sorbetes na siling labuyo

but contrary to the title, sex was NOT the only topic of our rambling discussions over bottles of smb, plates of sizzlers’ sisig, and bites of ellen’s fried chicken (although it was one of the longer-running topics. the ins and outs of reproduction makes for fascinating conversation… no pun intended.) these people just seem to have an uncanny ability to transform such mundane themes as gay lingo, reality shows, military guys, and asian horror flicks into fodder for intelligent discourse.

the self-confessed "sarcastic bitch" has yet to put up a blog of her own. meanwhile, check out these blogs:

twiddling thumbs: http://maeve.eggdrop.ph

BIYAHENG STA. CRUZ, CALAMBA COLLEGE: http://www.windang.blogspot.com/

mikhail online: http://mikhailberis.blogspot.com/

memoirs of a ninja: http://vjsummer.blogs.friendster.com/memoirs_of_a_ninja/

(will add more links later. )

These are the times that try men’s souls.

(Yeah, I know, Thomas Paine lived in an age when gender-conscious language was virtually nonexistent, and so I take the liberty of assuming that his famous statement includes women as well. But anyway…)

This morning I woke up at exactly 8:25. (Our time-in at work is 8:30, by the way. I live in Diliman and work in Ortigas. O divah, ang ganda.) So I hurried through the morning routine and raced to the MRT station, only to find a huge, agitated crowd outside the turnstiles and on the platform.  Turns out that a defective train had to stop at Cubao, stalling all other trains behind it. Stranded passengers stood in long, unmoving queues. An irascible man argued with an equally irascible guard. I went down to the street in the hopes of catching a bus to work instead, but as it happened, about a hundred others had the same idea, and so all the buses were jampacked. Hayyyy. Good thing I had bought a waffle from a stall, which had now diverted most of the blood supply from my brain to my stomach. Otherwise, I might have transformed into a head-biting, fire-breathing dragon, too.

In about five minutes, the trains started moving again, and so, the commuters on the street trooped back upstairs to the station. The irritable crowd had turned into a pack of bloodthirsty wolves intent on getting onto the train, and for a moment, I had a glimpse of a pre-stampede situation. By now, some people had totally lost their tempers. From a distance, I watched as a woman shouted (profanities, I presume) at the woman walking behind her, who shouted back. I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but the murderous looks on their faces were unmistakable. As I hurried through the turnstile, I passed by another woman screeching at a guard. I faded in and out of hearshot just long enough to hear “…tapos sasabihin nyo sa akin na hindi nyo alam? Ang tatanga nyo naman! Bakit ba kasi…”

Getting on the train involved the usual jostling and pushing, although perhaps with a touch more desperation. I breathed a sigh of relief as the train began to pull out of the station, enduring the press of people on all sides, anticipating how I had to worm through the crowd when we arrived in Ortigas. Behind me I heard a woman say to her companion, “Grabe yung babae kanina ano? Minura yung nanay nya,” to which her friend responded, “Sanay nang magmura.”

It’s just another day in paradise.

Playing Shotgun Wedding by Kartoon Chemistry on my computer. For some reason, this song always takes me back to LB. Specifically, back to the cramped FM booth on the second floor of the Devcom Bldg, where, I now realize, I spent some of the happiest hours of my life.

Hayyyy…. J

Noong bente kwatro anyos ang nanay ko, ang panganay nyang anak ay naglalakad na at dumadaldal, nauuntog, nahuhulog, naiipit ang kamay, at nangungulit ng ibang bata. By the age of three, nakakain na ako ng tae ng butiki, nakatikim ng Red Horse Beer, at buong pagmamalaking inanunsyong umutot ako sa kalagitnaan ng Misa. Kaya maiimagine nyo nalang ang daily adventures ni Inay sa paghahabol sa kanyang pasaway na panganay at pagpupumilit na magturo ng tamang gawa at mabuting asal bago mahuli ang lahat.

