editorial bagwis MAIN EDITORIAL 01
perpetuatesstandardThecrassness.doubleheallows the likes of Olivar and Uson to continuously spew vitriol without any serious repercussions while citizens who put into heart the needs of the masses are threatened with curtailment of rights, may it be right to expression, to education, or to life. He even uses his threat against the UP students as an example to his critics, that if they don’t stop speaking against his administration, he would silence them. So it’s either they stop asserting their rights and ignore the country’s problems, or the administration pressures them into silence. If the administration succeeds in taking away our Freedom of Expression, we will have to bear with each government regulations without having to speak. Bodies of EJK victims and the repressed sorrow alongside them will continue piling up. We can’t insist that a criminal shot by a police didn’t fight back. We will have to bear with the current educational system, with the inappropriate jokes and with the government officials who do not deserve their seat. Political dynasty will never end. And perhaps, a time will come where a single word against the administration could get us killed. The oppression will drive us to be obedient and believe that we do not have rights. We will be feeds for the government’s personal interests. And who knows, we might even witness China taking over our territorial seas. Duterte who is beyond reproachable will make us witness each event unfold with him pointing a gun in our mouth. Seeing that many people are still misinformed as to what right Freedom of Expression gives us, we need proper education and time to research. We are tools for the propagation of this right and we ought to be aware so we can tell whether the administration is giving us the liberty to do so or only making the right exclusive for its supporters.
herwithcontroversyUsonMargauxAssistantCommunicationsPresidentialSecretary“Mocha”facedanotherafterhervideobloggerDrewOlivar,co-hostin“GoodNewsGame
Show” made noise in the internet. Uson who is known as a social blunderer after a habitual posting of fake news in her Facebook page such as the 9-year old Brazilian girl’s photo, and Honduran soldiers’ photos, claimed that she only meant to introduce Federalism. But we take it as foolish and indecent more than educational or informative. In the midst of this controversy, the President via then Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque, claimed that he is lenient with Freedom of Expression, but this is ironic given how he exhibits double standard. While his nature that Roque spoke of may be true with Uson, and his supporters, his treatment towards journalists and people who oppose him is clearly discrimination. He would either back his minions up with Freedom of Expression or let them be, but lambaste his critics with disinformation and curses. Duterte doesn’t and won’t taunt any of his supporters because he, himself, has a foul mouth. He can mock Christianity as he pleases or crack rape jokes and get away with it because he has the power to do so (and his spokesperson is always there to cover him up). And then his loyal supporters honestly think it’s cool so they started following his example. The first reason may be simply because they believe that he never beats around the bush and says his thoughts regardless of whom to offend and/or to hurt. Second could possibly be because they think Freedom of Expression gives them an excuse to do so. Unfortunately for them, Freedom of Expression isn’t as simple as that. While it is true that we are free to express our thoughts (through speech, writing and other forms of communication); Freedom of Expression is not absolute. According to Article 19 of the ICCPR (International Covenant and Civil and Political Rights), the restrictions include the “respect for the rights and reputations of others, national security, public order, public health and public morals”. This clearly negates the general and misled idea that in a democratic country such as the Philippines, people are free to act however theyWewant.are free to express but as mentioned, there are limits to what we can do. Moreover, Duterte shortens these limits for his critics. On February 23, 2018, student activists from different universities such as UP (University of the Philippines), ADMU (Ateneo de Manila University), ADU (Adamson University), PUP (Polytechnic University of the Philippines), DLSU (De La Salle University), UE (University of the East), FEU (Far Eastern University), NU (National University), SBC (San Sebastian College) and other universities from across the country walked out of their respective classrooms as a sign of protest against the current administration’s “anti-poor and anti-people policies”. Fishermen, vendors and other sectors joined the protest. And in response to this, Duterte addressed UP students alone and threatened that he would replace them with Lumad or cultural minorities from Mindanao, which he obviously cannot do. He doesn’t have the authority to do so yet he has the audacity to make threats on a group of individuals trying to make a reform. Duterte’s statement speaks a lot about his treatment towards his critics. He is a bully and so are his supporters who are emboldened by his
Freedom to Express or Freedom to Oppress
Rohannie Ibrahim
NEWS SPORTS
Looking for retribution from the morale damaging score party managed by the Royals, Marianne Belmonte and Mamalumpong worked with each other to put their team once more on the pedestal but were unfortunately crippled by the reply of Cabatingan’s crowd-shushing three pointer, step back two pointers, and counter attacks to have the Royals finally gain their first lead of the game with 45-44. Evading an upset, Bantilan and Bernardo, and Janibeth Batiller rocked the whole gym with their jumpers and uncontested shots that put them back on the run for the championship. With the timely aid of Samantha Chiong and Bantilan’s powerful drives and attacks, they were able to steal back the lead from the Royals and end the third quarter to their highest liking, 52-48. Aguillon started off the fourth with her two Jayson Sullano, an SSC Senator who spearheaded this year’s Miss MSU, was removed in the office during the regular meeting. According to SSC President Nelson Supilanas, after the intramurals Sullano didn’t attend any meeting. He also added that Sullano failed to submit narrative and financial reports. He said that the council gave consideration and many chances to the senator to present proposals during the second semester of AY 2017-2018, but the senator didn’t show up. The motion to impeach Sullano was raised by ex-officio Karl Anthony Labrador during a regular meeting of the SSC. Before dividing the house, executive members were asked about the reason why there was a need for impeachment. Majority of the council voted yes. Grounds of the said impeachment were not disclosed to Bagwis. Supilanas said that the council sent letters to Sullano to inform him of the impeachment process but they received no response. The Senator, on the other hand, invoked his right to remain silent about the issue.
