Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Sacrifice

(my Mama, Mrs. Milagros R. Cajote)


I was walking towards MRT Pasay Station this morning when my thoughts turned to the word "sacrifice". It must have been something I saw or something I remembered that made me think that.

We all make a lot of sacrifices in our lives. I, for one, sacrifice another hour of extra sleep in favor the terrible 2-to-3-hour commute just to get to work. My husband sacrificed his career a few years back just so he could always be with us, his family.

There are some whose sacrifices are trivial to us. They are as mundane as not spending a few pesos just to save for a cellphone in the future or not eating rice for a smaller waistline.

Some really make sacrifices for very special reasons like not speaking up to a boss even if one is right just to save one's job or not eating rice anymore for health reasons.

And I thought of my Mama, who has made a lot of sacrifices in her life just to raise three (3) beautiful children in this world.

My Mama is a loving and caring mother. There is no other one like her. My siblings and I already have our own families but she still dotes on us whenever she can.

She sacrificed her career just to be with us and care for us. A very good mother, she gives everything she can if and when needed.

Her molo soup, sinigang, beef steak and crispy pata are the best in the world!

When one of her apo's is sick, she herself, would also worry to death about it. She could not even sleep well if a kid is sick.

Her back is rigid from carrying her "apo's". If that's not sacrifice to her health, then I don't know what else is.

Mama must have been an engineer in her past life. She knows about construction work and even tries her hand at it like painting our house. I know it's taxing, but she does it because likes it and also to save a few pesos.

I can't imagine how many tears and sweat she had shed just for us and her family. She and my Papa will be celebrating their 39th anniversary on Saturday. Their life is full of ups and downs and somewhere-in-betweens.

<--------------- Mama and Papa

It seemed not so long ago when, I was still in my elementary days and she brought me to Divisoria at my insistence. As expected, there were throngs of people in the area, I got squished and I did not enjoy the experience. That did not stop from going back there though.

It also seemed a few years ago when she accompanied me to audition in the defunct tv program, Bagong Kampeon. I remember, the set was located somewhere in Quezon City. My first audition was a disaster and she told me that we would not tell my siblings that I didn't pass the audition. I was truly grateful for that. And she accompanied me to my first voice lessons sometime later. It was something that I bugged my parents about, you know.

She accompanied me the second time I auditioned for Bagong Kampeon where I finally passed it. Whenever we would go the set of the show, we would eat at Joe Kwan afterwards (we always ordered their lechon paksiw). She would accompany me to weird locations where I would perform. Not all of my performances were worth standing ovations. I have had my moments where I wanted to crawl inside a shell for a long. long time and never come out. And even if my voice croaked and all the applause I got were because the audience pitied me, she was always there, supporting me and making me feel that I am her favorite singer in the world. She's my number one fan!

I am reminded of our the different food we share during our bonding moments. Mama dutifully brought me and my brother to our swimming classes when we were little. Our merienda after every class is "nilagang mais." Before we permanently resided in Cavite, Mama and I would visit our house there via mini buses parked in Baclaran. I would always ask her to buy me 2 pcs. choco honey dipped donuts and 10 pesos worth of itlog ng pugo. In our trips to Divisoria, we used to eat at this small carinderia along Ylaya St. or Juan Luna. The food is good but because we always have a tummy ache after eating there, our loyalties transferred to Jollibee Juan Luna or Divisoria Mall. Nowadays, when we shop at Divi, we just look longingly at the food in that carinderia and then head off to Jollibee. We'd rather drool than suffer the "explosive" consequences.

Oh, we used to like Chowing's chicken noodles. Used to. Well, that's because there was something in the soup, something that's not supposed to be there. I think until now, Mama is still wary of eating there.

She has always been very supportive of my weird activities - singing, a little acting, beading, selling, and even just being plain lazy (if that is even called an activity): name it, I do it and she knows it and supports it.

When I took the Bar Exams, she and my ninang went to the Bar site one Sunday and cheered me.

So in short, she has been there every special moment of my life- my oath taking, my wedding, when I gave birth to my son, etc. I am sure, I would not have been me if not for her (and my Papa too).

We may have our misunderstandings but her words of wisdom will always be remembered. I think it's human nature not to easily accept mistakes and advice from people. I am like that. But it doesn't mean I don't appreciate what my Mama taught me and continues to teach me.

And I thought back of the word "sacrifice". I don't think I can ever equal the sacrifices a mother makes for her children.

I can never equal my Mama's sacrifices for us.

Yaybu Mama!

Thursday, June 16, 2011

Pampa-anghang sa Taong Nagko-commute


Isa ako sa mga milyon-milyong commuter sa Pilipinas.*

Nakakapagod magcommute. Minsan umagang-umaga pa lang, pawis ka na kasi nakipaghabulan ka sa bus na tumigil sa tapat ng "no loading and unloading sign" habang ikaw ay naghihintay sa tamang sakayan. Kesa nga naman hindi ka makasakay kakasunod mo sa batas trapiko, eh tatakbo ka na lang at makikipagsiksikan sa iba pang pasahero.