Ngayon ay bente kwatro anyos na ako, at sa oktubre ay ¼ century nang nabubuhay sa mundo. Dalaga na ngayon ang bata kong kapatid na dati ay pinapalitan ko pa ng lampin. Pero sa isip ko at imahinasyon, isa pa rin akong batang aanga-anga, burara, madaling mawala, at basta nagsasalita ng hindi nag-iisip. Marami sa aking mga katoto nung high school ay doktor na ngayon o abogado o engineer, o di kaya’y asawa na o ama o ina. May nakapagpalimbag na ng sarili nyang nobela. May mga nasa ibang bansa bilang graduate student, writer, flight attendant, o mang-aawit. Parang ang hirap maniwala na noon ay sabay-sabay lang kami na sumakit ang ulo sa trigo at stat, nagkatay ng manok, nagmemorya ng tula ni Shakespeare, nagbungkal ng lupa, at nagbutingting ng noli at el fili. Nakaka-pressure at nakaka-insecure isipin na may narating na sila, at ako ay nandito pa rin, takot at aanga-anga at wala pa ring impact sa mundo.

Kailangan nang magmadali bago tuluyang maiwanan ng byahe.

Mabango o maganda? Maganda o mabango? Kung Pilipino ka, mas pipiliin mo nang maging ordinaryo ang itsura pero mabango, kesa maganda ang anyo pero pangit ang amoy.  Kunsabagay, aanhin mo nga naman ang killer looks kung meron ka namang killer smell? Kaya naman halos OC* na tayo sa issue ng amoy.  Napansin mo bang napakarami nating salita para sa amoy na di kaaya-aya? Mabaho. Mabantot. Mapanghe. Mabansiw. Maangot. Maange. Malansa. Ma-anggo. Masangsang. Maalingasaw. At kung ano-ano pa.

Hindi sapat na maligo ng regular. Dapat araw-araw. At hindi lang sapat na nagsasabon, dapat naghihilod at gumagamit ng germicidal soap, na susundan pa ng tawas o deodorant. At hindi lang katawan mo ang dapat mabango. Dapat pati damit. Kaya anjan din ang mga sabon panlaba at fabric softener na nangangako ng bangong tumatagal. Sa Pinoy, kasalanang mortal kung meron kang simoy na di kanais-nais.

***

Kaninang alas-syete y medya ng umaga ay nakipagsiksikan nanaman ako sa MRT. At dahil rush hour, kulang nalang ay buhusan ng tomato sauce at ipasok sa lata ang mga pasahero. Mainit sa labas, kaya sa mga ganitong sitwasyon, hindi mo maiiwasang minsan ay magkaroon ng exchange of body fluids. Pasalamat ka nalang kung ang mga katabi mo e OCng Pinoy na paglabas ng bahay sa umaga eh namamango sa sabon ang katawan at bagong shampoo ang buhok. Pero sa kasaamang palad, ang katabi ko kanina ay isang mamang nangangalingasaw sa samyo ng beerhouse: alak, yosi, panis na laway, at anghit. Sa salitang kolehiyala noong dekada 90, kadiri to death! Gustuhin mo mang lumayo, wala ka na ring magagalawan. At dahil mainit ang panahon ay tagaktak ang pawis sa likod ng mama, kaya nararamdaman kong sumisinip ang mabansiw na pawis nito sa tela ng manggas ng damit ko. Leche!

***

May isa akong kaibigan na rumaraket sa pamamagitan ng pagtuturo ng wikang Ingles sa mga banyaga.  Sabi ng isa nyang studyante, cool daw syang teacher. Bakit kamo? Dahil araw-araw ay iba ang outfit nya. Palibhasa’y nakaka-tatlo hanggang limang araw bago magpalit ng damit ang estudyante nyang yun. Naliligo araw-araw, pero yun at yun din ang ibinibihis.

Para que pa?

***

Minsan ay bumisita dito sa Pilipinas ang isa kong kaibigang banyaga. Hindi naman sa mabaho sya talaga, pero tulad ng maraming banyaga ay ugali rin nyang isuot ng paulit-ulit ang damit kahit hindi pa ito nalalabhan. Isinama ko sya sa Baywalk upang makita nya ang pinipitagang Manila Bay sunset. Umupo kami sa breakwater.  At doon ko narealize, ang baho nga pala ng Manila Bay.  Kung tumanaw ka sa malayo, makikita mo ang paglubog ng araw na ubod ng ganda. Ngunit tumingin ka sa baba at makikita mo ang mga nabubulok na basurang pilit isinusuka ng dagat sa pampang, ngunit di tuluyang mapurga dahil sa sobrang dami.

