the former Godzilla graduates

She'd been gearing herself for graduate school. The recently concluded semester she was taking subjects prerequisite to graduate school according to Karlee. She told to RN that she'd been done with college as of this month. Exactly five years at SDSU. 

ILS meet-up in DC

Both Ate Guy and Saul are now with the Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO). Ate Guy is the Assistant  Labor Attaché posted in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and Saul heads the POLO in Washington DC as the Labor Attaché. ILS which we referred  to as "the Institute"  making it sound as more than the attached agency of the Department of Labor and Employment and the think thank that we considered it was. Before ILS, I was with the now defunct, I mean renamed Bureau of Women and Young Workers. But it was easier to trace back memories to ILS. It was at an ILS  kiddie Christmas party that I first heard KG sang using a microphone trying to reach a note. I wanted to crawl under one of the desks like I was going to sing myself but it turned out that KG was not as disastrous as I had always been when it comes to singing at a Christmas party.  Ate Guy easily became the instant godmother to Karlee while Bern  and Mel have been KG's  godparents.

Being the shithead that I had always been at ILS, I felt kind of undeserving to be holding the ILS bandanna banner in front of the White House with Ate Guy. I thought of that bandanna as a commemorative souvenir for the meet-up with Saul and Ate Guy at DC. But if felt good playing support to  Ate Guy holding on to the ILS bandanna banner while Saul took the picture. Attending to the welfare and labor  concerns of OFWs at the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah Saudi Arabia is to me a really heroic job. Ate Guy is attending to the labor and welfare concerns of Overseas Filipino Workers in the vicinities of Jeddah, some gargantuan task. The thought of me being a PRC registered social worker and whining about Ayeddis Vahkkendjaab in the US makes  me feel rather shameless realizing that Ate Guy is doing the job I pledged to doing in a forgotten oath-taking ceremony I attended in my previous life.

The unmanned picket is  for me the most interesting sight in front of the White House grounds. I am sure,  not many visitors have taken notice of the Free Tibet poster. For someone who has been reading into global socio-political issues that veer into humanitarian sentiments, the chance to see the exhibit was priceless.  I  have never been aware that Tibet has been under occupation Chinese all these years.

The glorious Holy Shih Tzu makes it to DC. As I look at the picture, I.G.Y sung by Donald Fagen in another century comes to mind:

Here at home, we'll play in the city powered by the sun

Perfect weather for a streamlined world

There'll be spandex jackets for everyone

Chorus:

What a beautiful world this would be

What a glorious time to be free!

I may have guilt feelings of being in that glorious time while the ancestors of the wandering sack buddha  are imprisoned by their Chinese oppressors in Tibet, but oh well...

I have always thought of a diplomat as a suitcase brand. Being with two diplomats in DC  and not the suitcase types is big time to me.

I hope to garner several dozens likes when I post the photo of Ate Guy and Saul with the obelisk picture at Facebook. When Saul mentioned of the obelisk, I had the oblation in mind. When I think of the oblation, I have Lev in mind. I don't know why. It must be that ILS mark. Reading,  Ading? I'd love to see you in the United Shades of America in the future.

Virgin Islands is not far from the Philippines in the National World War II Museum.  All the pillars in the monument has names of the US states and territories on them. For an instant, I tried to think if Philippines is still a protectorate.

Remembering how hard it was for me then to get a visitor's visa to the US, it is so ironic that I was seeing my motherland's name in the national monument. I may be naturalized but I would still  stick to the history of my country of origin as told by Filipino historians who celebrate June 12th as the country's Independence Day.  Filipinos fought and died for the country to be independent and no longer a mere protectorate by any super power like the US.   I would always be  aware   of the more  100,000 Filipinos who perished as a result of the US forces fight to regain the country from Japanese occupation. If you fellow brown American puppies  think I am just ranting, Google it up!

I had to capture the moment. Saul, the diplomat.  spares a DC visitor  from taking himself a selfie shot. I am reminded of how I got to the Institute from the Bureau. Boss Irma, my then chief at the Bureau told me that ILS was looking for a staff who could write. It was Saul who told Boss Irma about the ILS hiring needs. Boss Irma sort of like and accepted my writing style and sent me to ILS to see Saul.

These idiots could have just asked Saul. 

