Sunday, September 26, 2010
Nasaan ka nu'n?
WET DREAMS. Halos talunin pa ng malakas na ulan si Ibong Adarna sa pagpapaantok, sinusubok ang resolve kong mag-row ngayong madaling araw. Pero kahit kagabi pa umuulan na sa birthday party sa White Space (P.Tamo) ni Bong Revilla, kung saan pangunahin panauhin sina Gloria at Gibo, at ako naman ang raketerong writer, isang buwan na lang ang nalalabi bago ang kauna-unahan kong masasalihang international regatta ng UP Dragonboat Team sa Singapore kaya kailangan suungin patakbo ang ulan patungo kay Hans Ong na basang-basa man ay handa naman akong ihatid hanggang Manila Bay mula sa tinitirhan ko sa Santolan, Pasig. Pagsakay ko sa kanya, doon lang nag-text si Bryan na cancelled ang training. Hindi naman ako nagrereklamong bumalik sa kama nang bahagyang basa pa ng ulan ang buhok.
Bandang alas-9 na yata ako muling nagising. Sinundo si Haydee sa bahay nila sa Pasig Greenpark na bagama’t baha na ay yakang-yaka naman ng SUV. As usual, nagtu-toothbrush pa yata si Haydee pagdating ko, kaunting paghihintay, pero hindi ko in-expect na paglabas niya ng gate ay halos kailangan niyang tumalon papasok ng sasakyan dahil sa baha. Pag-arangkada, nagulat din ako dahil tumaas na agad ang level ng tubig.
Bahagyang matrapik sa Shaw underpass pero otherwise ay wala namang hassle papuntang RCBC Plaza. Sabado kaya parang ghost town ang Makati, ang lungsod na madalas ay dinadaga akong puntahan nang nakakotse during workdays dahil hindi ko kabisado ang mga one-way-one-way at wala raw patawad ang mga pulis kahit sa media ID. Wala kasing online payment ang Singapore Airlines kaya kailangang sadyain ang opisina nila para mabayaran ang roundtrip tickets ko to Singapore, promo price pa nga raw sabi ng nag-asikaso sa’min kaya hindi nalalayo sa binayaran ng mga nag-PAL ang nakuha kong presyo. Sulit naman talaga ang desisyon kong ‘yun dahil bongga ang meals kahit sa coach (may menu card pa!), free-flowing ang wine at Singapore sling, at mismong sa nakakairita sa gandang Changi Airport ang lapag ko at hindi sa Budget Terminal na tulad ng karamihan sa mga teammates na nagtipid-tipiran nang wala sa lugar kaya pinatos ang CebuFuck (Hahaha! Hindi maka-get-over?!) The benefits of the serendipitous decision to fly Singapore Airlines will be felt way before the flight a month from now. Ngayong maulang umaga na ito ng September 26, 2009 madarama ko na siya. WETTER REALITIES.
***
Sa ticketing office ng SIA ay hindi ka aware sa mga nangyayari sa labas kaya nagtanong ang babaeng nag-aasikaso sa’min kung malakas ba talaga ang ulan. Sabi namin ni Haydee, “Oo,” at nag-alala si ate, “because I have a wedding to attend to at the Fort this afternoon.” We all have our Ondoy stories, and that couple who wed on that fateful day must have one hell of a tale! Marami nga raw naapektuhang event dahil weekend tumama si Ondoy; ang laking pasalamat ko na lang na isa sa mga nakasama ng pamilya ko sa 2nd floor ng bagong-tayong bahay sa mismong tabi ng aming 31-year old split-level Marikina home ay isang caterer na na-postpone ang event kaya all the families who evacuated there had enough food ‘till the waters receded the next day.
DREAM-BELIEVE-SURVIVE! Babalik na sana kaming GMA nang nagulat kaming baha na sa Ayala Avenue! Narinig din namin sa FM na hindi na gumagalaw ang trapik sa EDSA. Naisip ko iba na’to. Tinext ko ang mga bosing na noo’y nagpapa-audition ng Starstruck sa Davao City kung saan maaraw. Hindi nila ma-grasp ang tindi ng bagyo sa Maynila kaya hindi sila pumapayag na i-cancel ko ang Starstruck auditions sa GMA na ako ang nakatokang mag-conduct. Meron na nga raw pinadala ang prestigious (HAHA!) Artist Center du’n para mag-audition. Nang nasilayan naming pinasok na rin ng baha ang Bread Talk sa Glorietta 4, napagpasyahan ko nang sumuway. No way am I going to go on a futile journey to the office! At kahit tutol din si Haydee sa kawalan ko ng plano, wala na rin siyang magawa nang i-park ko si Hans Ong sa elevated parking ng Greenbelt. May kaunting tao pa sa mall nu’n at nakapag-lunch pa kami sa Sentro. Maita, who works at Dusit, joined us. May ibang mas adik na staff ang na-late lang nang bonggang-bongga pero nakarating pa rin sa GMA. Sila na lang ang nag-conduct ng audition. Ang tanging nakuha sa Final 14 sa Starstruck V sa auditions na ‘yon ay isang Piero Vergara so in the long run na-vindicate naman ang desisyon kong pahalagahan na lang ang seguridad ko kesa ang pangarap na mag-artista ng ilang kabataan.
Ang boyfriend ni Maita na isang US Marine ay naka-billet sa Ascott (formerly Oakwood) at nag-offer siya sa’ming magpalipas muna ng gabi roon. By this time nakatanggap na’ko ng tawag kay Thea na ‘wag nang umuwi dahil baha na sa labas ng condo namin. Nausog niya ang kotse niya kaya interior detailing lang ang kinailangan. Ang brand new Honda Jazz ni Haydee ang nadale! Hanggang ngayon, sira pa rin ang power steering nito at isang transistor na binili sa Dimensione na lang ang sounds. This after spending thousands of pesos in repairs because despite other motor company’s humanitarian efforts to their Ondoy-affected clients (discounts in repairs/towing, etc.) – Honda’s first decree after the typhoon was to declare null the warranty of all submerged vehicles. This is the reason why after selling non-Ondoy affected Hans Ong a few months after, ni hindi ko kinonsider ang Honda as my next car.
Pagkatapos kumain ay naglakad na kami papuntang suite ni Kyle. May wifi doon kaya updated kami sa mga pangyayari. Ang video ng isang van sa Katipunan na nilamon ng baha ang nagpa-realize sa aming iba ‘tong si Ondoy. Nag-update na rin ang sister ko na umabot na sa garahe namin ang baha. Pre-BF Marikina, binabaha na talaga ang subdivision namin but my parents and ninong who was the architect of our home had the wisdom to elevate the house so never kaming pinasok ng baha kaya ganu’n na lang ang pagkagulat ko nang ang susunod na text eh nag-evacuate na sila sa second floor ng kapitbahay! I was ashamed that I was having an easy time that all I could text my sister was I’m stranded in Makati. ‘Di dinagukan ako nu’n kung nalaman niyang de-aircon at wifi ako sa isang luxury serviced apartment habang kumakain ng manok na libre pa ng isang guwapong US Marine! Incidentally, last Saturday, on the eve of the Ondoy Anniversary, Haydee and I again find ourselves at Kyle’s Ascott suite, this time to celebrate his upcoming marriage to Maita!
***
BATUHIN MO NG TINAPAY. Itinakbo na ni Kuya Rexel ang sasakyan sa iniisip niyang mataas-taas na lugar. Maraming car-owners ang ginawa rin ‘to pero parang pagtaya sa lotto, walang kasiguruhan kung ang tinatantiya mong safe ay hindi nga aabutin ng baha. Si Kuya Ryan naman ay sinundo na sa school ang dalawa kong pamangking uma-attend ng special classes to compensate for all the unexpected class suspensions since the start of the schoolyear. Pero nang malapit na sa bahay namin, kinailangan na nilang mag-park sa isang tabi dahil mataas na nga ang tubig. Naitawid pa ni kuya ang dalawang batang lalake sa bahay ng isa pang kapitbahay habang siya ay na-stranded na sa katapat na bakery in his attempt to reach our home. Patsi-patse ang detalye ko sa mga pangyayari pero patunay lang ‘to ng unpredictability ng araw na’yun at ng sobrang bilis talagang pagtaas ng tubig-baha. Ang naalala ko lang, mula sa bakery ay iniitisahan ni Kuya Ryan sina Dave-Dave at DJ ng Monday para may makain naman sila pero ang sabi ba naman, “Papa, we don’t like this. We want the ensaymada!”
Ang eldest niece ko naman ay naiwang mag-isa sa bahay nina Kuya Ryan sa kabilang side ng subdivision. Ang alam ko nasundo rin siya agad bago tuluyang pasukin ang bahay nila kaya magkakasama na sila sa 2nd floor ng bagong-tayong bahay. Halos dalawang dekada kaming walang katabing bahay at medyo nalungkot pa kami sa pagkawala ng sunlight sa terrace nang ipatayo ang two-storey house na magsisilbing lifesaver ng Pamilya Agapay at ng marami pang pamilya sa area.
Ang initial plan pa raw nila ay lumusong hanggang highway pero paglabas sa garahe at hanggang dibdib na ang tubig ay sinabi na ni Mommy kay Daddy na, “Ako kakayanin ko ‘to. Ikaw, hindi,” at kinatok na niya ang gate ng malaking bahay. Pinagbuksan naman sila. Throughout the day ay may mga tumawid sa aming bubungan patungo sa second floor na’yon. Walang nakasisiguro kung hanggang kailan bubuhos ang ulan. Paano kung abutin pa sila ru’n, at kailangan na nilang umakyat sa bubong? Paano na?
Kuwento ni Dad hindi na raw siya masyadong nagkikikilos nu’n. Nararamdaman na niyang hihikain siya pero dahil walang kuryente ay hindi siya makapag-Nebulizer. Naalala raw niya nu’ng maliit pa lang siya sa Albay, madalas din daw takbuhan ang bahay nila tuwing may bagyo pero pati raw sila ay napalisan nang humagupit si Bagyong Frank. Inintrega na raw niya isa-isa ang mga ari-arian naming nasalanta, ang bahay, ang kotse, ang mga muwebeles, ang mga appliance, ang mga litrato, ang mga paintings niya, ang mga alaala sa tahanang ipinundar niya para sa asawa niya, apat na anak, at mga apo… Ni-let go na raw niya at tinanggap na wala na ang mga ito.
Pagsapit ng gabi ay tumahik na nang bahagya si Ondoy pero WALA NI ISA SA ATIN NU’N ANG TUMAHIK ANG KALOOBAN.
Kinaumagahan, milagrong jumakpot ang pinag-iwanan ng mga sasakyan. Ang isa sa mga una nilang ginawa ay naghanap ng gas station para makisaksak ng Nebulizer. Salamat sa Diyos. Nakapunta na rin kami ni Haydee ng GMA. Tumuloy muna siya sa kuya niya sa may Scout Area, dumiretso naman ako sa studio ng SOP na bagama’t puno ng mga the usual artistas at staff ay tila nangangapa pa rin sa gitna ng kawasakan. Baha pa rin ang lahat ng entry points sa Marikina kaya minabuti ko na lang manatili sa GMA. Naging special Ondoy telethon ang SOP. At mula roon hanggang sa Showbiz Central ay nagsulat ako para sa telethon. Mga hotline numbers, panawagan ng tulong, anunsyo’t advisory ang isinulat ko mula umaga hanggang alas-sais ng gabi. Mga pagmamakaawa ng bahay-ampunang puno ng mga nagugutom na ulila, mga pamilyang hindi madala sa ospital o punerarya ang kanilang mahal sa buhay, mga kuwentong itinatawag lang pero sa sobrang hapdi ay napapaluha si Miriam Quiambao, isa sa mga artistang volunteer operators. Napakabigat isulat sa idiot boards, lalo’t hindi lahat ay maisahihimpapawid. Marami sa mga kapwa ko staff ng telethon na’yun ay biktima rin, at may mga pamilyang patuloy na stranded sa Marikina, Pasig, at iba pang apektadong lugar.
May isa kaming matandang kapitbahay na yumao sa stress ng pag-e-evacuate. Kakaiba rin ito dahil walang piniling mayaman o mahirap ang Ondoy. Si Cristine Reyes kinailangang i-rescue sa bubungan sa Provident Village. Ngayon may mga kuwento na ng mga misteryosong matatandang babaeng gumagala raw roon, o ng mga basa o putikang taong papara ng traysikel ngunit biglang mawawala. Sa aking alma mater, Marist School, may isang mag-aaral na nalunod kapatid mismong sa loob ng bahay nila. Maraming nawalan ng gamit pang-eskuwela at kinailangan daw ng pagpoproseso sa pangyayari upang ma-address ang anumang trauma ng mga nabiktima. Kuwento pa ni Mrs. Tabil, ang aking Filipino/Drama teacher noon, kinailangan pa raw ituro na paminsan silang sanay mag-abot ng tulong ay ok lang naman humingi ng tulong kasi nga raw ang iba ay nahihiya pang tumanggap ng extra uniform o gamit sa mga kaklase. Ang mga batchmates kong nasa States na nakibalita nasabihan kong iba ‘to sa mga insidente noon ng baha sa Marikina dahil hindi na lang ang mga housing sa may ilog ang naapektuhan...
***
Kinabukasan ay nawala nang tuluyan ang baha. Nag-drive ako sa putikan at debris upang marating ang bahay naming napuno ng basura at burak na sa sobrang dumi ay na-infect ang mga mumunting cuts namin sa kamay at paa nu’ng naglilinis kami. Kinailangan pa ng mga kuya ko na magpa-tetanus shots nang sobrang nang namaga ang kanilang paa.
Parang apocalyptic Hollywood movie ang nadaanan ko. nagkalat ang mga gamit sa kalsada, ang kapal ng putik, sira-sira ang mga bahay, may mga putikan at sirang sasakyang nakahambalang kung saan, kabilang ang isang puting Fortuner na halos patayo’t nakasandal sa isang poste. Pero hindi ganu’n ka-desolate ang eksena dahil nakikita mo ang mga tao na nagtutulungan sa paglilinis. May nakita pa’kong nagsasaing sa gatong sa sidewalk, at tila magkakapitbahay na nagsasalu-salo.
Ito nga siguro ang sinasabi nilang kakaibang attitude ng Pinoy. Kuwento ni Ogie Alcasid noong isang araw, na-compose raw niya ang “Kaya Natin ‘To,” ‘yung OPM fundraiser song for Ondoy victims nang napanood niya sa TV ang isang mamang dala-dala ang sako ng mga ari-arian niya habang lumulusong sa bahang chest-deep pero nakuha pang masabi sa camera ang katagang naging pamagat ng awiting ‘yun.
Nang finally tsinek na nga raw nila ang bahay, sa gitna ng destruction, nakuha pang maghiyawan sa galak nina Mommy dahil nasalba ang Orocan ng bigas na naisip nilang ipatong sa dining table bago silang tuluyang nag-abandon-house. Lumutang ang narra table, ha, pero hindi natinag ang Orocan! Walastik!
