Liham ni Andres Bonifacio kay Oryang

1897 Mayo 1

Mahal kong Oryang,

Mali ka. Hindi kita nakasalubong upang sa dulo ng kalsada, ako ay liliko sa kanan at ikaw sa kaliwa. Sapagkat saan man tayo dalhin ng ating pakikibaka, ikaw lang ang aking itatangi at makailang ulit na ihaharap sa pulang bandila. Hindi tayo nagpalitan ng mga kwento upang sa pinakahuling tuldok ng pangungusap, ang karugtong ay alingawngaw ng katahimikan. Walang pagod kitang aawitan ng imnong pambayan, Oryang. Hindi kailanman ako mauubusan ng salita upang maialay sa iyo bilang mga tula. Maging ang bulong at buntung-hininga’y magpapahayag ng pagsinta sa tulad mong umiibig din sa bansa.

Hindi tayo sabay na tumawa, nagkatinginan, at tumawa pa nang mas malakas, upang sa paghupa ng halakhak ay may butil ng luha na mamimintana sa ating mga mata. Loobin man ng Maykapal na pansamantala tayong magkawalay, tandaan mong ang halakhak at sigaw ng ating mga kasamahan ay sa akin rin. Hindi ka dapat masabik sa akin sapagkat ako’y mananatili sa iyong piling.

Hindi kita niyakap nang ilang ulit upang sa pagkalas ng mga braso ko sayo ay maramdaman mong iniiwan kita. Habambuhay akong magiging tapat sa ating panata, Oryang. Kapara ng binitawan kong sumpa sa ngalan ng bayan, tayo’y mananatiling katipun, kawal, at bayani ng ating pagmamahalan. Hindi tayo bumuo ng mga alaala sa umaga, tanghali at gabi upang sa muli mong paggising ay maisip mong hindi tayo nagkasama sa pakikidigma.

Hindi ko man hawak ang bukas, nais kong tanganan mo ang aking pangako na ilang ulit kong pipiliing mabuhay at pumanaw upang patunayan sa iyong mali ka.

Hindi ako bumati sa simula upang sa huli ay magpaalam.
Ikaw ang aking bayan,
Andres
*Ibinigay ni Julio Nakpil ang liham na ito kay Oryang ilang gabi makalipas ang pagpaslang kay Andres sa Maragondon.

Source: UP Diliman

During an Earthquake

During an Earthquake

If you’re indoors, stay there. Get under — and hold onto –a desk or table, or stand against an interior wall. Stay clear of exterior walls, glass, heavy furniture, fireplaces and appliances. The kitchen is a particularly dangerous spot. If you’re in an office building, stay away from windows and outside walls and do not use the elevator.

If you’re outside, get into the open. Stay clear of buildings, power lines or anything else that could fall on you.

If you’re driving, move the car out of traffic and stop. Avoid parking under or on bridges or overpasses. Try to get clear of trees, light posts, signs and power lines. When you resume driving, watch out for road hazards.

If you’re in a mountainous area, beware of the potential for landslides. Likewise, if you’re near the ocean, be aware that tsunamis are associated with large earthquakes. Get to high ground.

If you’re in a crowded public place, avoid panicking and do not rush for the exit. Stay low and cover your head and neck with your hands and arms.

From http://www.consrv.ca.gov

all of them true

I have a story! You won’t believe this but it’s true. There was toddler who made it big in the noontime show, a little girl beauty pageant or something. She grew up and found her literal voice, took on the guitar and mastered song writing. Honed her voice and all this time knowing that she falls in love with women. Not men. In a space that constantly judges the unusual, she went her way and said this is who I am. My pronouns are masculine. My sensibilities are male.

She re-met an old flame through the seemingly flippant space that is Twitter. Optimized technology and kept the conversation going. Met up with the girl, now a woman, on a certain January 8- had coffee and laughed and laughed and laughed. Took all the work, found the resources to go and make his lady move back here with ease, embraced his lady’s little girl as his own. Made peace with the lady’s family. Asked for hand in marriage. Never lost focus. Assured his lady that there is no room for hesitation in this sureness he felt for her. There is no space for doubt. And he did this everyday. Made her know that she was the most beautiful living creature he has ever been with. He has ever had the privilege to hold. He held her and never and I mean never let her go.