With the photo, I sum up with the I.G.Y lyrics in mind because I ran out of what to say:

Standing tough under star and stripes, we can tell

This dream's in sight

You've got to admit it

At this point in time, it is clear

The future looks bright...

The Streets of Philadelphia

The jazz fusion beat has been playing sporadically on my mind eversince I came back from Philadelphia. 

And I'm a player from the streets of Philadelphia

And now my sound is round and deep and brown and blue sometimes..

Stanley Clarke is the composer of the song that has been playing in my head. Another song with the same title   is the theme song of Philadelphia, the movie. The movie is where Tom Hanks dies of AIDS. He and Denzel Washington both play lawyers in the movie. Tom Hanks is the aggrieved party, having  been fired by his prestigious law firm when it is discovered that he has AIDS.   Tom Hanks dies in the movie and Denzel Washington has always been a favorite actor.

My fascination on Philadelphia goes back to the time when I first saw the  movie in the mid 90's while working in Saudi Arabia. Part of the fascination must have come from listening to jazz music. The song by Stanley Clarke sort of represent how I envisioned Philadelphia: deep, colorful and distinct like a jazz fusion beat.

“Are you a sister?”

I knew the gentleman street pastor was asking if  I am a Jehovah’s Witness myself.
“I am not sure,” I replied.

I wanted to confess to him that I am a member of an LGBT community in San Diego and Pride Week is the only occasion I celebrate. May Jehovah, peace be unto him, be the witness!
His sisters graciously posed with Ate Guy. I became the witness as well  the photographer.

Black lives matter in Philadelphia. Their friendly disposition seem to add to the pleasant atmosphere of the city. Even Moses, our Über guy is  for me a part of the pleasant experience Ate Guy and I had in Philadelphia. Moses who said he came from West Africa must have been a buffalo soldier in his younger days.
Stolen from Africa
Brought to America
Fighting on arrival
Fighting for survival….

Ate Guy and I may have missed seeing  the famous Liberty Bell,  racing on Rocky Balboa's  steps and being face to face with Rocky Balboa., is that you? But we didn't miss our train for DC at the 30th Street Union Station.

Remember me, Apen?

At Asian Social Institute (ASI), everyone addressed her as Run Pen at first until she told us that calling  her as such was like calling her in her first and last name. At ASI, we  referred to Lolita Dimaano as Lolit and Orlando Buenviaje as Ka Orly and the late Aura Savelano as Au. At one point, she got offended at  by being called Run Pen by Tess O when everyone was already calling her Apen. Apen is originally from Myanmar.

I found her at Facebook with the first and last name she used plus her married name. She is now based in Uppsala, Sweden and works as social worker.

This agnostic

To some people, being agnostic is no different from being an atheist. To me an athiest is no different from a religious fanatic like a born-again Christian. Both groups would grill an agnostic. Born-again Christians like most Muslims, Roman Catholics and any other Christians build churches and mosques and require attendance and loyalty among their faithful. The faithful pledging loyalty to their churches in the name of Jesus look upon on non-church goers like me as lost souls. I do look at them in rhe same ways. They're just a bunch of fanatics. 

The photo is taken from my other work place. I love going into the interfaith chapel and trying to recognize the emblems. 

Watching POTUS in London

In two weeks I will be joining RM in Philly for a trip to Washington DC. There,

we would be meeting Saul de Vries, the new Philippine labor attaché. I am glad I'd be going to the nation's capital while President Obama is still in the White House. President Obama is the only president I voted for. I never really voted for any Philippine president because no one appealed to me. 

I am having the same feelings I had in the Philippine for presidential elections. I am voting for Senator Bernie Sanders in the primaries. He is not going to be the Democratic nominee but vote is an ideological expression. After the California primaries in June, it doesn't matter who is going to be my adopted country's president. And yes I am getting less scared on Donald Trump becoming the next US president. 

As I watched President Obama being asked by a reporter if it is any of his business to tell the British people that UK  is better off staying in the European Union circle, I wondered how Donald Trump would handle such a blunt question. The president simply shrugged off the question as if dealing with a teenager throwing a fit. I also wonder if Donald Trump would even get close to visiting a country in the Gulf Region, much less, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

A Hoarder's house

Even a food stamp benificiary Caucasian would winch at a suggestion to find an apartment in Mira Mesa. Mira Mesa which was once thought of as a flower plateau has been tagged as Mira Manila. Even a mortgage-laden Filipino RN would flaunt a zip code that is not Mira Mesa. Even non-RN Filipinos like me would feel offended for being thought of as a Mira Mesa resident. Mira Mesa is kind of an Filipino ethnic village in San Diego. 