After its groundbreaking led by the Chancellor Atty. Abdurahman T. Canacan December last year, the construction of the new Student center was completed first quarter of 2018 that will soon house the Office of the Student Affairs and Services, Admission Office, and Guidance office.
With no time to waste and more points to chase, the Royals, through Jessa Arabejo, Ana Martinez, and Cabatingan’s smart plays and teardrop shots, they abated the lead of the other team and ended the second quarter to a close 30-27, Generals lead.On the other side of the court, having decided to take a step forward into the battlefield, Cabutaje and Cabatingan, aided with Gladys Aguillon’s accurate free throw shooting, pushed the Generals into the defensive as they commanded their team through the offensive with impeccable jumpers and unguarded lay-ups. Cabatingan and Redoble put the Generals to the stake by going on a run which then resulted to their first deadlock, 37-37.
The Women’s Basketball team of MSU Gensan (Generals) basked in triumph after defeating the MSU Marawi (Royals) during the championship match of Women’s Basketball in lieu with the MSUSAA Unity Games, April 28. A fiery start was spearheaded by the Generals during the first quarter. Exhibiting excellent shooting and unbreakable floor defense, the Generals left and fed dust to the Royals. Cristine Mamalumpong and Rayshiel Bantilan from the Generals disclosed everyone as to who owned the court as they sprinkled the Royals with their crossovers and pierce-through lay ups. Not wanting to let the opponents get far enough to be out of reach, Ray Ann Cabatingan, Angelika Redoble, and Geovera Cabutaje proved that the Royals were no push-overs in the sport as they showed everyone their basketball prowess through drives and point-converting lay ups, but badly still weren’t enough for them to get the first quarter lead from the Generals, 19-13. With the unspoken momentum undoubtedly on their side, the Generals opened up the second quarter with a combination of a three point nailers by Mae Dumaran with Sarah Palmos and Michelle Bernardo’s sly crossover kills that put the Islanders running for their money. Generals lead, 30-22.
Increased number of uniformed men and ramped up security protocols were implemented in MSU-GSC and the whole vicinity of barangay Fatima, after joint policemilitary operation killed alleged bomb expert of Maute terrorist group in shootout July 16, in Zone 3 Block 4 of the said barangay.
SSC against Sullano
oks impeachment
bagwis • news sports bagwis
JessicaKatangkatang pointer shot which was boosted by Cabatingan’s net drive-ins and perfect free throws which were then answered by Belmonte’s hot jumpers. With no chances being taken for granted, the Generals squirmed away from the grasps of the Royals point by point, slowly but surely, to gain back a reasonable lead by way of Bantilan’s threepoint plays, Mamalumpong’s dynamic assaults, and Bernardo’s point converting steals which ended up being very fruitful as they devoured the scoreboard against the Royals with 65-54. Cabutaje, Aguillon, and Cabatingan tried to outsmart the Generals until the last second of the fourth and last quarter by going through a blitz but failed miserably in doing so as the last buzzer sounded on the court and ended up the finals match to the Generals favor,/Kyle68-63.Ryan A. Gonzales/
Najiv Calimba Pundong, known otherwise as Najiv Hussein who has a standing arrest warrant, was killed when he allegedly exchanged shots with the authority on his hide-out. Six other kin were charged for obstruction of justice and coddling of fugitives. This immediately led to a heightened screening of the whole barangay vicinity, deploying patrol cars and more uniformed men on checkpoint areas. According to the University civil security office chief Akmad M. Mokamad, four security and some Job order personnel were added to ensure full safe keeping. Moreover, he said that they were doing all their best by not leaving any posts unattended. He emphasized that intensified 24/7 patrol were roving around the campus. Curfew hours were also strictly implemented prohibiting everyone to roam around after 10 PM. All dormers were also encouraged to secure letter from their houseparent if it is very necessary for them to go outside the Furthermore,campus.Chief Mokamad urges everyone to wear their school ID at all times so it would be easier for them to identify outsiders. “Meron din tayong random na check dun sa mga [students], tapos yung hinihingi pa natin dyan yung cooperation ng mga faculty [and] head of offices, ‘pag walang ID ay wag silang i-entertain” he added, expecting all university Professors and Lecturers to make sure that students are wearing ID. He was hoping that the whole community will cooperate and be vigilant. The security chief also said that the university is fully coordinating with the local government and lawmen. On the other hand, Office of the Barangay Peace and Order Committee team Leader Arturo Dormido gave an assurance that all of the constituents of barangay Fatima including students residing inside or outside the campus are safe. He said that they have roving team around the vicinity 24/7. “[as per] city ordinance number 6 nga 10 o’clock up to 4AM [that is the] curfew hours karon” he said. “Kada barangay gahatag sila sang police, nga mag assist sa mga tanod mag roving”, added Dormido who mentioned the involvement of the Regional Lawmen and peacekeepers. He also cited that they arrest minors roaming around beyond curfew hours, including those Children in conflict with the law and children at risk. He further explained that they received directive order from Brgy. Captain Rey Curit that exactly 10 PM they should conduct roving in every Purok of the whole barangay including FVR village. Drinking and karaoke are also discouraged during restriction hours in line with the strict implementation of the ordinance. Dormido and Chief Camilo Dela Rosa also said that response would be immediate since they also have a 24/7 hotline. “Sa mga panghitabo sa atong komunidad pwede mi ninyo ma contact kay ang atong Barangay Fatima walay problema sa aksyon” he ended. Meanwhile, General Santos City is still on red alert status according to City PNP Chief and is making sure that the security in the whole area is tight.