Na-survey rin namin ang nangyari sa mga kapitbahay naming halos pamilya na sa tagal ng pinagsamahan at dami ng pinagdaanan namin mula pa nu’ng 70’s. Isa sa mga aligagang naglilinis ng kanyang bahay si Tita Nitz. “Nitz! Kumusta ka?” tanong ng Mommy ko na sa pagka-obvious ng sagot ay puwedeng barahin ni Vice Ganda. Lumapit sa aming sasakyan ang dati’y palatawang si Tita Nitz, sinandal ang ulo sa bukas na passenger side window at nadurog ang puso ko sa bulong niyang, “Devastated…Devastated.”
Gray-gray na ang buhok ni Tita Nitz na ninang pa sa binyag ng aming bunso na ngayo’y may anak na rin. Tahimik kaming nakinig. “Lahat putikan… ang mga libro… pati PANTY KO PUTIKAN!” And she bursts out laughing! “WALA NA’KONG PANTY HAHAHAH!” Ano pa ba’ng gagawin naming kundi tumawa, ‘di ba? Iba talaga ang Pilipino, no?
Bandang alas-9 na yata ako muling nagising. Sinundo si Haydee sa bahay nila sa Pasig Greenpark na bagama’t baha na ay yakang-yaka naman ng SUV. As usual, nagtu-toothbrush pa yata si Haydee pagdating ko, kaunting paghihintay, pero hindi ko in-expect na paglabas niya ng gate ay halos kailangan niyang tumalon papasok ng sasakyan dahil sa baha. Pag-arangkada, nagulat din ako dahil tumaas na agad ang level ng tubig.
Bahagyang matrapik sa Shaw underpass pero otherwise ay wala namang hassle papuntang RCBC Plaza. Sabado kaya parang ghost town ang Makati, ang lungsod na madalas ay dinadaga akong puntahan nang nakakotse during workdays dahil hindi ko kabisado ang mga one-way-one-way at wala raw patawad ang mga pulis kahit sa media ID. Wala kasing online payment ang Singapore Airlines kaya kailangang sadyain ang opisina nila para mabayaran ang roundtrip tickets ko to Singapore, promo price pa nga raw sabi ng nag-asikaso sa’min kaya hindi nalalayo sa binayaran ng mga nag-PAL ang nakuha kong presyo. Sulit naman talaga ang desisyon kong ‘yun dahil bongga ang meals kahit sa coach (may menu card pa!), free-flowing ang wine at Singapore sling, at mismong sa nakakairita sa gandang Changi Airport ang lapag ko at hindi sa Budget Terminal na tulad ng karamihan sa mga teammates na nagtipid-tipiran nang wala sa lugar kaya pinatos ang CebuFuck (Hahaha! Hindi maka-get-over?!) The benefits of the serendipitous decision to fly Singapore Airlines will be felt way before the flight a month from now. Ngayong maulang umaga na ito ng September 26, 2009 madarama ko na siya. WETTER REALITIES.
***
Sa ticketing office ng SIA ay hindi ka aware sa mga nangyayari sa labas kaya nagtanong ang babaeng nag-aasikaso sa’min kung malakas ba talaga ang ulan. Sabi namin ni Haydee, “Oo,” at nag-alala si ate, “because I have a wedding to attend to at the Fort this afternoon.” We all have our Ondoy stories, and that couple who wed on that fateful day must have one hell of a tale! Marami nga raw naapektuhang event dahil weekend tumama si Ondoy; ang laking pasalamat ko na lang na isa sa mga nakasama ng pamilya ko sa 2nd floor ng bagong-tayong bahay sa mismong tabi ng aming 31-year old split-level Marikina home ay isang caterer na na-postpone ang event kaya all the families who evacuated there had enough food ‘till the waters receded the next day.
DREAM-BELIEVE-SURVIVE! Babalik na sana kaming GMA nang nagulat kaming baha na sa Ayala Avenue! Narinig din namin sa FM na hindi na gumagalaw ang trapik sa EDSA. Naisip ko iba na’to. Tinext ko ang mga bosing na noo’y nagpapa-audition ng Starstruck sa Davao City kung saan maaraw. Hindi nila ma-grasp ang tindi ng bagyo sa Maynila kaya hindi sila pumapayag na i-cancel ko ang Starstruck auditions sa GMA na ako ang nakatokang mag-conduct. Meron na nga raw pinadala ang prestigious (HAHA!) Artist Center du’n para mag-audition. Nang nasilayan naming pinasok na rin ng baha ang Bread Talk sa Glorietta 4, napagpasyahan ko nang sumuway. No way am I going to go on a futile journey to the office! At kahit tutol din si Haydee sa kawalan ko ng plano, wala na rin siyang magawa nang i-park ko si Hans Ong sa elevated parking ng Greenbelt. May kaunting tao pa sa mall nu’n at nakapag-lunch pa kami sa Sentro. Maita, who works at Dusit, joined us. May ibang mas adik na staff ang na-late lang nang bonggang-bongga pero nakarating pa rin sa GMA. Sila na lang ang nag-conduct ng audition. Ang tanging nakuha sa Final 14 sa Starstruck V sa auditions na ‘yon ay isang Piero Vergara so in the long run na-vindicate naman ang desisyon kong pahalagahan na lang ang seguridad ko kesa ang pangarap na mag-artista ng ilang kabataan.
Ang boyfriend ni Maita na isang US Marine ay naka-billet sa Ascott (formerly Oakwood) at nag-offer siya sa’ming magpalipas muna ng gabi roon. By this time nakatanggap na’ko ng tawag kay Thea na ‘wag nang umuwi dahil baha na sa labas ng condo namin. Nausog niya ang kotse niya kaya interior detailing lang ang kinailangan. Ang brand new Honda Jazz ni Haydee ang nadale! Hanggang ngayon, sira pa rin ang power steering nito at isang transistor na binili sa Dimensione na lang ang sounds. This after spending thousands of pesos in repairs because despite other motor company’s humanitarian efforts to their Ondoy-affected clients (discounts in repairs/towing, etc.) – Honda’s first decree after the typhoon was to declare null the warranty of all submerged vehicles. This is the reason why after selling non-Ondoy affected Hans Ong a few months after, ni hindi ko kinonsider ang Honda as my next car.
Pagkatapos kumain ay naglakad na kami papuntang suite ni Kyle. May wifi doon kaya updated kami sa mga pangyayari. Ang video ng isang van sa Katipunan na nilamon ng baha ang nagpa-realize sa aming iba ‘tong si Ondoy. Nag-update na rin ang sister ko na umabot na sa garahe namin ang baha. Pre-BF Marikina, binabaha na talaga ang subdivision namin but my parents and ninong who was the architect of our home had the wisdom to elevate the house so never kaming pinasok ng baha kaya ganu’n na lang ang pagkagulat ko nang ang susunod na text eh nag-evacuate na sila sa second floor ng kapitbahay! I was ashamed that I was having an easy time that all I could text my sister was I’m stranded in Makati. ‘Di dinagukan ako nu’n kung nalaman niyang de-aircon at wifi ako sa isang luxury serviced apartment habang kumakain ng manok na libre pa ng isang guwapong US Marine! Incidentally, last Saturday, on the eve of the Ondoy Anniversary, Haydee and I again find ourselves at Kyle’s Ascott suite, this time to celebrate his upcoming marriage to Maita!
***
BATUHIN MO NG TINAPAY. Itinakbo na ni Kuya Rexel ang sasakyan sa iniisip niyang mataas-taas na lugar. Maraming car-owners ang ginawa rin ‘to pero parang pagtaya sa lotto, walang kasiguruhan kung ang tinatantiya mong safe ay hindi nga aabutin ng baha. Si Kuya Ryan naman ay sinundo na sa school ang dalawa kong pamangking uma-attend ng special classes to compensate for all the unexpected class suspensions since the start of the schoolyear. Pero nang malapit na sa bahay namin, kinailangan na nilang mag-park sa isang tabi dahil mataas na nga ang tubig. Naitawid pa ni kuya ang dalawang batang lalake sa bahay ng isa pang kapitbahay habang siya ay na-stranded na sa katapat na bakery in his attempt to reach our home. Patsi-patse ang detalye ko sa mga pangyayari pero patunay lang ‘to ng unpredictability ng araw na’yun at ng sobrang bilis talagang pagtaas ng tubig-baha. Ang naalala ko lang, mula sa bakery ay iniitisahan ni Kuya Ryan sina Dave-Dave at DJ ng Monday para may makain naman sila pero ang sabi ba naman, “Papa, we don’t like this. We want the ensaymada!”
Ang eldest niece ko naman ay naiwang mag-isa sa bahay nina Kuya Ryan sa kabilang side ng subdivision. Ang alam ko nasundo rin siya agad bago tuluyang pasukin ang bahay nila kaya magkakasama na sila sa 2nd floor ng bagong-tayong bahay. Halos dalawang dekada kaming walang katabing bahay at medyo nalungkot pa kami sa pagkawala ng sunlight sa terrace nang ipatayo ang two-storey house na magsisilbing lifesaver ng Pamilya Agapay at ng marami pang pamilya sa area.
Ang initial plan pa raw nila ay lumusong hanggang highway pero paglabas sa garahe at hanggang dibdib na ang tubig ay sinabi na ni Mommy kay Daddy na, “Ako kakayanin ko ‘to. Ikaw, hindi,” at kinatok na niya ang gate ng malaking bahay. Pinagbuksan naman sila. Throughout the day ay may mga tumawid sa aming bubungan patungo sa second floor na’yon. Walang nakasisiguro kung hanggang kailan bubuhos ang ulan. Paano kung abutin pa sila ru’n, at kailangan na nilang umakyat sa bubong? Paano na?
Kuwento ni Dad hindi na raw siya masyadong nagkikikilos nu’n. Nararamdaman na niyang hihikain siya pero dahil walang kuryente ay hindi siya makapag-Nebulizer. Naalala raw niya nu’ng maliit pa lang siya sa Albay, madalas din daw takbuhan ang bahay nila tuwing may bagyo pero pati raw sila ay napalisan nang humagupit si Bagyong Frank. Inintrega na raw niya isa-isa ang mga ari-arian naming nasalanta, ang bahay, ang kotse, ang mga muwebeles, ang mga appliance, ang mga litrato, ang mga paintings niya, ang mga alaala sa tahanang ipinundar niya para sa asawa niya, apat na anak, at mga apo… Ni-let go na raw niya at tinanggap na wala na ang mga ito.
Pagsapit ng gabi ay tumahik na nang bahagya si Ondoy pero WALA NI ISA SA ATIN NU’N ANG TUMAHIK ANG KALOOBAN.
Kinaumagahan, milagrong jumakpot ang pinag-iwanan ng mga sasakyan. Ang isa sa mga una nilang ginawa ay naghanap ng gas station para makisaksak ng Nebulizer. Salamat sa Diyos. Nakapunta na rin kami ni Haydee ng GMA. Tumuloy muna siya sa kuya niya sa may Scout Area, dumiretso naman ako sa studio ng SOP na bagama’t puno ng mga the usual artistas at staff ay tila nangangapa pa rin sa gitna ng kawasakan. Baha pa rin ang lahat ng entry points sa Marikina kaya minabuti ko na lang manatili sa GMA. Naging special Ondoy telethon ang SOP. At mula roon hanggang sa Showbiz Central ay nagsulat ako para sa telethon. Mga hotline numbers, panawagan ng tulong, anunsyo’t advisory ang isinulat ko mula umaga hanggang alas-sais ng gabi. Mga pagmamakaawa ng bahay-ampunang puno ng mga nagugutom na ulila, mga pamilyang hindi madala sa ospital o punerarya ang kanilang mahal sa buhay, mga kuwentong itinatawag lang pero sa sobrang hapdi ay napapaluha si Miriam Quiambao, isa sa mga artistang volunteer operators. Napakabigat isulat sa idiot boards, lalo’t hindi lahat ay maisahihimpapawid. Marami sa mga kapwa ko staff ng telethon na’yun ay biktima rin, at may mga pamilyang patuloy na stranded sa Marikina, Pasig, at iba pang apektadong lugar.
May isa kaming matandang kapitbahay na yumao sa stress ng pag-e-evacuate. Kakaiba rin ito dahil walang piniling mayaman o mahirap ang Ondoy. Si Cristine Reyes kinailangang i-rescue sa bubungan sa Provident Village. Ngayon may mga kuwento na ng mga misteryosong matatandang babaeng gumagala raw roon, o ng mga basa o putikang taong papara ng traysikel ngunit biglang mawawala. Sa aking alma mater, Marist School, may isang mag-aaral na nalunod kapatid mismong sa loob ng bahay nila. Maraming nawalan ng gamit pang-eskuwela at kinailangan daw ng pagpoproseso sa pangyayari upang ma-address ang anumang trauma ng mga nabiktima. Kuwento pa ni Mrs. Tabil, ang aking Filipino/Drama teacher noon, kinailangan pa raw ituro na paminsan silang sanay mag-abot ng tulong ay ok lang naman humingi ng tulong kasi nga raw ang iba ay nahihiya pang tumanggap ng extra uniform o gamit sa mga kaklase. Ang mga batchmates kong nasa States na nakibalita nasabihan kong iba ‘to sa mga insidente noon ng baha sa Marikina dahil hindi na lang ang mga housing sa may ilog ang naapektuhan...
***
Kinabukasan ay nawala nang tuluyan ang baha. Nag-drive ako sa putikan at debris upang marating ang bahay naming napuno ng basura at burak na sa sobrang dumi ay na-infect ang mga mumunting cuts namin sa kamay at paa nu’ng naglilinis kami. Kinailangan pa ng mga kuya ko na magpa-tetanus shots nang sobrang nang namaga ang kanilang paa.
Parang apocalyptic Hollywood movie ang nadaanan ko. nagkalat ang mga gamit sa kalsada, ang kapal ng putik, sira-sira ang mga bahay, may mga putikan at sirang sasakyang nakahambalang kung saan, kabilang ang isang puting Fortuner na halos patayo’t nakasandal sa isang poste. Pero hindi ganu’n ka-desolate ang eksena dahil nakikita mo ang mga tao na nagtutulungan sa paglilinis. May nakita pa’kong nagsasaing sa gatong sa sidewalk, at tila magkakapitbahay na nagsasalu-salo.
Ito nga siguro ang sinasabi nilang kakaibang attitude ng Pinoy. Kuwento ni Ogie Alcasid noong isang araw, na-compose raw niya ang “Kaya Natin ‘To,” ‘yung OPM fundraiser song for Ondoy victims nang napanood niya sa TV ang isang mamang dala-dala ang sako ng mga ari-arian niya habang lumulusong sa bahang chest-deep pero nakuha pang masabi sa camera ang katagang naging pamagat ng awiting ‘yun.
Nang finally tsinek na nga raw nila ang bahay, sa gitna ng destruction, nakuha pang maghiyawan sa galak nina Mommy dahil nasalba ang Orocan ng bigas na naisip nilang ipatong sa dining table bago silang tuluyang nag-abandon-house. Lumutang ang narra table, ha, pero hindi natinag ang Orocan! Walastik!
Na-survey rin namin ang nangyari sa mga kapitbahay naming halos pamilya na sa tagal ng pinagsamahan at dami ng pinagdaanan namin mula pa nu’ng 70’s. Isa sa mga aligagang naglilinis ng kanyang bahay si Tita Nitz. “Nitz! Kumusta ka?” tanong ng Mommy ko na sa pagka-obvious ng sagot ay puwedeng barahin ni Vice Ganda. Lumapit sa aming sasakyan ang dati’y palatawang si Tita Nitz, sinandal ang ulo sa bukas na passenger side window at nadurog ang puso ko sa bulong niyang, “Devastated…Devastated.”