The first thing that came to mind when I saw the house at corner Belgian St and Dewsbury Ave was Tondo or maybe Cavite St near Bluementritt Market. 

'Ika pa sa salawikain, ang di marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay di makakarating sa paroroonan. 

Ay ambot!

Mga Halamang Ligaw

Kapanahunan ng mga ligaw na bulaklak, kapanahunan  din ng aking walang kwentang agiw tala. Inspired nga ba o wala lang magawa?   Ang ipinapanalanging ulan ay dumating din pagkatapos ng tagtuyot. Panahon na naman ng tagsibol at namumulaklak ang mga halamang ligaw. Heto, trying hard din ang  inaagiw kong utak kantó. 

Naglipana ang mga California bush monkey flowers sa mga open space preserve sa kapaligiran. Bawal  silang kolektahin, hugutin, padamihin at palaganapin. Kung hindi  pa ako hinugot, asan kaya ako ngayon? Malamang sa squatter pa rin. Pilit kong hinugot ang ilang sumisibol na mga batang unggoy para itanim sa paso. Nakita ko ang sarili ko sa mga unggoy. Katulad ko puede rin siguro silang maging transplant.  Pula, naranghita at dilaw! Ako ay lubos na natuwa sa mga malalagkit  na bulaklak ng mga unggoy. 

Ito ay ang wild hyacinth na mas kilala sa tawag na blue dicks. Binugbog na patutoy ayon pa sa pagsalin ni Djeline. Kako naman, binugbog na bayag.  Noong una ko silang makilala, natuwa ako sa kanila dahil sa kanilang pagkakapangalang Blue Dicks. Marami na rin akong hinugot na blue dicks. Naalala ko pa ang bugtong na una kong narinig mula sa  aking ina. Siya lang ang puede magtanong noong ako'y musmos pa: impalok ti Igorot di mo mabagrot?  Ang sagot sa Ilocano rin: okinnam, saan ka nga agsasao ti dakes, basol ken Apo Diyos!

Deer weed flowers and tawag sa kanila. 

Dahil sa kanilang pagiging ligaw, bawal din silang kolektahin at palaganapin. Minsan lang ako nakakita ng usa sa open  space preserve na nakakapaligid sa aming tahanan. Mabubusog sila sa dami ng deer weed na ngayon ay namumulaklak rin tulad ng mga unggoy.

Di ko na kailangang kunsultahin ang US Database for Wildflowers para makunpirma na ang bulaklak sa larawan ay isang sunflower. Ito ang bulaklak na laging palamuti sa ball pen ni Tetey Soriano, ang  dati kong boss sa Insttute for Labor Studies. May bubuyog na sumisipsip sa sunflower, ganyan din si Tetey noon, maraming sumisipsip. May mga insekto rin na dumapo sa sunflower. Isa ako sa mga insekto na hindi natutong sumipsip, sapat na yong makadapo man lang sa Institute. 

Morning glory? Ang morning glory sa akin  ay hindi ligaw na bulaklak kundi ligaw na muta sa umaga.

Ito yata ang tinatawag na Chinese houses. Maganda nga naman ang bahay ng mga Instik.

Checker blooms daw ang tawag ng mga iyo. Pilit ko rin silang  pinapalaganap matapos hugutin. 

Last but not the least ay ang Lord's Candle. Kasamahan ng Joshua Tree ang Lord's Candle. Ang Joshua Tree ay naihalintulad sa isang Mormon na nananalangin. Ang Joshua Tree ay isang uri din ng yucca katulad ng Lord's Candle. Pero iba ang sumasagi sa aking isipan tuwing nakikita ko ang ligaw na halaman na ito. 

Blue dicks at ang bugtong ng aking ina noong ako'y musmos pa! Ito ang kandila ng Panginoon noong musmos pa siya. Tatawagin ko ang ligaw na halaman ito bilang Baby Jesus!

Simba ko!