Sa sandaling yon, narealize ko din na hindi nga lang pala Manila Bay ang mabahong lugar sa Pilipinas. Maglakad ka lang sa kalye, sa may riles ng tren, o sa palengke ay may maamoy at maamoy kang bansiw o angot o panghe o bantot. Palibhasa’y wala tayong pakundangan kung saan natin ihagis ang basura. Wala rin pakundangan kung saan iihi, lalong lalo na ang kasariang may lawit. Ang iba nga, walang pakundangang dumudumi kahit saan.

Kaya’t kung tutuusin, isa pala tayong bayan ng mga taong mababango nga, pero nakatira naman sa isang dambuhalang basurahan at palikuran. Para que pa?

*Obsessive-compulsive

Writing something that holds no interest for me whatsoever. Every word wrenched out of the innards of my dormant mind, screeching in pain with every torturous tug. Every phrase as fascinating as dry sawdust, as natural as my elementary school teacher’s toupee. This is not constipation; there is nothing to excrete, nothing to produce, nothing but rising frustration and escalating panic as the deadline looms closer and closer, brandishing rows of cruelly gleaming titanium teeth that hunger to grind its violators into a bloody pulp. 

Mag-aanim na buwan na rin pala. 

Anim na buwan ng pakikipagsiksikan sa MRT, pagsampa sa rumaragasang bus, paglanghap ng usok ng sasakyan. Pagtulog ng mahimbing sa hele-hele ng mga busina. Pag-iwas sa dura ng taong naglalakad sa kalye. Pakikinig sa awit at huni ng libo-libong cellphone. Pagtingala sa mga kongkretong puno dito sa gubat na bato.

Araw-araw ay babangon at magbibihis, maglalakad, maglalakbay, pagpapawisan, maitutulak at manunulak pabalik. Buong araw na uupo sa opisina, magpapalapad ng pwet at iinom ng timba-timbang kape habang pilit na nag-iisip ng kaaya-ayang mga kataga tungkol sa kontra-bulate, kontra-kolesterol, panghugas ng ari at kung ano ano pa.  At sa gabi ay uuwi at maliligo at manonood habang dumadaloy sa drain ang maitim na pinagbanlawan ng buhok ko. At kinabukasan ay mauulit muli ang lahat.

Monday– another monday out of the long string of mondaytuesdaywednesdaythursdayfriday that seem to march on like a squad of primitive non-AI robots straight out of Shaider. It’s one of those days when your mind simply cannot focus and you come to the conclusion that your skull must be filled with a substance the texture of dry sawdust.  Slowly your eyes blink like a lizard’s to take in the chaos of printouts and scratch paper on your desk, your pencil poised in midair, your mind somewhere between the Andromeda and Vega galaxies.  Distantly, you hear a tinny voice in your ear urging you to hurry up and meet the deadline this afternoon, chiding you for not functioning when there’s so much to be done. Outside your cramped cubicle, you hear the usual sounds of a small advertising and publishing agency at work, an air-conditioned hive alive with the buzz of lowered voices and the clicking of computer keyboards, punctuated by occasional telephone bleeps.   

The human mind is not a machine that can be placed all day in a small cubicle, fed with information, and expected to churn out brilliantly creative ideas and scintillating ad copy.  Or i don’t know.  Perhaps some people can do it, but i can’t.  Maybe it’s because the job is so indoor and stationary.  Or maybe i just do not find the work very interesting after all.  Or maybe it’s just that the excitement of novelty has worn off and it’s become merely routine.  Or it may also be that i am simply tired.

since humankind began to have conscious thought, this question has been asked… and unanswered. why are we here? tell me what you think.

Legend:

mikhailberis: dean

vjsummer: cio

brainwave1013: ang inyong lingkod

***

mikhailberis: may question ako…

mikhailberis: sana hindi ninyo isipin na korny ‘tong question ko…

mikhailberis: you guys still there?

brainwave1013: yezzz, ano yun?

brainwave1013: sori ha, was working

mikhailberis: do you know why the heck we’re alive?

brainwave1013: masyado kong cynical dean e, baka di mo magustuhan sagot ko…

mikhailberis: sige lang… i just want to know what you guys think…

brainwave1013: we (im assuming you’re talking about people) are simply a complex/advanced manifestation of the very basic process of DNA replication, survival and reproduction.  the whole shebang is simply fueled by the molecule’s "desire" to propagate itself…. the survival instinct, cellular specialization/organs and organ systems, communities, friendsships, love…. these are simply ofshoots of the fact that DNA is more likely to survive when cells act as groups.

