Liga

When we were young, basketball is the barangay's opium. And when there is interbarangay tournament in our town, you cal tell all hell broke loose. Men and women, old and young, every citizen of our barangay overzealously awaited each game of our team. The tournament was always held at the town's Poblacion. And unfortunately our barangay lies on the periphery and Poblacion is a good 8 kilometers from ours. So someone thought a brilliant idea of borrowing open trucks used to haul tons of rice to carry us, the crowd cheerers of our barangay team. So every game, we would climb the tucks and since we would be standing there -- there were no seats for the utility trucks -- we would try to outdo each other to get the most preferred place in the truck. Some, i included, avoided the periphery because i was afraid that once i lose my balance, i would fall off the train. Every game was marvelous. Every game has a story of its own. Everyone has a version to tell. Particularly during those games that our team won. I never got the chance to see our team winning the championship. We were runner up always. That Martinez guy from Lumbac was always the thorn, the pain in the ass. But I noticed something was wrong in our team when i got older -- we used to "import" some good players -- a friend, relative or mere acquaintance -- to play for our team, even though they were not really living in our place. Elders used to tell us that that was a top secret and should not be talked about because once the officials know about this, our team would get disqualified. And i thought when we were young, they placed greater hopes on us, but their teaching sucks!!! But that's another story. And more so, that's the only sore during this time when i get nostalgic and remember the countless liga that i watched, the roaring cheers i extended to my Barangay, the fits of diappointment i harbored when we failed to win the chmpionship and the ever-repeating tales of prowess of our players and how the other team sucks. This part of my childhood, i am definetly grateful that i had. And i tell you, we did not have PC or PS2 or xbox during those times!

Airport Connection

March 11, 2006, 3:00 am: Amid the engulfing darkness of a sleeping night, the earth was still quiet as a child inside a mother's womb, except for the hustling emanating from our house. We had to prepare and get up early because my flight is 10 am and i have to check in three hours before my flight. So by 4 am, the car started its sojourn that would bring me directly to the airport. Or so I thought. As I stopped by to the gas station, i noticed something was wrong in my car. The engine totally stopped everytime I slowed down (like during changing gears). Well, things like people, had the tendency to do awful things when they are most needed. So we need to change cars. We called my sister to borrow her car. Luckily, she lent hert car without ado. And, at last, i was treading the road leading to NAIA.

6:15 am: I alighted from the car. Yes, Berlin is just a flight away! But the urge of the nicotine overcame me and i looked around to see where the smoking area is located. Hindi ko makita, nagtanong ako. Tinuro ng janitor ang isanfg coffee bar kung saan madami ngang nag yoyosi, pero ayokong bumili ng kape. I walked around in the cafe and saw a man smoking alone. he offered me to join him. That what was all i needed and i jumped to the empty seat beside him. Tanong nya, san ba punta ko. sabi ko Berlin, pero isang linggo lang, a-attend lang ako ng seminar. Tinanong ko sya kung saan biyahe nya. sabi nya sa Dubai, 3 taong kontrata sa isang pagawaan ng tsokolate. "Unang lipad mo pa lang," usisa ko. "Hindi, dati sa Saudi ako, sa photocopier," sagot nya. Dagdag pa nya: "Sa Pinas kasi, di ka makakaipon, mahirap kumita ng pera. Tsaka misis ko, papunta na sa Canada in six month time. Baka nga dun na ko dumiretso, pag naayos na nya papel namin ng anak ko. Ung Boss ko sa Dubai, sinundo kami, anim kami, sabi ko sa kanya, imbes na sa hotel sya mag-stay, sa amin na lang. Ayun, nakatipid ung arabo, kaya ung natipid nya pinang good time namin kagabi, bago umalis." Ubos na ang yosi, nagpaalam ako, sabi ko magchecheck in na ko. I stood up without knowing him.

Amsterdam airport, di ko na matandaan time, kasi pabago-bago na: Baba ako sa airport. De Javu, was here 4 years ago, and am here again. Those stores where you can read xxx-mags without being rapproached -- kelan kaya magiging ok un sa Pinas. Pero di kaya dadami ang rapists pag pinayagan un? lakad, hanap kung saan gate ung flight ko going to Berlin. Ayun, nakita ko na. Pila ako. Andun ung 2 Pinoy na mag-asawa na kasabay ko kanina sa KLM Flight from Manila. Nagkatinginan kami nung lalaki. Ung lalaki na nakita kong inaangilan ng kanyang irog habang kami'y nakapila pa sa NAIA. Tinanong ako kung saan punta ko." Sa Berlin," sagot ko. "Dun ka na nakabase?" "Hindi, seminar lang ako, kayo?" "May Shengan visa na kami kasi matagal na kami sa Austria," aniya. Biglang pumutok ang Mrs. Volcano at sabi nya, dapat dun sila pumila sa kabila kasi mabilis dun. Ang pobreng Austriang under! Wala man lang bye bye, lipat sya kagad ng pila!

