Sa Mabini napadpad

Mabini is one of the popular names of places in the Philippines. Not surprise though since its an honor to one of the country's national hero Apolinario Mabini.

In addition the name Mabini has become more popular in the song of Freddie aguilar's Magdalena where Magdalena ang babaeng mababa ang lipad sa Mabini napadpad."

After thirteen years in Davao City, my family is now backin Mabini a 3rd class municipality in the province of Compostela Valley, Philippines. According to the 2000 census, it has a population of 32,058 people in 6,524 households.

The town of Mabini is a sparkling jewel of Compostela Valley. It has pristine beaches and people with hearts so warm.

I promise to post pictures of the place if i could grab the chance to visit these beaches i talk about. I hope someone is reading this. (lol)

Face to face with death

Death is an inevitable pat of life. We cannot say we live unless we die. We know not white if there is no black; day without night and right from wrong.

Death comes in the most unexpected time. At times we cannot comprehend or accpet why its has become of anyone.

Though this is an accepted logic of living, the pain that death brings can be sa hurting to the point - unbearable.

We grieve for the death of people we love becuase we have to. But after that we have to move on.

I have seen, like anybody else, a lot of death in my life, each has unique hearting-tearing story.

My close encounters

Not once did I come close to it, I could still clearly remember when I was little (I was not even at school then; I attended school at grade 1) my sister and her friends were playing on top of piled wooden planks which will be used for the renovation of our house. I was watching their frolic at the same time watching over my baby brother on a stroller. Suddenly a thud was heard and I could see the planks piling over me. Then, strong thud, and another one, and then some more. It was a series of deafening banging of wooden planks piled against my frail body.

From the outside, I could hear fain shouting, “ang bata!” (the baby)” I don’t know if that holler of concern was for me or for my baby brother. Inside, I was lying real straight, breathing normally, surprised at what happened and how quick things were happening. I could see the planks of woods piling like dome or a niche barely touching my skin. I was unharmed.

There was panic from outside. People, including my father and mother, pulled the planks as fast as they could. When the last piece was removed, we were awed at how not a scratch was on me. (Unbelievable, is it? Up to now, I still wonder how it happened.)

Here’s another one. I was grade 5 then, very active, very playful. We had a mango tree right at the back of our kitchen. Some of its branches reach over the kitchen roof and its leaves touching the roof. The mago tree was high and heavy laden with golden fruits. Those “golden” mango were very attractive to my eyes that I volunteered to watch over it until they're big enough for eating.

So the day came, when it was good enough for our “harvest.” Since it was I who "guarded" it I was granted to do what I wanted to do. Because of my high level energy I volunteered to climb and do the harvesting. I was excited. The first branch was no hassle. Everything looks juice, sweet and the green once sour enough for the Filipino taste buds. Then next level, all clear. Up and higher I went. At this point the branches were thinner and it sways a lot. I was overly confident that I’m good at climbing, people below me were shouting, drop some more. And I shouted back, ok reserve for me the best, ha. Then there i saw one "golden harvest" naturally ripe near the tip of one thin branch. I “assessed” the situation, then decided to go for it assuming that I was light enough. I inch in, closing to the mango which was an apple to my eye. An arm reach away, I heard some crackings… eehhkk… ehhekkkk says the branch. I did not mind it.. so closer I moved in. Then, BOO! I was falling at a speed of gravity with only leaves between my legs…. BANG! I hit the ground! Their mouth and eyes wide open though some were close, I stood up and shouted “ako tong manga nga hinog!” (That ripe mango is mine.) What a big laugh it was.

Later did I realize how when my mother talked to me how tragic it would have been. Despite what happened, I never feared of climbing trees, ever… wanna challenge me… next time na lang I still have a lot stories to tell.

Next. When I was little I used to play alone. I read alone, I watch tv alone. It’s not that I don’t like to play with other children. But I just like to play alone. That simple, ok. So one time I was alone, I saw a candle and a match. The spark of the match was really enticing, so I scratch it, the tip burned and gone out. Then I scratched another, it sparked, it burn and went off… Then I lit the candle. The candled looked meek, it was gentle, its light swayed to the mild blow of air, it cried. I placed on a glass, its foot at the corner bottom of the glass and the body slanted towards the kitchen wall. Our kitchen wall was made of old wood. But not the hard ones, when the it caught the light of the candle, It flared up. To my surprise, I wasn’t able to move. I was shocked at how meek and genlte “light” has turned into fire. I was standing there when suddenly a gush of force jolted me out of where I was stading, it was my father.

So our kitchen was half baked, or for meat, rarely done. The ceiling was black with sooth and some wholes were carved in. I… I was scolded to sleep.

