A Fan for A Day

     In 2015 to 2016, a phenomenon called AlDub took people by surprise. It was an accidental hit that was created by a noontime show Eat Bulaga. Yaya Dub (The name coming from the word 'dub') went around the streets of Manila with three comedians. This segment of the show was for the four of them to look for recipients of P5,000 to P10,000, which the show gave away, together with their sponsor—Puregold.

    In the studio, one of the TV hosts was Alden. It turned out that Yaya Dub (whose real name is Maine Mendoza) was crushing hard on him, whom she never personally met. Thus, The Meet became the theme of their romantic story. Aldub became such a hit that it reached 50 million tweets on Twitter.  Even Kobe Bryant became quite curious about the duo that he watched one of the main episodes of it. Me, I liked the concept. It was reality TV, a true story unfolding in real time. Even the protagonists were unsure what they’d feel once they get to see and meet each other, so that day was highly anticipated by many.                    

     I got so fond of this story that I found myself looking for a ticket for a Saturday show of Eat Bulaga. I could not find one. Then, my phone rang. It was a good friend of mine from my childhood. She asked me if I wanted to watch Alden with The Aldenatics Fans Club. Although The Aldenatics were going to  see Alden on a Sunday, which was not really my initial plan, but I had never experienced being with a fans club, so without thinking twice, the answer was an absolute YES.           

     Sunday early morning, we all gathered at a bus station. Everyone had bags with thermoses of water and snacks. The President of the fans club was kind, telling us what to expect there and which gate of GMA Network should we go to, and what the agenda was for the day.   When we got there, other Aldenatics met us with a tarpaulin and banderitas (little flags). We waited near a gate, getting glimpses of a lady by the door, waiting for her to do some announcements. She finally stood by the door and shouted, “Lipat kayo sa Gate B! Lahat ng fans, sa Gate B po tayo. Yung malapit po sa back entrance (Transfer to Gate B! To all the fans, go to Gate B, the one near the back entrance).”  A wide wave of people moved to Gate B. We, The Aldenatics, found ourselves at the middle part of the line.  There, another fans club was right behind us. “Saan kayo (Who are you with)?”  The Aldenatics President asked this lady.  “DongYan kami, Marikina branch. Kayo (We’re The DongYans. You)?”  The lady answered and asked. ‘Oh… So this is how small talk happens here…’ I thought to myself. I stretched my neck a little bit more to see the wide sea of people waiting their turn to get in the studio. Different fan clubs of different celebrities were gathered right outside Gate B, waiting for their turn to get in.

    Then, we finally were inside. We were given seats at the bleachers. We screamed when lights and cameras focused on us. We screamed even louder when one of the hosts acknowledged our presence.  It was fun. I have to say. The wide smiles of the Aldenatics made my experience quite worthwhile, especially when one of them was assigned to enter the backstage room to have the tarpaulin signed and get Alden’s schedule from the organizer. I got to witness inside operations of a fans club. We waited for our fellow Aldenatic as she did her duties for her club. She came out screaming and jumping, happy that she got to have an exchange with Alden.

    Then, off to McDonald’s we went. In McDonald's, I ordered a Big Mac. I sat right beside the President. Once seated, I didn’t notice the President staring at my food. He then asked, “Carla, ano yung inorder mo (Carla, what did you order)?” “Oh a Big Mac!” I gleefully answered, “Favorite ko kasi ang Big Mac, so pag nandito ako sa McDonald’s ito talaga yung ino- or… (Big Mac is my favorite. So when I'm here, I always order...).”  “Carla…” my friend, who was on my other side tapped my hand to stop me from talking. She shook her head. I wondered what she meant. The President looked at me, and with a kind, yet authoritative voice, he said, “Carla, endorser kasi si Alden ng chicken a la king, McDonald’s.”  I then realized what I just did. I looked at everyone’s food on the table, they all ordered chicken a la king. I forgot my role and my rule to myself--to do what the Romans do when in Rome, for me to be able to embrace the whole experience. “Malakas ako kumain. Parang appetizer lang sa akin ‘to. Kakain pa ako (I eat a lot. This is just like an appetizer to me. I'll still eat).”  “Hindi na. Okay na lang. Sige na lang (It’s okay. Fine)." The President said. I knew I offended him. I kind of regretted going with instinct that time and buying that Big Mac. I should have enjoyed eating chicken a la king with the rest of the fans. I missed that moment.  