OSA Director, Engr. Paisar Gadiaware said that the University agreed that the proposed building will be constructed on the site where the old cafeteria is located. “Dito kasi ang main reason siguro bakit hindi nalang ito yung nirehabilate o pinalitan because itong area na ito is tatanggalin accordingly ang lahat ng building and this will be an event quadrangle, kaya nilipat” he added, but unsure about the factors why the University eyed the new area as the site for the student center. Furthermore, Engr. Gadiaware said that this will be a progressive type of student center since they are planning to have a building expansion in the future which will house all other offices for sports and cultural arts. He is hoping that the university will support this idea to cater the needs of every student.
University and Barangay expertoffollowingheightenedsecurityraidallegedbomb
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Physical Plant Development, on the other hand, said that one reason is to make sure that the area is maximized. They also added that the students will have a place where they can stay comfortably anytime theyTheneeded.newbuilding will be occupied as soon as the university secured a permit for occupancy.
OPINION
Heaven of Opportunism
In an ideal world where the voting public is educated and well-informed and you have politicians with good intentions, this is great as economic decisions can be made at a targeted local level that will benefit the state and its citizenry as a whole. In a federal state, the government would be more accessible and the states can enact rules that can specifically address issues unique to them with less bureaucracy. In our current unitary form of government, Metro Manila’s problems are being shouldered by the whole country. The income of the provinces get funneled into the centralized government based in Manila, but in federalism, each state gets to spend its own taxes solely for its own purpose. It will remove exclusivity of power. But federalism will put the country in an even more vulnerable position, considering that the Philippines’ politics is very dirty. Who will benefit the most from Duterte’s scheme of changing our form of government are the people who hold power. The already corrupt officials would never abandon their vices behind. This is not leaning towards advancement. This is nothing but a heaven of opportunism. Federalism in itself is not bad, as proved by the prosperity of some federal countries like Austria, Canada, and Germany. But what works for them may not work for us. The biggest proponents of the movement in the country are warlordpoliticians who are aiming for more autonomous control for their entrenched regional interests. The presence of corruption and political dynasties in every region of the Philippines makes it unfit for our government to shift into federalism. We ought not to give the corrupt more power. Letting the governors of the states left to their own devices without any safeguards from a central oversight would worsen our economic damnation. In the countries aforementioned, a federal government has been their source of national strength. But the Philippines is nowhere near in possession of the qualities that shaped their well-structured system. So far, what we know is only a propaganda; federalism as a cure to our nation’s cancer, like Duterte’s presidency. No laid-out plans were presented to the public, but only suggestions that federalism would be our emancipation from the scourge of poverty, illiteracy, and economic stagnation.InthePhilippine real-world where people vote based on name-familiarity and populism, that just means that whoever is either in power or has the most money can load up the state-level government and legislature with cronies and minions. Localizedindustries will also be able to lobby for more unfriendly laws that will either maximize profits or eliminate competition. We are currently living in a nation where we don’t openly trust the government to handle the abuse of power that it is letting to happen in the first place.We don’t have to throw the whole Constitution away to solve our country’s problems. Making a new government while keeping the same system and officials that consigned us into perpetual poverty, illiteracy, and ignorance wouldn’t be helpful. Getting rid of corruption, dismantling the patronage politics and political dynasties, and using our taxes properly would be much more helpful than spending millions crafting a new government that will abuse us just the same. We are not yet ready for it until the majority of the populace are educated enough and learn to elect responsible officials. We are not yet ready for it until our government is staffed with dedicated, intelligent, and honest leaders. The fault is not in federalism, but in the people who will implement it. If we look closely into our current condition, you might realize that all this talk of how shifting into federalism would be a “leap to hell” is in fact unecessary. It can be proved using four wordsARMM.