In Cebuano, I understand the ejaculation as "God forbid!"

I have just been watching the GOP debate on CNN. 

Sweets from Geri

Geri is my NOC supervisor at Sharp. She is a Rapid Response Teamleader RN at the Central Telemetry Unit. The candy jar was her sweet welcome to this new per diem staff. 

"Are you a nurse or an engineer?" James, a new acquaintance at a SD international meet up group asked me upon learning that I come from the same country that Geri comes from. I didn't know if I would be complimented or not. 

Geri does not fit into the stereotypes. She  is just another co-worker and superior who was welcoming me in her sweet ways. 

Muni-muni sa Manila Sunset

Noong huling pumarito ako, awit ni Heber   Bartolome ang sumalubong sa akin: Bakit nanggagaya, meron naman tayo.

Ngayon  naman, si Yano yata ang kumakanta: 

Kamusta na, buhay pa ba? 

At kung hindi,  paano na? 

Ewan mo ba? Bahala na?

Dumating ang pritong tilapia. Ah..buhay ng tilapia bago iprito! Sa Tinajero ko sila ganap na nakilala. Tuwing bumabaha lang sila  nakakalaya. Kung minsan, ang sakuna ay simula ng ibang pagkakataon. Pagkakataon umusbong. Sa Tinajero ko unang sinubukang magsulat sa sariling wika. Nakasaad sa wikang Pilipino ang alituntunin ng samahang binubuo  namin noon  ni Ka Tess, na malapit ng maging kalihim. Pagdating sa SEC, na incorporate ang samahan sa loob ng sampung minuto gamit ng  pre formatted registration forms ng SEC. Hindi ko alam kung ano ang nangyari sa aking katha. Sinunod ko pa namang maigi ang mga limang elemento ng pagsusulat ng maikling kwento ayon sa turo ni Gng. Genoveva Matute. 

At sa kanyang yumi at ganda 

Dayunan ay nahalina 

Bayan ko binihag ka

Nasadlak sa dusa. 

Ibon mang may layang lumipad

Kulungin mo at umiiyak

Bayan pa kayang sakdal dilag 

Ang di magnasang makaalpas? 

Noong magsimulang lumipad ang ibon, tila sumisigaw na ang babaeng mang-aawit para maabot ang mataas na nota. Makabagbag damdamin ang awit. Minsan naramdaman ko rin ang drama ng ibong nakulong at di makalipad noong  di ako binigyan ng visa para makalipad patungong America. 

Akala ko ikaw ay akin 

Totoo sa aking paningin 

Ngunit nang ikaw ay yakapin 

Naglalaho sa dilim..

Samagi sa aking isipan ang mga sinehan sa may kanto  sa Recto at Avenida. Mga malalaswang eksena ang biglang bumalik  sa aking mga alaala, tila mga flashbulb memories. 

Ayoko nang magising

Ayaw ko nang mangarap

Ayaw ko nang manalamin

Nasasaktan ang damdamin!

Ayaw ko nang sipsipin ang ulo ng tilapia. Tinik na lang ang natira.

Si KM ang naalala ko noong buong giliw kong sinisipsip  at hinihimay  ang ulo ng pritong tilapia. Hindi ako nag-atubili at wala akong pakialam kung nasa Manila Sunset ako.  Gustong gusto din daw himayin at sipsipin ni KM  ang ulo ng pritong tilapia. Minsan daw sa hapag kainan, ulam nilang mag-anak ay pritong tilapia. Gusto ring kunin ni KM ang tirang ulo ng tilapia ni OJ pero pinigilan lang ni TA. Si OJ  ang extra member of the family nina KM. Ano kayang nangyari noong  palitan ang tawag sa mga katulad ni OJ bilang kasambahay? Sigurado  ako na walang nagbago sa turing kay OJ bilang extra member of the family sa loob ng tahanan  ni KM. Mangilan-ngilan lang ang katulad ni KM. 

Oh Diyos ko, ano ba naman ito?

Di ba? 'Tang ina, nagmukha akong tanga 

Pinaasa lang niya ako, lecheng pag-ibig to

Diyos ko, ano ba naman ito?

Love ko talaga ang tilapia heads!

Apo Unayen!

Di ko maiwasang tumingin sa Facebook upang pumuna at maaliw sa mga pagbabahagi ng mga kaibigan nila. 