KLM Amsterdam to Berlin Flight: Sakay na akong eroplano, ung maliliit lang na tinatawag nilang City Hopper. lapit na Berlin, 2 oras na lang. Maginaw kaya dun? Biglang dumating katabi ko, banat kagad, Indonesian. Filipino, sabi ko. sabi ko na nga ba, sabi nya. taga Lucena sya, at matagal na sya sa Berlin kasi German napangasawa nya. "pano nyo po nakilala, tanong ko." " Sa Manila Bulletin, through pen pal." Anak ng putsa, ngaun maiintindihan ko pa ung nagkakatuluyan via information technology innovation, pero thru pen pal, one for the books!!!!! Sabi pa nya, "nagkaproblema ako sa Amsterdam, hinihingan ako ng ticket, eh, transfer lang naman ako talaga, kasi ung flight ko dapat Luftansa via Frankfurt, pero nasiraan un, sa Manila pa lang. Kaya sa KLM kami nilipat. Gusto pa yatang ilipad ako sa Frankfurt, eh meron nang diretsong Berlin dito, ano sila sineswerte. sa Berlin ka nagtratrabaho?" Di po, attend po akong seminar." "San ka ba nagtratrabaho?" "Sa BSP po." "Eh di, marunong ka napapadala ka sa ibang bansa para magtraining." Naalala ko tuloy ung kanta ng Yano: Siguro ang talino-talino mo, taga UP ka kasi, pano, kay dali mong makakahanap ng trabaho. Tuloy pa nya. "Ung anak ko ang kaunaunahang Filipino-German policeman sa Berlin. Dyan na sila nakabase, ung bunso ko nga hirap magtagalog. Ako, sa Lucena. Ang hirap ng buhay sa Pilipinas, ang gastos. Bat ba kasi nagpataw pa ng VAT." Sabi ko kailangan ng buwis ng gobyerno para mabayaran ung pinagkakautangan at isa sa pinakamadaling buwis ay yung VAT kasi ang mga mamimili ung magbabayad nito, wala ng insentibong mandaya ang mga producers o namumuhunan kasi pinapasa naman nila ang VAT sa mamimili. Sabi nya, lakas ng loob lang talaga sya sa Berlin, dami na rin niyang napagtrabahuan duon, at ngaun retirado na sya. babalik lang sya kasi namatay ung tatay ng asawa nyang German. Bat nga ba tinaasan pa ung VAT e pasakit lang un sa mamamayan, ulit nya. Sinagot ko ulet sya. Sabi nya, daming Filipino sa Berlin, at nilipat na ulet ung embahada ng Pinas sa Berlin, from Bonn. Nag land ang eroplano, nag bye bye kami at hinanap na ang mga bagahe. I stood up without knowing her name.

March 19, Amsterdam Airport: I promised i will not smoke again, as the freezing temperature in Berlin sent countless fears that my lungs were about to burst. So i left some yosi, and did not even bother to know whether or not i brought my lighter at the Regent. Nalimutan ko nga. Nasa Amsterdam airport na ulet ako, ang tagal pa ng flight ko. Agaian, i gave in to the aroma of nicotine and bingo! my suit's pocket contains a pack of yosi. Ala akong lighter, so i walked around and chanced upon 2 pinoys in the smoking area talking in Tagalog. The other went away, so I approacheed the one that was left and asked for a lighter. Sinindihan ko ung yosi and nagtanong ako kay manong, san po kayo galing. Sagot nya, "sa Africa pa, sa Ghana. Dun ako nagtratrabaho, sa isang gold mine dun, pero open blasting ung ginagawa namin kasi ung ginto nakadikit sa mga bato dun." Ilang taon na po kaung nagtratrabaho dun?" "Four months na, uuwi na kami nung welder ko, 50 dollars lang nga ang binigay sa aming baon, kasi ung sweldo ko, lahat sa Pinas ko pinaiwan. Sa Africa pa nga ako galing. Ganoito din nangyari nung pumunta kami sa Saudi, susunduin daw kami sa airport, eh ung gagong Indyanong driver, di kami nakita, umalis at iniwan kami. wala kaming pera kahit pantawag sa opisina, buti na lang may pulis dun na binigyan kami ng barya para makatawag sa opsina at pinakain pa kami." matagal na po ata kaung bumibiyahe." Oo, 62 na ako. Nung minsan sa Iran, napakaginaw dun, ung mga Ruso lang ang nakakatagal sa Ginaw, may baon silang alak at umiinom pag nakakaramdam ng ginaw." "Oo nga, napakalamig dun sa Russia, lalo na sa Siberia. Bat di nyo pa pinag-iisipang magretire?" "Pwede na nga sana kaso gusto ko may sarili akong pera, kasi ung anak kong 3 -- puro lalake -- may asawa ng lahat. Alam mo naman, ung matatanda, matampuhin na, baka may marinig lang ako na ikakatampo ko sa mga asawa nila kaya nagtratrabaho na lang ako. Tsaka nakakainip sa bahay, pag nasanay ka na ng pagtratrabaho, hahanap hanapin un ng katawan mo." Tatang, eto nga po pala ung yosi, gusto nya?" Umabot sya. " Ala na nga kaming masigarilyo nyng kasama ko." "Sa yo na po lahat, may yosi pa naman ako." "Salamat. Tinawagan ko ung anak ko, susunduin daw ako sa airport, sa Batangas pa manggaling un. kaya lang, dati di kami nagkita nun, kaya ung 50 dollars, nilalaan ko na lang sa pamasahe ko pag di kami nagkita. May bus naman sa airport, tapos lipat na lang ako papuntang Batangas." Malapit nang umalis ung flight ko -- na napagalaman ko dun din sya sasakay. Nagpaalam na ko. I stood up without knowing his name.