Often, we hear children’s talk while playing sometimes imitating a character they have seen on television or just play make believe stories. Isn’t it fun when we just listen to them and be reminded of what and who we are before?
The children dressed in green shirts and faded yellow short pants were in the four corners of the children’s library. They were very noisy raising voices to each other. Out of curiosity, I went near them without noticing me. They sat on the rubber mat while connecting the puzzle pieces together. One child pointed at himself and said, “Ako, paglaki ko hahanapin ko tatay ko. Itatanong ko kung bakit niya ako iniwan dito.” The other one replied “Yung nanay ko nakakulong kaya ako iniwan dito. “ And more conversation followed like:
“Ako, magpupulis ako para hulihin yung pumatay sa tatay ko.
"Pulis nagkulong sa nanay ko."
"…tatay ko… naglagay ng tali sa leeg niya."
I held back my tongue not to meddle on their conversation. I just listened to them and observed how they responded to their own sharing. Obviously, innocence still dominated them basing on their reactions but as an adult listening to their conversation, it really made me wonder. Those statements are just among the enigmas which I and the others must understand.
Showing posts with label POV. Show all posts
Showing posts with label POV. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Batang Lansangan
A documentary stage play/concert about the lives of the street children was held at La Salle St. Benilde in Taft Avenue , Manila
We may have seen local films or plays about the lives of the people living on street especially street children portrayed by local actors and actresses like FPJ, Julie Vega, Nora Aunor etc but we seldom see street children portraying their own lives in a musical play live on stage such as this.
Street children are seen everywhere in Metro Manila. We see them on street begging money, selling different things, playing or doing services like shinning your shoes in exchange for a peso. They are mabaho, walang modo and etc etc etc…. But didn’t you know that they are also used and abused? They are being deprived of their rights. Bakit? Because they are just children?! (diba yun naman laging dinadahilan?)
Hellooooooooo!!!They are still humans who need love and respect from fellow humans regardless of status or profile in life. They turn to be what and who they are because that is what they see, what they learn and what they receive from the society.
They have talents but most of them use it the other way because they can not get it the right way. It is so sad that many rich people hate and scorn them to death. Masama ugali nila, no?
...batang-lansangan docu-concert..
..opening..
..(ang bata ay nasa lansangan dahil walang palaruan)..
..ang bata'y nasa lansangan dahil sa kapabayaan ng magulang at lipunan"..
..may iba't-ibang uri ng pagpapabaya..
..the cast..
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Going down the city
I am thinking of what to write but I have no particular subject this time. I would just like to write what comes into my mind. Perhaps, it’s because of a lot of reasoning powers which are flooding into my mind. These play a significant event in my life that multiplies to my existence. Whoaaaaaa!!!!
Another year is again added to my mortal presence to this world full of august and wicked facts occupying the globe. I realized how these realities transformed my life and never expected to happen. When I first arrived in the city, I was so idealistic and I wanted everything to be organized. Everything that I saw MUST and SHOULD be in accordance to what I know. This caused me say words which makes me sorry now. I became judgmental because of my idealism.
Culture shock gave a very big impact in my years of stay in the city. I see how people treat other people and how these people do their best to defeat the demands of the way of life in the city. I meet people who are well-off hypocrites and in contrast to these, I came to know people who are so damn down to earth. The level of life paradoxically turns out to be sometimes fair and unfair.
I may have spent my formative years in the mountains but I will never trade this to any place even if it’s more beautiful or whatsoever. It is not the beauty that lies here. it is the experience, the culture, the tradition and most importantly the principles that the mountains taught and instilled in me. These may not be perfect but these guide me to whatever path I walk in.
Living in the city for almost a decade now taught me how to go through the struggles and challenges that life pours to this race-may it be natural or human factor. I get blissful spirit, become frustrated, become tired and develop boredom that attracts laziness but I learn; thus, makes me tougher to face this gigantic world.
I couldn’t help myself to think of the possibility of what or who I am had I stayed in the outlying areas. Will I have the same characteristic and personality? Maybe yes and maybe no. As they say in French, “je suis pas” or I don’t know. My instinct tells me no, I wouldn’t have the same. My parents are there always looking for my welfare whereas I’m here managing my own self. They molded be to be one anyway.
Funny for I try to gather these thoughts yet nothing is accomplished. Chuwan!!!
Another year is again added to my mortal presence to this world full of august and wicked facts occupying the globe. I realized how these realities transformed my life and never expected to happen. When I first arrived in the city, I was so idealistic and I wanted everything to be organized. Everything that I saw MUST and SHOULD be in accordance to what I know. This caused me say words which makes me sorry now. I became judgmental because of my idealism.
