Sunday, September 27, 2009

A CALL TO ARMS

“Kumusta na po, bayang Pilipinas” this is what I heard from TV Patrol through TFC. It’s been days or maybe weeks since the motherland has been experiencing strong downpour and, well, flood all over the major cities especially in Manila. I am worried because I have friends and families who live in that area. An aerial view is scene and the people are busy helping each other. Moving on to another shot are people trying to save themselves from the chest-deep rush of muddy water. The metro area has since been under the state of calamity. Earlier today when I came to, I heard the celebrities trying to make multiple shout outs to both the government and the masses alike; asking them to help out and save those who were stranded on the roof tops and inside their houses that are now on the brink of being underwater. I can totally relate how they feel because I have experienced the same ordeal first-hand. What really irks me are those who are in higher office. They were interviewed (that stupid mole on her face) and they don’t even show any signs of concern. They are smiling like everything is cool. In actuality, people are suffering from this seemingly unending nightmare. Locals are crying because they have lost their loved ones and some are still missing at the moment. So, at this point, I call upon those who care, those who give a shit about their fellow countrymen to help out. If I was there I would, to the best of my ability. I hate to see my people suffer like this. Yes, it’s a natural disaster; things like this happen all the time. However, I don’t want to see my people beg for help from political fat cats who are as corrupt as the Marcos regime. Don’t let what happened to New Orleans during hurricane Katrina happen to my people.

A moment of silence to those who passed away and prayers go out to those who are still missing, stranded, feeling helpless, and those who are out there.
End of Entry

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Baby steps!

Eversince we moved to America, little by little, I started to forget about the place where I spent most of my 15 years in life. Waking up early and smelling Lola Gunding's cooking, gone. Pagbu-bu sa mga tanom palibot sa balay, gone. hanging out with the neighborhood kids and looking for those creepy crawlers nga amo dayun ipa-away or take to Urios College and sell them to the ritzy little kids, gone. (ha! that was awesome, we made money out of those spiders) listening to the local radio station in the afternoon, gone. Waking up early Sunday morning for the mass, gone ( Pag murmuray na kamo!, Lola used to wake us up with this in our ears) Man, I miss her. God rest her soul. A lot more things and a lot more memories overwritten by western ones. I wanna remember those things again. I wanna see the people I grew up around. I wanna experience what it's like to be a Butuanon all over again. Luckily, I met this amazing person. She made me think about Butuan all over again. I see the city lights, the street food, the smiles and the laughter of every local through the eyes of her camera. Inspired by what I saw, I started my journey one step at a time. Baby steps, remember?