brainwave1013: we are simply chemicals… molecules

brainwave1013: …. searching for meaning, searching for a higher power because it’s too painful to admit that might just be a lucky accident

brainwave1013: my other theory is that there is a higher being who is giving rise to all this

mikhailberis: and you feel at ease with "we are simply chemicals… molecules" ?

vjsummer: nope

brainwave1013: not because creating us was Its calling, but because ganun kalaki yung kakayanan nya, na nakapgbuo sya ng ganito.

brainwave1013: kala natin sobrang complex na natin pero sa Kanya wala lang to

mikhailberis: ok… now do you know why you’re here, now?

brainwave1013: i’m an offshoot of some process that i can’t even pretend to understand, ke yung process na yun e molecular, o dahil sa higher being

mikhailberis: kasi I’m tired of thinking that it’s all just for nothing… I feel empty. I feel like whatever I do, there’s something missing inside of me.

vjsummer: things happen for a reason…i guess we were "made" for a reason…

mikhailberis: and tipong "I should be doing something…"

brainwave1013: ano nga kayang reason kung bakit tayo ginawa noh? to destroy the planet and dominate it, toppling down all the other organisms and creations that happen to be in our path,. all the while thinking that it’s our right because we are here for a reason?

brainwave1013: spreading like a virus all over the planet kasi feeling natin priveleged tayo, tayo yung highest creations?

vjsummer: pra s kn its like we are here to live, not because we wanted to too from the start but because it was already an obligation that we should live…we are a part of this so-called cycle & process

brainwave1013: kaya nga… offshoot tayo nung chemical or cosmic process.  did it have to happen? was it destined? why do we assume that it had to happen? malay ba natin kung aksidente nga lang lahat ng ito?

vjsummer: well, minsan talaga may mga bagay na hindi natin maiintindihan kahit anung pilit na gawin natin…wala na tayong magagawa kundi tanggapin kung ano mang eksplenasyon na meron at makukuha natin na paniniwalaan natin…

mikhailberis: do you think you’re just an accident?

vjsummer: i was…

brainwave1013: yung "search for a reason" na ito, na kinuhang task ng religions…

brainwave1013: malay ba natin kung niloloko lang pala natin mga sarili natin?

brainwave1013: para lang hindi tayo mabaliw sa fact na wala naman talagang dahilan kung bakit tayo nandito?

mikhailberis: pano kung hindi religion yung magbibigay ng explanation?

vjsummer: juz an accident…

brainwave1013: im not just talking about the individual level ha…

brainwave1013: im referring to the reason why people exist

brainwave1013: ano nga kaya yun?

brainwave1013: people in general, as a species

mikhailberis: well for me personally, I’m tired of thinking that it’s all for naught.

mikhailberis: not just people, but everything in general.

mikhailberis: right now I’m reading the purpose driven life.

brainwave1013: maganda ba?

vjsummer: sb nila

mikhailberis: Let’s just say for someone like me…

mikhailberis: I’m being enlightened day by day.

brainwave1013: good for you.

vjsummer: good for you

mikhailberis: And you know what I used to say about this all…

mikhailberis: I just read today the simple line: "You are not an accident."

brainwave1013: question lang, are the book’s lessons derived from Christianity?

vjsummer: yata

mikhailberis: That’s the good thing — it revolves around christian living, and cites scientific studies.

vjsummer: whookay

vjsummer: pero hindi ba clashing?

mikhailberis: nope. for some reason, science helps christianity make sense…

mikhailberis: never looked at it that way.

mikhailberis: Yesterday, I read about: "It’s all about God."

mikhailberis: Now, I just read about "You are not an accident."

brainwave1013: hindi naman talag nagkaclash ang sci at Christianity e.  yang clash na yan e nagsimula lang naman nung dark ages, when nobody knew any better.

mikhailberis: That’s why Christian Living does not mean that you have to be affiliated with any particular religion.

brainwave1013: i know that believing in a purpose, in a benevolent higher power, makes things easier… it’s easier to live, easier to sleep at night, easier to coexist with your fellow humans.  mas madali kasi you stop thinking that you’re alone and powerless. you believe that there is Someone up there looking out for you. Pero pano nga kung ang lahat nga ng yon ay wala lang kundi crutch, comforter ng sangkatauhan para hindi mabaliw sa lungkot?

vjsummer: y do you need someone to look after you anyway?

