Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Euvir 1st Birthday

Today, Saturday, I woke-up around 6am. I’m going to work. I went to work very happy. Because today is my son's 1st birthday. I'm a bit sad because I’m not in the party. Only my wife's family, also my mother, and the rest of the family. For sure everybody will be happy, especially Euvir. It will be better if i was there. But not now, Im in a thousand miles away home.

By the time I arrived at the office, I immediately wished the clock would run wild and reach 1pm so i can call home and listen at the party sound. I just have a tea, face the computer. The computer also face me as if it is questioning me why am I here. I should be at the Jollibee party. I should be greeting some friends, manning the sounds, making sure everybody have a food.

I started daydreaming.
I didn't notice the time.
Daydream never ends.
It’s like a bottomless beer promo
That I don’t want to stop ordering.
I just can’t get enough of wish,
that i was in the party,
and making sure everybody is happy.
I'm dreaming of Euvir's happy face.
For sure, this daydream will continue tonight
I guess so.

Although I'm not there, I am still happy. There is a reason why I am here.
My son reached 1 year.
Happy 1st Birthday my boy!!!

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Kung bakit ako nangibang-bayan

I just saw this entry from one of my fave site, www.pinoysg.com
This guy simply hits me. Yes, I agree with him, somehow some of us is like
"the beautician" in that car. Anyway, just sharing. Read along & enjoy.

http://www.pinoysg.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=156


Kung bakit ako nangibang-bayan
Isinulat ko ito bago ako nagkaroon ng pagkakataong makapag-trabaho sa Singapore. Foreshadowing. Inaamin ko, sumuko na din ako.

PARA sa isang motoristang naipit sa trapiko, nakakairita naman talaga ang makakita ng isang convoy ng mga pribadong sasakyan na, sa tulong ng ilang police escorts, ay nagsusumiksik at nambabraso ng iba pang mga sasakyan gayong napakasikip na nga ng kalsada.

Higit nga bang mahalaga ang oras ng kung sino mang mga Ponsyo Pilatong ito kung ihahambing sa panahon nating mga hoi polloi?

Naalala ko tuloy ang essay ng nobelistang si F. Sionil Jose, ang Bakit Mahirap Tayong Mga Pilipino? Ayon sa kanya, mahirap tayo dahil mahirap tayo. Nasa kultura natin ang kahirapan. Bukod sa karamihan sa ati’y tamad, masyado rin tayong mahangin.

Kung susuriin natin, ang ugat ng ating katamaran at kayabangan ay ang paniniwala natin na, sa labas ng pamilya, hindi na natin sagutin ang ibang tao, lalo pa ang sarili nating bansa. Kanya-kanya – iyan ang pilosopiya ng karamihan sa atin. Madalas, wala tayong pakialam kahit sino pa ang masagasaan; ang mahalaga’y nakalamang tayo, nakaungos tayo.

Kaya naman bigyan mo lamang ng isang medyo mataas na katungkulan sa gobyerno o kaya’y kaunting kayamanan ang isang Pilipino at ang isa sa mga una nitong gagawin ay magdawit ng ilang police escorts at magparada sa kalye at ipagsigawan sa ibang tao na, “Hoy, mga peon, importante ako!”

***
Minsan, sa sobrang pagkainis, binuntutan ko ang isang convoy ng mga sasakyan na papuntang Greenhills sa kahabaan ng Ortigas Ave.

Wala naman silang police escort, pero lahat ng mga pawang naglalakihang sasakyan na nasa convoy ay may mga wang-wang na ginagamit ng mga ito upang harangin, giliran at singitan ang iba pang mga sasakyan.

Kumanan sila sa Connecticut, pumasok sa Greenhills at tumigil sa pangunang entrada ng shopping mall. Gaya ng inaasahan ko, isa na namang langaw na mataas ang lipad ang nanggulang ng kanyang kapwa. Ang lulan ng pinakamagarang sasakyan sa convoy ay isang kilalang beautician na napagalaman ko ay may beauty salon sa Greenhills. Dadalawin lamang pala niya ang kanyang negosyo.
***
Bakit nga ba tayo ganito?

Ang madalas na hatol naming mga magkakabarkada habang nasa malalim na impluwensya ni San Miguel ay dahil marahil sa walang yugto sa ating kasaysayan na tayo’y naging isang tunay na bansa na hinulma ng ilang taong pakikibaka para sa tunay na kalayaan.

Malabnaw ang ating pagka-Pilipino kaya marami sa atin ang wala talagang malasakit sa sarili nating bansa. Pamilya, oo. Bansa, medyo.

Madalas, mas nanaiisin pa nating ma-asimila na lamang ng ibang bansa.

Sa loob ng tatlong taon, naging isang bayan ng mga migrante ang Pilipinas. Ayon sa estatistika mula sa gobyerno, kasalukuyang nakakalat sa kulang-kulang 192 bansa at teritoryo ang mahigit 7.76 milyong Pilipino. Mahigit 2.87 milyon ang tuluyang naninirahan na sa labas ng Pilipinas at sumasaludo sa ibang bandila.

Isa sa bawat limang Pilipino naman na nandito sa Pilipinas ang nais nang magalsa-balutan. Ang nakakabahala pa dito ay kulang-kulang kalahati sa mga batang ang edad ay 10 hanggang 12 ay nagnanais na sa ibang bansa na lamang makapagtrabaho.

Hindi ko sila masisisi. Tuwing makakita ako ng isang convoy ng mga pribadong sasakyan, hindi ko mapigilang maisip na lumayag na rin at manirahan sa isang bansa na kung saan ang tunog ng isang sirena ay nangangahulugan ng isang totoong emerhensiya.

About the Writer
Raul is a sub-editor at The Straits Times. He used to work for San Miguel Corp and The Philippine Daily Inquirer before, like his father before him, he got swept up in the Filipino Diaspora. He has been in Singapore for a little over a year now. He spends most of his time at his flat in Woodlands. When he's not there, he's either playing badminton at Redhill, wasting away at some bar in Tanjong Pagar or just sucking up everything Singapore has to offer.
Email address:
piniggapura@gmail.com

Saturday, September 6, 2008

Farewell to IWA


This photo was taken during my first month in my 1st company in Singapore. Its fun here, alot of things learned and understood about Singapore. A lot of things learned about Chinese,Malay,Thai etc etc. Its a small but diversed world. The day I arrived in Singapore, i understand why they say "its a small world after all". People can get easily inter-connected form both ends of these world.Making it really small. Its really fun here, safe, but the time flies. Im having fun working here.

That was almost 3 years ago. But now I have to leave them. For reason only me,my family, and special friends know why.

Where would I be heading?
When I will be back?
Were you will be able to see me again?

I also don't know.Only the heart knows.
All I know is I'm on the way to there.

Goodbye, Goodluck & Keep it real.

Friday, September 5, 2008

"Nagsisimula pa lang"

"..Nagsisimula pa lang, teka muna!.."

as one of the Rivermaya record says..

Well here I am. Just starting on a new blog. Its a new life again, new work, new place, new world. Welcome to my new world. I have an old blog but I have totally forgot it, and dont know how to access it anymore. Now i totally miss my diary, and dont have time to buy one. But stilll have a lot of thoughts stucked and i really want to write it and share it. Anyway, lets do this, and lets go and have some fun.