Gray-gray na ang buhok ni Tita Nitz na ninang pa sa binyag ng aming bunso na ngayo’y may anak na rin. Tahimik kaming nakinig. “Lahat putikan… ang mga libro… pati PANTY KO PUTIKAN!” And she bursts out laughing! “WALA NA’KONG PANTY HAHAHAH!” Ano pa ba’ng gagawin naming kundi tumawa, ‘di ba? Iba talaga ang Pilipino, no?
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Coming Home from Tokyo or Why I Will Never Fly CebuFuck Ever Again!
Around the time that the Gokongweis thought it’s about time everyone flies Cebu Pacific, I did fly Cebu Pacific. And what we thought were ridiculously low fares immediately got us online booking the next flight to wherever, with whoever, whenever; it even got us clicking those tiny boxes allowing them to bombard our emails with sales pitches of “major, major discounts!” So kahit may isang taon ko na ring idiniklarang I WILL NEVER FLY CEBU PACIFIC patuloy pa rin akong nakatatanggap ng mga kung anu-ano sa kanila.
Dear Cebu Pacific: Please stop sending me any advertorial because it will be futile, and I think it is my responsibility to my fellow consumers na hindi pa enlightened sa inyong nakakabuwisit na business practices na malaman ang kuwento ko. In the end, they can still choose you over others, and by then sana, mas maayus-ayos na kayo.
Nasemento na lang ang aking resolve du’n sa balitang pinababa n’yo ang isang grupong may kasamang may Down Syndrome. Nag-apologize kayo all after all the negative press but the fact that your policy allowed that to happen in the first place is very telling of what kind of airline you are, at parang ayoko yatang ipaubaya sa inyo ang buhay ko everytime I fly.
More than what I heard in the news, may mga personal testimonies din akong pinanghahawakan kung bakit I WILL NEVER FLY CEBU PACIFIC. Just last summer my co-writers and I went on a vacation to Hong Kong. Ako nagbayad ng slightly more expensive airfare sa Philippine Airlines. Sila, pinatos ang Clark-HK promo ninyo. If I recall, the existence of this promo is what urged them to plan this vacation at isinabit na lang nila ako. Trip nilang mag-Disneyland, ayoko naman base na rin sa mga nabasa kong reviews (see, it pays to believe some credible reviews) so they planned to visit Disneyland on the one day ahead na naandu’n na sila sa Hong Kong at nasa Maynila pa’ko to finish some business.
Maaga silang lumarga mula Maynila papuntang Clark to catch their morning flight. Pagdating du’n, postponed ang flight...TO THAT AFTERNOON…SA MAYNILA! Sayang ang isang araw! Ire-refund ba sila in case they just opt to get another flight tutal naandun na sila? Siyempre hindi kasi nga promo! Binigyan man lang ba sila ng meal stubs for their waiting time for the previously unannounced new flight schedule? Hindi rin! At siguro alam n’yo na ang sagot sa tanong kung binigyan ba sila ng transpo o pamasahe man lang pabalik ng Maynila to catch that letcheng promo flight to HK?!
Ang ending, isang overnight lang halos ang advance nila sa’kin. Pagdating kong fresh na fresh kinaumagahan, kinailangan pa naming magpunta sa Disneyland…at hindi rin sila gaanong natuwa hahaha.
Nangyari na rin dating dumating kami sa airport tapos nakaalis na pala ang CebuPac, hindi man lang kami nasabihan na minuv nila earlier ang flight. Business trip 'yun, ha. Kung corporate account balahura pa rin ang service, magtataka ka pa ba kung basura ang trato nila sa mga promo fliers?
The last straw happened August 2009 when I was going to compete at the Ironman70.3 in Camsur. Ewan ko ba’t CebuPac ang na-book ko for me and my parents kahit hindi naman sila sponsor ng race. Nagbayad pa’ko ng advance fee for excess baggage na hindi ko rin naman nagamit since pinasabay ko na lang sa mga nag-land travel ang bike ko.
Morning of the flight, buong pamilya ko yata ang naghatid sa’min so believing na may time pa, pinag-McDo ko muna sa tapat ng T3 ang mga pamangkin ko. Eh ang haba-haba pala ng pila sa airport sa labas pa lang, true enough, FIVE MINUTES NANG SARADO ANG CHECK-IN COUNTER NG CEBUPAC to Naga. Bukod sa’kin at mga retired kong magulang, may isa pang mag-asawa na nasarhan ng counter. CebuPac said so themselves na five minutes ago pa lang sarado ang counter nila and yet they wouldn’t accommodate us anymore kasi na-print na raw ang manifesto and all.
I was almost in tears kasi nakaka-frustrate so I pleaded to the young lady behind the CebuPac counter if she can make some calls to anyone who might be able to help us. She only shook her head and "assured" me na ganu’n din lang po ang sasabihin sa’kin. I asked if the plane is still there. They said yes the plane’s still there but the “manifesto of passengers has already been printed” and they could not accommodate us anymore. By this time I have sorta accepted the fact that we will miss this flight, but I just wanted to feel that this company that declares to care for “every Juan” is the real deal yet the lady wouldn’t even so much as make a call to a fictitious superior to at least give me the impression that they value me as a client.
I ended up getting my parents tickets for tomorrow, and since I wasn’t thinking clearly, siyempre sa CebuPac ko pa rin sila pinalipad! That will be the last thousands of pesos that I will ever spend on Cebu Pacific. I booked na lang a later flight with another airline since I needed to be in CamSur that day already.
Now you might say may point nga naman ang Cebu Pacific policy. Late is late, ika nga. And them opening their doors to accommodate us would be against air safety and all. I though so, too. Until I experienced a rather different treatment from foreigners, in an international carrier, on an international flight, in another country.
Japan’s expansive Narita Airport is 66km away from Tokyo, parang layo ng Clark sa Maynila, and yet mas madali pa itong puntahan kesa sa NAIA na nasa Pasay lang. Meron kasing tren. Ewan ko ba, sa dami ng OFW’s na tinatawag nating bagong bayani, nananatiling inaccessible sa ordinaryong Pinoy at OFW ang ating mga airport. ‘Di mo lang kailangan ng kotse, kailangan mo pa ng driver! Ganitung-ganito rin ang description ni Carlos Celdran sa disenyo ng Cultural Center of the Philippines, ang aniya’y “Imelda’s first betrayal of the Filipino People.”
Bilang nagpaiwan sa Japan, mag-isa na lang akong umuwi nu'n. Sa unang istasyon pa lang sa Kinshicho para na’kong ignoranteng hindi alam kung saan bibili ng Airport Express ticket. Hindi rin kami magkaintindihan ng Hapon sa counter. I stood there before the ticket-vending machine, delaying everyone behind me in line, so I decided to do the high-tech route and pressed the big HELP button. Gumuho ang ultra-high-tech impression ko sa Japan nang may bumukas na maliit na puwang sa machine at sumilip ang parehong Hapon na pinagtanungan ko kanina sa counter. Kausap ko ang tao sa loob ng machine! Hi-tech. lumabas siya sa isang maliit na pinto sa tabi ng machine at siya na ang pumindut-pindot para makabili na’ko ng ticket papuntang airport.
Hindi yata airport express ang nasakyan ko kaya may mga dinadaanan pa rin itong suburbs sa labas ng lungsod. Makikita mo kung sino ang mga papuntang airport dahil meron silang dalang malalaking bagahe, tulad ko. I was constantly checking my ticket kung saan naka-print ang ruta ng tren to see na I’m right on track, then at one station, most everyone got off the train. My instincts told me to follow the crowd pero natakot ako so I stayed, and sat down. Parang ako nga lang natira, at may mga bago nang pasaherong sumakay. True enough, umandar ang tren PABALIK NG TOKYO! Sinubukan kong ikubli ang panalalaki ng aking mata sa panic (if that is possible). I coolly got off the next station.
Sa istasyon nagtanong ako sa isang stall na binabantayan ng dalawang older mommies kung saang riles dadaan ang tren papuntang Narita. Nainintidihan naman nila ang English ko’t naituro kung alin sa dalawang riles ako dapat mag-abang. Pero kaaalis lang daw ng tren papuntang airport kaya medyo may paghihintay. Nanganganib na’ko sa flight ko, pero wala pa rin akong gaanong pangamba. Kuwento ng mga Pilipinong nakilala ko sa Japan, hindi naman kailangang two hours before the flight ka nasa airport tulad ng advise sa NAIA. Bumili ako ng “hatto” (hot) coffee-in-can sa mga mommies. Isa ‘to sa fascinating vendo merchandise sa halagang 60 pesos.
May mga nakasabay rin akong Japanese high schoolers. For a while I considered approaching one guy who is about my size to offer to buy his signature blue-with-gold-buttons-and-school-patch blazer but hiya got over me. Na-assure naman akong ito nga ang tren papuntang airport dahil may kasabay akong dalawang seksing Haponesa na furry-furry ang kuwelyo ng jackets at may hila-hilang putting Hello Kitty hardcase. Bago dumating ang tren ko, dumaan pa ang mas sleek na Narita Express, ‘yung non-stop na bibiyahe mula Tokyo hanggang airport.
Sa tren may mga video instructions na on how to navigate Narita. Siguraduhin mong tamang side ng tren ka bababa ayon sa kung ano’ng airline mo. Japan Airlines ay sa kanan. PAL ay nasa kabila. Para akong pumasok sa Gattaca pagbaba ko ng tren! Ang laki-laki-laki at ganda-ganda-ganda pala ng Narita Airport! Medyo malayong lakaran din pero hindi naman mahirap hanapin ang check-in counter. Efficient din ang sistema nila kaya agad akong nakalapit sa counter where I immediately declared to the female Japanese ground staff na, “I took the wrong train. Will I still make this flight?”
With a smile and a proud tone she said, “We will make you make this flight.” She made a quick phone call presumably to inform the others that there’s this late Filipino guy trying to catch his plane. The lady wrote something on a sticker and put it on my left shirtsleeve. She endorsed me to another ground staff, a petite Japanese woman in that classic hat-scarf-skirt-pumps stewardess uniform. With a slight bow she softly commanded, “Please follow me.” And she ran! In heels!
A ran after her. She led me to the x-ray machine where a platoon of flight attendants were unloading their luggage. She talked to them in Japanese and they all stood aside and let my dirty, blue North Face backpack first. They had to repeat the process, this time without my laptop in the bag. Once through, we ran some more.
Without stopping, she asked for my ticket, I handed it to her, she checked my flight details and determined which monorail to take. “Get on that train.” I followed her. Only then did we stop running. I asked, “How do I know which gate?” “When you get off the train, you will see the sign to Gate 9,” and the monorail train closed and through the glass door I saw her bow the monorail away. She bowed!!!
I found my gate easily, and passengers were already boarding when I got there. I approached another JAPAN AIRLINES staff in a blue shirt and slacks, “Did I make the flight?” “Yes, you’re just in time.” And with that she removed the sticker on my sleeve.
Dear Cebu Pacific: Please stop sending me any advertorial because it will be futile, and I think it is my responsibility to my fellow consumers na hindi pa enlightened sa inyong nakakabuwisit na business practices na malaman ang kuwento ko. In the end, they can still choose you over others, and by then sana, mas maayus-ayos na kayo.
Nasemento na lang ang aking resolve du’n sa balitang pinababa n’yo ang isang grupong may kasamang may Down Syndrome. Nag-apologize kayo all after all the negative press but the fact that your policy allowed that to happen in the first place is very telling of what kind of airline you are, at parang ayoko yatang ipaubaya sa inyo ang buhay ko everytime I fly.
More than what I heard in the news, may mga personal testimonies din akong pinanghahawakan kung bakit I WILL NEVER FLY CEBU PACIFIC. Just last summer my co-writers and I went on a vacation to Hong Kong. Ako nagbayad ng slightly more expensive airfare sa Philippine Airlines. Sila, pinatos ang Clark-HK promo ninyo. If I recall, the existence of this promo is what urged them to plan this vacation at isinabit na lang nila ako. Trip nilang mag-Disneyland, ayoko naman base na rin sa mga nabasa kong reviews (see, it pays to believe some credible reviews) so they planned to visit Disneyland on the one day ahead na naandu’n na sila sa Hong Kong at nasa Maynila pa’ko to finish some business.
Maaga silang lumarga mula Maynila papuntang Clark to catch their morning flight. Pagdating du’n, postponed ang flight...TO THAT AFTERNOON…SA MAYNILA! Sayang ang isang araw! Ire-refund ba sila in case they just opt to get another flight tutal naandun na sila? Siyempre hindi kasi nga promo! Binigyan man lang ba sila ng meal stubs for their waiting time for the previously unannounced new flight schedule? Hindi rin! At siguro alam n’yo na ang sagot sa tanong kung binigyan ba sila ng transpo o pamasahe man lang pabalik ng Maynila to catch that letcheng promo flight to HK?!
Ang ending, isang overnight lang halos ang advance nila sa’kin. Pagdating kong fresh na fresh kinaumagahan, kinailangan pa naming magpunta sa Disneyland…at hindi rin sila gaanong natuwa hahaha.
Nangyari na rin dating dumating kami sa airport tapos nakaalis na pala ang CebuPac, hindi man lang kami nasabihan na minuv nila earlier ang flight. Business trip 'yun, ha. Kung corporate account balahura pa rin ang service, magtataka ka pa ba kung basura ang trato nila sa mga promo fliers?
The last straw happened August 2009 when I was going to compete at the Ironman70.3 in Camsur. Ewan ko ba’t CebuPac ang na-book ko for me and my parents kahit hindi naman sila sponsor ng race. Nagbayad pa’ko ng advance fee for excess baggage na hindi ko rin naman nagamit since pinasabay ko na lang sa mga nag-land travel ang bike ko.
Morning of the flight, buong pamilya ko yata ang naghatid sa’min so believing na may time pa, pinag-McDo ko muna sa tapat ng T3 ang mga pamangkin ko. Eh ang haba-haba pala ng pila sa airport sa labas pa lang, true enough, FIVE MINUTES NANG SARADO ANG CHECK-IN COUNTER NG CEBUPAC to Naga. Bukod sa’kin at mga retired kong magulang, may isa pang mag-asawa na nasarhan ng counter. CebuPac said so themselves na five minutes ago pa lang sarado ang counter nila and yet they wouldn’t accommodate us anymore kasi na-print na raw ang manifesto and all.
I was almost in tears kasi nakaka-frustrate so I pleaded to the young lady behind the CebuPac counter if she can make some calls to anyone who might be able to help us. She only shook her head and "assured" me na ganu’n din lang po ang sasabihin sa’kin. I asked if the plane is still there. They said yes the plane’s still there but the “manifesto of passengers has already been printed” and they could not accommodate us anymore. By this time I have sorta accepted the fact that we will miss this flight, but I just wanted to feel that this company that declares to care for “every Juan” is the real deal yet the lady wouldn’t even so much as make a call to a fictitious superior to at least give me the impression that they value me as a client.