brainwave1013: anyway, what i’m thinking is, hindi na mahalaga kung anong "religion" (for lack of a better term) ang pinaniniwalaan natin. the important thing is to believe in Someone

brainwave1013: we look for someone to look after us kasi nakakapagod pag mag-isa ka lang

vjsummer: well if you’ve been living all your life alone so what’s the difference anyway?

mikhailberis: jyas, is believing in a higher power such a bad thing?

vjsummer: you live then you die eventually

brainwave1013: im not saying it’s a bad thing. im just making room for the possibility that there is nothing out there but cosmic dust

mikhailberis: rocio: should it be that bad always?

mikhailberis: jyas, so what if it’s just cosmic dust out there? doesn’t it help that you feel better as you go along "the process" of living, dying, with a sense of purpose?

vjsummer: then what is your purpose? to live & reproduce then die.

mikhailberis: ewan ko lang, pero kasi for me, I’m tired of thinking that there might not be something out there.

vjsummer: ganun lng ka-simple…you battle each day to survive telling yourself, this is your purpose…just keep on living…do things you want…do things for others…then eventually you die.a beginning & an end…

brainwave1013: kaya nga, kaya i acknowledge the value of belief, because it makes things easier for people. i’m not saying you shoudl stop believing in that. i’m just saying that these are the possibilities that i see.  kaya nga ayoko sana sabihin sa iba yun as much as possible e.

mikhailberis: don’t you feel empty living that way everyday? I know I am.

brainwave1013: actually i do.  it’s just that i’ve gone through the whole religion shebang and found nothing… just people seeking comfort

brainwave1013: they "worship God" kasi masarap ang pakiramdam

vjsummer: even though how empty you feel, how do you think it would be filled if you don’t even understand the whole thing…there would always be questions so there will always be a gap inside of you…if ever you do find the answer & to prevent you from feeling empty again then stop your brain from working….

brainwave1013: they do Bible lessons and sing and dance and feed poor children once a year because it just feels so good to be doing so

mikhailberis: jyas I understand how you see it. I actually see it that way too.

mikhailberis: jyas: is that such a bad thing?  I mean, it does feel better that way, and it makes you "happier"… but does it have to be tied to religion branwash, or is it just that way — that it MIGHT be the thing you should be doing becuase you’re happy while you’re doing it?

mikhailberis: but we all just choose to believe what we want to believe when we know what the choices are, right?

brainwave1013: seminars and self-searching, self-pity and mediocrity, always "God loves me, me , ME"

brainwave1013: it’s still about the self, not God.

mikhailberis: maybe that’s what’s wrong…

mikhailberis: or "wrong"…

brainwave1013: and yet andun yung ek-ek about building your life around God.

mikhailberis: maybe you should focus more on your "relationship" with God, than yourself?

vjsummer: …

brainwave1013: pero ano nga ba ang main motivation ng tao kung bakit sya kakabit kay God? para din yun sa sarili nya.  God will get along just fine kahit wlang nagbaBible studies jan

mikhailberis: ewan ko rin ha… I’ll try walking this path, since it seems to make more sense for me right now. It seems to feel that emptyness I feel and acknowledge in me.

vjsummer: …

brainwave1013: pasensya na talga at ganito ako ka-cynical. I hope you find meaning in it dean.

mikhailberis: It’s ok Jyas, I was cynical about it all before I turned 22, and felt… Empty.

brainwave1013: i know. i still feel that way.

vjsummer: …

mikhailberis: Parang if someone asked me that day: "Do you know why you’re here now? Are you happy now? Do you feel complete?" I wouldn’t be able to answer them.

brainwave1013: i hope you’re happy now tho.

vjsummer: …

mikhailberis: I felt Him reaching out after 22 years of letting me do what I want — and somehow I feel that I should now "give something back".

brainwave1013: rocio, ok k lng?

brainwave1013: good for you dean.

vjsummer: …

mikhailberis: ika nga "mag-balik loob".

brainwave1013: siguro masyado lang talga ko na-disillusion sa mga nakita ko

mikhailberis: rocio: I think I told you this in person that morning you took my ngarag picture.

vjsummer: i kinda stopped believeing a long tym ago….

vjsummer: yeah..i remember

vjsummer: gud 4 u

mikhailberis: jyas: sana you give it a second look someday. sana lang.

mikhailberis: rocio: sana ikaw rin, would give it a try again.