Isang ultrasound print out ang nilitratuhan ng cell phone at ka agad iniupload, kasama ang caption: "It's  a girl, thank you Lord for the gift of life!"

"Congrats!"

"Another girl?"

May mahigit isang daang likes at dalawang dosenang comments. 

Pagkaraan ng pitong buwan at kalahati, nagbabahagi ulit itong kaibigan nila ng isang selfie, maga  pa ang ilong at  nanlalagkit ang kutis ng mukha parang ilang araw nang  di naliligo. Kasama sa selfie ang isang sanggol, mukhang bagong silang, pulang pula ang kutis at nakapikit ang mga mata.

May kasama ulit na caption: "Thank you all for your prayers!"

"Ang cute cute naman ng baby!"

May mga limampung likes.

Isang comment ang tumanggap ng ilang sagot at ilang likes:

"Bagik to diay labang no sumaruno."

Napapangiwi ka rin ba?

Cheesy?

Corny?

Baduy?

Etching! 

Epal?

Epal? Medyo mabigat INMHO ang kahulugan ng bulalas kantó na 'to. Papel, mapapel as in toilet paper. Minsan na naiugnay ko ang bulalas kantó na ito kay Madampe. Panay panay din ang upload ni Madampe sa kanyang pasyal sa mga restaurant ng  ng Toronto.

Natawa ako sa comment ni Lunch:"Kaya pala di ka pumapayat eh!" 

Simula noong dinurahan ni Madampe ang daang aking nilakaran bilang foreign bride, matagal bago ko siya naging friend  sa Facebook.

'Ika pa sa litratong ishinare ni Ka Rosario, 

ang maruming labahin ay di dapat sa Facebook!

Apo unayen! 

Ejaculation ito sa Ilocano!

Anak ng Pusa!

Parang kulang sa pansin itong si Mikey. Ayan, hindi nakuntento  sa mga haplos ko. Gusto niya ang buong pansin ko at sa aklat na binabasa ko siya nagpasiyang  lumugmok. 

Sige lang Mikey, hindi ko naman type and kuwento. As usual, ang manunulat ay isang Pilipino sa America na di marunong  magsulat sa sariling wika."Higit  pa sa amoy ng mabahong isda", 'ika pa ni Florante. As usual, ang kuwento ay tungkol sa mga burgis sa Inang Bayan. Pati ba naman dito sa America, kaburgisan pa rin  ang nasa isipan. Inilalarawan sa kuwento  ang mga kapwa pasahero ng pangunahing tauhan sa  eroplano: isang "Texas-big American" kasama ang "Filipina" at mga maids na nagtsitsismisan. Gusto kong ibasura ang aklat. Nakikipagtalo ako at pilit kong winawasto ang sinumang magtanong sa akin if I am a "Filipina". 

"No, I am a Filipino!"

Inggit lang ba ako at nakatanggap ng gantimpala mula sa Man Asian Literary Prize ang may akda na si Miguel Syjuco? Hindi buong kuwento ay nakatuon sa mga maids na nagtsitsismisan sa eroplano pero makatutuhanan ba ang scenario? 

"The women's bluster and brusqueness are crystallized by years of servitude, unconvincing confidence, irreconcilable distance from things to which they once clung closely."

Wala pa akong nakikilalang Pilipino na namamasukan bilang katulong sa America. Bagama't madalas akong nakakakilala ng mga Pilipinong ipinagmamalaki ang pagkakaroon ng dala-dalawang "katulong" sa kani-kanilang mga tahanan noong sila'y musmos pa  sa Inang Bayan. 

Kahit ang mga "katulong" ay tinatawag nang kasambahay, walang nabago sa kamulatan ng mga Pilipino sa pagturing sa kanilang kapwa. Walang  kwenta ang pagpapalit ng tawag sa mga babaeng namamasukan bilang kasambahay. Sa mga napapaka burgis, mga maids pa rin ang tingin sa kanila. 

Hindi lahat na mga tahanan na may isa o dalawang kasambahay eh burgis. Pati nga kawani ng pamahalaan, pilit na kumukuha ng kasambahay para lang masabi sa kanilang mga kumare na kaya rin nilang magbayad ng swell do ng kasambahay. Pakiwari ko ginagamit lang itong  mga kasambahay para maramdaman nila pano mabuhay parang isang burgis. 