Grade 6. It was the most horrifying experience of my life then. We were aboard in one of the M/V Princesses of Sulpicio ship lines on our way to the first asean Jamboree for the boy Scouts to be held in Laguna. We left Davao City port sometime in high noon. I was excited… I was expectant of good things to happen of another adventure.

Night came and I learned we were already traversing the Surigao trench said to be the deepest trench in the Philippines. We had our free dinner at the mess hall amid the noise of laughter, jokes and some obnoxious conversation somehwere.

When we were about to sleep. We felt the boat shook a bit, and ride along a wave. Then some more ups and downs… It rained, as we were at the economy class, I could feel the wind and the droplets of rain. The gush of wind went stronger and it become stronger as we cruise along. The ship swayed more and riding along bigger waves this time.

On our bed, we felt tossed to the left, then to the right,left again.. some bags from top fell, emplty soda cans run left to right… we waves were getting bigger and bigger, the splashing of seawater stronger too.. our scout master prodded his way towards us and distributed life vests.. I received mine but did not put it on.. I just embraced it. Then we heard the captian of the ship, leading us to pray the holy rosary. Some aged women responded more moudly to the prayer. I was seated in the corner of my bed, as we were tossed left and right, up and down.. some bags and cartons were also running to and fro… left and right.. Then there was wave when the ship sided to the right at longer time, there were already shouting somewhere. Then side to the left a little longer this time.. more shouting was heard…. It went like that the whole night through.

I could not remember whether the captain included the Litany of the virgin Mary but I'm sure it ended with a big amen. After the prayer the sea was not pacified… we were still tossed left and right… but people were silent to death as in no human sound was heard except to some interruption from the captain through the PA calling some names of presumbaly ship crew members. I wen to sleep curling up in the upper corner of my bed clinging to one of the the four bedposts.

Morning came. WOw, it ws totally a different day! (Gushed everyone, i guess). No signs on big waves were eveident on the clear blue skies and deep blue waters.

Later that day, we learned that we indeed went to a typhoon.. good for us the captain was able to maneuver the ship to a safety cover in one of the islands in southern leyte.

And near death stories are counting...

Gumising at Magkape! (The cofibean hate hits )

While in a middle of a dull meeting, a colleague of mine gave me this url: http://cofibean.blogspot.com/, he said this is one thought-provoking ego-hitting-and-igniting(my own term) blog. I read few lines and i already got the trend... it was such a crap i thought, but reading further it becomes a laugh not on the ORC baho katutubo subject of this blogger but on himself.

This blogger (whoever she/he/it is) is really making waves on line. He receives hate messages mostly from call center agents he/she/it hits.

If you have a sense of humor, you will get hook to his blog. NOt for the its non-senseness, but on how pathetic people express themselves. So, engrossed with this "Certified glitterati from Makati. A commoner of all the chichi places. Simply suave and primo. The envy of many. Adonishingly fantasmo... Yep. That's him whose Motto: "Make Poverty History!" and hates the baho masa / orcs said: Obliterate them all!"

Make Poverty History - is very catchy. I thought it was some advocacy call to help the poor ORC katutubo baho natives of this country (borrowed this line from him/her/it). But OMG, Make poverty history was as crappy as the author.

I trackeddown his friendster account which he/she it/ said was hacked by some stalker or something, and here's what 'righteous' people have to say:

From Boo:

hoy cofibean LOL ang eksina mo bakla. winner ang kaiklatan mo. grabhe as in overrrr... tHE great pretender ang drama mo hitad. aNG tArush ng mga blog mo pinagkakaguluhan ng madlang people. pEro kwedaw ka bakla, balita ko mag aambag-ambag daw ng piso piso lahat ng mga call center agent dito sa pinas para pambayad sa hired killer na papatay sayo. hahaha saka isa pa mag iipon-ipon daw lahat ng ORCs sa luneta para mag prayer rally, ipagdarasal daw nila na sana mamatay ka na ahehehe. sabay sabay daw sila mag titirik ng kandila para sayo o di ba BONGGA!! kaw naman kasi bakla ko di ka ba namn isang dakilang moron, Imbecile, idiot, retarded, mongoloid, ingot, tanga, gusto mo lang maging poppular bakit itets na paraan pa naisip mo. ask me lang bakla kaw ba nakakatulog ka pa ng mahimbing nyan, Im sure balisa ka, sa sobrang dami ba naman ng maygalit sa blog mo, im sureness marami gusto ipa dead ka. kaya careful ka bakla baka one morning malaman namin palutang lutang na lang ang beauty mo sa ilog.

