naman, maalat.”
The gist of the book is simple. It’s a little, “what you should do and what you shouldn’t do—what you shouldn’t but you should try out anyway” in each essay, garnished with her own reflections and lessons for both the reader and the writer.
She mentioned in an interview for a term paper once;
“Ang orihinal na pamagat ng sanaysay kung saan ko hinango ang pamagat ng aklat
ay Regla Baby. Parang nilaro ko ang term na Regal Baby ni Mother Lily (ang may
ari ng Regal Films na siyang producer ng mga pelikula noon bago pa sumikat ang
ABS-CBN, GMA Films at iba pa). Ang Regal Baby ay iyong mga artista na nilalaunch
ni Mother Lily. Napansin ko noong Regla Baby pa ang title ng essay, hindi
siya ma-publish-publish. Hindi ko alam kung bakit. kung saan-saan ko na sinubmit at
kung tama ang pagkakaalala ko pati sa Palanca. talo! Isang araw, habang nakasakay
ako sa dyip, bigla ko na lang naisip ang phrase na it’s a mens world. At sabi ng loob
ko, puwede. Bagay naman sa essay ko. Kaya iyon. Inuna ko ang essay na ito kasi
palagay ko it sets the tone of the whole book. Na this book is something really
personal, na its about a girl/woman, na its about living in other people’s standards,
parang ganon. Kaya naisip ko, maganda na rin na ito na ang pamagat ng buong
aklat. Kasi parang it will give you a glimpse of what the book is all about.”
It’s a Mens World , both the title and the essay of the same name, makes a reference to when her sister, Colay, had her first onset of menstruation. “Naging sentro ng atensiyon si Colay noong araw na reglahin siya. lahat kami, nasa labas ng kubeta, naghihintay sa paglabas ng “bagong” dalaga Pagbukas ng pinto, itong stepmother ko, biglang pumasok. Hinanap niya ang panty ni Colay sa loob ng kubeta. Gulat na gulat si Colay, siyempre.” she relates.
It was then after she complained about how her sister received much attention regarding her menarche that Bebang says that, “Nakaiinggit naman, insip ko. Kailanganag magkaregla na rin ako.”
The book, in its entirety, was written in Filipino—save for a short story that she wrote in one of her essays: Ang Aking Uncle Boy—which she wrote for all seafarers and their families.
Her essays are more than just essays. They are wires connecting from her life to ours; reaching out like no other essayist has ever done before.
“Maybe it’s because a big part of what makes Bob Ong funny is the language
and the tone. I think that it’s the same thing that charmed my audience, the language,
the tone and my being a woman, my sexuality. Walang babaeng ganito kabalahura
(there’s isn’t another woman so outrageous). Sobrang candid siya at nasa wikang
Filipino.”
As I’ve mentioned earlier, I was never really fond of essays. I’d probably manage to skim through a few pages, and then succumb to sleep afterwards. But reading It’s a Mens World is a different story. The opposite happened and I found myself finishing the book from 7 pm to 10:30 in the evening.
Bloody Panties and Feminism
“Magkilos-dalaga ka na kasi maliligawan ka na.”
“Pumasok ako sa kubeta. Sibibukan kong umihi. Doon ko nalaman na dalaga na
pala talaga ako. Malungkot kong tinitignan ang mantsa sa panty. Ay, ang dami mo
namang hinihinging kapalit. Demanding, parang ganon. Napakademanding naman
pala ng pagdadalaga.”
Her essays may be witty and charming and nonetheless simple, but after reading and re-reading them, it is evident that Bebang writes of feminism.
She has mentioned in an interview with Ruel De Vera that she disliked people who didn’t fight for themselves. “People may expect Bebang to be funny all the time, but she gets pretty serious as well.” He writes. “It bugs her when people don’t fight for their rights. She gets passionate in her avowed mission to protect Filipino writers from being abused. Like other celebrities in the limelight, she finds that being energetic and on all the time can get tiring. After a reading, a talk or a hosting job, she also gets wiped out. ‘I can hardly talk afterwards. I get tired making people laugh, too.’”
Long has been the age of the suffragettes. Long gone has been the time of putting women down to areas such as cooking, cleaning and making children. Women are a race of power and are not to be taken for granted. Bebang Siy is a perfect example of woman empowerment—that she, in her 34 year old-chinky eyed glory, can be both a father and a mother.
She wrote in her essay, Ang Piso, once;
“Hinatak ko si EJ at lumapit na kami sa pinto ng bus. Di ako mahilig
makipaggitgitan sa mga pasaherong paakyat o pababa ng bus pero sa pagkakataong
ito, hinarang ko talaga ang ilang lalaking paakyat para mas mabilis kaming
makababa. Malabong paarangkadahin ni Manong ang bus kahit anung buset niya sa
ginawa kong pagtungayaw sa kanya kasi me mga pasahero siyang hihintayin. Sayang
din ‘yon. Pera din ang mga ‘yon.”
“Ligtas naman kaming nakababa, nakauwi. Walang bali, walang gasgas, walang
nagdurugo kundi ang bulsa.”
“Noong bata ako, masakit ang piso. Ngayon, sumasakit ang puso ko dahil sa
piso.”
Being a mother, she tries her best to raise her son in the best way possible. She was once asked how much of being a mother affected her writing—“Malaki. Maraming times kasi na kaya ako sumusulat kasi gusto ko mabago ang mundo. Alam mo yon? Yung gusto ko, maging better ito. Kaya sulat ako nang sulat. Baka sakaling makatulong akong mabago ito. Kasi iniisip ko ang anak ko. Ilang taon na lang at siya na ang gagalaw nang mag-isa sa lipunan. Mapapabilang na siya rito. Kaya hangga’t kaya ko at ng panulat ko, sulat lang nang sulat para makatulong ako sa pagpapaganda nito. Sa mga sinusulat ko, kahit mabigat at seryoso minsan, I always try to end with hope. Kasi may anak ako. Pag may anak ka, hindi ka puwedeng defeatist. Dapat fighter ka till the end. Hindi ka nawawalan ng pag-asa.Siguro yun din ang trait na gusto kong mamana niya.”
When I asked her what inspires her to write, she said;
“Deadlines! Hahaha. kailangan lumampas muna ako sa deadline bago ako tuluyang makapag submit. Ang weird, ano? Hahaha! Minsan, nai-inspire din ako ng mga literary contest. Susubukan kong sumali, madalas, talo ako. Pero ok lang dahil ang pinaka-goal ko ay makapagsulat ng akda :)
'Yong mga reader din ng akda ko, very inspiring ang mga mensahe nila sa akin (katulad ng email moooooo!). Kaya naiisip ko lagi, I’m on the right track, iyon ang feeling. Kaya naiisip ko, dapat kong tapusin ang mga sulatin at aklat ko dahil may makikinabang dito, marami ang dito ay matututo.”
***
When Bebang writes of the human body, however, it isn’t a far topic from talking about women empowerment. She writes of the troubles every dalaga has to go through upon their first onset of menstruation. Before the red tide flows in, they are allowed to climb trees and play with boys—but after it happens, they are forbidden to even go outside to enjoy some quality time with their friends.
This has been a stereotypical scenario in the Filipino household—especially with Bebang—being the eldest. She relates how much womanhood brings a great chunk of responsibility.
But Bebang is defiant. She doesn’t believe that the fun stops once your mens starts. She continues to be the mischievous girl that she is, without caring about what people say around her. . “We Filipinos cope in a very unique manner,” She says. “That’s what is funny. It’s also what makes us strong.”
Conclusion
A teacher and a fellow writer once told me, “Whenever somebody tries to sound intelligent, they probably aren’t”
Bebang Siy does the opposite. She tries to sound like a normal person who is just struggling with everyday life decisions. And by doing so, she becomes witty and clever without even trying.
She has been dubbed as the Bob Ong with ovaries. She even related once that she was about to make her pen name for It’s a Mens World Beb Ang—except, another writer, with the same name, submitted a manuscript before she did.
“Pero di nagtagal, may ilang glitch na bumulwak during the “menstruation” period. Matagal ang copy editing. Tengga is the right word. Natengga sa copy editing ang koleksiyon. Nakadalawang copy editor ako. Di makatawid sa deadline ang una dahil sa problema sa kalusugan. Nahirapan akong makahanap ng isa pang copy editor. Ang dream copy editor ko ay abalang-abala naman.