    After eating their a la kings and me my Big Mac, the meeting began. One was taking notes, making sure the minutes of the meeting were jotted down. “Okay. Next ‘Meet and Greet’ ni Alden gagawin sa Cavite. Sino available? Kailangan marami tayo sa Cavite. Hindi pwede na pagdating ni Alden doon wala tayo. Dapat maaga palang nandoon na tayo (Okay. Alden’s next Meet and Greet will be in Cavite. Who will be available? We have to be  many in Cavite. It can’t be that when Alden gets there, none of us is there. We must be there first).” It was quite a long meeting. Everyone had duties. They had the whole schedule of Alden with them. They worked on their own personal schedules to make sure that they were there for Alden during these different activities.

     It was fascinating to see how dedicated they were in making sure that they were there for the man they admired. Their idol. I liked my experience with them. I know that many celebrities make sure they don’t hurt the feelings of their fans, like the recent breakup of this famous actress, Kathryn Bernardo to her real/reel partner, Daniel Padilla, which blossomed into a group of fans named KathNiel.  I know many were saddened, even devastated, with the breakup of these two celebrities, especially the KathNiel fans.

    I will never forget my brief yet memorable experience with The Aldenatics. Maybe someday I’ll hang out with them again. Who knows? But this time, I’m ready for them. I’m sure the President will be happy with me when he finds out that I’ve got an account with BDO, Alden’s current bank endorsement.

Public Hearings

 Readying the popcorn, potato chips, or nilagang mani, if you wish for the healthier option, many may vary on the preference of their snack, but one thing entertains many Filipinos nowadays, the public hearings. 

Being an X-er, I remember looking for people to talk to when hearings on the NBN-ZTE would come out on TV.  Those who watched it would patiently wait for the column of Jarius Bondoc to come out, so that we could give each other updates. I recall looking for people to discuss this issue, but it was not easy. I came from an era where current news was given via newspaper. 

But not today...

Today, the Philippines has definitely changed into big supporters of the Internet and social media, which has its upside and down. We know the downside of this: fake news, digital addiction, the one-upmanship game to name a few. Now the upside--Filipinos have never been this vigilant to politics, and it's been a while since my generation was the new one. After us came the old Millennials, young, Millennials, and finally Gen Z. 

Gen Z, the generation that did not really see much of games done outdoors. Their youth was filled with the rising of bloggers, vloggers called influencers, and things of this sort. Now, as the Gen Z emerged, so did the strong liking and draw of Filipinos to the Internet. Nobody needs to buy  newspaper to get the latest in the news nowadays. All you need is your mobile phone. Turn it on, and wait for the hearings to begin . 

 Currently, it seems like many Filipinos have temporarily replaced all Netflix, HBO, Disney+, and the like for some bigger drama. These are the public hearings.  Though the Senate has lost its rating to the lower house, it is still a show people watch from time to time. However, I have to say, the Quad Comm of the lower house has been able to bring out quite a number of explosives left and right: an expose' of an undersecretary of the Vice President on bribe money, a revelation of a former warden on  higher positions being in authority over killings of three Chinese men in a prison cell, a blow-by-blow disclosure of a son of a mayor on a coercion of a PNP Chief for him to commit perjury, and finally, a Colonel's confession on the reward system of a former president. 

It did not matter that hearings of the Quad Comm would last 10 to 11 hours, or even more. People wanted to know, because Filipinos always knew, that the killing of many of  our countrymen were unjustly activities that made those who witnessed these keep mum. Fear enveloped the air and stifled voices, since quite a number, not only several, were silenced permanently during the previous administration. 

People find things strange today, though. There is quite a different scent of fairness happening. We do know that the current administration is no saint, but just like forces coming together to fight an even greater evil, the real opposition and the administration found a common enemy. 

The country, for its survival, is fighting a common enemy. The enemy that  violated the rights of many. The enemy that stole the voices of many. The enemy that chose not the country, The Philippines, for it to protect. The enemy that tried, or maybe somehow triumphed, selling the country to its enemy.     

