Habang isinusulat ko ito sa isang computer shop ay pinapatugtog ang How to Save a Life ng bandang The Fray. Kakabasa ko lamang ng mga walls at blog posts ng mga kaibigan tungkol sa matinding pananalasa ng bagyong Ondoy. May ilang bagay na agad pumapasok sa isip ko gaya na lamang ng libro at pelikulang Bridge to Terabithia. OST ng pelikulang yon ang tugtog na naririnig ko ngayon. Bigla kong naalala na sa palabas na nabanggit ay nagkaroon din ng matinding pag-ulan na nagdulot sa pagiging marupok ng lubid. At ito naman ay naging sanhi ng pagkamatay ng bidang batang babae na si Leslie. At kung ikokonekta natin sa kasalukuyang kalagayan ng bansa, partikular sa Luzon, marami rin ang nasaw dahil sa bagyo. May mga natangay ng agos ng baha, nakulong sa kanilang tahanan at may ibang nawawala pa rin hanggang sa ngayon.
Karamihan sa mga ito ay mga kapus-palad nating kababayan. Sila 'yong mga nakatira sa mga estero, sa ilalim ng tulay, sa tabi ng maduduming ilog o sabihin nating sa squatter's area. Mga bahay nila ay gawa sa pinagtagpi-tagping kinakalawang na yero at mga piraso ng kahoy. Mga bubong ay may pabigat na gulong ng sasakyan o kaya naman ilang piraso ng basag na hollow blocks. Habang nakasakay ako sa aircon na bus kanina, natanaw ko sa daan ang mga kapwa ko na natutulog sa daan, bitbit ang ilang piraso ng gamit. Ganun na ganun ang naiisip ko sa tuwing babasahin ko ang kuwentong His Friend Eric ni Dina Ocampo. Sana, mga muwebles, yero, kahoy lang ang nawala. Sana mga halaman at puno lang ang nalunod. Ngunit sa kuwento, namatay ang batang si Eric dahil natangay ito ng baha. Sana, walang Eric sa kuwento ng bagyong Ondoy.
Gaya ng mensahe ng awiting How to Save a Life, sana kaya nating iligtas ang mga buhay na nasa alanganin. Sana, may maayos na tirahan ang mga Pilipino. Sana, mabasa ng mga nakupo sa gobyerno ang kuwento ni Eric.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
new name
i changed the name of my blog. i find ginoong kutsero not so interesting. there a lot of other blogs which has this name. jersonal is more me. i also have the same name for my multiply site. i want to take blogging in a more serious level. on a more regular basis. though no one is reading it. i find blogging a very effective practice for writing, which is my waterloo (aside from science).
30th manila international book fair
september 20, 2009
smx convention center, mall of asia
after a very relaxing retreat in don bosco batulao (except for the ride), i hurried to the mibf, afraid that i might miss it. the visit to the fair is worth the long walk/stroll along the crowded corners of the venue. i had a direction, i knew what to find--and those were the booths of publishers who publish books for kids. and luckily, i found them.
Adarna house, where Rhandee Garlitos, author of Chenelyn! Chenelyn!,was signing his so popular books. I grabbed the opportunity to ask some questions and relay stories of a plagiarism case involving his work.
Nanoy Rafael, author of Naku Naku--the PBBY Silver anniversary grand prize winner. I found out that he is from the PHAN, that he manages a website and that he is very calm. I bought his book Grand Parade, which he co-authored with Carla Pacis. Ooops, he's comfortable writing in verse form.
In Lampara Books, M. Conoza, author of Imbisibol Man, which is part of my students' reading list, was there with his kids. Tatay na tatay ang dating. James Abalos, who looked very ordinary, was there. He has illustrated four books. All in Lampara. He's from UP FA, which made me more comfortable to chit-chat with him. While I was grilling him with my "children's-lit-advocate-questions, Serge Bumatay arrived. Then they talked and we had pur pictures taken. Barkada yata sila, pati ni Leo Alvarado ng Pilong Patagu-tago.
Of my 3 MIBF trips, this one is the most memorable so far. I had enough money to buy the books that I want. I had the camera to document everything (well at least, the things I want). And I had the courage to approach authors and illustrators, and tell them that i support children's lit. And by that, I somehow display a message to those who see me going crazy over books, authors and illustrators, that there's a magic in books.
(visit my multiply site for the pictures)
smx convention center, mall of asia
after a very relaxing retreat in don bosco batulao (except for the ride), i hurried to the mibf, afraid that i might miss it. the visit to the fair is worth the long walk/stroll along the crowded corners of the venue. i had a direction, i knew what to find--and those were the booths of publishers who publish books for kids. and luckily, i found them.
Adarna house, where Rhandee Garlitos, author of Chenelyn! Chenelyn!,was signing his so popular books. I grabbed the opportunity to ask some questions and relay stories of a plagiarism case involving his work.
Nanoy Rafael, author of Naku Naku--the PBBY Silver anniversary grand prize winner. I found out that he is from the PHAN, that he manages a website and that he is very calm. I bought his book Grand Parade, which he co-authored with Carla Pacis. Ooops, he's comfortable writing in verse form.
