SEGWAY...PILIPINAS KONG MAHAL

Hah…I totally forgot about this blog entry…I made this months ago and failed to post it…

“January 22

Pacman’s victory

After 13 days

February 4

Ultra stampede

Afer 13 days

February 17

Southern Leyte

landslide

After 13 days

March 2

Bakla c

Ru*t*m….”

I received this text message last Saturday and I can’t help but laugh. I was not actually laughing at the expense of the gay person, it was just that rockstar and I were betting on the event that will astound our country on March 2. Lo and behold, it was neither an implication of the brouhaha over Prcolamation 1017 nor another natural disaster, but it was that person’s revelation in the Pinoy Big Brother House.

These days, living in the Philippines is like drowning in seawater. Your cells slowly get plasmolyzed, like your energy to do your activities is slowly being sucked out of you daily, until you shrink and die. The environment here is not at the optimum level to sustain life anymore. You’re dehydrated. You want a breath of fresh air. It is already difficult to survive, how much more to have a life.

That day, I went to SM and alarmingly for people no longer interested in news, there were security personnel around. I suddenly was confused whether to feel safe or not. Actually, I was irritated. I hated the idea that sooner or later, we would be like the housemates in the Big Brother House , with Kuya a.k.a. The Dictator controlling us.

With all the incidents that took place and that are all currently taking place, here goes again the idea of leaving the country. As for me, my plan is to study and work somewhere else, outside the country. But slowly I realize that it is quite hard to do it. Amidst the terrible events that rock us, I feel like I have to make a significant contribution here before I leave. Moreover, it’s hard to leave people you’ve been with and the comforts of being with them.

When I went home and when I was about to ride the pedicab, other drivers where seated at a near bench, waiting for other passengers. The driver of my pedicab was fixing the chain and so we cannot leave yet. Then a driver, carrying a child who was seated at the bench and was eating asked me, “Ma’am saan po kayo?” And then I replied, “Sa airport apartment po.” And then he said, “Kain tayo Ma’am. Ito ang pagkain ng mga mahihirap.” There were several points in his statements. First, is the poverty that continues to inhibit us. But despite this, Filipinos are good-natured. I am sure he was sincere in his invitation. Despite the lack of stuff for themselves, Filipinos still find them to share what they have left with others.

Seeing the guards at SM made me want to leave the country right away, due to the impending instability; but having heard the pedicab driver, neutralized once again my feeling of sudden evacuation.

For me, leaving has always been an option, but coming back home is a must.