I ended up getting my parents tickets for tomorrow, and since I wasn’t thinking clearly, siyempre sa CebuPac ko pa rin sila pinalipad! That will be the last thousands of pesos that I will ever spend on Cebu Pacific. I booked na lang a later flight with another airline since I needed to be in CamSur that day already.
Now you might say may point nga naman ang Cebu Pacific policy. Late is late, ika nga. And them opening their doors to accommodate us would be against air safety and all. I though so, too. Until I experienced a rather different treatment from foreigners, in an international carrier, on an international flight, in another country.
Japan’s expansive Narita Airport is 66km away from Tokyo, parang layo ng Clark sa Maynila, and yet mas madali pa itong puntahan kesa sa NAIA na nasa Pasay lang. Meron kasing tren. Ewan ko ba, sa dami ng OFW’s na tinatawag nating bagong bayani, nananatiling inaccessible sa ordinaryong Pinoy at OFW ang ating mga airport. ‘Di mo lang kailangan ng kotse, kailangan mo pa ng driver! Ganitung-ganito rin ang description ni Carlos Celdran sa disenyo ng Cultural Center of the Philippines, ang aniya’y “Imelda’s first betrayal of the Filipino People.”
Bilang nagpaiwan sa Japan, mag-isa na lang akong umuwi nu'n. Sa unang istasyon pa lang sa Kinshicho para na’kong ignoranteng hindi alam kung saan bibili ng Airport Express ticket. Hindi rin kami magkaintindihan ng Hapon sa counter. I stood there before the ticket-vending machine, delaying everyone behind me in line, so I decided to do the high-tech route and pressed the big HELP button. Gumuho ang ultra-high-tech impression ko sa Japan nang may bumukas na maliit na puwang sa machine at sumilip ang parehong Hapon na pinagtanungan ko kanina sa counter. Kausap ko ang tao sa loob ng machine! Hi-tech. lumabas siya sa isang maliit na pinto sa tabi ng machine at siya na ang pumindut-pindot para makabili na’ko ng ticket papuntang airport.
Hindi yata airport express ang nasakyan ko kaya may mga dinadaanan pa rin itong suburbs sa labas ng lungsod. Makikita mo kung sino ang mga papuntang airport dahil meron silang dalang malalaking bagahe, tulad ko. I was constantly checking my ticket kung saan naka-print ang ruta ng tren to see na I’m right on track, then at one station, most everyone got off the train. My instincts told me to follow the crowd pero natakot ako so I stayed, and sat down. Parang ako nga lang natira, at may mga bago nang pasaherong sumakay. True enough, umandar ang tren PABALIK NG TOKYO! Sinubukan kong ikubli ang panalalaki ng aking mata sa panic (if that is possible). I coolly got off the next station.
Sa istasyon nagtanong ako sa isang stall na binabantayan ng dalawang older mommies kung saang riles dadaan ang tren papuntang Narita. Nainintidihan naman nila ang English ko’t naituro kung alin sa dalawang riles ako dapat mag-abang. Pero kaaalis lang daw ng tren papuntang airport kaya medyo may paghihintay. Nanganganib na’ko sa flight ko, pero wala pa rin akong gaanong pangamba. Kuwento ng mga Pilipinong nakilala ko sa Japan, hindi naman kailangang two hours before the flight ka nasa airport tulad ng advise sa NAIA. Bumili ako ng “hatto” (hot) coffee-in-can sa mga mommies. Isa ‘to sa fascinating vendo merchandise sa halagang 60 pesos.
May mga nakasabay rin akong Japanese high schoolers. For a while I considered approaching one guy who is about my size to offer to buy his signature blue-with-gold-buttons-and-school-patch blazer but hiya got over me. Na-assure naman akong ito nga ang tren papuntang airport dahil may kasabay akong dalawang seksing Haponesa na furry-furry ang kuwelyo ng jackets at may hila-hilang putting Hello Kitty hardcase. Bago dumating ang tren ko, dumaan pa ang mas sleek na Narita Express, ‘yung non-stop na bibiyahe mula Tokyo hanggang airport.
Sa tren may mga video instructions na on how to navigate Narita. Siguraduhin mong tamang side ng tren ka bababa ayon sa kung ano’ng airline mo. Japan Airlines ay sa kanan. PAL ay nasa kabila. Para akong pumasok sa Gattaca pagbaba ko ng tren! Ang laki-laki-laki at ganda-ganda-ganda pala ng Narita Airport! Medyo malayong lakaran din pero hindi naman mahirap hanapin ang check-in counter. Efficient din ang sistema nila kaya agad akong nakalapit sa counter where I immediately declared to the female Japanese ground staff na, “I took the wrong train. Will I still make this flight?”
With a smile and a proud tone she said, “We will make you make this flight.” She made a quick phone call presumably to inform the others that there’s this late Filipino guy trying to catch his plane. The lady wrote something on a sticker and put it on my left shirtsleeve. She endorsed me to another ground staff, a petite Japanese woman in that classic hat-scarf-skirt-pumps stewardess uniform. With a slight bow she softly commanded, “Please follow me.” And she ran! In heels!
A ran after her. She led me to the x-ray machine where a platoon of flight attendants were unloading their luggage. She talked to them in Japanese and they all stood aside and let my dirty, blue North Face backpack first. They had to repeat the process, this time without my laptop in the bag. Once through, we ran some more.
Without stopping, she asked for my ticket, I handed it to her, she checked my flight details and determined which monorail to take. “Get on that train.” I followed her. Only then did we stop running. I asked, “How do I know which gate?” “When you get off the train, you will see the sign to Gate 9,” and the monorail train closed and through the glass door I saw her bow the monorail away. She bowed!!!
I found my gate easily, and passengers were already boarding when I got there. I approached another JAPAN AIRLINES staff in a blue shirt and slacks, “Did I make the flight?” “Yes, you’re just in time.” And with that she removed the sticker on my sleeve.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Delightful Despicable Me
1. Saw it with a 3D-movie virgin! Cute! Turned out virgin din in that way. Cuter! (pero trickier)
2. The rollercoaster scene makes "Despicable Me" the movie that best harnesses the 3D technology potential, and I'm including Avatar in this qualification, ha! You would feel that paglulula thrill that gets you to tighten your buns as you reel for the zero-gravity drop!
3. Maganda rin ang paglalaro sa 3D tech sa closing credits montage.
4. Gru, the main character, started out as a metaphor for evil corporations. So the twist of his Minions (e.i. thousands of employees) contributed what little they each have just so they could build a rocketship to steal the moon when the bank refused to lend them money for it. Justification of the government bail-out?
5. I was the only one in that Eastwood Cinema to have laughed out loud at this scene, a sign that reads: "Bank of Evil (formerly Lehman Brothers)."
6. Why do I have the disconcerting feeling that the Minions, those little, yellow, uniformly dressed, karaoke-loving, gets into petty squabbles, loyal, would do anything the boss says, gets sad when asked to sleep but rejoices at working, is a metaphor for the OFW existence?
7. May mga parts na muntik na'kong naiyak. Pero mas nakakaiyak talaga pa rin 'yung Up.
2. The rollercoaster scene makes "Despicable Me" the movie that best harnesses the 3D technology potential, and I'm including Avatar in this qualification, ha! You would feel that paglulula thrill that gets you to tighten your buns as you reel for the zero-gravity drop!
3. Maganda rin ang paglalaro sa 3D tech sa closing credits montage.
4. Gru, the main character, started out as a metaphor for evil corporations. So the twist of his Minions (e.i. thousands of employees) contributed what little they each have just so they could build a rocketship to steal the moon when the bank refused to lend them money for it. Justification of the government bail-out?
5. I was the only one in that Eastwood Cinema to have laughed out loud at this scene, a sign that reads: "Bank of Evil (formerly Lehman Brothers)."
6. Why do I have the disconcerting feeling that the Minions, those little, yellow, uniformly dressed, karaoke-loving, gets into petty squabbles, loyal, would do anything the boss says, gets sad when asked to sleep but rejoices at working, is a metaphor for the OFW existence?
7. May mga parts na muntik na'kong naiyak. Pero mas nakakaiyak talaga pa rin 'yung Up.
Friday, September 03, 2010
The Secret
FAILURE OF APPLICATION. Lara has nonchalantly mentioned to me around the second week of the application that the applicants haven’t been showing up in so the members might just dissolve them. I shrugged it off. I wasn’t active in this application so I cannot pass judgment but if the applicants haven’t been showing up, and there are already talks of dissolving them then might as well, ‘di ba?
Around the third week of application, only two applicants are left. Neither one has been diligently showing up, but are also not showing signs of wanting to quit. IVP puts the decision to dissolve them to a vote by the body. Before that vote, most recent IVP Dina Luna spoke to the body and says, “If it were up to me, I will not dissolve them.” Membership agrees with her, votes not to dissolve the applicants. IVP gives an ultimatum, if the applicants still do not show up the next day, they will be dissolved. But I think IVP failed to strongly express this ultimatum, or at least get the body’s consensus to honor this ultimatum at that meeting.
Applicants do not show up the next morning. Some believe the 7 AM calltime may have been unfairly early for the two. One had class during that time so the other wouldn’t come if the other wasn’t present. That afternoon “sinundo ang mga aplikante.” A semblance of an application is pursued, but then applicant/s say something which pisses IVP off, prompting her to dissolve them. She supposedly said, “Assers, alam ko may usapan tayo pero…” It seems president wasn’t present when this happened.
Incident reaches president. He texts members and applicants, but not the IVP, that there is something wrong with IVP’s decision, and invites applicants back. Naturally, fight between President and IVP ensues. Alumni whose advise was sought by both parties include Lara who was vacationing from Japan so was very visible to the residents. Calls were also fielded to and by Erica to both President and IVP because she was with Lara and I and a few more Assers on the way to the beach.
President calls for a meeting that night, Friday before the scheduled Finals.
At that meeting, President and IVP agreed to uphold the dissolution. Bob says that in his conversations with President, they have not discussed what happened at that meeting that convinced the President to reverse his contention of the IVP dissolving the applicants. But this is pretty much how this grave problem transpired and was resolved among the residents, with hardly alumni intervention.
Bob called up last Wednesday and I was able to get his point-of-view of this incident that we are still trying to piece together, thus it is with confidence that I mention him in this post Bob only requested that he gets to read my account of our phone conversation before uploading it for all of you to read. However, while Bob was able to intelligently guess that I was taking down notes while on the phone with him, it was more for my visualization of how events transpired, and not so much to write down minutes of that conversation kaya do not treat this account as mere minutes of my talk with Bob, but rather a more complete story of Dear Ken with more info from Bob, Al, and Cheryl.
THE UP-AYALA TECHNOHUB MEETING. Of course news that the applicants being dissolved would spread fast. Friday morning pa lang nakikibalita na si Bob kay Faith Recile, the Memcom Officer assigned to textbrig him, kaya nabalitaan na niyang baka nga hindi matuloy. Bob is concerned because he has been fairly active in this application. He was present at the Acquaintance Party, and he was among the speakers at the Orientation so may there is some concern on his part na siya nga naman ang nag-encourage sa mga ‘to na sumali tapos ganito, madi-dissolve Friday before the Finals.
News reached Ianco who told Setset through Facebook chat. Setset asks Bob to see what’s going on. Bob calls up Al Saturday night asking kung tuloy ba ang Finals. Al was thinking, “Uh-oh! Nagfi-fish lang ba si Bob o alam na niya? Turns out alam na niya.” Bob invites Al to meet at UP-Ayala Technohub. This was around 10 PM already. Al picks up Cheryl along the way because she is former IVP, too, and “nag-e-emote siya sa Facebook status niya kaya sinama ko na rin siya.” Faith Recile and Andrew Valdez joins them. “It was basically a Joyce-bashing session,” is how Cheryl described the discussion. Al and Cheryl declare – and I believe so – that no conspiracy among them was cooked up at that controversial meeting.
Bob did say that it was at this UP-Ayala Technohub meeting that he questioned the validity of a dissolution at this point in when the applicants have been declared Assers at the deliberations. Bashing the IVP’s moves, discussing the ambiguous aspects of our beautiful application process are all valid talkpoints, in my opinion, but when I asked whether Faith, the only resident member present there, and a Memcom Officer at that, mentioned what I think is a crucial fact that the President and IVP both agreed to dissolve the applicants the night before, Bob told me over the phone that “that is new information.”
I was surprised! I’ve always felt that the reason why this issue has dragged on and on is because some parties did not find peace in the President-IVP agreement to dissolve the applicants. Now, instead of us discussing the whole thing on a theoretical/academic level, we have faced and are facing dire/real consequences – Chito has resigned, the advisers are at odds with the residents, the org’s recognition is in danger, and the IVP has been asked to resign.
Hanggang ngayon sana Joyce-bashing na lang ang ginagawa natin at ‘yun na lang ang problema natin. Bob then asks me a theoretical question: Rey, if you are a fairly new member and you see the president and IVP fighting and they reach an agreement and you are troubled with their decision, could you not talk to some alumni that you have “access to”? I replied, I would by all means talk to some alumni I have access to if I have questions, but I would tell them everything, including the fact that the president and IVP have agreed to dissolve the applicants. Bob then said that’s you, that’s what you and even I would have done pero iba-iba tayo, eh. I was still baffled whether there was some deliberate act on Faith’s part to withhold such important information in a meeting with important alumni members, when Bob said that in hindsight but he cannot recall with certainty, Faith may have mentioned that the president-IVP agreement.
TALKING TO RAFFY. The night before Bob called me up, Erica set a meeting with Raffy Barreiro. I tagged along. Inuman lang siya sa Ang Pulo, Ortigas Home Depot. Galing badminton si Raffy at nasa kabilang table nag-iinuman din ang ilang jocks at kasamahan niya sa RX. I sense a certain dismissal on Raffy’s part that I admire. Kumbaga, sana dumating din ako sa panahong ganyan na ini-involve ako sa usapang Broad Ass pero hindi na’ko ganu’n ka-emotional about it. Inuman lang siya. Sabi nga ni Raffy he actually enjoyed. Naman!
When I mentioned that I can help him with Ma’am Rose, he said, “Kaya mo na’yan!” So sige.
Meron din siyang kakaibang insight sa ginawang pagpapa-resign ni Chito kay IVP. While it was mostly deemed a pagdi-diva na kailangan na lang nating sundin para lang magka-adviser tayo, Chito may have also been “thinking org” because in case the dissolved applicants or the Office of Student Affairs (now headed by staunch Broad Ass critic Ma’am Betsy Enriquez) questions us on the botched application we can say that we recognized the mistake and in fact asked the IVP, the one assigned to handle the application, to resign. Parang protection na rin. Raffy even said Chito doesn’t even have to explain this to us para mas foolproof ‘yung argument natin in case the need for it arises. Galing, no?
He agrees to host a meeting with concerned alumni and residents to finally iron out some details about the whole thing dahil ang statement nga naming ni Erica sa kanya, ang “weird-weird” lang.
THE LEGEND OF SETSET. Napunta ‘yung usapan sa legend na new member pa lang ako eh naririnig ko na: ‘yung time na pinauwi si Setset during the Finals ang isang aplikante. Nagalit ang mga alumni dahil dito pero matapang na hinarap nina Setset at Bob ang mga alumni. Setset and Bob resigned as a result.