In Lampara Books, M. Conoza, author of Imbisibol Man, which is part of my students' reading list, was there with his kids. Tatay na tatay ang dating. James Abalos, who looked very ordinary, was there. He has illustrated four books. All in Lampara. He's from UP FA, which made me more comfortable to chit-chat with him. While I was grilling him with my "children's-lit-advocate-questions, Serge Bumatay arrived. Then they talked and we had pur pictures taken. Barkada yata sila, pati ni Leo Alvarado ng Pilong Patagu-tago.
Of my 3 MIBF trips, this one is the most memorable so far. I had enough money to buy the books that I want. I had the camera to document everything (well at least, the things I want). And I had the courage to approach authors and illustrators, and tell them that i support children's lit. And by that, I somehow display a message to those who see me going crazy over books, authors and illustrators, that there's a magic in books.
(visit my multiply site for the pictures)
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Kapit-kapit-bahay
Ngayong taon lang ako nahilig dumalaw sa sementeryo. Noon, ang Nobyember 1 at 2 ay mga ordinaryong araw lang--panahon para sulitin sa pagpapahinga, sa pagbisita sa mga kaklase nung hayskul na sabik ka nang makita.
Ganun ako bilang kaklase, mahilig bumisita sa mga malalapit (at 'di gaano kalapit) na mga mag-aaral at kaibigan. Kaya sanay ako sa lakaran, o sabihin nating lakwatsahan. Sabi nga nila, ang sipag ko daw. Hmmm...siguro, masentimyento lang akong tao. Seryoso pagdating sa usapin na pagkakaibigan. At isa pang malaking salik ay ang pagpasok namin sa magkakaibang paaralan sa kolehiyo.
Isa sa mga madalas kong bisitahin "noon" ay si Conrado Macapulay. Kaibigan ko na siya mula pa nung nasa Grade 3 kami. Magkaibigan kami hanggang sa kasalukuyan. Tuwing kakatok ako sa kanila, tulog 'yon. Gigisingin pa ng mama o kapatid niya. Madalas na ganun ang eksena. Ang karaniwang dalaw ay puno ng kuwentuhan. Acads. Dyaryo. School pride. Current Events. Mga High School classmates. Pagsakay sa FX. Mga mandurukot sa Quiapo. Pinakamasarap sakyan na bus.
Minsan, magyaya ako na dalawin ang iba naming kaklase na malapit sa bahay nila. Sasama 'yon minsan.
Ngayon, bihira na lang ako dumalaw sa kanila. Lumipat na siya (lang) ng "bahay". Maputik ang daan patungo sa nilipatan niyang bahay. Makalat. May mga lantang bulaklak sa paligid. Madamo. Masikip.
Di gaya sa dati nilang bahay. Di gaya dati na sagutan ang pag-uusap.
Pero di ko man,marinig ang tinig niya. Di man niya ako masasamahan sa mga paglilibot ko, patuloy ko pa rin siyang dadalawin. Kakausapin. Ganun naman pagkakaibigan na alam namin.
Ganun ako bilang kaklase, mahilig bumisita sa mga malalapit (at 'di gaano kalapit) na mga mag-aaral at kaibigan. Kaya sanay ako sa lakaran, o sabihin nating lakwatsahan. Sabi nga nila, ang sipag ko daw. Hmmm...siguro, masentimyento lang akong tao. Seryoso pagdating sa usapin na pagkakaibigan. At isa pang malaking salik ay ang pagpasok namin sa magkakaibang paaralan sa kolehiyo.
Isa sa mga madalas kong bisitahin "noon" ay si Conrado Macapulay. Kaibigan ko na siya mula pa nung nasa Grade 3 kami. Magkaibigan kami hanggang sa kasalukuyan. Tuwing kakatok ako sa kanila, tulog 'yon. Gigisingin pa ng mama o kapatid niya. Madalas na ganun ang eksena. Ang karaniwang dalaw ay puno ng kuwentuhan. Acads. Dyaryo. School pride. Current Events. Mga High School classmates. Pagsakay sa FX. Mga mandurukot sa Quiapo. Pinakamasarap sakyan na bus.
Minsan, magyaya ako na dalawin ang iba naming kaklase na malapit sa bahay nila. Sasama 'yon minsan.
Ngayon, bihira na lang ako dumalaw sa kanila. Lumipat na siya (lang) ng "bahay". Maputik ang daan patungo sa nilipatan niyang bahay. Makalat. May mga lantang bulaklak sa paligid. Madamo. Masikip.
Di gaya sa dati nilang bahay. Di gaya dati na sagutan ang pag-uusap.
Pero di ko man,marinig ang tinig niya. Di man niya ako masasamahan sa mga paglilibot ko, patuloy ko pa rin siyang dadalawin. Kakausapin. Ganun naman pagkakaibigan na alam namin.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
too many good people are dying
2009 isn't yet over, but in my death poll, 3 people, close to my heart have already passed away.
One is my dear friend Conrado A. Macapulay, am award-winning essayist, role model and editor-in-chief of TIP Voice.
Second is my grandfather Tatay Bert.
And just last Friday is my Grade 5 student, who, I deem, is one of the brightest student in their class.
Other people who are also a big loss to our society are Alexis Tioseco, an ourstanding film critic. Of course, the democracy icon of our country, Pres. Cory Aquino. The master rapper, francis magalona. another death, ended the 3rd quarter, ka Erdy manalo.
It really saddens me to hear news about really good people dying. they could have done more good things. But that's the stark reality of being human. we have a God who controls everything. he has good reasons why some people (good and bad people) live longer than others. So let's live a life without any regrets. doing our best every minute.
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