Friday 29 September 2006

Si Milenyo (Part 2)

The electricity went out around 1PM yesterday. Good thing though our PCs and internet connection were alive and kicking because of UPS. But still, all of us here weren't in the mood to work - surf2x and chat na lang. Oh well, it's the weather's fault, hahaha. After we finished our delayed free lunch, and since the rain and strong winds already subsided, we agreed to go to Landmark (yes, open pala sya) and have some crepe for dessert in French Baker. After that, we went to SM grocery (yes, open din sya).

Makati seemed like a desolate town as I walked home last night. The aftermath of Milenyo left some trees uprooted, with leaves and branches scattered all over the streets. It was dark since there was no electricity. The stop lights weren't working, even the 7-11 store in our building didn't have a choice but to use candles. The elevators in our condo were also busted. Fortunately we just lived at the 3rd floor and the grocery bags I carried weren't heavy so it wasn't that much effort for me to use the stairs. Only the flickering emergency light bulb connected to the building's generator provided meager illumination in our unit. Bing and I were so bored, so kwentuhan na lang kami. I also received text messages, "bored ako, aliwin mo ako" huh? ano ako? entertainer? Apparently not only Makati was suffering lost of electricity. So, I resorted to texting until I heard the telltale beep - "wahh, low bat na ako! huhuhuhu" and I also received "ako rin, low bat na" replies. And not only I was low in battery, I was also low in load! It seemed like living in the province, that because of nothing else to do, you would just go to bed early. So that's what I did, I went to bed early - around 11pm, 2 hours earlier than my bedtime :P

As of 10AM this morning, before I left for the office, there's still no electricity in our condo bldg. Hopefully tonight it'll come back.. gusto ko kasi manood ng Majika.. last episode na kasi... huhuhuhu :( But as a backup plan, I've charged my cellphone here in the office (mangggamit! hahahaha) and I'm gonna buy some load later...

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Thursday 28 September 2006

Si Milenyo...

Though typhoon Milenyo is still on the way, we can now feel it's wrath. The gov't offices have no work. The US Embassy's doors are closed (I watched Unang Hirit eh). Even the stock trading is suspended (hahaha as if I ought to care). But we have work --- no surprise there. Our HR said that though it's signal #3, it's still up to the company to decide to suspend work or not. And they decided not to suspend it. Since I don't have an excuse to skip work because darn we live so near the office, I grudgingly dragged my feet amidst the flying yero's and irate rain to walk towards here. But grr, I wanna go home! Some of my friends are not required to report to work. They're not online in YM and Gtalk - less persons for me to chat with? Hehehe I bet they are just staying at home, snuggled in there comfortable beds, snoring... Hayyyy....

Our management just issued a directive that we can go home if we want to, but we should file it as a leave. Great! There's no choice then but to stay here... I still don't have leave benefits because I'm not yet a regular employee here. Naman! :(

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Tuesday 26 September 2006

BIBO

BIBO is an acronym for Bata Ikaw ang Bukas Outreach. It is a program spearheaded by ANLP-Makati in coordination with Sun for All Children (an NGO) that holds English and Math tutorial classes for 30 underprivileged kids in Baseco. I have volunteered as a Math tutor and I have been attending it for 3 consecutive Saturdays now.

I remember the first time we went to Baseco. Though I had had some ideas on my head on what the place would look like, I was still disheartened when I saw it. I still find it hard to understand how they "multiplied" in that area. You see, Baseco was a shipyard before and it's been land-filled (actually more like garbage-filled) to make it "livable" by our less fortunate brothers and sisters. Thousands of families live there and there are an average of 4-5 kids per family. The first time I went there, it rained the night before. So the area was muddy and we had to be really careful not to step on loose ground so as not to have our shoes submerged into some murky piles of garbages. It was an ala-extra-challenge experience, I tell you, as we fought not to lose our balance trekking to the venue.

On the 2nd Saturday, the venue was moved near what they call the "sea wall". We now have to pass by this meter-wide strip which is more passable than the previous one. But it's advisable not to get too friendly with the kids playing around the area. Or else they might just grab you saying "swimming tayo, Ate!" and push you to dive into the garbage-ladened Manila bay, ewww!

I was assigned to teach a group of kids that started with 5 but now they're 8 :) Last Saturday, I went there armed with stronger conviction to teach my kids Math and to make them absorb the lessons no matter what it took. I thought it would just be another normal tutoring day for me, but I was wrong. Something happened that I didn't expect. Because we did something different that day... Instead of tutors taking snacks together with other tutors and all the kids eating together as a bunch, the tutors and the kids assigned to them ate their snacks together. While I was eating my sandwich, I noticed a couple of my kids not eating their chocolate cakes. I just thought maybe they weren't hungry yet. But then Christian (the most lambing boy in my group) approached me, asking for a plastic. So I asked, "What for? Di nyo ba gusto yung cake? Di nyo kasi kinakain eh...". Christian, in his sweet and innocent voice answered me, "Ate George, iuuwi ko po kasi sa amin. Ibibigay ko sa mga kapatid ko. May plastic po ba kayo?" And all the others chorused, "Ako din po Ate George, penge ng plastic."

Shocks, I was dumbfounded. Because the kids, who I believe rarely get the chance to eat a free cake, still thought of their siblings at home! Heck, if I were them, I would gladly gobble down my cake without a second thought! Simply amazing, diba?

I told my co-tutors about this and they said they had noticed that before. So we'd usually serve two snacks because if we'd only serve one, most of the kids would never eat it because they would bring it home for their siblings. So, the tendency is, they'd still be hungry until the end of the tutoring session. I was humbled upon hearing that. I initially thought I would be the one who would teach them some Math lessons. The kids taught me a greater lesson in life - that it's possible to be unselfish and to care for your loved ones even in the midst of poverty.

The next time I'll go there, I vow to get to know my kids some more. I want to know more about their families, their dreams, what makes them laugh and what makes them cry. I hope I can make a difference in their lives just like the way they have touched mine.

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Thursday 21 September 2006

Someday

This song's going on and on inside my head lately. It's not new, in fact it's no longer sikat, but it's been my LSS for the past few days.

SOMEDAY

Alone and misunderstood
That's why i came to you
The feelings i have inside
With you, i can't hide

I see that life's a game
Get hurt, but who's to blame
I guess i'm just a child
In a world that's very wild

Where can i find a place that's full of tenderness
I get there when i close my eyes and hold and pray
That you and i will be there

Someday, i say
We'll make a brighter day better than our yesterday
Someday, i say
We'll make a brighter day but today's our chance to be there
(this is our chance to be there)

Is there a room for change
There are things to rearrange
I thought that we are so young
And temptations are strong

But i've got to start with me
It's hard but let it be
It may take some time
Fixing up a perfect life

Where can i find a place that's full of tenderness (tell me, tell me)
I get there when i close my eyes and hold and pray (pray)
That you and i will be there

Someday, i say
We'll make a brighter day better than our yesterday
Someday, i say
We'll make a brighter day but today's our chance to be there
(this is our chance to be there)

Once in a while, you get down and get wild
Set the rain hope so i took some dope
What happened to your start, not a dumb old fun
I had renewed my faith, better not be late
'cause i hate to go back again wasting my life and sin
I got my lord to obey now, so i say now
Take a ride home, go, take a ride home, go
Back to the father

Someday, i say
We'll make a brighter day better than our yesterday
Someday, i say
We'll make a brighter day but today's our chance to be there

To do the chance to be there
Someday, i say
But today's our chance
We'll make a brighter day and today's our chance to be there
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