1. Almost two decades after, Setset tearfully talked about this incident at the alumni meeting last August 27, ganu’n ka highly-charged ang pangyayaring ‘yun, but at the same time, her biggest bashers then, like Jan, became her closest amigas up until now.
2. Alumni then were close or became close to that rejected-at-the-Finals applicants. A damage-control envoy was sent (Raffy recalls this must be Jan Arceo) to that reject to make sure she wouldn’t bad-mouth the org. Despire the alumni’s opposition, though, perhaps the concept of having a special finals were just too preposterous to them that it was never considered. The most was a more careful handling in case she decides to apply again. Special Finals was not considered then to an applicant who, by the power of the second deliberation, is essentially an Asser, and that her being sent home during the Finals was as Raffy said “chalked up as a mistake. That was a mistake.”
3. Raffy speculates that Bob sees an opportunity to correct that mistake in this recent situation.
SPECIAL FINALS. During the 90’s wala rin namang time na pinag-usapan ang Special Finals, though, napakadugo ng mga Deliberations namin dahil nga that will spell the difference kung magiging Asser o hindi ba ang isang aplikante. Ang una kong delibs, nag-hyperventilate pa ang president. Talagang nag-aaway at nagdedebate ang mga miyembro, kung ma-reject, sasabihan pa nga ang aplikante the next day, right before the Second Interview, na rejected na siya.
When I was IVP I even set rules sa order ng pagbibigay ng grades such that the highest ranking officers reveal their grades last so they can somehow affect the grade average of the applicant, which are rounded off to the nearest thousandths!
Sa 2000’s na lang yata nauso ang Special Finals-Special Finals na ‘yan. They’ve had it a few times already, but the only one I’m sure of is that of one female member whose name eludes me right now na pinag-Special Finals one week after her batchmates niya kasi raw nasaksak ang brother niya kaya kinailangan niyang umuwi sa probinsiya. I told this member that she is lucky dahil kung ako ang IVP niya hindi ko pa rin siya bibigyan ng Special Finals unless siya ‘yung doktor na kailangang gumamot sa kuya niya. I mean, my brother got married during my application and I was not able to attend! Some softer-hearted parties say at least her excuse was more valid than the two applicants’ na pinag-uusapan ngayon. DIYOS KO, SA HABA-HABA NG MGA PINAGSUSULAT KO, PUWEDE BA NATING TANDAAN ULIT NA DALAWANG WALANG KUWENTANG APLIKANTE ANG PINAGMUMULAN NG LAHAT NG ‘TO? GRABE!
Andrew Valdez once asked for Special Finals for an applicant because the applicant was asked to quit by his parents on the Friday before the Finals, at the whole time daw na pinagfa-finals ‘yung ibang applicants, nagmumukmok lang sa isang sulok si Andrew. Hindi ko alam kung presidente na siya nito. Hindi naman yata na-grant ang request niya. Incidentally, ang ganitong clinginess raw sa aplikante ang isang rason kung bakit hindi nanalong IVP si Andrew against a weaker candidate then, Edward, at kung bakit sa ilang attempt daw na mag-Memcom ni Habs eh hindi rin siya nananalo. Binoboto na lang silang presidente eventually, where hopefully they will be too busy with more pertinent matters aside from the application.
But to be fair to Andrew, he had the decency to ask the body for Special Finals at nu’ng napagdesisyunan, narespeto rin niya ‘yun kahit salungat sa gusto niya. Ewan ko na lang kung saan nakuha ng residente nu’n ang wisdom na ‘wag nang magbigay ng Special Finals kahit pa, technically, Asser na’yun kasi na-delibs na siya.
I am not sure if it is Special Finals per se that divides us now because as you all know kahit kami na ayaw sa Special Finals eh biglang nagkandarapa sa pag-organize nito nang narinig na nmin ang punto ni Chito at the infamous Bahay ng Alumni meeting. Ang difference lang talaga kasi ngayon ay ang gulatan, and true enough Habs and Bob were well aware of the possibility of a Special Finals almost a week before it was officially announced.
“KUNG PASOK, PASOK.” “Kung pasok, pasok,” ‘yan ang in-emphasize daw ni Bob kay Habs. Nililinaw niya na hindi sa kanya galing ang ideya ng Special Finals, at ang tanging kinakausap lang niya nu’ng week na ‘yun ay si Habs. “I was asking him to be the president. To be president for the org.” As I said nga naman in ‘Dear Ken,’ Bob called me that Friday I was driving to UP to question the president on the Special Finals and he said, “I am with you here. Ayoko rin ng Special Finals.” But it is the residents’ decision nga naman, something about what transpired at their meeting with Chito.
At this point, while writing this, nalilito na ulit ako kasi I remember asking Bob again in our most recent conversation whether he was for Special Finals or not. “Are you asking for a categorical answer… I neither encouraged nor discouraged it.” Nakalimutan ko na lang du’n tanungin what he meant pala when he told me na ayaw rin niya ng Special Finals, oh well…
Anyway, Bob also said that he was advising the residents to talk to Chito already Monday pa lang. Hindi ko lang din nalinaw kung ano ‘yung magiging agenda ng pag-uusap na’yun. Parang hindi naman advise kung paano magmu-move on ang residents sa pag-aaway ng President at IVP, at parang hindi naman para makapag-isip ng safeguards in case the two dissolved applicants pursue a case against the org. I just remember Bob mentioning his advice when I lamented that Chito’s take on the matter of dissolution was asked way too late, and presumably with the feeling of not finding peace with the president-IVP agreement, while exploring the possibility of Special Finals.
Whatever the point is of Bob asking Habs to talk to Chito Monday pa lang (the day after the scheduled Finals, two days after their Ayala Technohub meeting), hindi naman nakausap si Chito.
GULATAN. Up until this point, ang pinakamatatandang alumni na may take rito ay si Bob, si Ronnie, si Al, ako… Bakit biglang Friday night before the Special Finals lang kami nasabihan nito eh we have been very much involved in this case. Bob cautions me over the phone na wala rin naman silang responsibilidad to inform us kasi nga it is a matter among residents. True, I said, pero ang daming opportunities to tell us.
Habs admitted na Monday pa lang iniisip na nilang mag-Special Finals, sana pala nu’ng Wednesday sa Shakey’s Katipunan ay na-bring-up na nila ‘yun para na-address. I think we’ve proven naman na hindi kami ganu’n katigas ng ulo, nu’ng napaliwanagan nga kami ni Chito eh biglang naging for Special Finals na nga kami, ‘di ba? Thursday pa lang, according to Habs, napagdesisyunan na nilang mag-Special Finals, pero talagang the next day, gabi, bago kami tinext, kung kailan Saturday na ang Special Finals.
I was telling Bob na had they informed the alumni nu’ng Monday pa lang na iniisip na nilang mag-Special Finals, baka napag-usapan pa nang maayos, baka hindi pa gumulo nang ganito. Eh, kaso iniisip namin nag-agree na president at IVP na i-dissolve so nag-focus na lang sa pagmu-move ang alumni, we were kumbaga tackling a different problem kasi ang buong akala natin ok na sila, ‘yung naging paksyun-paskyon na lang among residents ang kailangang ayusin ngayon. That’s when Bob remembers something:
THE SECRET. Even without consulting Chito, Habs devises a plan. He want to hold Special Finals. He tells confides this Bob. Bob agrees but Habs must be the one to tell the alumni.
Bob does not regret agreeing to keep that a secret even when I said that that is the point when our communication lines broke down, because something was withheld from everybody.
Bob admits, though, that his only mistake was giving Habs too much credit as president, he thought Habs would keep his end of the bargain.
So, knowing that the president – and in essence the residents - even without talking to the Faculty Adviser, were thinking of holding Special Finals for the two dissolved applicants, Bob attends the meeting of alumni at Shakey’s Morato that night. Bob spearheads the discussion in finding that one voice we will have when we face the residents two days hence. MOVING ON. ‘Yan ang napag-agree-hang “one voice.”
ONE VOICE. Bob continually pressures Habs to inform alumni about their plans of Special Finals. Tuesday passes, Wednesday at Shakey’s Katipunan meeting ensues and ends. We don’t hear from Habs.
Sa Shakey’s Katipunan, movin on ang tema. The end.
Nag-move on sa McDo Katipunan sina Bob and the residents after the rest of the alumni have left. Hanggang 3AM sila ru’n.
Habs in this meeting daw brought up the “maghahabla si Chito” angle. When I asked how Habs knew this when they haven’t talked to him yet, Bob says Habs and Chito are close and this might have come up in some other way.
It is also at this moved-to-McDo meeting that the Special Finals was brought up. Bob gave them two pieces of advice: 1) To immediately talk to Chito and 2) To make sure the applicants, after one week of being regular people again, are still willing to go through it.
Finally, Thursday, residents get to talk to Chito who encourages them to induct the two applicants. Habs, however, when justifying the Special Finals to me, to Bob, and to who else I don’t know, claims that Chito threatened to sue them in the SDT (Student Disciplinary Tribunal?) if Special Finals are not held for the apps, one of whom is Chito’s recruit.
UNFAIR. I told Bob, when at McDo they mentioned the Special Finals, and he gave them two steps to follow, shouldn’t he have also cautioned them that perhaps holding the special finals a week after the dissolution, a week after the original schedule, be not in the spirit of moving on that was the theme of the dialogue with the alumni awhile ago? I kinda feel kasi na kahit sila-sila na ‘yung nasa McDo at tapos na’yung Shakey’s Katipunan Moving On talks, that still holds bilang alumnus siya na nag-agree sa one voice ng alumni na napagkasunduan sa Shakey’s Timog.
Bob replies, if you are saying that I should’ve said that Special Finals now may not be in the spirit of moving, “I think, Rey, that is unfair to me… We were there talking about my application…” Inisa-isa nila ang points ng application ni Bob until 3 AM… “I think that’s moving on enough.”
End.
Around the third week of application, only two applicants are left. Neither one has been diligently showing up, but are also not showing signs of wanting to quit. IVP puts the decision to dissolve them to a vote by the body. Before that vote, most recent IVP Dina Luna spoke to the body and says, “If it were up to me, I will not dissolve them.” Membership agrees with her, votes not to dissolve the applicants. IVP gives an ultimatum, if the applicants still do not show up the next day, they will be dissolved. But I think IVP failed to strongly express this ultimatum, or at least get the body’s consensus to honor this ultimatum at that meeting.
Applicants do not show up the next morning. Some believe the 7 AM calltime may have been unfairly early for the two. One had class during that time so the other wouldn’t come if the other wasn’t present. That afternoon “sinundo ang mga aplikante.” A semblance of an application is pursued, but then applicant/s say something which pisses IVP off, prompting her to dissolve them. She supposedly said, “Assers, alam ko may usapan tayo pero…” It seems president wasn’t present when this happened.
Incident reaches president. He texts members and applicants, but not the IVP, that there is something wrong with IVP’s decision, and invites applicants back. Naturally, fight between President and IVP ensues. Alumni whose advise was sought by both parties include Lara who was vacationing from Japan so was very visible to the residents. Calls were also fielded to and by Erica to both President and IVP because she was with Lara and I and a few more Assers on the way to the beach.
President calls for a meeting that night, Friday before the scheduled Finals.
At that meeting, President and IVP agreed to uphold the dissolution. Bob says that in his conversations with President, they have not discussed what happened at that meeting that convinced the President to reverse his contention of the IVP dissolving the applicants. But this is pretty much how this grave problem transpired and was resolved among the residents, with hardly alumni intervention.
Bob called up last Wednesday and I was able to get his point-of-view of this incident that we are still trying to piece together, thus it is with confidence that I mention him in this post Bob only requested that he gets to read my account of our phone conversation before uploading it for all of you to read. However, while Bob was able to intelligently guess that I was taking down notes while on the phone with him, it was more for my visualization of how events transpired, and not so much to write down minutes of that conversation kaya do not treat this account as mere minutes of my talk with Bob, but rather a more complete story of Dear Ken with more info from Bob, Al, and Cheryl.
THE UP-AYALA TECHNOHUB MEETING. Of course news that the applicants being dissolved would spread fast. Friday morning pa lang nakikibalita na si Bob kay Faith Recile, the Memcom Officer assigned to textbrig him, kaya nabalitaan na niyang baka nga hindi matuloy. Bob is concerned because he has been fairly active in this application. He was present at the Acquaintance Party, and he was among the speakers at the Orientation so may there is some concern on his part na siya nga naman ang nag-encourage sa mga ‘to na sumali tapos ganito, madi-dissolve Friday before the Finals.
News reached Ianco who told Setset through Facebook chat. Setset asks Bob to see what’s going on. Bob calls up Al Saturday night asking kung tuloy ba ang Finals. Al was thinking, “Uh-oh! Nagfi-fish lang ba si Bob o alam na niya? Turns out alam na niya.” Bob invites Al to meet at UP-Ayala Technohub. This was around 10 PM already. Al picks up Cheryl along the way because she is former IVP, too, and “nag-e-emote siya sa Facebook status niya kaya sinama ko na rin siya.” Faith Recile and Andrew Valdez joins them. “It was basically a Joyce-bashing session,” is how Cheryl described the discussion. Al and Cheryl declare – and I believe so – that no conspiracy among them was cooked up at that controversial meeting.
Bob did say that it was at this UP-Ayala Technohub meeting that he questioned the validity of a dissolution at this point in when the applicants have been declared Assers at the deliberations. Bashing the IVP’s moves, discussing the ambiguous aspects of our beautiful application process are all valid talkpoints, in my opinion, but when I asked whether Faith, the only resident member present there, and a Memcom Officer at that, mentioned what I think is a crucial fact that the President and IVP both agreed to dissolve the applicants the night before, Bob told me over the phone that “that is new information.”
I was surprised! I’ve always felt that the reason why this issue has dragged on and on is because some parties did not find peace in the President-IVP agreement to dissolve the applicants. Now, instead of us discussing the whole thing on a theoretical/academic level, we have faced and are facing dire/real consequences – Chito has resigned, the advisers are at odds with the residents, the org’s recognition is in danger, and the IVP has been asked to resign.
Hanggang ngayon sana Joyce-bashing na lang ang ginagawa natin at ‘yun na lang ang problema natin. Bob then asks me a theoretical question: Rey, if you are a fairly new member and you see the president and IVP fighting and they reach an agreement and you are troubled with their decision, could you not talk to some alumni that you have “access to”? I replied, I would by all means talk to some alumni I have access to if I have questions, but I would tell them everything, including the fact that the president and IVP have agreed to dissolve the applicants. Bob then said that’s you, that’s what you and even I would have done pero iba-iba tayo, eh. I was still baffled whether there was some deliberate act on Faith’s part to withhold such important information in a meeting with important alumni members, when Bob said that in hindsight but he cannot recall with certainty, Faith may have mentioned that the president-IVP agreement.
TALKING TO RAFFY. The night before Bob called me up, Erica set a meeting with Raffy Barreiro. I tagged along. Inuman lang siya sa Ang Pulo, Ortigas Home Depot. Galing badminton si Raffy at nasa kabilang table nag-iinuman din ang ilang jocks at kasamahan niya sa RX. I sense a certain dismissal on Raffy’s part that I admire. Kumbaga, sana dumating din ako sa panahong ganyan na ini-involve ako sa usapang Broad Ass pero hindi na’ko ganu’n ka-emotional about it. Inuman lang siya. Sabi nga ni Raffy he actually enjoyed. Naman!