The former President Rodrigo 'Digong' Duterte was invited  by the quad-committee to shed light on the extra judicial killings that happened during his time. This is scheduled on October 22, 2024.  

Me, I'm still contemplating if I should ready the peanuts, or maybe some chips and beer for this.     

     

The Second Syllable

 

I've been noticing it for a while, but never gave it much attention until I rode an e-jeep and the conductor started talking to the driver: "Pare, 'matic yan, 'matic," (That's 'matic,bro).  I was trying to figure out what 'matic meant. Until it dawned on me that it was actually the short cut of 'automatic.' I nodded my head. Happy to know that I learned something new that day. Then I went to the bathroom and the women in the ladies' room started shouting at someone outside, "'Chard. Hintayin  mo kami,'Chard. Dyan ka lang," ('Chard. Wait for us, 'Chard. Stay there).

Then it dawned on me... the second syllable.

Though there is 'Richie' or 'Rich' as nicknames in the Philippines, I believe 'Chard for the name Richard has the strongest Filipino influence. So I thought further and wondered why, until I realized... Aaahhh... Lola (Grandma) is called 'La, Lolo (Grandpa) is called 'Lo; so nowadays,  Tita  (Aunt) is called 'Ta and Tito (Uncle) is called 'To. 

Because we have gotten used to calling our elderly by the second syllable of their names, this has influenced shortcuts of other names as well. Christian is 'Tian, Edgar is 'Gar, and  Argie is 'Gie. There is also 'My and 'Dy, which are shortcuts of Mommy and Daddy.  

A simple greeting would be 'Musta, which is short for Kumusta (How are you?), and the answer to that is 'Buti naman (I'm fine) and that is short for Mabuti (fine). I now remember, as a teacher, I'm called 'cher.  

I find it fascinating to know that we use the second syllable for nicknames. So,when in the Philippines, remember, no matter how big the Gutierrez twins are, they will never be Rich and Ray. Here in my country, they will always be 'Chard and 'Mond.

Organize Yourself

It was an outrage, a fire that burned in her and grew into a bigger flame after she read a post of her friend, Itos Rapadas, in facebook. She then took it upon herself to spearhead something for all of us, Filipinos. This is what we now know as the ‘Million People March’.

Calls on divulging names of the organizers for this protest began to stir into big ripples. The pressure was on: “Who are they?” “We need to know.” “May karapatan kaming malaman kung sino nag umpisa nito. Ba’t nyo ba tinatago?” The comments continued. She was a big secret. People insisted, until finally it was told. She put a post on the page for the march and revealed herself. Peachy Rallonza-Bretana was her name. 

Peachy, just like many of us, was disheartened, disappointed, and frustrated with the behavior of many of our public officials. Just like many of us, felt wounded and betrayed by lawmakers who did not serve us but made us serve them using our tax money. It was then that, I believe, she created her cry to all of us: a simple heed, a simple plea; and we responded. But now knowing that she was someone just like us, a regular citizen who bleeds for the country, we changed the mechanics of this gathering: “Organize yourself.”

The day was fast approaching. Facebook announcements and reroutes were given. A lot of Filipinos helped fellow Filipinos in information on what to do, where to pass, and what to wear. Since we were all organizers, we were all moving to make this gathering a success: A post on a call for artists, poets, musicians to volunteer their talent; another one reminding people to bring their water and food; other posts on making sure that we go and be heard. It was a flood of different concerns for this one day. And so we all went.

August 26, 2013: the day of the march. It started at 9:00am, but there were those who came earlier. I was with my mother and sister, met a friend or two, and stayed with family members. I then walked around to see how things were, how things worked. It was a different kind of rally. People worked in patches. In one corner was a group from Baguio with their ethnic instruments. There was another with their walis tingting shouting, “Walisin ang korupsyon! Linisin ang bayan!” There were the bikers. There were the nuns, indigenous people, and school faculty. There were students with their drums and tambourine that made people dance as they crowded around them. There were the reds shouting their messages. And there were people like me, who walked around to get the feel of the whole event.

Everyone was free to do their own thing. The religious people prayed, while others made sure they brought food and banig for the picnic. Somewhat like the main stage, a little corner at the Luneta park was where we did our ‘oink’ sound. It was where Cardinal Tagle made us sing Pananagutan, a song with a very strong message, and it was where we applauded ourselves for being Filipino. We were all one with the fight to abolish pork. We were all one with the call for transparency and accountability.