They got married two days ago. In a forest in California. Trees bearing witness to their yesses. They are yessser by the day. I am so honored to have witnessed this coming together. They were like stars (yes we use that cliché) that collided at the perfect sky time. To find that someone. To have no death. To live forever. So many clichés around Aiza Seguerra & Liza Diño ~ all of them true.

On January 8, 2015 I will stand as literal witness to their vows. How strange for us, statistically normal folks, to realize that in the face of something this big- something as crucial as physical gender can be irrelevant.

They make me – super statistically normal me – believe in the possible, in the real, in the actual fact that we can feel immortal.

Aiza and Liza, you are magic up close.

With awe and affection,
Ninang Gang

Photo by Liza’s sister. Her copyright 2014

in a train station possibly nowhere near you

The X.OSY Award: Its Time Has Come

THE X.OSY AWARD: Its Time Has Come

Rock Ed Philippines is proud to announce that it will confer ten awards to former Out-of-School-Youths. Ten Outstanding X.OSY’s who did not have the chance to finish a college degree but took either a vocational or technical course and found livelihood.

The trophy is the work of artist Ovvian Castrillo-Hill, she created the flame form recycled from scraps of brass found in her and her father’s (Ed Castrillo) studio. It is 18″ high with the wooden base. Ms. Castrillo says the concept is “of the inner element, defiant of the outer form- carving its own path, creating a new direction.”

Some of our awardees were nominated by the Dep Ed based on the ‘Abot Alam’ program that reaches out to those who are out of school in barangays, a few from TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Devt Authority) programs, and one from Rock Ed’s Prison Alternative Education Program called ‘Rock the Rehas.’ All the awardees were faced with tremendous obstacles but none of them stopped learning, searching, and developing themselves despite. This is an award whose time has come. To recognize those who defy the resignation that usually comes with their dismal circumstances. They come out with their spirits solid.

In this light, we want to ask for your help to collect prizes for them. We will confer the XOSY Award (pronounced “saucy”) this Sunday Dec 7, 2014 at the Shaw Blvd Metro Rail Transit Station at 3pm. It will be during and within Rock Ed’s Human Rights gig/gathering (Rock the Riles) because the right to learn is a basic human right we embrace fiercely.

We acknowledge the role of the Dep Ed & TESDA in ending the pessimism that comes with having no formal diploma. Rock Ed created the XOSY Award to tell all Filipinos that while formal education is valuable, it is not the only option to have a progressive, self-sufficient, economically sound life.

Mabuhay ang Pilipinong may diskarte para sa mabuti! Inyo ‘to.

-Gang Badoy
Founder, Rock Ed Philippines

To donate prizes (cash, gift certificates, anything at all, for as long as it’s ten of each) PLEASE message: xosy@rockedphilippines.org or PM me.

free man

For the past 7 years, we’ve been present and teaching in the Maximum Security Prison. Tonyo was an adult learner (First Grade literacy level) when we started, He’s the go-to guy of our class. He prepares our merienda, runs around to look for missing students (in case they’re sick) and makes us laugh by “announcing the menu in English” where he always had trouble w/ the word ‘shrimp.’ But we never had shrimp, he just liked to make us laugh.
Tonyo, a 3rd grade drop out and young ex-criminal – asked me once in 2008 to pin his medal when he got 2nd honors on his 4th grade level. (I think it was.)
Having skipped a lot of Wednesdays recently due to traveling, hospital care of and eventual passing of my Aunt, & storms, I wasn’t present when he got his High School Accreditation and Equivalency Test result. (He passed.) So we had our own private ceremony yesterday w/ a few of the inmates whom he considers family.
I saw Tonyo re-learn how to read in 2007, slightly embarrassed but set on wanting to learn – despite. Look at him today.
If freedom is mostly in the mind- Tonyo here is the free-est man I know.
#RockEdPhilippines
#RockTheRehas

must honor

 Every September 1st, on Alexis and Nika’s death anniversary Rock Ed Philippines screens a Mike de Leon film. We usually screen “Kung Mangarap Ka’t Magising,” but this year we chose to feature “Batch 81.”