シリルおよび枕
06/28/2008 2:20 am

your the orc.. sobrang yabang.. wala kaming pakialam kung mayaman ka get a life.. and live outside philippines..dun ka naman bagay sabagay when your there ikaw yung ORC hahaha

Reginald
06/19/2008 3:32 pm

I WILL KILL YOU! gay... I will assure you that you will burn in hell! I WILL KILL YOU IF I SEE YOU! beware! stop making comments about people you dont even know. all that I can say is that you are a BUM. rich boy wannabe! I'll Kill YOU!

♥mAmA and GaBe♥
06/8/2008 6:15 am

• hey you!
  i got a glimpse of your blogs...
  and i should say YOU ARE SO PATHETIC...
  i SO pity you...all those whims and visions about
  money and porsche...
  stop claiming that you're a writer because you are not...
  these stories are all your make-believe fantasies...
  you smell worst than garbage!
  i am A CERTIFIED - TRUE BLOODED ATENEAN! but i
  don't possess such attitude like yours...
  this is a free country yes, but for you to step on other
  people's rights i don't think that's fair!
  you are all noise...nothing more...
  ever been familiar with a saying that goes EMPTY CANS
  MAKE A LOT OF NOISE...those are like empty brains...
  like yours...
  callcenter peeps did nothing to you...
  and by the way, i just had noticed that you don't post your
  pictures...hmmm...why is that so?
  well, i guess you are so ashame of your face that you
  don't have enough guts to show it to the public...
  well...hahaha! all i can say is...get a life! if life seems so
  miserable to you due to your bittern

jahja
06/7/2008 2:09 pm

• know what , i just read your blog last night posted in our knowledge base in our office. well, upon reading it ,no doubt i know you're gay. the way you compose you're statement. dude stop it, you're making yourself famous in a notorious way.
  granting you're born with a silver spoon on the mouth but BOY you need to WAKE UP....ikaw ang nakakatawa at hindi kami..tanga

LeSteR
06/5/2008 3:23 pm

• you know what.. if you really have the balls to write those shits on your blog,, post ur pic.. so we CALL CENTER ORC can kick ur ASS
  and one question.. are you gay PARE? coz you like those kind of TV shows..and whats with the language..straight english please... come out of the closet.. so hot in there hahaha.....
  hope you burn in hell.. you disgust me!!!!!

ΣAΛΒΑ
05/17/2008 4:53 pm

• i don't know man but i think you call yourself a good writer because you can agitate a lot of people... but to the level of being a professional hell no man. maybe you really are just a retard that's why you act like that. migrate to the US if you hate the 'baho masa' here in the Philippines, you keep on commenting on people, so why not make any actions? you're so stupid you can't think of that? keep the fuck talks and make some move mr. retard.
  
  actually on either way you are also an orc because you're narrow minded just like your mom who lost hefty sum of money... i just wish god put curse on people like you who don't know anything but to give shits on everyone.
  
  die biatch! egg-sucking ass pirate!

j
04/25/2008 4:57 am

• tangina mas gusto ko pa mag basa ng sign boards at commercials kesa mag sayang pa ng oras mag basa ng posts dito. posts, comments.. hay. walang kwenta. may mga orcs pang nalalaman di man lang marunong gumamit ng mga puns na napupulot sa ibang lugar ng maayos e. di ko naman sinasabi na un edcuated or sa madaling salita WALANG PINAGARALAN. Walang taste, yun na lang. pati mga supporters or readers or fans nya.
  
  o ayan. Baka mag reklamo pa kayo bat ako nag comment. hehehe kala ko ba ok lang sa inyo na express ang freedom to say what i want. laking tawa ko lang talaga pag nabasa nyo to at napag isip isp nyo na you could have done something more worthwhile with your time than reading a fag's blog full of shit.
  
  
  hate comment over. hehehehe. see you online mga bading.

PaulAndrew
04/12/2008 9:42 pm

• hoy.putangina ka.katutubo ba tlga tawag mo sa mga pilipino? puta.sa bagay.mga kalyo sa kamay mo.kasusubo at kahahawak ng titi ng mga katutubo.eh sa laki.di kaya.uuwi ng LA.haha.hm.do your own work.give money.pretending to be a good, rich gay.using the language og tag-lish. jologs puta.cut your penis.it will make others happy

How amusing are communication media nowadays. At your fingertips you can agitate people, provoke some juicy thoughts, hit ego, attack yourself. the world is becoming so borderless that you can never tell who is sane and not. The freedom of expression is sometimes construed and bent which becomes a lame excuse for unhealthy bubble mouths that does nothing except putting more crap to this already crappy world. So, whats the moral of this? I'll figure it our soon.