Century bago mag-reply sa text at email. Nagkaroon din ng miscommunication tungkol sa cover design. Iginiit ko na nakapili na ang mga manager/big shots mula sa unang set ng studies at hindi na kailangan ng panibago na namang set ng studies. Kakain na naman ng panahon kapag nagpagawa pa ng bagong set of studies, made-delay pang lalo ang paglabas ng mens. At ang pinakamalupit sa lahat, may nag-submit ng book proposal sa Anvil, Beb Ang ang pangalan. At tunay niyang pangalan ang Beb Ang. Inabisuhan agad ako ni Mam Karina, Bebang, hindi mo na puwedeng gamitin ang pen name mo. Malilito ang mga tao kapag naglabas na kami ng aklat niya.”
But I guess, this was a sign. She didn’t need any pen name. When she finally submitted the manuscript to Anvil with the name, her name, Bebang Siy. And with Bebang, she became christened into the writing world as herself—with a collection that reflects who she is.
“Agad akong nagpasya, gagamitin ko na lang ang tunay kong pangalan: Bebang Siy. (Well, almost tunay na pangalan...)At para bagang signos! Pagkat sa maniwala kayo’t sa hindi, nagtuloy-tuloy na sa paglabas ang ano ko. Dumaloy ito, lumigwak, umagos, hala ang ragasa nito sa mga bookstore sa sangkapuluan. Hanggang ngayon. Kaya bumabaha na nga. Ng Mens. At plano ko talagang lunurin sa Mens ang buong Pilipinas.Madugo ito, alam ko, pero okay lang. Hindi yata ito nasisiraan ng loob.” She writes.
“People laugh when you are very straightforward. I don’t know why. I don’t find it really funny but people laugh when I talk about things that are very honest. It’s like Kris Aquino because she says everything that’s on her mind. That’s when what I say becomes funny.”
And indeed, her stories speak not just of wit but of personal experience, or of what we like to call “hugot” in such a manner that she doesn’t only tug her own heartstrings but also the heartstrings of her readers.
I’ve asked her through email, “What is it that you like about writing so much?”
“I get to express my sentiments, my feelings, my thoughts!
Saka kapag nagsusulat ako, para akong naha-high. Nawawala sa isip ko ang problema, saka parang tubig ang mga salita, daloy lang nang daloy.
Isa pa, binuhay ako ng pagsusulat. Pati ang anak ko, nabuhay dahil dito. Kaya mahal ko ang propesyon na iyan dahil kung wala iyan, hindi ko alam kung ano ang trabaho ko ngayon, kung ano ang ginagawa ko ngayon.
I also get to meet a lot of people! Naiimbitahan akong magsalita sa iba't ibang lugar na familiar sa mga akda ko at nakikipagkuwentuhan ako tungkol sa proseso ko ng pagsulat. May mga reader pala ako na katulad ko, victim din ng sexual abuse noong bata, meron akong na-meet na kasalukuyang nagkakaproblema sa pamilya, meron din akong na-meet na gay na teenager, tapos sobra siyang studious, tuwang-tuwa ako sa kanya kasi kitang-kita ang pagkaseryoso niya sa pag-aaral. Sa Mindanao, may na-meet akong mga teacher na M'ranao, may mga estudyante doon na talagang nakatakip ang mukha, parang ninja. Hindi sila masyadong palakibo! Actually, sobra silang shy. As in, minsan, umaalis sila para hindi mo na sila kakausapin. See, dahil sa pagsusulat, andami kong nami-meet!”
She recalls then how writing has brought her to places such as modelling for a catalogue, and even straight into her “husband’s arms”.
“O, di ba, ang saya? Hahaha!” she writes, “ kung hindi ako nagsusulat, hindi mangyayari siguro sa akin ang mga ‘yan”
***
Bebang Siy is a personal hero of mine. She taught me how to let loose sometimes without letting everything go. As of this moment, I am holding her book. And trust me, I am never going to put it down.
Maraming maraming salamat kay Bb. Martina Herras.
Yakaaaaap, 'te!
The Philippine High School for the Arts
Creative Nonfiction 3
Half and half (1979-1994)
Beverly “Bebang” Wico Siy was born on December 10, 1979 in Quirino, Manila to Resureccion Wico and Roberto Siy. Her mother is Filipina, and her father is Chinese. She grew up living two traditions, one of the Filipino and the other of the Chinese.
She is the eldest of five daughters—her other sisters being Columbia, Kimberly, Charisse Ann and Erres. Bebang’s parents met when her mother was working as a waitress. Her father was a drinker as well as a smoker—and he managed a rice store and a jueteng racket. Her mother peddled fruits and Christmas decors to get by, as well as delivered lunch to gambling joints.
“We didn’t have a lot of money for the usual luxuries that other children enjoy,” she says in an interview with Ruel De Vera for the Sunday Inquirer Magazine, “Our toys were hand-me-downs and we rarely had new clothes.”
Bebang, being half-Chinese, grew up amidst Chinese conventions. In the essay Nakaw na Sandali, she wrote about how her entire family had to move in with her father’s parents---as he had no money to afford a place of their own.
She even had to steal a box of gum from her grandparents’ grocery glass cabinet, so that she could have a taste of what her cousins were usually given when they visited the house.
She would also tell about how her other cousins were favored by her Amah and her Angkong (Grandmother and Grandfather) because her aunties and an uncle married into Chinese families.
But, despite this, Bebang was a child who danced through life, as if the storm never bothered her at all –as reflected in her works.
Entering the battlefield (1994-2002)
Bebang and her sisters were very young when their parents separated. They became the object of a tug-of-war between her parents, with their father constantly taking them away to live with him in Ermita—until finally, she moved in with her mother.
She went to three elementary schools as a child—in Ermita, Paranaque and then finally in Malate—until she entered the Philippine Christian University Integrated Science High School.
She described herself in her younger years as “Awkward and weird”—and resorted to teasing other people about their flaws, so that their attention would be on them instead of her.
When she was younger, Bebang constantly became the cause of her mother’s pain and headaches. In her essay, Ang Lugaw, Bow, she writes about how her mother cried about her and her sisters on a daily basis--as her father constantly “kidnapped” them and brought them to Ermita.
But every bright side has its shadow.
She recalled in her essay, Sa ganitong paraan namatay si Kuya Dims, about how a trip to province turned out to be a bad one—and how a cousin’s death, which was supposed to make her grieve—made her feel relief instead.
At the age of 9, her cousin brought her into a small nipa hut in the dead of the night and molested her. She openly wrote about this incident in Sa ganitong paraan namatay si Kuya Dims—
“Hindi ako sumagot. Ano naman ang isasagot ko? Ano ang isasagot ng isang nine years old na babae sa ganoong sitwasyon? Yo? Yes yes yo? Tangina mo? Gago ka? Hayop ka? Siyempre, hindi. Siyempre, wala. Wala siyang isasagot. Ang mga nine years old na bata, lalo na’t babae, hindi hinahanda sa ganitong sitwasyon. Kaya wala silang alam gawin.”
“…Pero sa tingin ko, kahit kailan, hindi ko ito maikukuwento sa nanay ko at mga kapatid. Baka sisihin nila ang mga sarili nila. Nasaan ba sila noong mangyari ‘to sa akin? Baka hindi na nila maalala… Ako na lang yata.”
With this entry, she did not only address her own experience—but also reached out to millions of other people who have been through the same thing as she did.
She mentioned in Milkshakes and Daddies about how her father brainwashed them into thinking that their mother was a horrible person. She held onto this thought until her father’s death when she was 15 years old.
She frequently went against her mother’s wishes, and she rebelled as much as her mother asked her to stop.
Fast-forward to 1996, Bebang was admitted into the University of the Philippines. The catch was, she had to enter a non-quota course. She listed down Geodetic Engineering as her first choice as she was proficient in Math and English. Malikhaing Pagsusulat was only her third choice, but at the admissions office—she found herself crossing out the two other courses on her list and applying for Malikhaing Pagsusulat.
But due to financial difficulties, she had to drop out of school. Following this, she ran away with her boyfriend at the age of 18 against her mother’s wishes. In Milkshakes and Daddies, she wrote about how her mother cried over this decision of hers---as elopement was the last thing on her mind for her eldest daughter.
In 1999, Bebang gave birth to her son, Sean Elijah—or EJ for short. At that time, Bebang worked odd jobs as a sales clerk at a pawnshop, direct seller for Avon and Sara Lee, and as a sales staff at a clothing store and—“I realized that if I really wanted him to have a future, I should not be in this kind of job”, she said.