PEDERALISMO Sa Bingit ng PaalamIsang
bagwis • opinion opinion bagwis “Federalism is like a knife; it yields when used by a chef, but disastrous in the hands of the greedy, dishonest, and power-hungry.”
Bill. Sinusulong nito ang pagtatag ng tiyak na diborsyo sa ating bansa. Ngunit maraming Pilipino ang hati pa rin ang pasya o tahasang tumututol sa panukalang batas na ito. Ano nga ba ang epekto ng Divorce Bill sa ating bansa? Ang panukalang batas na ito ay magbibigay ng mas mura, mabilis, at epektibong pamamaraan upang wakasan ang hindi na mabuting pagsasama. Ngunit sa kabila nito higit na maapektuhan ang pamilya lalo na ang mga anak ng mag-asawang naghiwalay. Kaya’t nakapaloob rito ang pagpapangalaga ng karapatan sa mga pangunahing pangagailangan ng mga anak ng mag-asawang maghihiwalay na pinagtibay ng Section 10-e, nitong panukalang batas. Hindi pagpapaubaya sa paglabag ng karapatan ng bawat isa sa mag-asawang kinasal at pag wakas ng pagsasama ang layon ng panukalang batas na diborsyo. Datapwat, ito ay magsisilbing pag-asa at kasangkapan lamang sa mga pagsasamahang tila wala ng mabuting patutunguhan, upang magkaroon ng isa pang pagkakataon sa buhay pag-ibig. Hangad lamang ng mga taong nagmamahalan ay ang masaya at matibay na relasyon sa bawat isa. Ngunit, hindi lahat ay nabibiyayaan at nagtatagumpay rito. Kung kaya’t bago pa ang pasya ng pagpapakasal, kailangan muna sigurado ka sa iyong sarili na magagampanan mo ang responsibilidad para
Walang mag-asawang nagpapakasal na ang nasa isipan ay wakasan ang kanilang pag-iibigan sa isang mapait na paraan . Subalit, paano kung ang iyong matipunong prinsipe ay isang halimaw o ang iyong magandang prinsesa ay isang mabangis na dragon? Sa anong paraan mo sasalbahin ang iyong sarili sa kabalyerong minamahal o sa reyna ng iyong kaharian?Hindi lingid sa buong mundo na mayroong pagsasamang hindi inaasahang lumalabo o nawawasak paglipas ng panahon. Bilang ang pamilyang Pilipino ang pundasyon ng ating bansa, ang pag-iisang dibdib ng ama at ina ng tahanan ay sagrado. Ngunit hindi batay sa pagiging sagrado ang usaping ito, kung hindi ito’y ukol sa kaligayahan at kaligtasan ang dapat mauna. Annulment, petition of declaration of nullity at ang legal separation ang tanging pinapayagang batas na nangagalaga sa pagsasama ng mag-asawa sa ating bansa. Ayon nga sa dekano ng College of Law ng Lyceum of the Philippines, ang batayan ng diborsyo ay umiiral habang epektibo ang kasal, hindi katulad ng annulment at petition for declaration of nullity na ang batayan ay umiiral sa simula pa lamang ng kasal.
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Kung kaya’t tila ang mga batas na ito ay hindi sapat upang bigyan solusyon ang pangunahing problemang pang-aabuso, malalim na hindi pagkakasundo at iba pang batayan na hindi nabibilang sa mga batas na ito. Isang panukalang batas ang inihain sa kongreso ang matunog na magiging pangunahing solusyon sa usaping ito, Ang House Bill No. 7303 o mas kilala bilang Divorce
Yasmin Thabet This year, the Philippines has been ambitious enough to believe that it can follow the lead of Canada, whose political foundation of success is federalism. But that will not happen, because our government does not understand that the true greatness of a nation is not defined in statistics, but rather in how well a nation takes care of its people, particularly the less fortunate. Before we plunge headlong into federalism, we need an in-depth study of how we can adapt it to the Philippine setting, and think about what our politicians would most likely do with it- create a government that is committed in ensuring the well-being of the population, or govern the states like their own personal fiefdoms?