Binili ko aklat noong 2014 at ngayon ko lang inuumpisang basahin. Iyan ang resibo. Wala mga namang halaga. 

Cooking inang bayan

"Don't baboy the pig!" 

Hindi ko alam kung si Nett del Rosario ang may akda sa pagpapahayag or bulalas. Sa kanya ko una itong narinig. Sa tuwing nakakakita ako ng baboy, ang bulalas ni Nett ang naaalala ko. 

Pinaka mura ang baboy. 

"Ang baboy mo naman!" 

Pinakamura rin sa lahat ng mga ulam ang  baboy lalo na kung ito'y buto-buto, buntot, sila, atay, tenga, nguso at iba pa. 

Pinakuluan ko ang nguso at tenga sa suka, toyo, tuong ot toi at leche de coco.   Ang nguso at tengang inadobo sa leche de coco ang magiging sangkap sa aking pinakbet sa mga susunod na araw.

Ang Hamon ni Uding

Bakit hindi mo subukang mag agiw-tala sa wikang Pilipino tulad ko? Nakaaliw, nakakalibang! Sabi ko,  wikang Pilipino, ibig sabihin hindi lang wika ng mga katagalugan ang gamit ko, wika rin ng mga kabisayahan, mga kapampangan at mga pangasinense. 

Nang dahil sa hamon ni Uding...

"Ang mga dating normal sa America, hindi na marunong managalog!" 

Heto si Uding na ngayo'y guro ng Ingles sa China ang minsa'y nangantiyaw sa pagpupumilit kong pagpapahayag ng  aking estado sa mukhaaklat gamit ng wika ng mga katagalugan, mali-mali nga naman. Wala ang sasakyang pangwawasto  at hindi kilala ng aking telepono ang mga salitang ginagamit ko kaya yon naghalong balat at tinalupan ang aking pagpapahayag. Mukhaaklat at sasakyang pangwawasto? Wala sa Google yan! 

Masarap mag-agiw tala sa wika ng mga katagalugan. Dito ko lang naipapadama sa aking sarili na ang wika ng mga katagalugan ay isang de kalidad na wika at hindi lang gamit ng mga nakatira sa squatter or mga namamalagi sa kanto. Malungkot isipin na ang mga manunulat sa tabloids lang ang nagsusulat sa wika ng mga katagalugan. Bakit  nga ba na si Nick Joaquín, ang bantog  at pambansang manunulat na ipinanganak  sa Kamaynilaan ay sa wikang dayuhan lang nagsulat? 

Bago pa lang ako nagsimulang mag-agiw tala gamit ng wikang katagalugan. Sa tuwing nakakarinig ako ng Kano na nagpupumilit makipag-usap sa wika  ng mga katagalugan sa akin, gusto ko siyang batukan. Nakaka insulto! Ang alam lang nilang "tag-a-log" ay mga mababang uri wika ng mga katagalugan. 

"Buwisit!"

 

Isang Dating Normal sa Bagong Taon

Ang totoo, minsan kinamumuhian ko ang aking selfie. Ako'y napapangiwi sa aking kaanyuhan. Hindi lang Faded Glory ang naaalala ko, kundi distressed jeans pa, punit at butas. Asan na ang minsang himaya  ng Diyos sa kaitaas-taasan? Sa tuwing tinitignan ko ang mga selfie ko, si Tita Tits ang nakikita ko. Hindi si Tita Tits na naggigitara sa kanyang kabataan, nag plu-plucking. Kundi ang Tita Tits sa kanyang kupas na kabataan. Minsan  maasim pa ako sa  sukang Iloko at minsan naman mapakla  pa sa hilaw na kamatsili. Minsan naman si Aling Boobs ang sumasagi sa aking isipan: laging nanunuya at nakaismid.

Hindi ko magawang magmukhang normal sa aking mga selfie. Kung sabagay, normal ang selfie sa mga batan-on. Sa mga minsang himaya ng Diyos at ngayo'y hindi lang Faded Glory kundi Abercrombie distressed jeans pa, ibang bagay na ang pagseselfie: kalunos-lunos as in pathetic. Ika pa ni Noa Pineda na minsan ay naging guro ko sa Asian Social institute, FGLG! Feeling guapa, looking gaga daw!