The film’s lead actor Ralph Eigenmann (Mark Gil) passed away this morning- on the day we had long scheduled to honor and pay tribute to his mind blowing talent & expansive work.

He now shares an anniversary with two film critics who have hailed his work when they were all still alive. What film-furious conversations Alexis, Ralph, & Nika will probably have!

We mourn alongside all who love and admire Ralph.

regarding the Mayor & Ramon

If you know the guy, you know I had not much to do w/ the decision to make peace. He hardly looks like someone anyone can convince into doing anything against his initial will. Mayor Duterte was interested in making peace and I just happened to open up the option. He could’ve dismissed me, but he didn’t. Of course Ramon was graceful (despite being shocked) about it, too. Imagine, I called him with no warning, all of a sudden, Mayor Duterte on the line! But they swung it peaceward.

That was all them.
I was lucky to see it up close though. 

new air

Dear Niece,

Listen to fights, listen to what the universe is shaking off from you when fights happen, know when it still begs for fixing, and for when there is no more repair. We are so used to fixing and fixing and fixing thinking this is the right thing to do, but sometimes the universe will make it so clear, “dili kitâ bagay sa iba nga tao,” at hindi mo dapat pilitin sarili mong makibagay. Sayang lakas, sayang bait. Okey lang mabawasan ng tao sa buhay. Maski loved one. Maski yung inakala mong ‘great love’ nimo. Ang imo nga great love, ay ikaw! Pag great love mo sarili mo, you will choose the best guy, the best lover, the kindest friends, sort out the abrasive- even from your family, weed out those who insult your soul. (Ika nga ni Walt Whitman)

And once they’re gone, it will be lonely at the start. You will think your world is empty even. BUT as long as hindi mo ego yung pinakikinggan mo- (minsan kasi ego will say “I must fix it! They must stay! They must love me! They must still like me!”) — you will see the difference as clear as daylight. How light your life will be. How things will slowly be solidly beautifully built around you because there are no longer people who constantly albeit inadvertently knock things down. Sometimes they don’t mean to, they’re just too big for the dainty china in your soul closet. They are not bad people, and neither are you- hindi lang kayo bagay. Take it and walk away. It isn’t a loss, it’s just a clearing.

Sarap niyan! Breathe in the new air. Yum. And proceed with life. They will, too, without you, and it will be okay.

Love, Tita Gang 🙂

august women

When I was born my Mom had a cardiac arrest, flat lined for a few seconds but was fully revived by the grand ob-gynecologist named Dr. Gloria Aragon. Bed ridden and needing to recover badly from giving birth to me (her 10th baby & 3rd C-section) my Mom couldn’t breastfeed. She said many other women (lactating Aunts, a nurse, friends of the family, and possibly strangers) donated their breast milk to newborn me. My father, some older siblings, and my Titas took shifts carrying me for minutes during the day since my Mom was terribly bed ridden. And when they left I’d hang back inside an incubator waiting for their turn to visit again. This went on, according to my Mom, for at least a quarter, maybe more. Interestingly enough, my birth month August is Breastfeeding Awareness Month – so I want to take this time out to thank the MANY women who literally nourished me. I don’t know most of them- but I know this surge of gratitude I feel & the magnitude of the debt I owe.
If for some inevitable reason you can’t/couldn’t breastfeed your baby, it’s okay. While I know there are theories that breastfed babies are closer to their mothers or have more connection with them- I want to tell you that there are exceptions. I love my Mom – she is the person I love the most, she is the one I ran to for protection and guidance the most, depended on the most, learned the most from, she is the North even while many others (my late Tita Ping included) served as cardinal points in my life. The bond from breastfeeding is precious and irreplaceable, but it is not the only act that can tie children to their mothers. So take heed.
I applaud all mothers and fathers who work (for it is hard work!) to breastfeed their infants. Bravo to you all. I am not a mother and will (by now) never be one to a human – so I can just be your #1 fan.
Mabuhay ang mga Nanay!