She had also promised in front of her father’s grave that she would finish college, so she went back to UP after saving money from working as a waitress. She re-enrolled in Malikhaing Pagsusulat, and realized that she’d loved it there. “Sobrang bagay ako dun” she mused. And, of course, her hard work was paid off in full—as she graduated Cum Laude. She said, then “I realized that finishing (college) with honors isn’t about being smart but because people enjoyed their courses”.
Her son was six months young when she and her boyfriend broke up. “Higit sa lahat, sa tatay ng anak ko para sa hindi pagsusustento at pambabalewala sa mga pangngailangan ni E. Biruin mo, kung di mo ginawa yan, siguro napakarami ko nang na-miss na karanasan bilang nanay. At wala sana akong karapatan na tawagin kang LOSER. Imagine?” —she wrote in the acknowledgment page of It’s a Mens World, referring to the man who had left her to care of their son on her own.
Her son wrote a journal entry in her computer, and Bebang had posted it online;
“Hi ako si ej sept .29 ang aking karawan. Parehong Filipino ang tatay at nanay ko.ang mga magulang ko ay nag-kawatak-watak .ang nanay ko ang nag-palaki sa akin.masaya na ako sa kanya pero minsan nakakainis kasi minsan hindi nya na ako inasikaso kasi maraming work eh pero ok lang kasi mama ko naman siya eh at siya naman ang nag-aaruga sa akin pero nag kabati ulit ang pamilya naming kaya balik na naman ang mundo ko.9yrs. old nako kaya marami na akong alam.isa akong sped student ang hirap nga eh sabi ko nga eh parang gusto ko ng somuko eh pero dati lagi akong ina-away kaya ngayon iba na ang makikita nila isa nang matolino at palaban na sean Elijah w. siy “
Emerging as Victor (2002-onwards)
After her graduation, Bebang started working on several writing projects with different publishers—putting to use the great talent that she has within her. She even wrote an erotic short novel in 2006 entitled Mingaw, and she describes it as being “very bold and very raunchy.”
Afterwards, she worked for an NGO called the Creative Collective Center, Inc., and later on went to teach English to Korean students in Kalayaan Avenue, Quezon City. She also taught Filipino courses at the University of Santo Tomas. She was also the Executive Officer for Membership and Documentation of Filipinas Copyright Licensing Society (FILCOLS), an organization of authors and publishers that helps fight for the economic rights of copyright holders.
It was when she was taking her Masters in Filipino Literature at UP when her teacher, Vim Nadera, told her to find a publisher for the manuscript of It’s a Mens World. One year later, it came out in September of 2011—thus, the birth of Bebang’s second child, her first collection of essays.
The book flew off shelves quickly. Readers, such as I, found her style witty and charming. There is no hint of forced humor or anything to that name in her book, as everything came out naturally.
This kickstarted her career as becoming one of the nation’s youngest to-watch-out-for writers.
She has been christened as the “Bob Ong with Ovaries”, writing in a really funny and informal way—with a deeper meaning behind each text. Her humor comes from personal experience—which gives the readers sense of “learn from other people’s mistakes”.
And of course, by this time she has reconciled and fixed everything with her mother. She thanks
her in her book, “Thank you, ma, sa lahat ng mga sermon…Kahit lagi mo akong inaaway, mahal pa rin kita.”
When I asked for her autograph, she had written clearly on the pages of my sketchpad; “Dear Martina, sana’y na-enjoy mong basahin ito dahil nag-enjoy din ako sa paggawa ko nito”—a physical manifestation of how much Bebang Siy is passionate about her work.
It’s A Mens World
“…Kung meron kang gustong patunayan, ihanda nang bonggang-bongga ang sarili sa mga posibleng mangyari dahil siguradong may kapalit ito. Minsan ang kapalit ay maganda, minsan matamis. Pero minsan din ay mahapdi at minsan naman, maalat.”
The gist of the book is simple. It’s a little, “what you should do and what you shouldn’t do—what you shouldn’t but you should try out anyway” in each essay, garnished with her own reflections and lessons for both the reader and the writer.
She mentioned in an interview for a term paper once;
“Ang orihinal na pamagat ng sanaysay kung saan ko hinango ang pamagat ng aklat
ay Regla Baby. Parang nilaro ko ang term na Regal Baby ni Mother Lily (ang may
ari ng Regal Films na siyang producer ng mga pelikula noon bago pa sumikat ang
ABS-CBN, GMA Films at iba pa). Ang Regal Baby ay iyong mga artista na nilalaunch
ni Mother Lily. Napansin ko noong Regla Baby pa ang title ng essay, hindi
siya ma-publish-publish. Hindi ko alam kung bakit. kung saan-saan ko na sinubmit at
kung tama ang pagkakaalala ko pati sa Palanca. talo! Isang araw, habang nakasakay
ako sa dyip, bigla ko na lang naisip ang phrase na it’s a mens world. At sabi ng loob
ko, puwede. Bagay naman sa essay ko. Kaya iyon. Inuna ko ang essay na ito kasi
palagay ko it sets the tone of the whole book. Na this book is something really
personal, na its about a girl/woman, na its about living in other people’s standards,
parang ganon. Kaya naisip ko, maganda na rin na ito na ang pamagat ng buong
aklat. Kasi parang it will give you a glimpse of what the book is all about.”
It’s a Mens World , both the title and the essay of the same name, makes a reference to when her sister, Colay, had her first onset of menstruation. “Naging sentro ng atensiyon si Colay noong araw na reglahin siya. lahat kami, nasa labas ng kubeta, naghihintay sa paglabas ng “bagong” dalaga Pagbukas ng pinto, itong stepmother ko, biglang pumasok. Hinanap niya ang panty ni Colay sa loob ng kubeta. Gulat na gulat si Colay, siyempre.” she relates.
It was then after she complained about how her sister received much attention regarding her menarche that Bebang says that, “Nakaiinggit naman, insip ko. Kailanganag magkaregla na rin ako.”
The book, in its entirety, was written in Filipino—save for a short story that she wrote in one of her essays: Ang Aking Uncle Boy—which she wrote for all seafarers and their families.
Her essays are more than just essays. They are wires connecting from her life to ours; reaching out like no other essayist has ever done before.
“Maybe it’s because a big part of what makes Bob Ong funny is the language
and the tone. I think that it’s the same thing that charmed my audience, the language,
the tone and my being a woman, my sexuality. Walang babaeng ganito kabalahura
(there’s isn’t another woman so outrageous). Sobrang candid siya at nasa wikang
Filipino.”
As I’ve mentioned earlier, I was never really fond of essays. I’d probably manage to skim through a few pages, and then succumb to sleep afterwards. But reading It’s a Mens World is a different story. The opposite happened and I found myself finishing the book from 7 pm to 10:30 in the evening.
Bloody Panties and Feminism
“Magkilos-dalaga ka na kasi maliligawan ka na.”
“Pumasok ako sa kubeta. Sibibukan kong umihi. Doon ko nalaman na dalaga na
pala talaga ako. Malungkot kong tinitignan ang mantsa sa panty. Ay, ang dami mo
namang hinihinging kapalit. Demanding, parang ganon. Napakademanding naman
pala ng pagdadalaga.”
Her essays may be witty and charming and nonetheless simple, but after reading and re-reading them, it is evident that Bebang writes of feminism.
She has mentioned in an interview with Ruel De Vera that she disliked people who didn’t fight for themselves. “People may expect Bebang to be funny all the time, but she gets pretty serious as well.” He writes. “It bugs her when people don’t fight for their rights. She gets passionate in her avowed mission to protect Filipino writers from being abused. Like other celebrities in the limelight, she finds that being energetic and on all the time can get tiring. After a reading, a talk or a hosting job, she also gets wiped out. ‘I can hardly talk afterwards. I get tired making people laugh, too.’”
Long has been the age of the suffragettes. Long gone has been the time of putting women down to areas such as cooking, cleaning and making children. Women are a race of power and are not to be taken for granted. Bebang Siy is a perfect example of woman empowerment—that she, in her 34 year old-chinky eyed glory, can be both a father and a mother.