Aivee Ann Didulo
THE CROSS EXAMINATION
And the information that memes can carry is so limited, in fact, it can be insubstantial to be actually reliable. Moreover, memes are originally created for entertainment, so the mentality of meme creators (or providers, if you may), is actually to elicit a few laughs and to be famous (or viral, in internet terms) and not to actually shareThisinformation.willlead us to the equation that is actually messed up. Filipinos actually glorify memes so much that they actually don’t bother to dig deeper into the story or know the context in which the content they are enjoying were taken. In the case of Robert Nocos, who was brought to fame in the aforementioned way, people were actually impressed by his witty and philosophical answers and started to idolize him in social media (others even called him cute). But never did they realize that Nocos is actually a cold blooded murderer who killed a waitress and injured another when he stabbed them after the waitress rejected to have sex with him. While probing through the case, others actually defended their actions saying that it is only for fun and that it is meant to mock him for what he did. But by the looks of it, the fame isn’t well deserved for a murderer. That’s the problem of most Filipinos, Filipinos have a laid back habit of taking things fun and easy and keeping things loose that sometimes, it really is ill mannered and inappropriate. Do they think of the children left by the deceased waitress? Or the family of the stabbed woman? No, because they only care for the laughter that Nocos brought to them.
THE VERDICT
The final verdict for this case is guilty for all of the meme providers who rode the wave of trending criminals. They must understand that with the vastness of their audience, it may include people who don’t have any idea of the content of their memes and people who don’t care enough to spend a little more time to scrabble for information. They are sentenced to at least be sensitive to the content that they are using for memes for in some way, in good and bad, they are carriers of information. While thanks to them that some of this issues are put into light to a larger audience, but it is important for them to know that the saying “bad publicity is still publicity” doesn’t apply to sensitive information involving drug addicts and criminals. The end doesn’t always justify the means. The Filipino people are also guilty for patronizing such efforts and are sentenced to look for a better reason of laughing their ass off than “it is meant to mock them (the criminals) for their actions and stupidity.”
Filipinos have a unique way of finding humor in almost everything. Truth be told, humor is used as a way of overcoming adversity. or even attacking it. The Philippines is head over heels in-loved with humor, no matter how inappropriate it may get sometimes. Lately, there has been a rise of internet images, or “memes”, scrambling all over social media that involves apprehended criminals giving off quips to interviewers and a gem that can be exploited by ordinary Filipino Meme-makers. Robert Nocos is the famous (or infamous) murderer that is making rounds all over social media recently. After he was apprehended by the police, he was bombarded by a barrage of questions from the reporters who have gathered:
theMemecases your face:The Filipino ’ s obsession of ill humor
A meme is defined as a humorous image that is copied and often with slight variations such adding a caption over the original image and spread rapidly by internet users.
We, as students of a university, must not remain insensitive regarding the issues and happenings in the new stream. Students should be selective and meticulous about the contents of the latest trending memes. While memes aren’t necessarily bad, it is the obligation of the audience to actually make an effort to do a background check of the meme and not rely on the images, the captions, and especially the comment section in order to get a gist of what happened. A little bit of information wouldn’t hurt at all, so to speak. “kuya, kuya. Nag do-droga ka ba?” asked a femaleThisreporter.waswhen he delivered is famous (or infamous)“Paanoline:mo nasabi?” Albert Mangapit,a call center agent in Antipolo, busted by the police for selling Marijuana, also has something to throw into the table:“There’s a lot of things you can do about money and from that…” he said in his smooth, uncanny English, “…maybe I can change the Philippines, run for politics. Advanced ako mag-isip…”JunCalubpiano, when he was caught drunk and trigger happy by the authorities, challenged the president to a gun duel. “Ba’t ako matatakot?!” he said, his eyes widening to add emphasis.Last,butcertainly not the least: Beethoven Del Mar Jr. –suspect of housebreaking and attempted rape. While being interviewed, he told his tale with all the bravado and machismo of a certified drug-addict “Pag lasing ako, talagang taong manyak ako eh.”“talagang hobby ko mang rape talaga.” “nagpapasalamat ako kasi hindi pa si Duterte ang nakaupo nun.” “Kung si Duterte, wala na. Finish na.” Along these lines is the uncanny trait to find humor in almost every imaginable situations. Sometimes, the worse the situation gets, the better the humor they exhibit.