When I mentioned that I can help him with Ma’am Rose, he said, “Kaya mo na’yan!” So sige.
Meron din siyang kakaibang insight sa ginawang pagpapa-resign ni Chito kay IVP. While it was mostly deemed a pagdi-diva na kailangan na lang nating sundin para lang magka-adviser tayo, Chito may have also been “thinking org” because in case the dissolved applicants or the Office of Student Affairs (now headed by staunch Broad Ass critic Ma’am Betsy Enriquez) questions us on the botched application we can say that we recognized the mistake and in fact asked the IVP, the one assigned to handle the application, to resign. Parang protection na rin. Raffy even said Chito doesn’t even have to explain this to us para mas foolproof ‘yung argument natin in case the need for it arises. Galing, no?
He agrees to host a meeting with concerned alumni and residents to finally iron out some details about the whole thing dahil ang statement nga naming ni Erica sa kanya, ang “weird-weird” lang.
THE LEGEND OF SETSET. Napunta ‘yung usapan sa legend na new member pa lang ako eh naririnig ko na: ‘yung time na pinauwi si Setset during the Finals ang isang aplikante. Nagalit ang mga alumni dahil dito pero matapang na hinarap nina Setset at Bob ang mga alumni. Setset and Bob resigned as a result.
1. Almost two decades after, Setset tearfully talked about this incident at the alumni meeting last August 27, ganu’n ka highly-charged ang pangyayaring ‘yun, but at the same time, her biggest bashers then, like Jan, became her closest amigas up until now.
2. Alumni then were close or became close to that rejected-at-the-Finals applicants. A damage-control envoy was sent (Raffy recalls this must be Jan Arceo) to that reject to make sure she wouldn’t bad-mouth the org. Despire the alumni’s opposition, though, perhaps the concept of having a special finals were just too preposterous to them that it was never considered. The most was a more careful handling in case she decides to apply again. Special Finals was not considered then to an applicant who, by the power of the second deliberation, is essentially an Asser, and that her being sent home during the Finals was as Raffy said “chalked up as a mistake. That was a mistake.”
3. Raffy speculates that Bob sees an opportunity to correct that mistake in this recent situation.
SPECIAL FINALS. During the 90’s wala rin namang time na pinag-usapan ang Special Finals, though, napakadugo ng mga Deliberations namin dahil nga that will spell the difference kung magiging Asser o hindi ba ang isang aplikante. Ang una kong delibs, nag-hyperventilate pa ang president. Talagang nag-aaway at nagdedebate ang mga miyembro, kung ma-reject, sasabihan pa nga ang aplikante the next day, right before the Second Interview, na rejected na siya.
When I was IVP I even set rules sa order ng pagbibigay ng grades such that the highest ranking officers reveal their grades last so they can somehow affect the grade average of the applicant, which are rounded off to the nearest thousandths!
Sa 2000’s na lang yata nauso ang Special Finals-Special Finals na ‘yan. They’ve had it a few times already, but the only one I’m sure of is that of one female member whose name eludes me right now na pinag-Special Finals one week after her batchmates niya kasi raw nasaksak ang brother niya kaya kinailangan niyang umuwi sa probinsiya. I told this member that she is lucky dahil kung ako ang IVP niya hindi ko pa rin siya bibigyan ng Special Finals unless siya ‘yung doktor na kailangang gumamot sa kuya niya. I mean, my brother got married during my application and I was not able to attend! Some softer-hearted parties say at least her excuse was more valid than the two applicants’ na pinag-uusapan ngayon. DIYOS KO, SA HABA-HABA NG MGA PINAGSUSULAT KO, PUWEDE BA NATING TANDAAN ULIT NA DALAWANG WALANG KUWENTANG APLIKANTE ANG PINAGMUMULAN NG LAHAT NG ‘TO? GRABE!
Andrew Valdez once asked for Special Finals for an applicant because the applicant was asked to quit by his parents on the Friday before the Finals, at the whole time daw na pinagfa-finals ‘yung ibang applicants, nagmumukmok lang sa isang sulok si Andrew. Hindi ko alam kung presidente na siya nito. Hindi naman yata na-grant ang request niya. Incidentally, ang ganitong clinginess raw sa aplikante ang isang rason kung bakit hindi nanalong IVP si Andrew against a weaker candidate then, Edward, at kung bakit sa ilang attempt daw na mag-Memcom ni Habs eh hindi rin siya nananalo. Binoboto na lang silang presidente eventually, where hopefully they will be too busy with more pertinent matters aside from the application.
But to be fair to Andrew, he had the decency to ask the body for Special Finals at nu’ng napagdesisyunan, narespeto rin niya ‘yun kahit salungat sa gusto niya. Ewan ko na lang kung saan nakuha ng residente nu’n ang wisdom na ‘wag nang magbigay ng Special Finals kahit pa, technically, Asser na’yun kasi na-delibs na siya.
I am not sure if it is Special Finals per se that divides us now because as you all know kahit kami na ayaw sa Special Finals eh biglang nagkandarapa sa pag-organize nito nang narinig na nmin ang punto ni Chito at the infamous Bahay ng Alumni meeting. Ang difference lang talaga kasi ngayon ay ang gulatan, and true enough Habs and Bob were well aware of the possibility of a Special Finals almost a week before it was officially announced.
“KUNG PASOK, PASOK.” “Kung pasok, pasok,” ‘yan ang in-emphasize daw ni Bob kay Habs. Nililinaw niya na hindi sa kanya galing ang ideya ng Special Finals, at ang tanging kinakausap lang niya nu’ng week na ‘yun ay si Habs. “I was asking him to be the president. To be president for the org.” As I said nga naman in ‘Dear Ken,’ Bob called me that Friday I was driving to UP to question the president on the Special Finals and he said, “I am with you here. Ayoko rin ng Special Finals.” But it is the residents’ decision nga naman, something about what transpired at their meeting with Chito.
At this point, while writing this, nalilito na ulit ako kasi I remember asking Bob again in our most recent conversation whether he was for Special Finals or not. “Are you asking for a categorical answer… I neither encouraged nor discouraged it.” Nakalimutan ko na lang du’n tanungin what he meant pala when he told me na ayaw rin niya ng Special Finals, oh well…
Anyway, Bob also said that he was advising the residents to talk to Chito already Monday pa lang. Hindi ko lang din nalinaw kung ano ‘yung magiging agenda ng pag-uusap na’yun. Parang hindi naman advise kung paano magmu-move on ang residents sa pag-aaway ng President at IVP, at parang hindi naman para makapag-isip ng safeguards in case the two dissolved applicants pursue a case against the org. I just remember Bob mentioning his advice when I lamented that Chito’s take on the matter of dissolution was asked way too late, and presumably with the feeling of not finding peace with the president-IVP agreement, while exploring the possibility of Special Finals.
Whatever the point is of Bob asking Habs to talk to Chito Monday pa lang (the day after the scheduled Finals, two days after their Ayala Technohub meeting), hindi naman nakausap si Chito.
GULATAN. Up until this point, ang pinakamatatandang alumni na may take rito ay si Bob, si Ronnie, si Al, ako… Bakit biglang Friday night before the Special Finals lang kami nasabihan nito eh we have been very much involved in this case. Bob cautions me over the phone na wala rin naman silang responsibilidad to inform us kasi nga it is a matter among residents. True, I said, pero ang daming opportunities to tell us.
Habs admitted na Monday pa lang iniisip na nilang mag-Special Finals, sana pala nu’ng Wednesday sa Shakey’s Katipunan ay na-bring-up na nila ‘yun para na-address. I think we’ve proven naman na hindi kami ganu’n katigas ng ulo, nu’ng napaliwanagan nga kami ni Chito eh biglang naging for Special Finals na nga kami, ‘di ba? Thursday pa lang, according to Habs, napagdesisyunan na nilang mag-Special Finals, pero talagang the next day, gabi, bago kami tinext, kung kailan Saturday na ang Special Finals.
I was telling Bob na had they informed the alumni nu’ng Monday pa lang na iniisip na nilang mag-Special Finals, baka napag-usapan pa nang maayos, baka hindi pa gumulo nang ganito. Eh, kaso iniisip namin nag-agree na president at IVP na i-dissolve so nag-focus na lang sa pagmu-move ang alumni, we were kumbaga tackling a different problem kasi ang buong akala natin ok na sila, ‘yung naging paksyun-paskyon na lang among residents ang kailangang ayusin ngayon. That’s when Bob remembers something:
THE SECRET. Even without consulting Chito, Habs devises a plan. He want to hold Special Finals. He tells confides this Bob. Bob agrees but Habs must be the one to tell the alumni.
Bob does not regret agreeing to keep that a secret even when I said that that is the point when our communication lines broke down, because something was withheld from everybody.
Bob admits, though, that his only mistake was giving Habs too much credit as president, he thought Habs would keep his end of the bargain.
So, knowing that the president – and in essence the residents - even without talking to the Faculty Adviser, were thinking of holding Special Finals for the two dissolved applicants, Bob attends the meeting of alumni at Shakey’s Morato that night. Bob spearheads the discussion in finding that one voice we will have when we face the residents two days hence. MOVING ON. ‘Yan ang napag-agree-hang “one voice.”
ONE VOICE. Bob continually pressures Habs to inform alumni about their plans of Special Finals. Tuesday passes, Wednesday at Shakey’s Katipunan meeting ensues and ends. We don’t hear from Habs.
Sa Shakey’s Katipunan, movin on ang tema. The end.
Nag-move on sa McDo Katipunan sina Bob and the residents after the rest of the alumni have left. Hanggang 3AM sila ru’n.
Habs in this meeting daw brought up the “maghahabla si Chito” angle. When I asked how Habs knew this when they haven’t talked to him yet, Bob says Habs and Chito are close and this might have come up in some other way.
It is also at this moved-to-McDo meeting that the Special Finals was brought up. Bob gave them two pieces of advice: 1) To immediately talk to Chito and 2) To make sure the applicants, after one week of being regular people again, are still willing to go through it.
Finally, Thursday, residents get to talk to Chito who encourages them to induct the two applicants. Habs, however, when justifying the Special Finals to me, to Bob, and to who else I don’t know, claims that Chito threatened to sue them in the SDT (Student Disciplinary Tribunal?) if Special Finals are not held for the apps, one of whom is Chito’s recruit.
UNFAIR. I told Bob, when at McDo they mentioned the Special Finals, and he gave them two steps to follow, shouldn’t he have also cautioned them that perhaps holding the special finals a week after the dissolution, a week after the original schedule, be not in the spirit of moving on that was the theme of the dialogue with the alumni awhile ago? I kinda feel kasi na kahit sila-sila na ‘yung nasa McDo at tapos na’yung Shakey’s Katipunan Moving On talks, that still holds bilang alumnus siya na nag-agree sa one voice ng alumni na napagkasunduan sa Shakey’s Timog.
Bob replies, if you are saying that I should’ve said that Special Finals now may not be in the spirit of moving, “I think, Rey, that is unfair to me… We were there talking about my application…” Inisa-isa nila ang points ng application ni Bob until 3 AM… “I think that’s moving on enough.”
End.
The Secret
FAILURE OF APPLICATION. Lara has nonchalantly mentioned to me around the second week of the application that the applicants haven’t been showing up in so the members might just dissolve them. I shrugged it off. I wasn’t active in this application so I cannot pass judgment but if the applicants haven’t been showing up, and there are already talks of dissolving them then might as well, ‘di ba?
Around the third week of application, only two applicants are left. Neither one has been diligently showing up, but are also not showing signs of wanting to quit. IVP puts the decision to dissolve them to a vote by the body. Before that vote, most recent IVP Dina Luna spoke to the body and says, “If it were up to me, I will not dissolve them.” Membership agrees with her, votes not to dissolve the applicants. IVP gives an ultimatum, if the applicants still do not show up the next day, they will be dissolved. But I think IVP failed to strongly express this ultimatum, or at least get the body’s consensus to honor this ultimatum at that meeting.
Applicants do not show up the next morning. Some believe the 7 AM calltime may have been unfairly early for the two. One had class during that time so the other wouldn’t come if the other wasn’t present. That afternoon “sinundo ang mga aplikante.” A semblance of an application is pursued, but then applicant/s say something which pisses IVP off, prompting her to dissolve them. She supposedly said, “Assers, alam ko may usapan tayo pero…” It seems president wasn’t present when this happened.
Incident reaches president. He texts members and applicants, but not the IVP, that there is something wrong with IVP’s decision, and invites applicants back. Naturally, fight between President and IVP ensues. Alumni whose advise was sought by both parties include Lara who was vacationing from Japan so was very visible to the residents. Calls were also fielded to and by Erica to both President and IVP because she was with Lara and I and a few more Assers on the way to the beach.
President calls for a meeting that night, Friday before the scheduled Finals.
At that meeting, President and IVP agreed to uphold the dissolution. Bob says that in his conversations with President, they have not discussed what happened at that meeting that convinced the President to reverse his contention of the IVP dissolving the applicants. But this is pretty much how this grave problem transpired and was resolved among the residents, with hardly alumni intervention.
Bob called up last Wednesday and I was able to get his point-of-view of this incident that we are still trying to piece together, thus it is with confidence that I mention him in this post Bob only requested that he gets to read my account of our phone conversation before uploading it for all of you to read. However, while Bob was able to intelligently guess that I was taking down notes while on the phone with him, it was more for my visualization of how events transpired, and not so much to write down minutes of that conversation kaya do not treat this account as mere minutes of my talk with Bob, but rather a more complete story of Dear Ken with more info from Bob, Al, and Cheryl.
THE UP-AYALA TECHNOHUB MEETING. Of course news that the applicants being dissolved would spread fast. Friday morning pa lang nakikibalita na si Bob kay Faith Recile, the Memcom Officer assigned to textbrig him, kaya nabalitaan na niyang baka nga hindi matuloy. Bob is concerned because he has been fairly active in this application. He was present at the Acquaintance Party, and he was among the speakers at the Orientation so may there is some concern on his part na siya nga naman ang nag-encourage sa mga ‘to na sumali tapos ganito, madi-dissolve Friday before the Finals.
News reached Ianco who told Setset through Facebook chat. Setset asks Bob to see what’s going on. Bob calls up Al Saturday night asking kung tuloy ba ang Finals. Al was thinking, “Uh-oh! Nagfi-fish lang ba si Bob o alam na niya? Turns out alam na niya.” Bob invites Al to meet at UP-Ayala Technohub. This was around 10 PM already. Al picks up Cheryl along the way because she is former IVP, too, and “nag-e-emote siya sa Facebook status niya kaya sinama ko na rin siya.” Faith Recile and Andrew Valdez joins them. “It was basically a Joyce-bashing session,” is how Cheryl described the discussion. Al and Cheryl declare – and I believe so – that no conspiracy among them was cooked up at that controversial meeting.
Bob did say that it was at this UP-Ayala Technohub meeting that he questioned the validity of a dissolution at this point in when the applicants have been declared Assers at the deliberations. Bashing the IVP’s moves, discussing the ambiguous aspects of our beautiful application process are all valid talkpoints, in my opinion, but when I asked whether Faith, the only resident member present there, and a Memcom Officer at that, mentioned what I think is a crucial fact that the President and IVP both agreed to dissolve the applicants the night before, Bob told me over the phone that “that is new information.”