She wrote in her essay, Ang Piso, once;
“Hinatak ko si EJ at lumapit na kami sa pinto ng bus. Di ako mahilig
makipaggitgitan sa mga pasaherong paakyat o pababa ng bus pero sa pagkakataong
ito, hinarang ko talaga ang ilang lalaking paakyat para mas mabilis kaming
makababa. Malabong paarangkadahin ni Manong ang bus kahit anung buset niya sa
ginawa kong pagtungayaw sa kanya kasi me mga pasahero siyang hihintayin. Sayang
din ‘yon. Pera din ang mga ‘yon.”
“Ligtas naman kaming nakababa, nakauwi. Walang bali, walang gasgas, walang
nagdurugo kundi ang bulsa.”
“Noong bata ako, masakit ang piso. Ngayon, sumasakit ang puso ko dahil sa
piso.”
Being a mother, she tries her best to raise her son in the best way possible. She was once asked how much of being a mother affected her writing—“Malaki. Maraming times kasi na kaya ako sumusulat kasi gusto ko mabago ang mundo. Alam mo yon? Yung gusto ko, maging better ito. Kaya sulat ako nang sulat. Baka sakaling makatulong akong mabago ito. Kasi iniisip ko ang anak ko. Ilang taon na lang at siya na ang gagalaw nang mag-isa sa lipunan. Mapapabilang na siya rito. Kaya hangga’t kaya ko at ng panulat ko, sulat lang nang sulat para makatulong ako sa pagpapaganda nito. Sa mga sinusulat ko, kahit mabigat at seryoso minsan, I always try to end with hope. Kasi may anak ako. Pag may anak ka, hindi ka puwedeng defeatist. Dapat fighter ka till the end. Hindi ka nawawalan ng pag-asa.Siguro yun din ang trait na gusto kong mamana niya.”
When I asked her what inspires her to write, she said;
“Deadlines! Hahaha. kailangan lumampas muna ako sa deadline bago ako tuluyang makapag submit. Ang weird, ano? Hahaha! Minsan, nai-inspire din ako ng mga literary contest. Susubukan kong sumali, madalas, talo ako. Pero ok lang dahil ang pinaka-goal ko ay makapagsulat ng akda :)
'Yong mga reader din ng akda ko, very inspiring ang mga mensahe nila sa akin (katulad ng email moooooo!). Kaya naiisip ko lagi, I’m on the right track, iyon ang feeling. Kaya naiisip ko, dapat kong tapusin ang mga sulatin at aklat ko dahil may makikinabang dito, marami ang dito ay matututo.”
***
When Bebang writes of the human body, however, it isn’t a far topic from talking about women empowerment. She writes of the troubles every dalaga has to go through upon their first onset of menstruation. Before the red tide flows in, they are allowed to climb trees and play with boys—but after it happens, they are forbidden to even go outside to enjoy some quality time with their friends.
This has been a stereotypical scenario in the Filipino household—especially with Bebang—being the eldest. She relates how much womanhood brings a great chunk of responsibility.
But Bebang is defiant. She doesn’t believe that the fun stops once your mens starts. She continues to be the mischievous girl that she is, without caring about what people say around her. . “We Filipinos cope in a very unique manner,” She says. “That’s what is funny. It’s also what makes us strong.”
Conclusion
A teacher and a fellow writer once told me, “Whenever somebody tries to sound intelligent, they probably aren’t”
Bebang Siy does the opposite. She tries to sound like a normal person who is just struggling with everyday life decisions. And by doing so, she becomes witty and clever without even trying.
She has been dubbed as the Bob Ong with ovaries. She even related once that she was about to make her pen name for It’s a Mens World Beb Ang—except, another writer, with the same name, submitted a manuscript before she did.
“Pero di nagtagal, may ilang glitch na bumulwak during the “menstruation” period. Matagal ang copy editing. Tengga is the right word. Natengga sa copy editing ang koleksiyon. Nakadalawang copy editor ako. Di makatawid sa deadline ang una dahil sa problema sa kalusugan. Nahirapan akong makahanap ng isa pang copy editor. Ang dream copy editor ko ay abalang-abala naman.
Century bago mag-reply sa text at email. Nagkaroon din ng miscommunication tungkol sa cover design. Iginiit ko na nakapili na ang mga manager/big shots mula sa unang set ng studies at hindi na kailangan ng panibago na namang set ng studies. Kakain na naman ng panahon kapag nagpagawa pa ng bagong set of studies, made-delay pang lalo ang paglabas ng mens. At ang pinakamalupit sa lahat, may nag-submit ng book proposal sa Anvil, Beb Ang ang pangalan. At tunay niyang pangalan ang Beb Ang. Inabisuhan agad ako ni Mam Karina, Bebang, hindi mo na puwedeng gamitin ang pen name mo. Malilito ang mga tao kapag naglabas na kami ng aklat niya.”
But I guess, this was a sign. She didn’t need any pen name. When she finally submitted the manuscript to Anvil with the name, her name, Bebang Siy. And with Bebang, she became christened into the writing world as herself—with a collection that reflects who she is.
“Agad akong nagpasya, gagamitin ko na lang ang tunay kong pangalan: Bebang Siy. (Well, almost tunay na pangalan...)At para bagang signos! Pagkat sa maniwala kayo’t sa hindi, nagtuloy-tuloy na sa paglabas ang ano ko. Dumaloy ito, lumigwak, umagos, hala ang ragasa nito sa mga bookstore sa sangkapuluan. Hanggang ngayon. Kaya bumabaha na nga. Ng Mens. At plano ko talagang lunurin sa Mens ang buong Pilipinas.Madugo ito, alam ko, pero okay lang. Hindi yata ito nasisiraan ng loob.” She writes.
“People laugh when you are very straightforward. I don’t know why. I don’t find it really funny but people laugh when I talk about things that are very honest. It’s like Kris Aquino because she says everything that’s on her mind. That’s when what I say becomes funny.”
And indeed, her stories speak not just of wit but of personal experience, or of what we like to call “hugot” in such a manner that she doesn’t only tug her own heartstrings but also the heartstrings of her readers.
I’ve asked her through email, “What is it that you like about writing so much?”
“I get to express my sentiments, my feelings, my thoughts!
Saka kapag nagsusulat ako, para akong naha-high. Nawawala sa isip ko ang problema, saka parang tubig ang mga salita, daloy lang nang daloy.
Isa pa, binuhay ako ng pagsusulat. Pati ang anak ko, nabuhay dahil dito. Kaya mahal ko ang propesyon na iyan dahil kung wala iyan, hindi ko alam kung ano ang trabaho ko ngayon, kung ano ang ginagawa ko ngayon.
I also get to meet a lot of people! Naiimbitahan akong magsalita sa iba't ibang lugar na familiar sa mga akda ko at nakikipagkuwentuhan ako tungkol sa proseso ko ng pagsulat. May mga reader pala ako na katulad ko, victim din ng sexual abuse noong bata, meron akong na-meet na kasalukuyang nagkakaproblema sa pamilya, meron din akong na-meet na gay na teenager, tapos sobra siyang studious, tuwang-tuwa ako sa kanya kasi kitang-kita ang pagkaseryoso niya sa pag-aaral. Sa Mindanao, may na-meet akong mga teacher na M'ranao, may mga estudyante doon na talagang nakatakip ang mukha, parang ninja. Hindi sila masyadong palakibo! Actually, sobra silang shy. As in, minsan, umaalis sila para hindi mo na sila kakausapin. See, dahil sa pagsusulat, andami kong nami-meet!”
She recalls then how writing has brought her to places such as modelling for a catalogue, and even straight into her “husband’s arms”.
“O, di ba, ang saya? Hahaha!” she writes, “ kung hindi ako nagsusulat, hindi mangyayari siguro sa akin ang mga ‘yan”
***
Bebang Siy is a personal hero of mine. She taught me how to let loose sometimes without letting everything go. As of this moment, I am holding her book. And trust me, I am never going to put it down.
Maraming maraming salamat kay Bb. Martina Herras.
Yakaaaaap, 'te!
Ang Pambansa sa Ilang Kuwento at Tulang Pambata
Sa papel na ito ay lilimitahan lamang ang anyong gagamitin sa isa o dalawang anyo – ang
tula at maikling kuwentong pambata at ilang kuwento o tulang naisaaklat lamang ang susuriin.
Simulan natin ang panunuri sa kuwentong pambata na Marne Marino (2013) na isinulat ni
Bebang Siy. Ang kuwentong ito ay tungkol sa isang marinong OFW na nagngangalang Marne.
