My social networking accounts were smoking with ‘tweets’ and posts about the recent calamity that happened in the Philippines. At the time of writing this article, fifty-seven people were declared dead after a group of people related to Vice-Mayor Esmael Mangudadatu were kidnapped and brutally murdered. This bloody incident surely called the world’s attention, and [...]
I remember that my mother used to tell me before that the songs “Got to Believe in Magic” and “King and Queen of Hearts” are the template songs that high schoolers dance in their promenades or graduation balls. I have to support her statement, for these songs were played during my own formal dance, which [...]
Last May 29, I joined hundreds of students and obtained my bachelors degree. After four years of sleepless nights, long (and cold) bus rides going to school, numerous cups of coffee and sugar-laded energy drinks, I was able to obtain the certificate that shows that I was able to complete the requirements in order [...]
Noong nakaraang Enero ay nanumpa na ako sa harap ng hukom at naging ganap nang mamamayan ng bansang Canada. Taong 2006 ko pa napagdesisyunan ito at naayos lang ang proseso ng application ko noong nakaraang taon. Bandang Hunyo ay naisaayos ko na ang papeles; dumating ang Nobyembre at naganap ang pagsusulit.
Sa mga buwang nagdaan habang [...]
I stared at my blank notebook, which was not really supposed to be empty. I was trying to weave out words, string them together and make coherent sentences.
About what?
About what I think right now. About what I feel right now.
Unfortunately, I feel that I am lacking things. Something is wrong.
In case you do not know [...]
Living away from one’s home country, I’ve heard a bunch of stories from fellow Filipinos, from family problems, to fellow kababayans who spend a lot of time gossiping about their co-workers. But one type of story that always catches my attention is that whenever an acquaintance mentions that he or she is involved in a [...]
Sa araw na tumapak ang aking mga paa sa campus ng University of Manitoba, isa sa mga hinanap ko ay ang isang samahan para sa mga Pilipinong estudyante ng nasabing pamantasan. Subalit laking panghihinayang ko nang malamang ang samahang hinahanap ko ay hindi na pala matatagpuan. Sa madaling salita, naglaho na ito.
Dumaan ang ikalawang taon [...]
Naulinigan niya ang mahinang bulong at hagikhik na nanggagaling kung saan. Mababaw siya kung matulog, kaya naman naalimpungatan siya at hinanap kung saan nanggagaling ang tunog. Sino naman kaya ang gising pa sa ganitong oras?
Hindi pa niya lubusang naiaangat ang kanyang katawan nang makita niya ang liwanag na nanggagaling sa computer monitor nilang magkaibigan. Naisip [...]
SULAT
Araw-araw kong inaabangan ang liham na ipinadala niya sa akin, subalit wala pa ring dumadating. Kulang na lang ay tanungin ko ang kartero. Pero tuluyan na yatang nawala. Nakakapanghinayang.
Hindi bale, pero sana hindi siya magsawang sumulat sa akin. Baka kasi sa huli ay mawala rin ang pag-ibig niya tulad ng sulat na ipinadala niya.
SELDA TREINTA [...]
Tatlong taon na simula noong huli tayong magkita. Naaalala mo pa ba? Matapos ang mapait na tagpo sa pagitan nating dalawa ay napag-isipan kong itigil na ang kabaliwang ito. Nagsimula akong lumimot. Masakit, oo, pero iyon ang nararapat.
Subalit sa kabila ng inaasahan kong mga gabing puno ng pait, mabilis na naghilom ang aking puso. Nakuha [...]