Culture shock gave a very big impact in my years of stay in the city. I see how people treat other people and how these people do their best to defeat the demands of the way of life in the city. I meet people who are well-off hypocrites and in contrast to these, I came to know people who are so damn down to earth. The level of life paradoxically turns out to be sometimes fair and unfair.
I may have spent my formative years in the mountains but I will never trade this to any place even if it’s more beautiful or whatsoever. It is not the beauty that lies here. it is the experience, the culture, the tradition and most importantly the principles that the mountains taught and instilled in me. These may not be perfect but these guide me to whatever path I walk in.
Living in the city for almost a decade now taught me how to go through the struggles and challenges that life pours to this race-may it be natural or human factor. I get blissful spirit, become frustrated, become tired and develop boredom that attracts laziness but I learn; thus, makes me tougher to face this gigantic world.
I couldn’t help myself to think of the possibility of what or who I am had I stayed in the outlying areas. Will I have the same characteristic and personality? Maybe yes and maybe no. As they say in French, “je suis pas” or I don’t know. My instinct tells me no, I wouldn’t have the same. My parents are there always looking for my welfare whereas I’m here managing my own self. They molded be to be one anyway.
Funny for I try to gather these thoughts yet nothing is accomplished. Chuwan!!!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
A Sad Encounter
“**** **A! Ang laking bahay pero walang pagkain!” relayed by a Nanay referring to a lady who once stayed in the foundation. This was the complaint statement of that lady she murmured as she looked up the house.
Here came the Nanay who heard what she said. “Eh wala na talaga kasi naubos na.” The lady turned her back and went straight to the door. It was about 2 in the afternoon, naturally there was no more food even left over.
Living in the street influenced her manners and way of foreseeing life. She’s one of the first recipients of the foundation. I believe she must have stayed in one of the homes, therefore, she was treated with care, pampered by the house parents and was given the basic needs a human deserves.
I wonder why after all those things given to her, she still treats the staff like that-at least behind the staff. However, even if the person is not looking, she must have considered that they were still the people who took care of her when she was younger. Her manners surely affected the people who reared her.
Recently, I saw her in the main office while her male friend awaited her outside the main lobby. She seemed not the lady I knew and last seen in the centre before. She was wearing a loose, almost torn, big size, dirty, stained brown t-shirt and a very short dark pants. Her hair was thick with dirt and her skin became darker especially her face which was whiter the last time I saw her. She became thinner. I was so surprised with her transformation.
She recognized me while I was intently looking at her. I noticed she was barefooted. “Ate, nandito ka pa rin?” she called. She is actually 2-3 years older than me but she used to address me like that. I smiled and went near her. “Oo, nandito pa rin ako. Ikaw? Hindi na kita nakita sa ** Centre nung huling dalaw ko dun,”
“Kasi umalis na ako do’n.”
“Bakit naman?” I asked. She stood beside me, shrugged her shoulders and answered “Ayaw ko na do’n.”
I smelled something familiar but could not remember what it was. I tried to recall. It was like the glue I always used on my project when I was in high school. It was an adhesive solvent popularly known as rugby.
My gosh! She was high on that and she was in the office. She approached one of the program heads seated on the couch behind the information desk. While I was going down the stairs, I heard the PH irritated voice while talking to her. She must have smelled the solvent as well.
As I went down, I saw a man lying on the floor while his left hand with a blue plastic bag was on his nose. I suspected he was sniffing a solvent and I was alarmed because there were some children coming inside. He didn’t know how to hide what he had in his hand when he saw me looking at him.
Here came the Nanay who heard what she said. “Eh wala na talaga kasi naubos na.” The lady turned her back and went straight to the door. It was about 2 in the afternoon, naturally there was no more food even left over.
Living in the street influenced her manners and way of foreseeing life. She’s one of the first recipients of the foundation. I believe she must have stayed in one of the homes, therefore, she was treated with care, pampered by the house parents and was given the basic needs a human deserves.
I wonder why after all those things given to her, she still treats the staff like that-at least behind the staff. However, even if the person is not looking, she must have considered that they were still the people who took care of her when she was younger. Her manners surely affected the people who reared her.
Recently, I saw her in the main office while her male friend awaited her outside the main lobby. She seemed not the lady I knew and last seen in the centre before. She was wearing a loose, almost torn, big size, dirty, stained brown t-shirt and a very short dark pants. Her hair was thick with dirt and her skin became darker especially her face which was whiter the last time I saw her. She became thinner. I was so surprised with her transformation.
