I started commuting independently at the age of 13- I was a freshman in a "science high school" somewhere in the crowded streets of Cabanatuan City. Back then, it only takes 8 pesos for me to get home in a jeepney ride.
Commuting has been a part of my life for the past 7 years of my existence or should I also count my elementary days when twenty something pesky little kids with our bags that are usually bigger than us filled with inches thick of books are jam-packed into a jeepney back and fourth to our homes?
I have seen how the roads that I used to pass by every single day have worn-out until rocks start to show. I have seen many repairs and damage, repairs and damage, repairs and damage......repairs and damage over and over again.
Just recently, DPWH and Malacañang asphalted the road from San Jose City to Cabanatuan City. It was like the ones in SCTEX, mind you. And if only cars have feelings, I am pretty sure they are very happy and comfortable passing by in one of the major roads in the province.
Then rainy season came and heavy rains poured out.
On my way to Cabanatuan one time, I was thrilled by what I saw, a part of the newly asphalted road adjacent to a private hospital and a college is now gone and all I could see are mud and rocks, how could that happen? I don't know.
A moment later, looking at the poor roads, it was as if the jeepney landed on the moon in front of again, a hospital and a gasoline station. Just imagine the craters of the moon, and I think I don't need to say a word anymore.
We painstakingly passed by the "craters", and as much as the driver wanted to make his passengers feel comfortable, he just couldn't.
And the passengers, particularly the old ones are starting to shake their heads, and get angry at the driver, as if it was his fault.
All the while, I sat quietly, looking at the potholes and just thinking that it was a giant sungka board and the "bato" are the cars. Silly.
I was supposed to take photos of the road in case you don't believe me, but I was too afraid that my mobile phone would fall off the bumpy jeepney and go straight in one of the potholes when I try to take a photo.
It was like we are riding on a car pimped by MTV with hydraulics ,just like the one that Ling-Ling's mom owns in the film Hot Chick.
As of this writing, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Nueva Ecija is investigating about the issue calling the attention of the district engineers responsible for the asphalting of the roads. Good thing though, the roads are still covered by a one-year warranty period from the contractor.*
I just hope that there'll be no more potholes and craters come May 2010.
Mula nang naging presidente si GMA, dumami bigla ang holidays, nauso ang salitang "long weekend" dahil sa paglilipat niya ng holiday.
Aaminin ko noong una, walang pagsidlan ang kaligayahan ko pag walang pasok. Pero ngayon hindi na talaga. Isipin mo naman isang linggong atrasado ang klase sa lahat ng pamantasan sa Pinas dahil sa H1N1, nasuspinde pa ulit ng sampung araw dahil sa 5 kumpirmadong kaso ng H1N1 sa liblib na pamantasan, nawalan ng klase noong Intrams, at nuknukan ng daming dinedeklarang holiday ni GMA.
Wala namang kaso ang mga holiday na dinedeklara ni GMA kaya lang, minsan talaga hindi naman kailangan. 'Yung kay Presidente Cory, ayos 'yun kasi malaki talaga ang nagawa niya para sa bansa at ramdam mo talaga na napakalaking bahagi ng bansa ang nawala sa paglisan niya.
Pero 'yung holiday sa Lunes, hindi ko alam kung ano ang basehan ni GMA. Pre-dominantly Catholic country naman ang Pinas at hindi naman lahat nakakakilala kay Ka Erdie. Naiitindihan at nirerespeto ko na isang respetadong religious leader si Ka Erdie, pero hindi kaya "political" ang rason ng pangulo na mag-deklara ng holiday? Ewan ko lang, pero sa dami ng politikong dumadalo sa burol niya kaysa sa burol ni dating Pangulong Cory na sabay sabay pang pumupunta eh mukhang pasok sa banga ang iniisip ko. Okay, wag akong sana akong awayin ng mga kapatid. :)
Kaya lang kasi, wala na kaming natutunan. Puro make-up class, delayed na exams at tambak na requirements na dapat magawa in the remaining days of the sem. Eh wala na nga kaming sem-break eh. Kulang na lang ata huwag kaming matulog sa pagre-review, paggawa ng research papers, lesson plan, visual aids at walang katapusang projects and assignment na hindi pwedeng ipagawa kay Ate at Kuya at lalong-lalo na kay Nanay. (and the best in reklamo award goes to.........)
Siguro hindi lang ako ang makakapagsabi nito, kasi parang hindi sulit yung binabayad namin (kahit nasa State U ako) . Madaming nagsasabi passive ang mga kabataan, pero paano nga ba kami makakapag-organize ng activities kung walang participants dahil busy sa pagpasok tuwing Sabado at tambak ang gawain tuwing school days?
Okay hihinga muna ako ng walang kasing-lalim at susubukang intindihin ang bagay-bagay. Hindi na naman ako makakapag-pa-meeting sa Lunes. Huhu.
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EIC
Ako ay EIC (ang yabang ko). Pakiramdam ko kawawa ang pahayagan namin. Kasi ngayon ko nararamdaman ang preysyur at hirap bilang tagapamahala ng grupo. Wala kaming opisina, well meron pero hindi functional kasi naka-lock lagi yung room na kinalalagyan ng opisina, conference room kasi 'yun. Ibig sabihin, wala kaming gamit well meron ulit, isang old-aged computer na natatakot akong buksan dahil baka ugatan ako sa paghihintay na mag-boot ito. Merong malaking plastic na cabinet na tambak ng papel, lumang cork board at picture frame ata 'yun? Walang printer, DSLR camera at lens (ambisyosa!) Kaya naman sariling kayod ang lola mo sa pagkuha ng litrato, nakiki-gamit ng laptop ng may laptop para lagyan lang ng virus, nakiki-print sa printer ng iba at gumagamit ng charm sa panghihingi ng papel, push pins at kung anu-ano pa sa mga nakaririwasa.
Pero okay lang 'yun, hindi naman naging hadlang yung mga bagay na wala kami para makapagsilbi kami sa mga estudyante at sa kolehiyo namin. At sa tingin ko, higit sa mga materyal na bagay, pagmamahal sa pagsusulat at puso para sa pagsisilbi ng walang kapalit ang kailangan para masabi na kaya mong gampanan ang responsibilidad na naka-atang sa amin.
Nais kong pasalamatan ang mga Educator staffers sa walang sawang pagsisilbi at pagsusulat para sa mga estudyante.
O siya, tama na ang pag-e-emote ko dito at baka pagalitan na naman akira.
A few weeks ago, my aunt came home from Canada for my Lola's birthday and the blessing of her new home.
It was happy seeing her again after long years, together with my cousin. We recalled countless stories on how my cousin wept and screamed with anger when he finally knew that they will be flying to Canada to follow his mom and have a better life there. We just laugh it off today.
I remember those days when members of the family have to leave and we'll send them off to airport. It was a heart-breaking moment, seeing tears running down their eyes and giving their final reminders to the ones who will be left in the country.
We were always the ones who are left- the ones who sends them to the airport and being reminded.
My dad wants us to go abroad to work and maybe, find our luck there. Though he didn't insisted us to take up Nursing (thank goodness), he encourages us to apply for a job abroad. "Wala ng pag-asa dito" he would always say.
Well, I am starting to believe him now, but that doesn't mean that I will leave.
I guess, I'd still be sending a few more relatives to the airport, be constantly reminded about the concerns here and would prepare the celebrations when they return for a visit.
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Pagbati sa mga kapwa ko Novo Ecijano sa pagdiriwang ng Ika-113 Anibersaryo ng Unang Sigaw ng Nueva Ecija! Mabuhay ang lahi ng matatapang! :)