I was surprised! I’ve always felt that the reason why this issue has dragged on and on is because some parties did not find peace in the President-IVP agreement to dissolve the applicants. Now, instead of us discussing the whole thing on a theoretical/academic level, we have faced and are facing dire/real consequences – Chito has resigned, the advisers are at odds with the residents, the org’s recognition is in danger, and the IVP has been asked to resign.
Hanggang ngayon sana Joyce-bashing na lang ang ginagawa natin at ‘yun na lang ang problema natin. Bob then asks me a theoretical question: Rey, if you are a fairly new member and you see the president and IVP fighting and they reach an agreement and you are troubled with their decision, could you not talk to some alumni that you have “access to”? I replied, I would by all means talk to some alumni I have access to if I have questions, but I would tell them everything, including the fact that the president and IVP have agreed to dissolve the applicants. Bob then said that’s you, that’s what you and even I would have done pero iba-iba tayo, eh. I was still baffled whether there was some deliberate act on Faith’s part to withhold such important information in a meeting with important alumni members, when Bob said that in hindsight but he cannot recall with certainty, Faith may have mentioned that the president-IVP agreement.
TALKING TO RAFFY. The night before Bob called me up, Erica set a meeting with Raffy Barreiro. I tagged along. Inuman lang siya sa Ang Pulo, Ortigas Home Depot. Galing badminton si Raffy at nasa kabilang table nag-iinuman din ang ilang jocks at kasamahan niya sa RX. I sense a certain dismissal on Raffy’s part that I admire. Kumbaga, sana dumating din ako sa panahong ganyan na ini-involve ako sa usapang Broad Ass pero hindi na’ko ganu’n ka-emotional about it. Inuman lang siya. Sabi nga ni Raffy he actually enjoyed. Naman!
When I mentioned that I can help him with Ma’am Rose, he said, “Kaya mo na’yan!” So sige.
Meron din siyang kakaibang insight sa ginawang pagpapa-resign ni Chito kay IVP. While it was mostly deemed a pagdi-diva na kailangan na lang nating sundin para lang magka-adviser tayo, Chito may have also been “thinking org” because in case the dissolved applicants or the Office of Student Affairs (now headed by staunch Broad Ass critic Ma’am Betsy Enriquez) questions us on the botched application we can say that we recognized the mistake and in fact asked the IVP, the one assigned to handle the application, to resign. Parang protection na rin. Raffy even said Chito doesn’t even have to explain this to us para mas foolproof ‘yung argument natin in case the need for it arises. Galing, no?
He agrees to host a meeting with concerned alumni and residents to finally iron out some details about the whole thing dahil ang statement nga naming ni Erica sa kanya, ang “weird-weird” lang.
THE LEGEND OF SETSET. Napunta ‘yung usapan sa legend na new member pa lang ako eh naririnig ko na: ‘yung time na pinauwi si Setset during the Finals ang isang aplikante. Nagalit ang mga alumni dahil dito pero matapang na hinarap nina Setset at Bob ang mga alumni. Setset and Bob resigned as a result.
1. Almost two decades after, Setset tearfully talked about this incident at the alumni meeting last August 27, ganu’n ka highly-charged ang pangyayaring ‘yun, but at the same time, her biggest bashers then, like Jan, became her closest amigas up until now.
2. Alumni then were close or became close to that rejected-at-the-Finals applicants. A damage-control envoy was sent (Raffy recalls this must be Jan Arceo) to that reject to make sure she wouldn’t bad-mouth the org. Despire the alumni’s opposition, though, perhaps the concept of having a special finals were just too preposterous to them that it was never considered. The most was a more careful handling in case she decides to apply again. Special Finals was not considered then to an applicant who, by the power of the second deliberation, is essentially an Asser, and that her being sent home during the Finals was as Raffy said “chalked up as a mistake. That was a mistake.”
3. Raffy speculates that Bob sees an opportunity to correct that mistake in this recent situation.
SPECIAL FINALS. During the 90’s wala rin namang time na pinag-usapan ang Special Finals, though, napakadugo ng mga Deliberations namin dahil nga that will spell the difference kung magiging Asser o hindi ba ang isang aplikante. Ang una kong delibs, nag-hyperventilate pa ang president. Talagang nag-aaway at nagdedebate ang mga miyembro, kung ma-reject, sasabihan pa nga ang aplikante the next day, right before the Second Interview, na rejected na siya.
When I was IVP I even set rules sa order ng pagbibigay ng grades such that the highest ranking officers reveal their grades last so they can somehow affect the grade average of the applicant, which are rounded off to the nearest thousandths!
Sa 2000’s na lang yata nauso ang Special Finals-Special Finals na ‘yan. They’ve had it a few times already, but the only one I’m sure of is that of one female member whose name eludes me right now na pinag-Special Finals one week after her batchmates niya kasi raw nasaksak ang brother niya kaya kinailangan niyang umuwi sa probinsiya. I told this member that she is lucky dahil kung ako ang IVP niya hindi ko pa rin siya bibigyan ng Special Finals unless siya ‘yung doktor na kailangang gumamot sa kuya niya. I mean, my brother got married during my application and I was not able to attend! Some softer-hearted parties say at least her excuse was more valid than the two applicants’ na pinag-uusapan ngayon. DIYOS KO, SA HABA-HABA NG MGA PINAGSUSULAT KO, PUWEDE BA NATING TANDAAN ULIT NA DALAWANG WALANG KUWENTANG APLIKANTE ANG PINAGMUMULAN NG LAHAT NG ‘TO? GRABE!
Andrew Valdez once asked for Special Finals for an applicant because the applicant was asked to quit by his parents on the Friday before the Finals, at the whole time daw na pinagfa-finals ‘yung ibang applicants, nagmumukmok lang sa isang sulok si Andrew. Hindi ko alam kung presidente na siya nito. Hindi naman yata na-grant ang request niya. Incidentally, ang ganitong clinginess raw sa aplikante ang isang rason kung bakit hindi nanalong IVP si Andrew against a weaker candidate then, Edward, at kung bakit sa ilang attempt daw na mag-Memcom ni Habs eh hindi rin siya nananalo. Binoboto na lang silang presidente eventually, where hopefully they will be too busy with more pertinent matters aside from the application.
But to be fair to Andrew, he had the decency to ask the body for Special Finals at nu’ng napagdesisyunan, narespeto rin niya ‘yun kahit salungat sa gusto niya. Ewan ko na lang kung saan nakuha ng residente nu’n ang wisdom na ‘wag nang magbigay ng Special Finals kahit pa, technically, Asser na’yun kasi na-delibs na siya.
I am not sure if it is Special Finals per se that divides us now because as you all know kahit kami na ayaw sa Special Finals eh biglang nagkandarapa sa pag-organize nito nang narinig na nmin ang punto ni Chito at the infamous Bahay ng Alumni meeting. Ang difference lang talaga kasi ngayon ay ang gulatan, and true enough Habs and Bob were well aware of the possibility of a Special Finals almost a week before it was officially announced.
“KUNG PASOK, PASOK.” “Kung pasok, pasok,” ‘yan ang in-emphasize daw ni Bob kay Habs. Nililinaw niya na hindi sa kanya galing ang ideya ng Special Finals, at ang tanging kinakausap lang niya nu’ng week na ‘yun ay si Habs. “I was asking him to be the president. To be president for the org.” As I said nga naman in ‘Dear Ken,’ Bob called me that Friday I was driving to UP to question the president on the Special Finals and he said, “I am with you here. Ayoko rin ng Special Finals.” But it is the residents’ decision nga naman, something about what transpired at their meeting with Chito.
At this point, while writing this, nalilito na ulit ako kasi I remember asking Bob again in our most recent conversation whether he was for Special Finals or not. “Are you asking for a categorical answer… I neither encouraged nor discouraged it.” Nakalimutan ko na lang du’n tanungin what he meant pala when he told me na ayaw rin niya ng Special Finals, oh well…
Anyway, Bob also said that he was advising the residents to talk to Chito already Monday pa lang. Hindi ko lang din nalinaw kung ano ‘yung magiging agenda ng pag-uusap na’yun. Parang hindi naman advise kung paano magmu-move on ang residents sa pag-aaway ng President at IVP, at parang hindi naman para makapag-isip ng safeguards in case the two dissolved applicants pursue a case against the org. I just remember Bob mentioning his advice when I lamented that Chito’s take on the matter of dissolution was asked way too late, and presumably with the feeling of not finding peace with the president-IVP agreement, while exploring the possibility of Special Finals.
Whatever the point is of Bob asking Habs to talk to Chito Monday pa lang (the day after the scheduled Finals, two days after their Ayala Technohub meeting), hindi naman nakausap si Chito.
GULATAN. Up until this point, ang pinakamatatandang alumni na may take rito ay si Bob, si Ronnie, si Al, ako… Bakit biglang Friday night before the Special Finals lang kami nasabihan nito eh we have been very much involved in this case. Bob cautions me over the phone na wala rin naman silang responsibilidad to inform us kasi nga it is a matter among residents. True, I said, pero ang daming opportunities to tell us.
Habs admitted na Monday pa lang iniisip na nilang mag-Special Finals, sana pala nu’ng Wednesday sa Shakey’s Katipunan ay na-bring-up na nila ‘yun para na-address. I think we’ve proven naman na hindi kami ganu’n katigas ng ulo, nu’ng napaliwanagan nga kami ni Chito eh biglang naging for Special Finals na nga kami, ‘di ba? Thursday pa lang, according to Habs, napagdesisyunan na nilang mag-Special Finals, pero talagang the next day, gabi, bago kami tinext, kung kailan Saturday na ang Special Finals.
I was telling Bob na had they informed the alumni nu’ng Monday pa lang na iniisip na nilang mag-Special Finals, baka napag-usapan pa nang maayos, baka hindi pa gumulo nang ganito. Eh, kaso iniisip namin nag-agree na president at IVP na i-dissolve so nag-focus na lang sa pagmu-move ang alumni, we were kumbaga tackling a different problem kasi ang buong akala natin ok na sila, ‘yung naging paksyun-paskyon na lang among residents ang kailangang ayusin ngayon. That’s when Bob remembers something:
THE SECRET. Even without consulting Chito, Habs devises a plan. He want to hold Special Finals. He tells confides this Bob. Bob agrees but Habs must be the one to tell the alumni.
Bob does not regret agreeing to keep that a secret even when I said that that is the point when our communication lines broke down, because something was withheld from everybody.
Bob admits, though, that his only mistake was giving Habs too much credit as president, he thought Habs would keep his end of the bargain.
So, knowing that the president – and in essence the residents - even without talking to the Faculty Adviser, were thinking of holding Special Finals for the two dissolved applicants, Bob attends the meeting of alumni at Shakey’s Morato that night. Bob spearheads the discussion in finding that one voice we will have when we face the residents two days hence. MOVING ON. ‘Yan ang napag-agree-hang “one voice.”
ONE VOICE. Bob continually pressures Habs to inform alumni about their plans of Special Finals. Tuesday passes, Wednesday at Shakey’s Katipunan meeting ensues and ends. We don’t hear from Habs.
Sa Shakey’s Katipunan, movin on ang tema. The end.
Nag-move on sa McDo Katipunan sina Bob and the residents after the rest of the alumni have left. Hanggang 3AM sila ru’n.
Habs in this meeting daw brought up the “maghahabla si Chito” angle. When I asked how Habs knew this when they haven’t talked to him yet, Bob says Habs and Chito are close and this might have come up in some other way.
It is also at this moved-to-McDo meeting that the Special Finals was brought up. Bob gave them two pieces of advice: 1) To immediately talk to Chito and 2) To make sure the applicants, after one week of being regular people again, are still willing to go through it.
Finally, Thursday, residents get to talk to Chito who encourages them to induct the two applicants. Habs, however, when justifying the Special Finals to me, to Bob, and to who else I don’t know, claims that Chito threatened to sue them in the SDT (Student Disciplinary Tribunal?) if Special Finals are not held for the apps, one of whom is Chito’s recruit.
UNFAIR. I told Bob, when at McDo they mentioned the Special Finals, and he gave them two steps to follow, shouldn’t he have also cautioned them that perhaps holding the special finals a week after the dissolution, a week after the original schedule, be not in the spirit of moving on that was the theme of the dialogue with the alumni awhile ago? I kinda feel kasi na kahit sila-sila na ‘yung nasa McDo at tapos na’yung Shakey’s Katipunan Moving On talks, that still holds bilang alumnus siya na nag-agree sa one voice ng alumni na napagkasunduan sa Shakey’s Timog.
Bob replies, if you are saying that I should’ve said that Special Finals now may not be in the spirit of moving, “I think, Rey, that is unfair to me… We were there talking about my application…” Inisa-isa nila ang points ng application ni Bob until 3 AM… “I think that’s moving on enough.”
End.
Around the third week of application, only two applicants are left. Neither one has been diligently showing up, but are also not showing signs of wanting to quit. IVP puts the decision to dissolve them to a vote by the body. Before that vote, most recent IVP Dina Luna spoke to the body and says, “If it were up to me, I will not dissolve them.” Membership agrees with her, votes not to dissolve the applicants. IVP gives an ultimatum, if the applicants still do not show up the next day, they will be dissolved. But I think IVP failed to strongly express this ultimatum, or at least get the body’s consensus to honor this ultimatum at that meeting.
Applicants do not show up the next morning. Some believe the 7 AM calltime may have been unfairly early for the two. One had class during that time so the other wouldn’t come if the other wasn’t present. That afternoon “sinundo ang mga aplikante.” A semblance of an application is pursued, but then applicant/s say something which pisses IVP off, prompting her to dissolve them. She supposedly said, “Assers, alam ko may usapan tayo pero…” It seems president wasn’t present when this happened.
Incident reaches president. He texts members and applicants, but not the IVP, that there is something wrong with IVP’s decision, and invites applicants back. Naturally, fight between President and IVP ensues. Alumni whose advise was sought by both parties include Lara who was vacationing from Japan so was very visible to the residents. Calls were also fielded to and by Erica to both President and IVP because she was with Lara and I and a few more Assers on the way to the beach.
President calls for a meeting that night, Friday before the scheduled Finals.
At that meeting, President and IVP agreed to uphold the dissolution. Bob says that in his conversations with President, they have not discussed what happened at that meeting that convinced the President to reverse his contention of the IVP dissolving the applicants. But this is pretty much how this grave problem transpired and was resolved among the residents, with hardly alumni intervention.
Bob called up last Wednesday and I was able to get his point-of-view of this incident that we are still trying to piece together, thus it is with confidence that I mention him in this post Bob only requested that he gets to read my account of our phone conversation before uploading it for all of you to read. However, while Bob was able to intelligently guess that I was taking down notes while on the phone with him, it was more for my visualization of how events transpired, and not so much to write down minutes of that conversation kaya do not treat this account as mere minutes of my talk with Bob, but rather a more complete story of Dear Ken with more info from Bob, Al, and Cheryl.