Nakakalokang magcommute. May mga bus o jeep na magsasakay ng pasahero, babagal sila unti-unti sa gilid. Ikaw naman na si nagmamadali, nag-aabang na habang papalapit sila. Kaso ang sasakyan ay lalagpas sa iyo, so ikaw, lalakad naman at susubukang habulin ang sasakyan kasi mabagal lang naman. Tapos biglang haharurot yung sasakyan na nainip kakaintay sa iyo, dahil di ka pa sumampa habang nagbabagal sila! Kaloka!

Pero, may mga tao na nakakapagpa-anghang lalo ng pagko-commute. Yung alam na nga nilang ang hirap nang magcommute, lalo pa silang nakakapagpadagdag sa hirap at wala silang pakialam dun.

Isa na dito ay yung mga babaeng feeling feelingan sa MRT/LRT. Ang sikip na nga, nakadekwatro pa kasi naka-palda. EH DI SANA TINAKPAN MO NA LANG NG PANYO O FACE TOWEL, O DI KAYA KUMOT ANG PALDA MO PARA DI KA MASILIPAN. HINDI YUNG TUMATAMA NA YUNG SAPATOS MO SA BINTI KO!

Eto pa. May mga taong akala nila, na dahil sa 8 pesos na minimum fare nila eh entitled na silang magkalat sa loob ng jeep o bus. May nakasabay akong kumakain ng lansones sa jeep. Lahat ng balat at butong niluwa niya ay nasa sahig. Matanda na po siya, kaya di ko naman masungitan, kaya dinaan ko na lang sa tingin --- Sa mukha niya papunta sa kalat niya, balik sa kinakain niya at sa sahig. WALANG EPEK. DEADMA.

Meron pa, sa jeep uli. May mga pasaherong gustong gustong umupo sa gitna o malapit banda sa driver. Pero pag may nagbayad, hindi nila papansin at hindi mag-aabot ng sukli o ng bayad. Magkacramps na ang kili-kili mo, hindi ka pa rin nila pinapansin. May nakausap ako na nagsabi sa akin na isa siya sa mga taong ganito. Ang dahilan niya, eh madumi daw ang pera. EH BAKIT, HINDI BA SIYA HUMAHAWAK SA PERA? MALINIS BA ANG KAMAY NIYA? Ang sarap apakan ng paa!

Alam ko nakakita na kayo ng ganitong pasahero. Yung sisigaw ng "para" habang nasa gitna ng highway at humaharurot. At galit pa kapag hindi tumigil agad ang sasakyan. Ang mas nakakainis dito eh yung ang tagal niyo sa stoplight o kaya ay trapik sa daan, tapos pagka-abante ng mga limang metro ay saka pa-"para". Isa pang konektado dito ay yung pagkasabi niya ng "para" eh saka magbabayad tapos 100 daan pala ang pera niya eh minimum fare lang siya. Hay naku. Pasaway.

May mga pasahero din at driver na hindi rin yata nakakabasa. May malaking karatula na ng "NO-SMOKING" pero deadma pa din. Sa terminal o sa loob ng sasakyan, wala silang pakudangan magyosi. Para ka nang manok na hinahanda sa topada pag binugahan ka nila. Ano yung sa commercial dati na parang "It's ok you mind"? Yung sasabihin mo sa katabi mo na nagsisigarilyo na, "excuse me, but I mind you smoking in the jeep." Basta parang ganun. Anyway, pag sinabi mo yan, asahan mo na babastusin ka ng sinita mo. Twice a month na ako kung ubohin, hindi naman ako nagsisigarilyo. Magkaka-lung cancer ako sa mga dragon na ito. HAAAY NAKU ULIT!

Naalala ko nung buntis pa ako, ang laki-laki ng tiyan ko, nung araw na nagdeclare ng curfew yung isang magaling na presidente na may nunal sa mukha, walang nagpa-upo sa akin sa bus kasi matrapik. Sige lang, wala na talagang gentleman ngayon. Walang nakunsensya, kaya titirahin ko na lang sila dito! Sana tinubuan kayo ng kurikong sa p*@t!

Marami pang iba, kaso mahaba na ito. Baka wala nang magbasa. Kaya sa susunod na lang. Mamaya, babyahe uli ako pauwi, at mag-aabang uli ako ng iba pang klaseng mga pasaherong galing yata sa ibang planeta.

Ingat!



* this blog makes use of a mixture of Filipino and English words and some "Tagalized" English words to better express the author's thoughts

Friday, June 10, 2011

Friendliness



These are may very dear friends from my previous work:
(in alphabetical order)
Abby
Aie
Dhang
Jo
Joy
Lanie
Nancy

(in suprehero order)
Dhang - Red 1
Lanie - Blue 3
Abby - Yellow 4
Joy - Pink 5
Aie - Annie
Jo - Shaider
Nancy - Fuma Ley-ar
(sorry Dudz, ang tagal mong mag-isip ng character mo eh)

They were one of the reasons for my staying for more than three years in my past job.






I am not going to be "senti" - I just want to thank you, mga mare, for being my friends.



Miss you mga bosot! :P

Thursday, June 9, 2011

My work!

I enjoy my work nowadays. It's a totally different environment from where I previously worked. The people are much different too, simpler, friendlier and even kinder.













Who would mind working hard if you've got bosses and workmates who are as cool as these people?