Oiler siya sa MV Lumba-Lumba Forwarders, isang barkong nagkakarga ng prutas at iba pang
produkto at nagdadala nito sa ibang bansa. Bagama’t isa ang oiler sa pinakamababang posisyon
sa barko, may dalang tuwa kay Marne ang makitang maayos niyang nagagampanan ang trabaho
niya at malinis at maayos niyang iniiwanan ang silid ng makina ng barko. Isang araw, matapos
ang duty ni Marne, hinanap niyang muli ang bagay na pinakamahalaga sa kaniya na hindi niya
natagpuan sa paghahalughog niya sa kuwarto niya nang magising siya kaninang umaga. Isa-isa
niyang linapitan ang mga kaibigan niyang nagtatrabaho sa barko magmula sa kapitan hanggang
sa kusinero. Ipinagtanong niya kung nakita nila ang bagay na pinakamahalaga sa kaniya. Wala ni
isa mang nakakita sa kanila ng hinahanap niya. Naunawaan nila ang tinutukoy ni Marne na
bagay na pinakamahalaga sa kaniya, nakisimpatiya sila sa kaniya at pinalalakas ang loob niya sa
paghahanap. Bawa’t isa ay nagpasalamat na hindi nawawala ang bagay na pinakamahalaga sa
kanila na bigay rin ng kani-kanilang pamilya. Nang susuko na si Marne Marino, humingi siya ng
saklolo sa langit. Nagkaroon siya ng inspirasyon na halughuging muli ang kuwarto niya at doon
nga sa ilalim ng kama niya ay nakita niya ang kaniyang Bibliya, at sa pagitan ng mga pahina
nito, naroon ang bagay na pinakamahalaga sa kaniya – ang retrato ng Pamilya Marino.
Ang pangunahing tauhan ay isang tipikal na Pilipinong nagtatrabaho sa ibang bansa
bilang marino. Ikinararangal niya ang makapagtrabaho nang maayos at malinis. Malayo man
ang marinong ito sa kaniyang bayan, sa kaniyang pamilya, pamilya pa rin at ang alaala ng
kaniyang pamilya ang pinakamahalaga sa kaniya. Ang pamilya niya ay sinisimbolo ng kanilang
larawan na nakaipit sa kaniyang Bibliya. Ang bagay na nagbubuklod sa kaniyang pamilya
malayo man siya ay ang kanilang pananampalataya sa Diyos, na sinisimbolo naman ng kaniyang
Bibliya. Palakaibigan si Marne. Kaibigan niya kahit na ano pa ang puwesto sa barko. Bagama’t
tulad niya ay pinahahalagahan rin ng kaniyang mga kaibigan sa barko ang mga bagay na bigay sa
kanila ng kanilang pamilya, walang bagay na pinakamahalaga kay Marne kung hindi ang
kaniyang pamilya mismo. Hahanap-hanapin niya ang kaniyang pamilya saan man siya
makarating. Ang mensaheng ito ay maaaring maunawaan ng isang bata kahit hindi pa siya
nakakapagbasang mag-isa. Bagama’t hindi tuwirang binabanggit ng awtor ang mensahe,
maaaring mahiwatigan ito ng batang mambabasa lalo na kung mayroon rin siyang bagay na
pinahahalagahan na nawawala o mayroon siyang amang nagtatrabaho sa malayo, kahit hindi sa
ibang bansa sapagka’t wala pa namang konsepto ng salitang OFW ang isang bata. Masining
ang kuwento na unang naisulat sa wikang Ingles at unang nailathala bilang bahagi ng aklat na
It’s a Mens World. Gumamit ng nagtutugmang mga salita at pag-uulit at mga salitang nag-iiwan
ng imahen sa isip ng mambabasa, gumamit din ng mga pangalan ng mga tauhan na maiiugnay sa
gawain nila sa barko, halimbawa ay si Kapitan Uno na siyang pinakamataas na opisyal sa barko.
Makulay ang kuwento na dapat lamang para sa mga aklat pambata. Nailathala ang Marne Marino
bilang isang aklat pambata upang magbigay-pugay sa lahat ng OFW, marino o hindi.
Patungkol sa kung may pagtanggap sa mga kuwento at tulang susuriin, maaaring sabihing
mahirap gawing batayan kung gaano karaming kopya ang nabili sapagka’t ang kadalasang
namimili ay hindi naman ang batang mambabasa kung hindi ang matatandang pumipili ng
babasahing ito para sa kaniya. Kung gayon hindi maaaring sabihing may pagtanggap sa aklat
batay lamang sa dami ng nabiling kopya nito o dami ng na-download na app nito. Sa kaso ni
Marne Marino, tatlong libo ang bilang ng kopyang unang nailathala. Mayroon na rin itong e-
book. Sa panayam kay Bebang, sinabi niyang ang alam niya ay hindi pa nauubos ang
mga unang nailathala nguni’t tila hindi siya nababahala rito. Hindi man matiyak kung
nakakarating sa batang mambabasa ang mga kuwento at tulang naisaaklat na at binili ng
matatandang nakapaligid sa kanila, nagdudulot ng tuwa ang mga puna mula sa ilang nakabasa
na. Ayon sa kapuwa manunulat ni Bebang, maganda ang kuwento dahil hindi ito melodramatiko.
Maaaring sabihing ang punang ito ay mula sa kritiko at hindi sa batang mambabasa.
Mayroon rin siyang magandang feedback na nakuha mula sa isang batang nakabasa na ng
kaniyang aklat at nag-e-mail sa kaniya. Nirerekomenda rin ng mga miyembrong Pilipino sa
Goodreads na babasahin para sa mga bata ang kuwento ni Marne Marino. Sila mismo ay nagbasa
nito kahit hindi sila mga bata. Lubhang mahirap arukin ang pagtanggap sa isang katha lalo’t
hindi personal na mamimili ang batang mambabasa nguni’t kung iisipin kung paanong mag-isip
ang batang mambabasa, na kapag mawala lamang sa paningin niya ang kaniyang mga magulang
ay umiiyak na’t naghahanap sa mga ito, maaaring sabihing magiging katanggap-tanggap para sa
batang mambabasang may tinatawag na separation anxiety ang kuwento ni Marne. Halos umiyak
na si Marne at sumuko na sa paghahanap. Tinuturuan ang batang manalig na makakasama niya
ang pinakamahalaga sa kaniya, ang kaniyang pamilya.
Maiuugnay ba ang kuwento ni Marne sa pambansang panitikan? Bagama’t ilinalagay nito
ang Pilipinong OFW sa mababang katayuan, ipinakikita pa ring marangal ang Pilipino anuman
ang tungkulin niya. Sapagka’t ang realidad ng OFW ay malayo sa kaniyang bayan at pamilya, at
milyon ang OFW sa Pilipinas, ipinakikita ang halagahang pampamilya bagaman malayo ang
OFW sa pamilya at bayan. Ipinakita rin na bagama’t nawawala ang bagay na pinakamahalaga
para sa kaniya, ginampanan pa rin ni Marne nang maayos ang kaniyang tungkulin. Nang matapos
ito ay saka siya naghanap uli. Hindi niya inuna ang pansariling interes kung hindi ang interes
na pangkalahatan. Ito ang tunay na kabayanihan ni Marne at hindi ang kakayahan niyang
magdagdag ng salapi sa kabang bayan. Batay sa panunuring ito, masasabing maaaring maihanay
ang Marne Marino bilang pambansang panitikang pambata batay sa nilalaman, pagtanggap ng
batang mambabasang pinatutungkulan at kaugnayan nito sa panitikang pambansa. Masasabing
may malalim na pagkaunawa ang awtor sa pangangailangan ng kaniyang batang mambabasa.
(isang bahagi ng sanaysay na PAANO NAGIGING PAMBANSA ANG PANITIKANG PAMBATA? ni Mary Angelica H.
Reginaldo, estudyante ng Malikhaing Pagsulat sa masteral na antas, Departamento ng Filipino at
Panitikan ng Pilipinas, UP Diliman, 25 Marso 2014, hindi pa nailathala)
Maraming salamat, Me-ann!
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Mula kay Ken Spillman, Australian author
I just read Marne Marino! So sweet - to paint a picture of the softer side of the macho men of the crew.
Thanks for everything today - especially your time. For me, the afternoon flew!
Thanks for reading my children's book, Ken. And thanks for an afternoon of mentoring. It was like a one-on-one literary seminar with an international author! I am just SO lucky! See you again.