vjsummer: wish kolng buhay p ko non

brainwave1013: yeah, sure, maybe i will

vjsummer: i don’t even know how i’m surviving or why…i could die anytime for all i care, anyway.

brainwave1013: ganun?

mikhailberis: ganun?

mikhailberis: maybe He’s just waiting for you to return his calls…

vjsummer: …

Lampas isang buwan na magmula ng ilabas ni Press Secretary Bunye ang mga CD na naglalaman ng mala-bombang mga recordings na yumanig sa administrasyong Arroyo.  Ilang linggo na rin ang nakalipas magmula ng aminin ng pangulo na kanya nga ang tinig sa mga nasabing CD.  Pero ang pamumulitika, pagbabalimbing, paghuhugas-kamay, pagyayabang at pagpapataasan ng ihi na ibinunga nito ay tila ageless at timeless ata.  Mula pa noong panahon ni Jose Rizal, hanggang ngayon sa ikalawang milenyo, hindi na gumaling-galing ang sakit na ito ng mga pulitikong Pilipino.

***

Noong studyante pa ako, lagi akong sumasali sa mga rally at kilos-protesta.  Feel na feel ko kasi ang pagkamakabayan ko.  Pakiramdam ko kasi, ang laki ng naitutulong ko sa pagsulong ng bansa at ng demokrasya sa pamamagitan ng pagmamartsa sa mga kalye at pagsigaw ng mga de-latang chants at jingles na pinapalawig ng mga protest organizers.  Noong pumutok ang EDSA 2, kabilang ako sa libo-libong kabataang tumulak patungong EDSA upang iparinig sa dating pangulong Estrada, sa bayan, at sa mundo ang aming galit sa administrasyon, at ang aming paghingi ng mabuting pinuno. At medyo nagtagumpay nga naman, narinig ang aming tinig, natanggal sa pwesto ang dating pangulo.  Pero ang pag-aagawan sa pagkilala, papuri, at pwesto na naganap matapos magbitiw sa pwesto si Estrada ay ang malignong naging kakambal ng “tagumpay” na ito.

***

Kung sabagay ay meron nga naman talagang mabuting naidudulot ang pagsasagawa ng kilos-protesta sa pagtakbo ng isang malusog na demokrasya. Pero madalas kasi, ang kilos-protesta ay walang iba kundi puro salita lamang.  Oo nga’t pinalamutian ito ng mga awit, sayaw, dula, larawan at mga effigy.  Pero pagkatapos ng lahat ng ingay at traffic, wala namang naiiwan kundi kalat sa kalsada at vandalism sa mga gusali at pader.

***

Tila yata tayong mga Pilipino ay nasilaw na at naadik sa bilis-bisa at matinding drama ng mga kilos-protestang EDSA.  Natuon na lang ang pansin natin sa pagpapabagsak sa mga bulok at masasama sa lipunan – habang kulang naman ang ginagawa upang makapagtatag tayo at makapagbuo ng maayos na lipunan.  Magaling tayong magpabagsak sa pwesto ng mga pinunong bulok – ngunit mahina sa pagluluklok ng pinunong matino. 

***

Pero kung sabagay, tayo nga rin pala ang bayan ng pyramid scheme, kung saan maraming nabibingwit ng pangakong yayaman kahit walang ginagawa.  Tayo rin ang bansa ng telenovela, kung saan laging nagtatagumpay ang bida sa huli, kahit wala siyang gawin kundi magpasampal, magpasigaw, magpasabunot, magpaapi, at umiyak ng umiyak hanggang mamugto ang naka-mascara pa ring mga mata. At parang tayo rin ang bansa ng mga madaling makalimot – tignan nalang natin ang nangyari sa pamilyang Marcos at Estrada, na parehong pinatalsik ng people power.

***

Kailan nga kaya tayo matututo? May karapatan nga kaya tayong tawaging bansang demokratiko? Oo nga’t ang demokrasya ay “of the people, by the people, for the people”, pero dahil ang people ay madaling maloko at madala sa pangako ng madaliang benepisyo, paulit-ulit tayong namamanipula at napapaikot ng iilan.  Kaya sabihin mang demokratiko ang bansang ito, ang totoo’y kagustuhan lang talaga ng iilan –hindi ng nakararami—ang nasusunod.

***

May isang kaibigan akong nagsabing “Malungkot man isipin, pero maraming Pilipinong tanga.”

Sana naman ay mali siya.  Pero kung hindi, sana naman ay magbago na agad ito.

***