The Philippines, a country noted to be the most active in social media, is a perfect hive for such things. A meme is also a vessel for spreading information, regardless of being good information or bad. But should memes really be relied on to deliver information? Memes primarily are images that are sometimes taken, or some might even say stolen, for the sole purpose of entertainment or to deliver an attack in a satirical way. Sometimes, those images can be misinterpreted or taken way out of the context. One famous example was during the 2016 Presidential Campaign, memes were circulated showing Mar Roxas, then a presidential candidate, showing that he drank water from a faucet using a plate. These elicited negative comments and some even questioned his mental state. Turns out that this lasting image of Mar was inaccurate and that the plate was only edited in. The meme is actually just a follow up to further mock Mar Roxas after a different image, one in which he was shown serving rice in a mug. With this example alone, memes actually pose as a greater risk than it actually is. Irresponsible While the love for comedy of the Filipinos can never be removed, it is very important to be selective and meticulous of the content that would provide fuel for the daily dose of laughter that all human being need. After all, we are gifted with the ability to laugh and we must not use it for naught.
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people can use it to share malicious information regardless of being true or not. Filipinos should not be questioned if they really love memes or not. In fact, there might be hundreds, or even thousands, of meme pages ran by Filipinos in Facebook alone. Each one will have thousands and thousands of followers, all of whom have the ability to share the memes posted by such pages. Each of those followers will have hundreds of “Friends” that can see such posts. It will be a vicious landslide from there. Imagine the speed and amount of information that these networks can share in a given span of time? Take into the consideration that some of these people actually have no idea on what is going on until they encounter some of these memes, Should we blame them? In today’s age and time, Televisions can actually be rendered obsolete! All of the information you need to know actually lies just beyond the fingertips through your phones and phones are where people usually use to access Social Media. Technically speaking, taking all things into consideration, memes is actually a good medium of spreading information. Does this mean that there should be a meme for every notable information that is happening in the country? After all, what is there to lose? The problem with memes, regardless of its massive audience is that it can be easily manipulated in order to suit the purpose and the psyche of its creator. The content can be easily edited out, an act made possible and is getting easier by the day with today’s technology, and might disseminate malicious information.
Almira Caryl Jane A. Calvo
Recent events have further reasoned the pejorative inferences to this hypebeast subculture. Police investigations have identified this group of people as leading causes of quite a lot of street incidents and massive gang wars in some provinces and villages in the Philippines. Baguio City mayor Mauricio Domogan has called the attention of Baguio City Police Office and the Office of the City Social Welfare and Development to work together with schools, parents and teachers and put a termination to the vehement incidents involving the youngsters, which are mostly comprised of minors making it much more alarming. The group has been equated to a gang terrorizing children in the city, bearing more than a few reports of mauling and bullying at the Central Business District. It was soon figured out that this hypebeast phenomenon begins when kids buy branded clothes and submit these items to the leader of the group to be sold within that group as a ‘rite of membership’. While it is true that the hypebeast groups in Manila are simply composed of fashion-loving people, the case with Baguio’s is a little diversified. Incidents of violence and bullying have been reported numerously, reckoned to start when kids who aren’t a member of the group start wearing the same brand of clothes, pants, jackets, or shoes without having to gain the consent of that group. Obviously these kids would fight back, and violence breaks out. A mauling case last January 24 has triggered the alarm over these groups’ schemes which grabbed the attention of the City Council and instigate a solution to end thisNonetheless,mayhem. city director Ramil Saccules assured that contrary to the reports at the city council, these cases attributed to the hypebeast community is “not that alarming” and is “under control”. Still, we cannot rest our cases that easily. This may always be a prickle on the public’s throats, especially those living in Baguio City. Due to these upsetting events, one can articulate that the clothes they buy could even compromise safety, considering most of the people following this fashion trend are minors. People would call them menaces, pests, thugs, misfits, trying hard copycats, and cancer of the society for a logical reason. While we can’t blame them for thinking that way, it’s still unfair to gather them all to the same section of the spectrum. It’s prejudiced to assume that everyone who looks like a hypebeast, or claims to be one, are all troublemakers because of the incidents. While to most outsiders they might be perceived as eyesores or tagged as looking stupid, to them this is their personal way of expressing themselves. It also has something to do with psychology, more specifically how these kids are reared in their homes or how they grew up. This hypebeast subculture has become a means for them to finally feel like they actually belong somewhere, where they will not be judged for their flaws and instead be accepted wholly as a brother or sister would. To them, they are a team that will stand with each other even if the going gets rough. It has become a way for them to feel significant, which in a way, kind of sounds sad. Majority doesn’t mean truth. It may become the norm, but it cannot dictate each one’s personal decisions and preferences. Fashion trends aren’t laws, and public fashion opinions aren’t absolutes, so one can divert however he wants. “Jologs” as it was called from the 90’s , “jejemon”, “emo”, “sukarap”, or whatever millennials may call it again in the future, it cannot be denied that this hypebeast subculture has certainly created its eminent mark in the Philippine history, and indeed “hayaan mo sila” (leave them be).