Thanks for everything today - especially your time. For me, the afternoon flew!
Thanks for reading my children's book, Ken. And thanks for an afternoon of mentoring. It was like a one-on-one literary seminar with an international author! I am just SO lucky! See you again.
Monday, March 24, 2014
ideas for reading advocates
may mga naisip ako to help the reading advocates:
1. mobile library sa loob ng mga children's hospital.
nakalagay sa push cart ang books (pwede tayo manghingi sa mga ayala owned supermarket, lumang push cart will do, mam ciela might be able to help us connect with the ayalas)
children who are confined nang long term have lots of time to read. hihiramin lang nila ang book for a few days, renew kung kulang pa ang time ng pagbabasa niya. parang usual library rules din, except maybe wag na magpataw ng fine para sa mga overdue books.
sino ang puwedeng magtulak ng push cart? maybe a volunteer? or a parent? or yung mismong pasyente na kayang maglakad at magtulak ng push cart?
ang una kong naisip na beneficiary nito ay ang phil.children's medical center. they have a ward where children with serious illness stay. meron din silang volunteer program at baka maging interesado silang I-adopt ang proyektong ito.
meron din sila siyempreng ward where children stay for a short time. puwede rin silang manghiram, siguro overnight lang iyong books, ganyan.
may record book sa loob ng push cart.
2. open lahat ng public library every sunday, and every holiday. except Christmas and new year.
this is more difficult hahaha nakita ko kasi ang national library meron silang poll. tinatanong nila ang public if they are willing to go to national layb if its open on sundays.
so I guess, hindi ba mas ok kung lahat ng public layb ay bukas pag sunday? I mean, magiging alternative siyang destination ng kabataan kesa mag mall. or mamasyal kung saan.
naiisip ko ang mga bagay na ito kasi talagang kelangan mas matindi ang paglaban natin against other things na puwedng pagkaabalahan ng mga pinoy. reading should be everyone's habit. or else talagang mamamatay publishing industry natin :(
kaya yung mga library, sana open na pag sundays. people have lots of time to waste pag sunday e di don na lang .
3. dapat din me toy library ang bawat public library to entice more children to go there.
4. dapat din magkaroon ng place ang bawat public library for day care center teachers where they can borrow books for their centers. one week duration ang books then soli nila para humiram ng iba pang books.
5. Mag-organize ng contest: best reading advocacy activity. Dapat open only to high school students. Magpi-pitch sila ng ideas nila. Sila kasi iyong nanganganib na mawalan ng interes na magbasa sa sobrang daming ibang activity na mapagpipilian. And they are the best people to suggest activities that will attract more young people to read and love books.
feel free to add more, my friends. ipapadala natin ang suggestions ninyo sa nbdb. baka makatulong ang ating mga ideya.
we need to be book warriors. laban ito para sa mga aklat.
rawr!
1. mobile library sa loob ng mga children's hospital.
nakalagay sa push cart ang books (pwede tayo manghingi sa mga ayala owned supermarket, lumang push cart will do, mam ciela might be able to help us connect with the ayalas)
children who are confined nang long term have lots of time to read. hihiramin lang nila ang book for a few days, renew kung kulang pa ang time ng pagbabasa niya. parang usual library rules din, except maybe wag na magpataw ng fine para sa mga overdue books.
sino ang puwedeng magtulak ng push cart? maybe a volunteer? or a parent? or yung mismong pasyente na kayang maglakad at magtulak ng push cart?
ang una kong naisip na beneficiary nito ay ang phil.children's medical center. they have a ward where children with serious illness stay. meron din silang volunteer program at baka maging interesado silang I-adopt ang proyektong ito.
meron din sila siyempreng ward where children stay for a short time. puwede rin silang manghiram, siguro overnight lang iyong books, ganyan.
may record book sa loob ng push cart.
2. open lahat ng public library every sunday, and every holiday. except Christmas and new year.
this is more difficult hahaha nakita ko kasi ang national library meron silang poll. tinatanong nila ang public if they are willing to go to national layb if its open on sundays.
so I guess, hindi ba mas ok kung lahat ng public layb ay bukas pag sunday? I mean, magiging alternative siyang destination ng kabataan kesa mag mall. or mamasyal kung saan.
naiisip ko ang mga bagay na ito kasi talagang kelangan mas matindi ang paglaban natin against other things na puwedng pagkaabalahan ng mga pinoy. reading should be everyone's habit. or else talagang mamamatay publishing industry natin :(
kaya yung mga library, sana open na pag sundays. people have lots of time to waste pag sunday e di don na lang .
3. dapat din me toy library ang bawat public library to entice more children to go there.
4. dapat din magkaroon ng place ang bawat public library for day care center teachers where they can borrow books for their centers. one week duration ang books then soli nila para humiram ng iba pang books.
5. Mag-organize ng contest: best reading advocacy activity. Dapat open only to high school students. Magpi-pitch sila ng ideas nila. Sila kasi iyong nanganganib na mawalan ng interes na magbasa sa sobrang daming ibang activity na mapagpipilian. And they are the best people to suggest activities that will attract more young people to read and love books.
feel free to add more, my friends. ipapadala natin ang suggestions ninyo sa nbdb. baka makatulong ang ating mga ideya.
we need to be book warriors. laban ito para sa mga aklat.
rawr!
Thursday, March 20, 2014
Memory Lane (isang sanaysay)
Ang sanaysay na ito ay revised version ng isa sa aking mga blog entry.
Memory Lane
ni Beverly Siy
Bago ka sumakay ng dyip, alalahanin mo kung saan ka pupunta. O bago ka man lang mag-abot ng bayad, alalahanin naman kung saan ka bababa, para masabi mo ito sa ating driver.
Dahil sa isang matandang babaeng nakasakay ko kamakailan lamang, naisip kong ibahagi ang tip na ito sa iyo, mahal kong kapasa-hero.
Katabi ko ang matandang babae at sa gitna kami nakaupo. Pag-abot niya ng bayad, maagap kong ipinasa ang perang papel sa katabi kong pasahero. Iniabot naman ng katabi ko ang pera ng ale sa kundoktor. (May kasamang ‘kundoktor’ ang aming driver, ito ang tumatanggap ng bayad at nagbibigay ng sukli. )
Bente ang ibinigay ng matandang babae. Papangalanan ko siyang Inang, tutal naman ay may konti nang uban-uban ang kanyang mahabang buhok. Pagkatanggap sa bente, biglang lumingon sa amin si kundoktor. Mister Katuwang ang ibibigay kong pangalan sa kanya, bilang katuwang ng driver.
“Saan po ito?” tanong ni Mister Katuwang.
“Sa ano,” umaarangkadang sagot ni Inang.
“Saan po?” tanong uli ni Mister K.
“Sa…” nagtangka si Inang na sagutin ang komplikadong tanong. Pero siya’y nabigo.
Dahil nakasimpleng blusa at puruntong short si Inang, siguro ay napagkamalan ni Mister K. na mamamalengke ito. Kaya’t tinanong niya ito ng: “Sa may palengke po?”
“Hindi,” sagot ni Inang.
Mahabang patlang ang sumunod.
At pagkatapos ay nangulit uli si Mister K. “Sa?”
“Sa ano nga,” sabi naman ni Inang.
“Sa may Tramo?” tanong uli ni Mister K.
Tuluyan na akong napalingon sa dalawa. Unang beses kong maka-engkuwentro ng Pinoy Henyo sa loob ng dyip. Palagay ko, unang beses din ito ng iba pang pasahero. Lingon silang lahat.
“Hindi, hindi,” nagmamadaling sagot ni Inang.
Gumewang-gewang ang ulo ni Inang at humahagibis sa pagkumpas ang kaliwa niyang kamay habang ang kanang kamay ay nakakapit sa bakal sa loob ng dyip.
“Sa Niog po?”
“Hindi!”
Nababanas na ang boses ni Inang. Hindi ako magtataka kung bigla siyang atakihin sa puso nang segundong iyon.
“Sa may ano nga,” buong diin na sagot ni Inang. Pumapaling na ang mukha niya sa magkabilang pisngi ng dyip dahil sa inis.
“Sa may ano. Doon. Doon ako bababa,” buong tatag na sabi ni Inang.