Nitong nagdaang taon, ang glorious holy shih Tzu ang naging selfie ko. Nasa sabbatical ang banal na sakong Buddha na katha sa Cordillera kaya ako muna ang lulugar sa kanya gaano man kalunos-lunos.

Ika pa ng mga Bisaya...mag-ugot ka na lang!

Fascination with East Timor

        This is a submission to English 110. East Timor has always fascinated me. There were times that I would tell anyone curious that I was born in East Timor. Not many I have lied to has not even heard of the country. I wondered  if Professor Williams even heard about the country before.   The history of the former Portuguese territory has some similarities with my motherland  and I imagine East Timor to be like some of tribal regions in the  country.  I wanted so much to highlight community organizing methods  as among the basis of the East Timorese' relationship with their ancestral domains. I have been posting submissions as blogs. I have these wild thoughts of being a serious blogger and a feeling I am so good at it that anyone might just cut and paste my work. It's my blogging and bragging rights.
        East Timor is the newest independent country in Southeast Asia. Its mountainous terrain is a verdant forest that grew sandalwood, the second most expensive wood in the world, next to African Blackwood (Kumar, Joshi and Ram 1140).  During the Portuguese colonization, East Timor was a trading post for sandalwood. In 1975, the Portuguese government gave up its territorial claims on East Timor.  In the same year, the Indonesian army occupied the former colony. The Indonesian occupation resulted to killings and displacement of its population and further exploitation of the remaining sandalwood forests (Wright 10).  It was only in 2002 that the United Nations recognized East Timor as an independent country, three years after East Timorese voted in a referendum against the reintegration of the former colony to Indonesia. Fourteen years after the country officially became a nation; its government continues to pool the country’s human and natural resources towards nation-building in an effort to ensure a sustainable economy for its population.
           East Timorese are dependent on agriculture for their subsistence. Because of their animisticbackgrounds, natural habitats which are the primary sources of food have been maintained with respect. Deforestation, where farmers slash and burn forested areas in order to expand their arable lands, however, has resulted to soil erosion and degraded watersheds. As a result of the degraded watersheds, water quality deteriorates during the rainy season leading to childhood diseases and increased infant mortality rate. The widespread poverty that has been plaguing East Timor as a result of its neglect as a Portuguese colony for four centuries and the ensuing Indonesian occupation have left East Timorese to resort further into deforestation by cutting down trees for the logging industry and using  the deforested lands for cultivation of cash crops for export like   Arabica coffee beans. The newly independent country has yet to determine its maritime boundaries with its neighboring countries (Schofield 259).   While East Timorese struggle in poverty, the country’s natural resources that include petroleum, marble and gold have yet to be tapped to benefit the country with infrastructures and its people with employment.  Despite the country’s valuable natural resources such as petroleum and gold, majority of the country’s population are marginalized and impoverished.
       Religion plays a significant part in the life of every Timorese. Ninety-six percent of the country’s populations belong to the Roman Catholic Church as a result of Portugal’s colonization since the seventeenth century.  The Catholic Church, with its pastoral role, has taken to the education of people in terms of consciousness-raising. Weighed down by   rampant poverty, East Timorese have taken to the guidance of Catholic priests and religious leaders to come together to bring about change in their communities and their economic situation. With the teachings of the Catholic Church running alongside animistic tendencies, East Timorese consider themselves stewards of their environment while subsisting on agriculture.
         As pointed out to Irena Cristalis, the author of the book East Timor: A Nation’s Bitter Dawn, East Timor’s bid for independence was inspired by theories on liberation theology (Cristalis 75). Liberation theology is a people-oriented ideology with little religious bearings. The ideology originated in Latin America   and discreetly conceals Marxist tendencies such as struggles for classless societies. Liberation theology    inspired the insurgency and guerilla movements that clandestinely involved communities for support during the Indonesian occupation in East Timor. Today, thirteen years after East Timor became a republic, its leaders like the current President Taur Matan Ruak and his predecessors President Jose Ramos Horta and former Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao are still  strongly associated with their participation in the guerilla movement that was instrumental in the country’s bid for independence.
          Liberation theology covers not only the social, economic and political aspects but also the environmental concerns that are affecting every member of the community.  In the book Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paolo Freire, liberation theology is spelled out as a community organizing model that begins by defining liberation as a process of consciousness raising, dialogues and continuous analyses of the community situation (Freire 43).    Banking on the self-determination of individuals and using the Freire model of community organizing, local East Timorese leaders continue to strengthen groups and communities remote from Dili, the nation’s capital. People’s organizations employ community organizing strategies that they have learned while struggling for the country’s independence.   Working committees are formed to deal with community problems like farmland or property disputes among farmers.  The national government, on the other hand, continues to collaborate with local leaders through dialogues or consultations regarding issues that have been affecting the community level which could be of a national concern.
          Issues that embrace not only social, economic and political matters but environmental concerns are put on a larger scale and long-term perspectives at the national level.  While keeping in touch with grassroots organizations from the community level, leaders at the national level constituting the East Timor government build alliances with other countries, other than Australia which has been East Timor’s closest ally and neighbor.   In 2004, however, East Timor had a dispute with Australia regarding maritime jurisdictions over  the petroleum-rich Timor Sea.  Recognizing the need to avoid another protracted struggle, then President Xanana Gusmao resolved to strengthen ties with its allies, particularly Australia (Schofield 254).  Gusmao’s response to the dispute showed a national leader’s dilemma between protecting his country’s domains and environment and strengthening ties with its allies.
       Prioritizing environmental concerns in the hope of preserving natural habitats has been a big challenge for a nation who needs to move on and address more pressing tasks like strengthening social and political institutions and establishing a sustainable economy for its people.  Recognizing the need to develop its human resource base to become more economically self-reliant, the government of East Timor continues to involve other sectors such as the Catholic Church, educational institutions, and international development agencies on its reconstruction and nation-building processes.  Despite its rich natural habitats endowed with valuable resources, development has been coming at a slow pace for East Timor. 
          There is much to learn from the experiences of East Timor in the realms of human ecology. Feeling more like a participant observer rather than a researcher, I chose to look into East Timor like an exile would.   For me, education and raising the consciousness of people regarding their situation and environment has been a powerful tool in empowering communities and fighting against foreign occupation to protect their domain. East Timorese however need not be so keen on protecting their habitats by protesting foreign investors who would build infrastructures for the mining and petroleum industry. Industrialization has been taking a toll on the environment of every country and East Timor will not be spared if it chooses to move on as a developing economy instead of just being a newly independent country. Continuing education and employing customary practices that have previously worked in protecting the environment however will always be helpful for a population who has struggled from the grassroots to gain the independence of a new nation.