She recognized me while I was intently looking at her. I noticed she was barefooted. “Ate, nandito ka pa rin?” she called. She is actually 2-3 years older than me but she used to address me like that. I smiled and went near her. “Oo, nandito pa rin ako. Ikaw? Hindi na kita nakita sa ** Centre nung huling dalaw ko dun,”
“Kasi umalis na ako do’n.”
“Bakit naman?” I asked. She stood beside me, shrugged her shoulders and answered “Ayaw ko na do’n.”
I smelled something familiar but could not remember what it was. I tried to recall. It was like the glue I always used on my project when I was in high school. It was an adhesive solvent popularly known as rugby.
My gosh! She was high on that and she was in the office. She approached one of the program heads seated on the couch behind the information desk. While I was going down the stairs, I heard the PH irritated voice while talking to her. She must have smelled the solvent as well.
As I went down, I saw a man lying on the floor while his left hand with a blue plastic bag was on his nose. I suspected he was sniffing a solvent and I was alarmed because there were some children coming inside. He didn’t know how to hide what he had in his hand when he saw me looking at him.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE
The Issue Solving System
Following is the example given to the team.
- Issue Number :1
- Issue Description: the train is late
- Reason(s) Why?: engine is too weak
- Suggested Solution: buy a new tractor
- Issue Priority (program manager): (disagreed) too expensive, proposed to put less load in the train.
- Action Plan (split solutions into several actions)(Program Manager): inform supervisor of new limits
- Deadline: May 20
- Action's Owner: from mars
Might be wondering what is this all about.. It was a proposal created by none other than the initiator of the said problem. There was no issue actually only if he did not bring his own problem from planet mars. He thought doing all those small problems would not affect the group. He did not realize problems may come in what he considered as "small things". Generally speaking, it was his professionalism being questioned and to be solved in here. He was upset when the group did their best to let him understand simple basic rules to the extent of waving his educational attainment due to his inflated ego . Problems worsened so the group sought the advise of the "experts", thus the above proposal was created. Har har har...Anyway, what happened was that he did not admit his unprofessional ism. Well, it was a mission impossible for him and to us working with an impossible person.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
(RE)cognition
Preparation…
“Be sure everything will be organized. I don’t like what happened before….”
Silence…
After a moment while the team was working, one suddenly commented on a material that didn’t work as she was trying to test it.
“I told you..you should have done this before it’s too late. You should have checked it.”
Nobody spoke. They just sighed.
“What is this? What is that? It should not be like this. It’s not good.”
During the day…
“You are late. When will you start?”
“We are still waiting for the others to arrive and one thing more, the others are not yet here.”
“Why? Did you not inform them ahead of time?”
“We did. Excuse me but I need to look for the material because the one we are going to use is not functioning well.”
“That’s what I told you yesterday! You should have tested it so you should have known if it is working or not.”
"Yes. You’re right." I left.
“What is that computer doing?” (and she pointed at the pc)
“It is for the movie.” I answered.
“Movie for what?”
“The one we made last night about the people who worked in the centre.” I said.
“No! You can not present that because it’s not the right time and the right place!”
Sigh. "What do you mean? The content of that are only pictures. We would just like to let the children see their previous facilitators and to acknowledge them also even if they are not here.”
“No!”
“Ok.” inhale....exhale...
One of the members of the team spoke. “Why? It will be great for the children.”
Another member talked and tried to explain the reason for that movie away from the curious eyes of the children.
M*rde! Everyone is doing their best to come up with good results but we were commented by the uncommented persona.Anyway, there were a lot of things happened during the preparation of this recognition day and even during the recognition day. We gave our best yet for some, it’s not enough. Sorry then for we cannot please all. We spent time for this and went home 12 midnight just to furnish things up for the said event. Instead of receiving words like..” hey guys, this is cool..”, rather, we are commented to what I classify “to the low (est) level”.
Hmmnn..but this day is a success!!! we observed the children who became speechless for receiving awards. They were very happy to see their previous teachers/facilitators who became a part of their lives.
CONGRATULATIONS everyone even if things were not in goody goody way before the event. Its a SUCCESS on the part of EVERYONE!!!
SALAMAT sa mga dumalo!!!
...the stage...
...the emcee...
...the appreciated...
..the presentations...
..the attendees...
..the special presentations...
..the awardees and the recognized...
..the beauties after the event..
...finally...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)