The thing about the hypebeast fashion is that it looks more like a runway to brandish all the expensive labels that one can afford. Unlike traditional street style, which is more about the material of the clothing, its silhouette and color spectrum variations, “hypebeast” street style seemed to not care whether the clothes go together or if it matches your look. It’s more fixated on flaunting the brand on the clothing which is usually a characteristic that is primarily reserved for labeled scarves, bags and purses. However the 21st century offered a lot more for this. Fake brands and imitations have become rampant and widely supported especially here in the Philippines, that one can’t even sometimes tell which is which. This trickles down to the masses who cannot afford to purchase these high-priced sneakers and apparels. They would have to make do with just some knock-offs and fakes found in several markets, which are clothes that had factory defects or over-runs sold at a much cheaper price.
feature bagwis Social Networking Sites are everywhere… and our everything. We spend more than eight hours in the chat rooms of our messaging app of choice (sending Who-Knows-What), streaming videos on YT, posting pictures and getting famous (or stanning your favorite celeb) in IG. There are hundreds of these SNS, and we love to keep updated with the world through them. Using them became a habit, which is most likely due to their quirky uses- uses that are suited to our personalities. Yes. Personalities. Getting to know a person starts with what they are most likely into. And SNS are definitely one of the ways to find out more about you. But since, the following statements are made by the personifications of the sites themselves it won’t be as much as coherent as done by every sage who can encompass an entity in one word. I advise you to take these by a grain of salt.
“Never have I heard ‘Hayaan mo sila’ by Ex Battalion & O.C. Dawgs”, says no one from Ph ever. Hype: Yah or Nah?
It is certainly hard to imagine how anyone could be unfamiliar with that song as it is played from almost everywhere; televisions, radios, jeepneys, tricycles, even from the common MP3’s, iPods and cellphones. It has spread like the Bubonic Plague from the 1300’s and as such, its phenomenal rise to fame in the Philippines has attached itself a subculture, which to some extent claimed it like its national anthem, the hypebeasts.
thesomehowtojokes,aofsimpleonceorthatwhich“sukarap”theconnotationnegativeorwhatmillennialscallor“jeje”istosaytheylooklamestupid.Whatwasjustaexpressionfashionbecamesubjectofpertainingpeoplewhoexhibitcharacteristics of a hypebeast. This led to a formation of a ridiculous set of standards that the public lays out. Apparently, one can’t even pinpoint the specific standards that they incorporate when judging whether a person’s fashion is ‘sukarap’, only that it’s something “you can just tell it as soon as you see them”. In any case, that’s not even where the real problem lies.
The Newest Pinoy
09
The term hypebeast eventually attached itself a
My users spend twenty-four/seven in the messaging app and scrolling through the pages (I am a bit worried when do they eat but since the pages are still scrolling I guess they have acquired my ability to multitask. I’m proud). I also presented them with the infinite possibilities to cure their social anxiety; whether in messaging people they never had the guts to talk to, to looking up their favorite people (without the people knowing), to sharing the most bizarre of stories (ultimately believing it). Online they are people of ‘culture’, from faithfully following and expertly sharing the pages they set their hearts on to creating V-worthy news (starring: ‘My Life’) on their own timeline. The downside is the deliberate need to connect: the meet up in real life. Unfortunately, my ability does not extend to influencing the root of mind since humans do get mesmerized in what is written in their Bio. Nonetheless, I advise them to keep sharing their thoughts! The unlimited word count and fewer restrictions on pictures and videos on my pages are undoubtedly enough for your friends you set your heart on to know a lot about you! (The Facebook Page celebrates how our “friends” inspire us, support us, and help us discover ‘The World’ when we connect.) – Facebook Hello, everyone. If you want to know what’s happening in the world right now, then my users are the right people to turn to. We ‘talk’ in every sense of the word of basically anything, and I mean it by- Wait. Oh shush. Here comes the… Oh my! Good news! My pages word count has now doubled! I wonder what juicy gossips will proliferate into a scandal?!! YEEET!Ahem… Despite the frivolous texts, I assure you that my tweets are noble and deep. About Twitter: Twitter is what’s “happening” in the world and what people are “talking” about right now. #thelatestspytool #themoderntattle #thepopular(City)Urbandicctionerryy #Vs7iscoming #youcan’tdenyit’s20GAYteen Aesthetics. Yes, let me start with that word. My users capture and share the world’s moments within the minimalistic design of my humble pages. Their inspiring creativity is what made me into becoming the home for visual storytelling for everyone: from celebrities, newsrooms and brands, to teens, musicians and anyone with a creative passion. As my creators would like to quote: ‘Bringoutthecreativityinallofus.’