Cited Works:

 Arun Kumar, Geeta Joshi and Mohan Ram. “Sandalwood: History, Uses, Present Status and the Future”. Current Science, Volume 103, No.12, 25 December 2012

Cristalis, Irena. “Timor’s Joan of Arc” East Timor: A Nation’s Bitter Dawn. Zed Books London/New York, Second Edition 2009, 69-80

 Damaledo, Andrey. “’We are not new citizens, we are East Timorese’: Displacement and Labelling in West Timor”, Review of Malay

 Freire, Paolo. “The ‘Banking’ Concept of Education as an Instrument of Oppression” Pedagogue of the Oppressed. 30^th Anniversary Edition, The Continuum International Publishing Group Inc., 2005, 71-86

 Robert Kelly, Denise Coleman, Mary Ann Azevedo. “East Timor 2015 Country Review” Country Watch 2015 Edition

 Global Environmental Concepts, Environmental Overview, East Timor Review 2009, 109-115

 Carroll-Ben, Sam. “Development Alternatives in Timor-Leste” Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences of Southeast Asia and Oceania, Bijdragen tot de Taal-Land-en Volkenkunde, 2015, Vol. 17, Issue 2/3, p312-345

Schofield, Clive. “A ‘Fair Go’ for East Timor: Sharing the Resources of the Sea” Contemporary Southeast Asia: A Journal of International and Strategic Affair, Vol 27, No. 2, August 2005, 255-280

Wassel, Todd. “Timor Leste: Links Between Peacebuilding, Conflict Prevention and Durable Solutions to Displacement” Project Internal Displacement, The Brookings Institution, 2014

 

Wright, Warren. “Sandalwood and Environmental Law in East Timor” East Timor Law Journal, 19 May 2012

 

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