Ang Makulay na Istorya sa Loob ng Jeepney

photo from: stephody.tumblr.com

Minsa’y itinanong ako ng aking butihing ama kung ayaw ko bang sakyan at imaneho ang sasakyang ibinili nila para sa akin. Kotseng pula, malakas na ispiker, magandang interiors- sino nga ba naman ang tatanggi sa alok na iyan, hindi ba? Ngunit, sa aking pagninilay-nilay, naisambit ko sa aking ama na… 

“Wag na daddy wuie, mag-jeep nalang ako”. 

Bakit ko nga ba isinagot iyon? Ah, dahil na rin siguro kuripot ako at takot akong mabawasan ang aking allowance.  Pero di lang yan, sapagkat sobra pa sa pagiging kuripot ko, eh sa mga biyaheng ito ko nakikita at naiintindihan ang makulay at magkakaibang ugali ng mga Pinoy.

……………

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Wednesday, October 03, 2012

anj nacorda, Creative Works

Happy Fathers Day, Dad! :)

The person who taught me how to love Beatles, America, Bread, and Led Zeppelin while my friends are going gaga over boybands. 

The man who would not hesitate in buying a life-sized dollhouse for me, just because it caught my fancy. 

The one who tirelessly carries me on his back when asthma strikes and I couldn’t walk. 

The husband who wakes up early to prepare his specialty breakfast recipes of omelette, veggies, and milk to kickstart our day. 

The Cebuano who would happily ramble in his dialect even if we can’t understand a thing. 

The one who would randomly dance or sing… just because he wants to make us smile. :)

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Sunday, June 17, 2012

anj nacorda, Daily Journals, Family and Friends, What Inspires Me

One day, isang araw… (sa Bankerohan)

Preparing for a trip to Samal, I decided to drop by Bankerohan market to purchase some goods that I would be needing for the trip. Rarely do I go to markets because I find them too chaotic and smelly. The smell of dried goods, fresh meat, and human sweat is just too repugnant for my liking. However, I don’t have any other option since malls won’t be open till 10 A.M, and I need to be at the wharf by 9 A.M. Armed with a hanky and my purse, I made my way to the stalls that line along the streets.

While purchasing spices for the kinilaw, I saw an old man, hunched by the heavy weight of a sackload of goods heaped in his shoulders. The rays of the early morning sun shone on his face as sweat trickled down his forehead. Following him, was a woman of about 30, whom I presume was the owner of the goods being carried by the old man. At the other side, I also saw an elderly woman together with her grandchild, sitting along the paved corridors, selling onions, potatoes, and lime. With tattered and baggy clothes, she is sharing pandesal with her apo. At the farther end, I also saw an elderly man pushing his overloaded kariton towards the place where jeepneys stop over to load passengers.

WTH?!!! What are we doing with our elders?

It was a WTH moment for me. Emotions began to cloud my senses and questions began to stir in my think-tank.

What had happened to the Filipino culture and race that prides itself to be family-oriented individuals with deep reverence for the elders? Have we forgotten where we came from? Have we forgotten that the elders are the seeds of our nation; that it is because of them that we exist? Have we forgotten that we have the role to oversee their well-being, now that they can’t do it themselves?

It is disheartening to see that few plights have been made to address their needs. Government policies and programs are not enough, for their problems do not take root in the government itself, but in the society that they are in. Society sees them as a problem instead of as a source of wisdom and experience.

We tend to consider the elderly as nuisance. Afflicted with several illnesses, most of the time, their medical needs is enough to consume the family’s expenses. Moreover, having nothing else to do—they tend to long for attention that is more than what we can give. They have emotional and psychological needs we can’t always give and incessant demands we can barely cater to because of our tight schedules and responsibilities. Also, with the huge gap in years, their beliefs, values, and practices do not always coincide with the modern way of life. Which is why, it is typical for us to take their advices and stories as useless blab that won’t be applicable in the present time. Because of this, we tend to alienate them, thus increasing their feelings of inadequacy and uselessness.

The sad situations that the older persons are in doesn’t end in those. It is also common for us to see and hear stories of older persons working day and night to provide for the needs of their family. Worse, this family that they are supporting is more able than them—able yet lazy. The only reason their children are keeping them is because they are still beneficial for the family’s survival. However, when they lose their ability and prove to be of no use anymore, they are kicked out by the family they had worked for. Neglected and abandoned, these vulnerable elders must again provide for their own needs. Once strong, healthy and productive, they become old, sick, lonely and needy. They have given their best years and end up with nothing. I do not intend to generalize the Filipino population with these statements, for there are still those who still care for the elderly. However, this situation is prevalent in our society because majority of our population belongs in the lower class. And it is there that this scenario is rife.

………….

Living in the present, we tend to set aside the idea that one day, we too will grow old. With agile, healthy bodies coupled with incessant vigor for new undertakings; aging seems to be a far-off realm of reality. However, we cannot set aside the truth, that one day, we too will grow old. One day, we also would acquire wrinkles, gray hair, and saggy skin. True, Botox and other cosmetic surgery procedures can be our last resort to evade from all of these physiological changes; however Botox cannot set aside the fact that with aging, the deterioration of our strength, health, and productivity is imminent. With aging comes the possibility that we too, might be neglected, abandoned, and abused by the people we thought would give us care.

One day, we would also be at the stead of the elders. Maybe for now, we won’t be able to feel the same way that they do because the pains of arthritis has not taken its toll on us yet. But when it does, I bet, we also would want to just sit back, relax, and have the time to rest our weary bones. It’ll be the time when we also would want to feel appreciated, loved, and cared for by the people we have worked and lived for. Their appreciation, love, and care are the only things we ask in return for the hardships we have to go through to be able to provide them with their needs.

So, do all of this now. Appreciate, love, and care your lolos and lolas. Give them respect. Give them the luxury of living a peaceful and work-free life. Ensure their well-being and stability. They have been through a lot during their early years, they also deserve a break. It is a simple rule: Do what you want others to do to you once you are in that phase, too. Be the model for young children to emulate. Show them and teach them the value of respecting and caring for the elderly. It is never too late to begin an era of individuals that cares for its elders.

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Tuesday, July 05, 2011

anj nacorda, Daily Journals