THE UP-AYALA TECHNOHUB MEETING. Of course news that the applicants being dissolved would spread fast. Friday morning pa lang nakikibalita na si Bob kay Faith Recile, the Memcom Officer assigned to textbrig him, kaya nabalitaan na niyang baka nga hindi matuloy. Bob is concerned because he has been fairly active in this application. He was present at the Acquaintance Party, and he was among the speakers at the Orientation so may there is some concern on his part na siya nga naman ang nag-encourage sa mga ‘to na sumali tapos ganito, madi-dissolve Friday before the Finals.
News reached Ianco who told Setset through Facebook chat. Setset asks Bob to see what’s going on. Bob calls up Al Saturday night asking kung tuloy ba ang Finals. Al was thinking, “Uh-oh! Nagfi-fish lang ba si Bob o alam na niya? Turns out alam na niya.” Bob invites Al to meet at UP-Ayala Technohub. This was around 10 PM already. Al picks up Cheryl along the way because she is former IVP, too, and “nag-e-emote siya sa Facebook status niya kaya sinama ko na rin siya.” Faith Recile and Andrew Valdez joins them. “It was basically a Joyce-bashing session,” is how Cheryl described the discussion. Al and Cheryl declare – and I believe so – that no conspiracy among them was cooked up at that controversial meeting.
Bob did say that it was at this UP-Ayala Technohub meeting that he questioned the validity of a dissolution at this point in when the applicants have been declared Assers at the deliberations. Bashing the IVP’s moves, discussing the ambiguous aspects of our beautiful application process are all valid talkpoints, in my opinion, but when I asked whether Faith, the only resident member present there, and a Memcom Officer at that, mentioned what I think is a crucial fact that the President and IVP both agreed to dissolve the applicants the night before, Bob told me over the phone that “that is new information.”
I was surprised! I’ve always felt that the reason why this issue has dragged on and on is because some parties did not find peace in the President-IVP agreement to dissolve the applicants. Now, instead of us discussing the whole thing on a theoretical/academic level, we have faced and are facing dire/real consequences – Chito has resigned, the advisers are at odds with the residents, the org’s recognition is in danger, and the IVP has been asked to resign.
Hanggang ngayon sana Joyce-bashing na lang ang ginagawa natin at ‘yun na lang ang problema natin. Bob then asks me a theoretical question: Rey, if you are a fairly new member and you see the president and IVP fighting and they reach an agreement and you are troubled with their decision, could you not talk to some alumni that you have “access to”? I replied, I would by all means talk to some alumni I have access to if I have questions, but I would tell them everything, including the fact that the president and IVP have agreed to dissolve the applicants. Bob then said that’s you, that’s what you and even I would have done pero iba-iba tayo, eh. I was still baffled whether there was some deliberate act on Faith’s part to withhold such important information in a meeting with important alumni members, when Bob said that in hindsight but he cannot recall with certainty, Faith may have mentioned that the president-IVP agreement.
TALKING TO RAFFY. The night before Bob called me up, Erica set a meeting with Raffy Barreiro. I tagged along. Inuman lang siya sa Ang Pulo, Ortigas Home Depot. Galing badminton si Raffy at nasa kabilang table nag-iinuman din ang ilang jocks at kasamahan niya sa RX. I sense a certain dismissal on Raffy’s part that I admire. Kumbaga, sana dumating din ako sa panahong ganyan na ini-involve ako sa usapang Broad Ass pero hindi na’ko ganu’n ka-emotional about it. Inuman lang siya. Sabi nga ni Raffy he actually enjoyed. Naman!
When I mentioned that I can help him with Ma’am Rose, he said, “Kaya mo na’yan!” So sige.
Meron din siyang kakaibang insight sa ginawang pagpapa-resign ni Chito kay IVP. While it was mostly deemed a pagdi-diva na kailangan na lang nating sundin para lang magka-adviser tayo, Chito may have also been “thinking org” because in case the dissolved applicants or the Office of Student Affairs (now headed by staunch Broad Ass critic Ma’am Betsy Enriquez) questions us on the botched application we can say that we recognized the mistake and in fact asked the IVP, the one assigned to handle the application, to resign. Parang protection na rin. Raffy even said Chito doesn’t even have to explain this to us para mas foolproof ‘yung argument natin in case the need for it arises. Galing, no?
He agrees to host a meeting with concerned alumni and residents to finally iron out some details about the whole thing dahil ang statement nga naming ni Erica sa kanya, ang “weird-weird” lang.
THE LEGEND OF SETSET. Napunta ‘yung usapan sa legend na new member pa lang ako eh naririnig ko na: ‘yung time na pinauwi si Setset during the Finals ang isang aplikante. Nagalit ang mga alumni dahil dito pero matapang na hinarap nina Setset at Bob ang mga alumni. Setset and Bob resigned as a result.
1. Almost two decades after, Setset tearfully talked about this incident at the alumni meeting last August 27, ganu’n ka highly-charged ang pangyayaring ‘yun, but at the same time, her biggest bashers then, like Jan, became her closest amigas up until now.
2. Alumni then were close or became close to that rejected-at-the-Finals applicants. A damage-control envoy was sent (Raffy recalls this must be Jan Arceo) to that reject to make sure she wouldn’t bad-mouth the org. Despire the alumni’s opposition, though, perhaps the concept of having a special finals were just too preposterous to them that it was never considered. The most was a more careful handling in case she decides to apply again. Special Finals was not considered then to an applicant who, by the power of the second deliberation, is essentially an Asser, and that her being sent home during the Finals was as Raffy said “chalked up as a mistake. That was a mistake.”
3. Raffy speculates that Bob sees an opportunity to correct that mistake in this recent situation.
SPECIAL FINALS. During the 90’s wala rin namang time na pinag-usapan ang Special Finals, though, napakadugo ng mga Deliberations namin dahil nga that will spell the difference kung magiging Asser o hindi ba ang isang aplikante. Ang una kong delibs, nag-hyperventilate pa ang president. Talagang nag-aaway at nagdedebate ang mga miyembro, kung ma-reject, sasabihan pa nga ang aplikante the next day, right before the Second Interview, na rejected na siya.
When I was IVP I even set rules sa order ng pagbibigay ng grades such that the highest ranking officers reveal their grades last so they can somehow affect the grade average of the applicant, which are rounded off to the nearest thousandths!
Sa 2000’s na lang yata nauso ang Special Finals-Special Finals na ‘yan. They’ve had it a few times already, but the only one I’m sure of is that of one female member whose name eludes me right now na pinag-Special Finals one week after her batchmates niya kasi raw nasaksak ang brother niya kaya kinailangan niyang umuwi sa probinsiya. I told this member that she is lucky dahil kung ako ang IVP niya hindi ko pa rin siya bibigyan ng Special Finals unless siya ‘yung doktor na kailangang gumamot sa kuya niya. I mean, my brother got married during my application and I was not able to attend! Some softer-hearted parties say at least her excuse was more valid than the two applicants’ na pinag-uusapan ngayon. DIYOS KO, SA HABA-HABA NG MGA PINAGSUSULAT KO, PUWEDE BA NATING TANDAAN ULIT NA DALAWANG WALANG KUWENTANG APLIKANTE ANG PINAGMUMULAN NG LAHAT NG ‘TO? GRABE!
Andrew Valdez once asked for Special Finals for an applicant because the applicant was asked to quit by his parents on the Friday before the Finals, at the whole time daw na pinagfa-finals ‘yung ibang applicants, nagmumukmok lang sa isang sulok si Andrew. Hindi ko alam kung presidente na siya nito. Hindi naman yata na-grant ang request niya. Incidentally, ang ganitong clinginess raw sa aplikante ang isang rason kung bakit hindi nanalong IVP si Andrew against a weaker candidate then, Edward, at kung bakit sa ilang attempt daw na mag-Memcom ni Habs eh hindi rin siya nananalo. Binoboto na lang silang presidente eventually, where hopefully they will be too busy with more pertinent matters aside from the application.
But to be fair to Andrew, he had the decency to ask the body for Special Finals at nu’ng napagdesisyunan, narespeto rin niya ‘yun kahit salungat sa gusto niya. Ewan ko na lang kung saan nakuha ng residente nu’n ang wisdom na ‘wag nang magbigay ng Special Finals kahit pa, technically, Asser na’yun kasi na-delibs na siya.
I am not sure if it is Special Finals per se that divides us now because as you all know kahit kami na ayaw sa Special Finals eh biglang nagkandarapa sa pag-organize nito nang narinig na nmin ang punto ni Chito at the infamous Bahay ng Alumni meeting. Ang difference lang talaga kasi ngayon ay ang gulatan, and true enough Habs and Bob were well aware of the possibility of a Special Finals almost a week before it was officially announced.
“KUNG PASOK, PASOK.” “Kung pasok, pasok,” ‘yan ang in-emphasize daw ni Bob kay Habs. Nililinaw niya na hindi sa kanya galing ang ideya ng Special Finals, at ang tanging kinakausap lang niya nu’ng week na ‘yun ay si Habs. “I was asking him to be the president. To be president for the org.” As I said nga naman in ‘Dear Ken,’ Bob called me that Friday I was driving to UP to question the president on the Special Finals and he said, “I am with you here. Ayoko rin ng Special Finals.” But it is the residents’ decision nga naman, something about what transpired at their meeting with Chito.
At this point, while writing this, nalilito na ulit ako kasi I remember asking Bob again in our most recent conversation whether he was for Special Finals or not. “Are you asking for a categorical answer… I neither encouraged nor discouraged it.” Nakalimutan ko na lang du’n tanungin what he meant pala when he told me na ayaw rin niya ng Special Finals, oh well…
Anyway, Bob also said that he was advising the residents to talk to Chito already Monday pa lang. Hindi ko lang din nalinaw kung ano ‘yung magiging agenda ng pag-uusap na’yun. Parang hindi naman advise kung paano magmu-move on ang residents sa pag-aaway ng President at IVP, at parang hindi naman para makapag-isip ng safeguards in case the two dissolved applicants pursue a case against the org. I just remember Bob mentioning his advice when I lamented that Chito’s take on the matter of dissolution was asked way too late, and presumably with the feeling of not finding peace with the president-IVP agreement, while exploring the possibility of Special Finals.
Whatever the point is of Bob asking Habs to talk to Chito Monday pa lang (the day after the scheduled Finals, two days after their Ayala Technohub meeting), hindi naman nakausap si Chito.
GULATAN. Up until this point, ang pinakamatatandang alumni na may take rito ay si Bob, si Ronnie, si Al, ako… Bakit biglang Friday night before the Special Finals lang kami nasabihan nito eh we have been very much involved in this case. Bob cautions me over the phone na wala rin naman silang responsibilidad to inform us kasi nga it is a matter among residents. True, I said, pero ang daming opportunities to tell us.
Habs admitted na Monday pa lang iniisip na nilang mag-Special Finals, sana pala nu’ng Wednesday sa Shakey’s Katipunan ay na-bring-up na nila ‘yun para na-address. I think we’ve proven naman na hindi kami ganu’n katigas ng ulo, nu’ng napaliwanagan nga kami ni Chito eh biglang naging for Special Finals na nga kami, ‘di ba? Thursday pa lang, according to Habs, napagdesisyunan na nilang mag-Special Finals, pero talagang the next day, gabi, bago kami tinext, kung kailan Saturday na ang Special Finals.
I was telling Bob na had they informed the alumni nu’ng Monday pa lang na iniisip na nilang mag-Special Finals, baka napag-usapan pa nang maayos, baka hindi pa gumulo nang ganito. Eh, kaso iniisip namin nag-agree na president at IVP na i-dissolve so nag-focus na lang sa pagmu-move ang alumni, we were kumbaga tackling a different problem kasi ang buong akala natin ok na sila, ‘yung naging paksyun-paskyon na lang among residents ang kailangang ayusin ngayon. That’s when Bob remembers something:
THE SECRET. Even without consulting Chito, Habs devises a plan. He want to hold Special Finals. He tells confides this Bob. Bob agrees but Habs must be the one to tell the alumni.
Bob does not regret agreeing to keep that a secret even when I said that that is the point when our communication lines broke down, because something was withheld from everybody.
Bob admits, though, that his only mistake was giving Habs too much credit as president, he thought Habs would keep his end of the bargain.
So, knowing that the president – and in essence the residents - even without talking to the Faculty Adviser, were thinking of holding Special Finals for the two dissolved applicants, Bob attends the meeting of alumni at Shakey’s Morato that night. Bob spearheads the discussion in finding that one voice we will have when we face the residents two days hence. MOVING ON. ‘Yan ang napag-agree-hang “one voice.”
ONE VOICE. Bob continually pressures Habs to inform alumni about their plans of Special Finals. Tuesday passes, Wednesday at Shakey’s Katipunan meeting ensues and ends. We don’t hear from Habs.
Sa Shakey’s Katipunan, movin on ang tema. The end.
Nag-move on sa McDo Katipunan sina Bob and the residents after the rest of the alumni have left. Hanggang 3AM sila ru’n.
Habs in this meeting daw brought up the “maghahabla si Chito” angle. When I asked how Habs knew this when they haven’t talked to him yet, Bob says Habs and Chito are close and this might have come up in some other way.
It is also at this moved-to-McDo meeting that the Special Finals was brought up. Bob gave them two pieces of advice: 1) To immediately talk to Chito and 2) To make sure the applicants, after one week of being regular people again, are still willing to go through it.
Finally, Thursday, residents get to talk to Chito who encourages them to induct the two applicants. Habs, however, when justifying the Special Finals to me, to Bob, and to who else I don’t know, claims that Chito threatened to sue them in the SDT (Student Disciplinary Tribunal?) if Special Finals are not held for the apps, one of whom is Chito’s recruit.
UNFAIR. I told Bob, when at McDo they mentioned the Special Finals, and he gave them two steps to follow, shouldn’t he have also cautioned them that perhaps holding the special finals a week after the dissolution, a week after the original schedule, be not in the spirit of moving on that was the theme of the dialogue with the alumni awhile ago? I kinda feel kasi na kahit sila-sila na ‘yung nasa McDo at tapos na’yung Shakey’s Katipunan Moving On talks, that still holds bilang alumnus siya na nag-agree sa one voice ng alumni na napagkasunduan sa Shakey’s Timog.
Bob replies, if you are saying that I should’ve said that Special Finals now may not be in the spirit of moving, “I think, Rey, that is unfair to me… We were there talking about my application…” Inisa-isa nila ang points ng application ni Bob until 3 AM… “I think that’s moving on enough.”
End.
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Pinindut-Pindot (sa japan)
Pinindut-pindo namin ni Flow ang baby blue at baby pink na buttons sa inidoro pero walang nangyayari. Siyempre Japanese ang sulat so hindi rin namin alam kung para saan ‘yung mga pindutan. Nagmamadali akong lumabas para kunin ang hiniram ko kay Thea na digicam na noo’y nasa kama ko sa hotel room namin sa Hotel Tobu (sa Kinshico /KINS-CHO/ northeast of central Tokyo). Pagbalik ko sa banyo, nag-give-up na si Flow sa inidoro at ang mga mga buttons naman sa shower ang iniinspeksyon. Pinindot niya ‘yung isa. “O! Umilaw!”
“Gaga,” paliwanag ko, “flash ng camera ‘yun. Kinunan ko ‘yung inidoro.”
“Gaga,” paliwanag ko, “flash ng camera ‘yun. Kinunan ko ‘yung inidoro.”