As I continued to walk around, I realized that we have created again a new definition of protest. Just like the term peaceful, in many minds of people, could have never become an adjective for revolution, yet we defied that idea and showed the whole world that it could be done. This time, we recreated the definition of a protest one more time. We showed each other that we can be individuals, we can be different, but then stand as one. We went to gather with fellow Filipinos and express our woes in the way we wanted to express them, and yet we stood as one. We had different approaches, different ideas, maybe different colors—anti PNoy, Pro PNoy, abstain-the-stand on PNoy—we came from various understandings on what is happening to our country; and yet…we stood as one. We were all organizers to this event. Therefore we were free to do what we wanted to do in this event, but we chose to stand as one people, one country with one cause. We were willing to set aside the differences and work together as one. And as organizers, we even left Luneta park clean. We became responsible for our own trash.

And with this realization I say, let us continue to be organizers of this country, the way we expressed it on this historical day. Let us be vigilant on the activities of our government officials. Let us continue to monitor them and make our voices heard—may it be through social networking, or in the next gathering if need be. This will not be the end of this, for this is just the beginning.

Peachy, as I see it, represented all of us. This gathering was not done by a group of any sort. It was started by one. So this was the power of one voice that snowballed. And because we knew she was one, we had to take responsibility.

So as I finish this, I would like to say: It is time. Organize yourself. 

Our beloved Philippines is our responsibility.

Mabuhay tayong lahat. Mabuhay ang Pilipino. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas.

Songs sung in the Million People March

Kawatan by Jograd de la Torre

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WNcy1FDmXo

Pananagutan 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GcM1TcixP-M

Bayan Ko

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10200829067462871&set=vb.1049282059&type=2&theater

Exploring the Filipino Psyche Entry 30: “The Letter ‘s’ ”

 

It’s been a while since I wrote an entry in this blog. I used to classify the topics as days since at first I thought I would be able to regularly put something in and share this with all of you. However, things gained speed and directions changed for now. Anyway, never mind about that. Let us go to the next observation, which suddenly entered my thoughts the other day and the wonder never left me—the letter ‘s’.

I was going through TV channels when the ‘s’ dawned on me because Max Alvarado was mentioned somewhere. Where? I cannot recall at the moment, but his name popped up. Then I remembered scenes from Filipino movies and a usual line for a villain if the leading lady was a hostage, or if the leading lady talked to the leading man and the best friend would ask this question: “Pare, chicks mo?”  I was alone when I remembered this line, then I wondered… “Ba’t kaya may ‘s’ (I wonder why there’s an ‘s’)?” The ‘s’ is used not to pluralize a word, but it just happens to stick around. I made a rundown in my head and realized I never really researched on why it was there. But to come across this letter from time to time in different words is a fascination. Another word is fans. A line of a person who admires or idolizes a celebrity: “Fans mo ako.”  Fans pertains to  one person, and the definition is the same as its singular form. Then there is sports. “Okay lang. Sports lang dapat.”  Sports in this sentence means being a good sport. Then in jeepney signs: “Thanks God!” Okay, maybe they just forgot the comma. Then there is colds: “May colds ako ngayon  (I have a cold today).”  Cold is an acronym, which is chronic obstructive lung disease. But it does not matter, we understand what it means when someone says colds, there’s just an ‘s’ in the end.  And one other word  is cokes. "Pabili nga ng cokes," one would say when buying in a sari-sari store to buy a Coke.

 Then I wondered again, when we do not  need an ‘s’ we add it on the word, but when we need it, we remove it. For example, I went to a children’s party the other day and the lovely host said to the child who won the game, “Congratulation!” ‘Uy, nawala yung ‘s,’’ I thought to myself.  In the older days there was also the word betamak. "Nuod tayong betamak mamaya!" with excitement a friend would suggest.