Malaki yata ang premyo ng Pinoy Henyo na ito dahil napahigpit ang hawak ni Mister Katuwang sa bente ni Inang. Nagbubundulan na ang mga kilay ni Mister K. Unti-unti niyang nalulukot ang hawak na bente. Palagay ko, determinado siyang manalo.
“A! Sa 711 po?”
“Hindi!” humaharurot na sagot ni Inang.
Galit na si Inang. Ang tanga nga naman ng ka-partner niya. Bakit hindi nito mahulaan kung saan siya bababa?
Kasi naman, kung ako si Mister K, didiretsuhin ko na si Inang.
Tao ba ‘yan? Roxas Boulevard? Macapagal Avenue? Bonifacio Shrine? Victoria Court?
Hayop? El Kabayo Inn? Barangay Pasong Buaya? Talaba? Jollibee?
Bagay? Barangay Buhay na Tubig? Tanzang Luma?
Kalagayan? Bagong Silang Street? Kalyeng Sikat? Kalyeng Wakas?
Dumagundong ang boses ni Mister K. “A! Sa may eskuwela? Susundo kayo?”
“Hindi! Hindi!”
Sa tono ng boses ni Inang at sa agap ng pagsagot niya kay Mister K, parang tatlong segundo na lang ang natitira sa timer ng “Pinoy Henyo.”
Tatlo.
“Sa may munisipyo?”
“Hindi!”
Dalawa.
“A … sa may Jollibee?”
Isa.
“Para!” sigaw ni Inang. Doon na pala siya bababa.
Maagap na ibinigay ni Mister K. ang sukli ni Inang . Iiling-iling si Mister K. “Dito lang pala bababa si Nanay.”
“Ano po ang tawag sa lugar na ‘to?” usisa ko kay Mister Katuwang.
Sumagot naman si Mister K. Kaya lang, ‘takte, di ko na maalala ang kanyang sinabi.
Memory Lane
ni Beverly Siy
Bago ka sumakay ng dyip, alalahanin mo kung saan ka pupunta. O bago ka man lang mag-abot ng bayad, alalahanin naman kung saan ka bababa, para masabi mo ito sa ating driver.
Dahil sa isang matandang babaeng nakasakay ko kamakailan lamang, naisip kong ibahagi ang tip na ito sa iyo, mahal kong kapasa-hero.
Katabi ko ang matandang babae at sa gitna kami nakaupo. Pag-abot niya ng bayad, maagap kong ipinasa ang perang papel sa katabi kong pasahero. Iniabot naman ng katabi ko ang pera ng ale sa kundoktor. (May kasamang ‘kundoktor’ ang aming driver, ito ang tumatanggap ng bayad at nagbibigay ng sukli. )
Bente ang ibinigay ng matandang babae. Papangalanan ko siyang Inang, tutal naman ay may konti nang uban-uban ang kanyang mahabang buhok. Pagkatanggap sa bente, biglang lumingon sa amin si kundoktor. Mister Katuwang ang ibibigay kong pangalan sa kanya, bilang katuwang ng driver.
“Saan po ito?” tanong ni Mister Katuwang.
“Sa ano,” umaarangkadang sagot ni Inang.
“Saan po?” tanong uli ni Mister K.
“Sa…” nagtangka si Inang na sagutin ang komplikadong tanong. Pero siya’y nabigo.
Dahil nakasimpleng blusa at puruntong short si Inang, siguro ay napagkamalan ni Mister K. na mamamalengke ito. Kaya’t tinanong niya ito ng: “Sa may palengke po?”
“Hindi,” sagot ni Inang.
Mahabang patlang ang sumunod.
At pagkatapos ay nangulit uli si Mister K. “Sa?”
“Sa ano nga,” sabi naman ni Inang.
“Sa may Tramo?” tanong uli ni Mister K.
Tuluyan na akong napalingon sa dalawa. Unang beses kong maka-engkuwentro ng Pinoy Henyo sa loob ng dyip. Palagay ko, unang beses din ito ng iba pang pasahero. Lingon silang lahat.
“Hindi, hindi,” nagmamadaling sagot ni Inang.
Gumewang-gewang ang ulo ni Inang at humahagibis sa pagkumpas ang kaliwa niyang kamay habang ang kanang kamay ay nakakapit sa bakal sa loob ng dyip.
“Sa Niog po?”
“Hindi!”
Nababanas na ang boses ni Inang. Hindi ako magtataka kung bigla siyang atakihin sa puso nang segundong iyon.
“Sa may ano nga,” buong diin na sagot ni Inang. Pumapaling na ang mukha niya sa magkabilang pisngi ng dyip dahil sa inis.
“Sa may ano. Doon. Doon ako bababa,” buong tatag na sabi ni Inang.
Malaki yata ang premyo ng Pinoy Henyo na ito dahil napahigpit ang hawak ni Mister Katuwang sa bente ni Inang. Nagbubundulan na ang mga kilay ni Mister K. Unti-unti niyang nalulukot ang hawak na bente. Palagay ko, determinado siyang manalo.
“A! Sa 711 po?”
“Hindi!” humaharurot na sagot ni Inang.
Galit na si Inang. Ang tanga nga naman ng ka-partner niya. Bakit hindi nito mahulaan kung saan siya bababa?
Kasi naman, kung ako si Mister K, didiretsuhin ko na si Inang.
Tao ba ‘yan? Roxas Boulevard? Macapagal Avenue? Bonifacio Shrine? Victoria Court?
Hayop? El Kabayo Inn? Barangay Pasong Buaya? Talaba? Jollibee?
Bagay? Barangay Buhay na Tubig? Tanzang Luma?
Kalagayan? Bagong Silang Street? Kalyeng Sikat? Kalyeng Wakas?
Dumagundong ang boses ni Mister K. “A! Sa may eskuwela? Susundo kayo?”
“Hindi! Hindi!”
Sa tono ng boses ni Inang at sa agap ng pagsagot niya kay Mister K, parang tatlong segundo na lang ang natitira sa timer ng “Pinoy Henyo.”
Tatlo.
“Sa may munisipyo?”
“Hindi!”
Dalawa.
“A … sa may Jollibee?”
Isa.
“Para!” sigaw ni Inang. Doon na pala siya bababa.
Maagap na ibinigay ni Mister K. ang sukli ni Inang . Iiling-iling si Mister K. “Dito lang pala bababa si Nanay.”
“Ano po ang tawag sa lugar na ‘to?” usisa ko kay Mister Katuwang.
Sumagot naman si Mister K. Kaya lang, ‘takte, di ko na maalala ang kanyang sinabi.
Dyip Tip (isang sanaysay)
Dyip Tip
ni Beverly Siy
Unang beses kong makakita ng gayong pagbabawal sa loob ng dyip.
BAWAL MATULOG.
Lantaran, walang ligoy, direkta sa punto. Bawal.
Teka, tama ba naman iyan? Pagbawalan daw bang matulog ang pasahero?
Kung sino man ang may pakana ng pagbabawal na nabanggit, sigurado akong hindi siya…
1. Nagtatrabaho sa malayo. Ang bahay niya ay malapit lang sa kanyang opisina o place of work. Kaya maikli ang oras ng kanyang biyahe at hindi siya nakakatulog sa dyip. Dahil ang tulog niya ay malamang na nakukumpleto sa steady at malambot na higaan sa kanilang tahanan. Samakatuwid, hindi niya KAILANGANG matulog sa dyip. Suwerte niya, dahil bukod sa mahaba ang oras niya para sa ibang bagay, tipid pa siya sa pamasahe.
2. a. Construction worker na walong oras nagbubuhat, nagpapala at naghahalo ng semento, banat na banat ang lahat ng piraso ng buto at himaymay ng muscle buong maghapon (o buong magdamag kung gabi ang shift), na ang tingin sa kapirasong espasyo niya sa dyip ay isang pagkalambot-lambot na kama, iyong kamukha ng nasa brochure na ipinamimigay ng mga ahente ng bahay at lupa sa kanilang site.
b. Kahera ng SM Hypermart na walong oras na nakatayo sa de takong na sapatos habang nagpa-punch ng mga grocery item at kadalasan pang naglilingkod bilang bagger na rin dahil sa kakulangan ng mga bagger sa puwesto nila, na ang tingin sa kapirasong espasyo niya sa dyip ay isang pagkaganda-gandang sofa bed na ibinebenta sa furniture section ng kanilang groserya.
c. Service crew ng Jollibee na anim hanggang walong oras na nakatoka sa dining area, nagde-deliver ng order sa mesa ng customer, nagba-bus out ng mga pinagkainan, nagpupunas ng mesa, at nagma-mop ng sahig at kadalasan pang naglilingkod bilang pseudo-waiter dahil kailangang sumunod sa pakisuyo ng mga kustomer na humihingi ng ketchup, tinidor o di kaya ay tissue, itong service crew na ito, ang tingin sa kapirasong espasyo niya sa dyip ay ang malambot at eleganteng upuan para sa mga kustomer ng reservation area ng kanilang fast food restaurant.