It is pretty interesting, why we put an ‘s’ where it is not needed. Then remove it when it is necessary. I do wonder how this began and when it started, though. I have done my interviews and research on the wandering apostrophe, where this little mark all of a sudden pops up in signs such as ‘Thanks’ for coming…” or “For Costumers’ Only”  (spelling is another cute amusement). What I have discovered is the reason behind this is that those who made these signs have seen this little mark in different places. Therefore, they thought that when there is an ‘s’, the apostrophe should be there, too. Now about the ‘s’  in words we use…  Hmmm…with that one, well, ‘di ko pa gets. Pero oks lang. :-) 

A Reflection... The Entry of 2012

It’s been a while since my last entry.  It is still the first month of 2012 and I feel like reflecting. Thus, before I continue my exploration on the Filipino Psyche, I have decided to do a little flashback in my head and see what I can gather, try to discover what may be hidden, and what may be shared.

The year that passed, well, actually it takes more than a year to sort of filter what works for one. I don’t really know where this entry  is going, I’m at a ‘wait and see’ state right now. Because ‘they’ say, ‘they’ may be anyone, to know things does not take a journey with a price of a cruise or flight, all it takes is a choice. We may travel to the farthest end of the seas and still know nothing, and yet we may stay still in one place and be awakened by something. It is a journey, yes, but it is a journey that is drawn by a choice to know more; not with the favour of intelligence alone, but this with the taste of wisdom.

This reflection is not an outcome of what I simply have seen and observed in my country, but  it is also what I have seen and observed outside of it: the desperate cling on power Gadhafi displayed, the famine in South Africa, the protest rallies in different countries; then there is the abuse of nature: the cutting of trees, the effect of over industrialization, the over killing of animals in our seas and land. But a shift has happened, ‘they’ say, 2012 perceived as the end of the world just actually means the beginning of something better for us. Things we have embraced as valuable like power in its greed form and wealth in its selfish disguise shall be, finally, perceived as a stupid definition on what is truly important.  I apologize for the strong label, but to reform a distorted perception may need a little shaking by now, to the extent of offending the stance; for power, which comes with the taste of greed and wealth attained with the interest of selfishness, has drawn many to suffer and hunger, including Mother Earth.

The entry of rebirth—this, ‘they’ say, is the true meaning of what has been known and popularized as ‘the end of the world’.  It was not to be understood in its literal sense, but in its figurative sense that it will be, hopefully, the end of our old ways, and now comes the new. What exactly is the new? It is us being kinder, being more concerned for one another, respecting the Earth, and finally, the will to fight those who abuse our rights. The evidence in the new slowly creeping in is the uprise in different countries and the collapse of those who oppressed the  uproars that slowly began to be heard again. People shouting their cries of ‘No more!’, and this setting a current of change. Protesters, activists and revolutionaries came out with the same frustrations, ‘enough is enough’ they say. Thus, TIME Magazine hailed the Protester as ‘Person of the Year’ for 2011. It was well earned.

Power was never unkind, and wealth is not the enemy. It was only the perception of the two that made things change not for the better, but turned out for the worst—a sad turn, a disappointing choice. But it is very nice to know, as I walked the streets that brought me to nowhere but just a path that made me encounter many, there are the every day heroes who emit such greatness in their innovation and creativity, and most especially in their care for others. So this made me think, as I read and watched on TV and the internet of those who chose and perceived power in a different light with a different meaning--a definition more calm,  humbler and simpler--that this is the direction to genuine strength, genuine power: the silence of Mahatma Gandhi, the compassion of Mother Theresa, the gentle style of Nelson Mandela, and the love of the Christ. Real power is not when we hate, it is only when we care that it truly shines. It is when we become considerate of everything around us. It is when we respect life in every shape and form. It may not be easy, but life is not about one.  It is not about ‘me’.  It is about ‘us’.

“There are two kinds of power,” I said to myself as I sat and reflected,  “the external power that comes from the ego, and the internal power that comes from the greatness of the spirit.”  And this, ‘they’ say, is the shift, the rebirth, the end of the old way, and the entry of new…

Welcome, 2012, we're ready.









 

TIME Magazine 'Person of the Year' 
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2101745_2102132,00.html

Pictures of Protesters
http://lightbox.time.com/2011/12/14/person-of-the-year-2011-protesters-2/#4

A Chant that, according to my Spiritual Gurus, may bring high vibration for healing...and peace.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG_lNuNUVd4&feature=email 

Mother Earth, She's Alive...
http://www.youtube.com/embed/nGeXdv-uPaw

Exploring The Filipino Psyche Day 24: “Code Shifting"

              

             Two  friends see each other at the lobby of the building where they were to have a meeting:

                  Friend 1: “Uy, pare! Kumusta na?”

                  Friend 2: “Okay naman. Ikaw?”

                  Friend 1: “Okay rin. Kumusta ang misis?”

                  Friend 1: “Okay naman. Pare, dalaw ka minsan sa bahay. Bisitahin mo naman inaanak mo."                          

                  Friend 2: “Sige. Minsan punta kami ni Amelia. Sige. Kita tayo sa luob.”

                  Friend 1: “Sige, pare.”           

The same two friends see each other again inside the conference room where they were to have a formal meeting.

And the meeting begins...

Friend 1: “The slow moving merchandise will be phased out by the end of this week. But we’ll be launching the new product three months from now.”

               Friend 2: “So how shall we market this new product?”

Friend 1: “We ‘re coming up with a whole plan for this. We’ll present this to the board by next month.”         
   

                  This is called code shifting—a common practice in the Philippines—the ability to change the medium for communication depending on circumstance and environment. As I have mentioned in my last entry, the Philippines has 170 languages and several dialects. And the national language is Filipino, a simplified version of Tagalog. Filipino is much easier than Tagalog, and in casual conversations among Pinoys, it is usually the preferred medium, unless they are kababayans— people who come from the same region or area—for example two people from Pampanga may choose to speak in Kapampangan, or two people from Ilokos would rather speak in Ilokano (Pampanga and Ilokos are two provinces in the Philippines). But those who grew up in Manila will only know Filipino and English, unless their parents taught them another language. These two languages are the usual mainstays in many households. If both are not practiced at home, at least they are both understood and used outside of the home.

                  In school, Filipino students are required to present their reports in English. All subjects, except for the Filipino subject and ‘Sibika’ (Social Studies, which is taught in Filipino in many schools in the country), are taught using the universal language. Therefore, recitation in class is also in English. But outside of the classroom atmosphere, the students converse with friends during recess and lunch breaks in Filipino (although there are schools where the students still speak in English among friends, or at the most, what is called Taglish—a mix of Tagalog and English ). And because of this, as the child gets older, this shifting becomes ingrained in the system of the individual that to shift from Filipino to English, as the mood of the conversation changes, becomes second nature to the person. I would hear fellow Filipinos say ‘nosebleed’ when they hear others speak in English. Nosebleed means ‘a difficult time to keep up with the flow of the conversation due to the constant use of the English language’, but what they are not aware of is that they do the shift, too. It just depends on when and where sometimes.

                  Filipinos like to use the Filipino language when with friends and in casual chit chats, but when in meetings or at work, in front of the bosses to present a report, the shift comes with ease. Suddenly the medium becomes English. And this, I feel, is because of the practice the Filipino adults had as students. The environment of the canteen, having lunch with friends, will call for speaking in the vernacular; but when in front of the teacher for group reports or debate class, which calls for a serious tone, the student is always required to speak in English. And this is why when politics is a topic even among friends, there is also the tendency to shift again to English because of the seriousness of the subject in hand. But when the conversation rolls back to a light mood and jokes are thrown at each other, the shift goes back to Filipino.

                  This may also be true in writing. Pinoys are trained well to write in English. And for some reason, many Filipinos find writing in the native language more difficult than writing in English, especially in expressing thoughts or insights. And I see this as the reason why many statuses in Facebook or in Twitter are expressed, most of the time, in English. But if it is joking time, the shift again goes back to the vernacular.    

                  Nowadays, the shift is even more frequent since casual conversations are slowly being done in English because of the many guests from other countries the nation has. And the serious tone is also spoken in the vernacular because, unlike then when news on TV used purely English, reporters are now using  Filipino, influencing the Pinoys to also speak in the native tongue even when the topic becomes a heated argument about politics.   

                  So there it is, another Filipino behaviour—code shifting. I am quite proud of it since it enables us to speak to people of different races, then go back to the vernacular when needed. Maybe this is where the behavior pakikisama also comes from, but that’s another story.

Next entry?

We’ll see...