3. Call center agent na laging puyat at walang tulog dahil sa baliktad na oras ng trabaho at sa pag-aalala dahil sa matinding pressure na dulot ng quota system para sa ibinebenta nilang health plan sa mga Amerikano, na ang tingin sa kapirasong espasyo niya sa dyip ay ang magara at mamahaling couch sa lobby ng kanilang magara at mamahaling building.
4. Nanay na may limang anak at ang bunso ay isang bagong silang na sanggol, at ang araw-araw na ruta ng nanay na ito ay kusina, hapag, kubeta, kuwarto, eskuwela dahil sa kaluluto, kahahain, kapapakain, kapapaligo, kabibihis at kahahatid sa mga bata, ang iilang oras na kalayaan sa mga nag-aaral na anak ay kailangan ding ilaan sa sanggol na umaasa sa kanyang gatas kaya ang tingin sa kapirasong espasyo niya sa dyip ay isang duyan, driver ang nag-uugoy, busina ang oyaying pampahimbing.
5. Working student na solo parent na ipinagkakasya sa bente-kuwatro oras ang mga obligasyon sa bahay, eskuwela at trabaho.
Naranasan kong maging ganito, mahal kong kapasa-hero. Anim na buwan pagkapanganak ko kay EJ ay umuwi na ako sa bahay ng nanay ko dahil gusto ko nang maghanapbuhay. Ang sakit kasi sa dibdib (literal at matalinghagang dibdib) na makitang nagugutom ang anak ko at wala akong gatas na mapadede sa kanya.
Nakahanap ako ng trabaho sa Vito Cruz, sa likod ng St. Scholastica’s College Manila bilang Food Attendant (FA) sa Zeus Restaurant. Isa itong class B-C na kainan na may dalawang palapag at sa gabi lang binubuksan. Pag-aari ito ng may-ari ng Zafra Motors. Disente naman ang restaurant namin pero nagse-serve kami ng beer. At dahil kadalasan ay lalaki ang mga kumakain doon, mga kaibigan o kliyente ng may ari, may mga gabing nagmumukha tuloy kaming beer house… na medyo sosyal. Ang bukas ng restawran ay 5:00. Nagsasara ito pagsapit ng alas-2:00 ng madaling araw. Ang last call ng lahat ng order (pagkain man o inumin) ay 1:00 ng madaling araw.
Ang bayad sa amin ay P100 kada araw. Mayroon din kaming service charge na natatanggap kada closing time ng Sabado. Nang panahon na ito ay nasa P180 ang minimum wage kaya para sa akin, malaki na itong sinasahod ko sa Zeus. (Ano ba naman ang aasahan kong mapapasukang trabaho ng isang AWOL sa kolehiyo? Isang semestre pa lang ang natatapos ko noon, pagkatapos ay huminto na ako. Inutang ko lang kasi sa loan program ng eskuwelahan ang malaking bahagi ng tuition fee at pagkatapos ng sem, nang wala akong maibayad sa eskuwela, nag-AWOL na nga ako. ) Sa Zeus, kumikita rin kami sa tip na iniiwan ng kustomer sa tip jacket. Nakokolekta namin ito gabi-gabi. Meron ding centralized tip na hinahati sa lahat ng FA at waiter. Pero bihira iyon, kapag sinabi lang ng kustomer na para sa lahat ang tip sa tip jacket, saka lang ito mapupunta sa tip box. Ang laman ng kahon ay hahatiin nang patas sa lahat ng FA at waiter kada closing time ng Sabado.
Bagama’t alas-singko pa ang bukas namin, maaga akong pumapasok araw-araw. Mga alas-tres ng hapon. Ang mesa kasi na naa-assign sa akin ay nakabatay sa kung pang-ilan akong dumating sa lahat ng FA at waiter. Halimbawa, una akong dumating sa lahat ng FA at waiter, ako ang magse-serve sa unang kustomer. “Akin” ang mesang uupuan ng unang kustomer. Akin din ang tip sa tip jacket ng mesang iyon (puwera na lang kung ideklara ng kustomer na para sa lahat ang tip sa tip jacket). Ang FA o waiter na susunod na darating ay siya namang maa-assign sa mesang uupuan ng ikalawang kustomer. Kung mayroong sampung FA o waiter na dumating at ako ang nauna sa kanilang lahat, ang mesang uupuan ng ikalabing-isang kustomer ay maa-assign uli sa akin. Akin uli ang tip sa tip jacket ng mesang iyon (puwera na lang kung ideklara ng kustomer na para sa lahat ang tip sa tip jacket). Nakadepende sa oras ng pagdating ko ang dami ng kikitain ko mula sa tip sa isang gabi. Pero hindi lahat ng kustomer ay nagti-tip kaya parang sugal din ang pagpasok sa araw-araw. Kaya ako pumapasok nang maaga, para mas mataas ang tsansa kong may maengkuwentrong tip jacket na may laman. Kadalasan, nakakatatlong mesa ako sa isang gabi. Suwerteng-suwerte na ako kapag nagtip ang mga kustomer ng tigbebente. May P160 akong iuuwi.
Paglabas ng trabaho, dyip ako mula Vito Cruz hanggang Baclaran at Baclaran hanggang Bamboo Organ, sa Las Pinas. Doon ako nakatira, doon ang bahay ng nanay ko. Kahit na pagod na pagod ako, mula alas-singko ng hapon hanggang alas-dos ng madaling araw akong nakatayo at nag-aasikaso ng mesa, hindi ako natutulog sa biyahe dahil sa takot ko na madukutan o maholdap. Alas-dos iyon ng madaling araw! Oras ng trabaho ng masasamang elemento!
Pagkaraan ng halos isang taon, sa gitna ng pagbili ng gatas at diaper, nakaipon ako ng pambayad ng utang ko sa eskuwela. Binayaran ko na nga ito at nangutang uli sa eskuwela para makapag-enrol. Kumuha ako ng mga klaseng pang-umaga, iyong puro alas-diyes ang umpisa. Pagsapit ng ala-una ng hapon, bumibiyahe na ako papuntang Vito Cruz, para pumasok sa trabaho. Dyip ako mula eskuwela hanggang Philcoa tapos isa pang mahabang biyahe ng dyip mula Philcoa hanggang Vito Cruz. Pagsayad na pagsayad ng puwet ko sa ikalawang dyip, tulog agad ako. Sa biyahe pauwi mula sa trabaho, natutulog na rin ako sa dyip. Talo ng pagod ang takot ko sa masasamang elemento tulad ng mandurukot. Minsan, sa sobrang sarap ng tulog ko, lumalampas ako sa Bamboo Organ. Nakakarating ako hanggang Zapote, boundary ng Cavite at Las Pinas. Sasakay na lang uli ako ng dyip pabalik sa Bamboo Organ. Muli akong makakatulog at muli akong lalampas. Nakakarating ako hanggang Kabihasnan, malapit sa boundary ng Las Pinas at Paranaque. Kaysarap lagi ng tulog ko. Ang tingin ko kasi sa kapirasong espasyo ko sa dyip ay bahagi ng kama namin sa bahay kung saan nakahimlay ang anak kong si EJ.
Napakaraming dahilan kung bakit natutulog ang pasahero sa dyip, kaya hindi talaga tama na ipagbawal ito. Kung sino man ang gumawa ng pagbabawal at concern lang naman pala siya sa pasahero, baka nga madukutan, manakawan o di kaya ay lumampas sa takdang bababaan, palitan na lang sana niya ang signage ng mula sa BAWAL MATULOG patungo sa BAWAL MANDUKOT . Para naman sa mga lumalampas dahil tulog pa nang marating ng dyip ang takdang bababaan, ang mungkahi kong signage ay PATATAWARIN, PALALAMPASIN.
Hayaan na nating matulog sa dyip ang mga antukin. Kanya-kanyang trip lang ‘yan.
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