Hypebeast is a term coined in America to describe people who wear clothing which are deemed hyped up. Basically, they patronize streetwear, or those clothes with brand names plastered on them. It’s a slang for obsession to fashion, a dress-toimpress cause. Apparently it first came from an online clothing store that featured the newest and freshest kicks (Sneakers) and the commendable outfits to go with these footwears. It soon became a designation to label sneakerheads, a subgroup of consumers who are passionate with getting their hands on the latest and rarest sneakers, even if it means waiting up in line at 1 AM. They would not bat an eye buying products from $100 USD up to a thousand US dollars just to get limited editions and first runs. Over time, mainstream fashion started eventually adopting sneakerhead culture, and as such, “hypebeast” therefore has been applied to streetwear fashion in Probablygeneral.the most noticeable traces of this hypebeast fashion can be observed in different famous western rappers. Their clothing clearly screams a streetwear genre, coupled with several blings and dog tags. Rappers are getting to the point where they eventually end up sharing a symbiotic relationship with the designers as rappers can be excellent promoters of the brand. Rappers in general want to brag about the expensive items they accessorize their bodies with which accordingly promotes the designers in some way. Designers get a lot from this type of exposure, and so they start giving freebies in the form of clothes to distinguished rappers. Celebrities also follow lots of trends including this streetwear fashion, and because they are social influencers, people flock and follow thus bringing it to the mainstream.
We are the all-rounders; from promoting the walk of shame to awarding the Youtube 1-million-subscriberstrophy (blindfolded) to the ‘most’ of what is considered to be of deserving at the present. Seriously, everyone’s in here. From your favorite celebrity to your favorite Marvel theorist to that neighbor who sings bad karaoke. And videos made by them go sky rocket! Even those made by people with questionable morals and uses duct tape for a lot of things… Though, what I mentioned so far seems a bit crazy, my site also holds the most number of videos to suit the world’s eye palate. My users enjoy freedom and even as it is quiet alarming to still have most of them use my site till 3 AM, but it’s all about opportunity and belonging right? Everyone in my site enjoys youth to its fullest while dancing to the beats of top hundred music of 2018.
Sorry folks. It seemed that I’ve been found out going around and stealing a fair number of paragraphs from the-.. I ned to go! Syl. Stay safe. #dontflagme #ohnojustgotflagged #OkWhudiddis????
Pero wa magdugay ayha ko ra mabantayan Nga ulahi ra diay kaayo ang tanan. Ulahi ra kaayo ang akuang pagpangisug. Sa akung masayran nwad-an kug kusog. Nga maung akung pagbati di mo masuklian. Kay ang imuhang kasing-kasing nakaplagan nas uban. Nga maung ako di mo Makita. Kay aduna nay nagpabati nimug gipangita mong himaya. Unta muabot ang panahon, kung aku kang masugatan. Ang imung ngan nalang akung mahinumduman. Ang kamatuoran ako nang malimtan. Apil ang kasakit, nga nagbasa-bsa sa punda’s akung unlan.
2In the first day, the student rested and said it was good. 3In the second day, his feet took him to another place, an act called laag, 4they ate and ate and entered shops to test their noses on perfumes they did not buy. 5He rested more after when their sturdy legs can go no more. 6In the third day, the student used their eyes to watch KPop and anime. 7The student watched as aesthetic persons they call oppa and chix on their machines invented by their predecessors to improve their gift. 8The student was exhausted after watching ten episodes and got ready for the next day. 9In the fourth day, The student spent it all on staring at their machines. 10They played games and watch memes and bash each other through their screens. 11In his bed, the student said “tomorrow I will start my portfolio.”
7In the third day, God said “let men have sense of smell, that he may deem what is good to his breath and what is not.” and God said that it was good. 8In the fourth day, God said “Let men have a million more taste buds in his tongue, that he may taste the sweetness of the nectar and turn it into words.” 9It was good, but God though that it wasn’t enough.
1In the beginning, creativity was unknown to man… 2And so God said “let his hands be able to create magnificent works of art that other men will be amazed of his talent.”
Unsay angay kong buhaton? Murag ang akong kalibutan sa imu na nako itugon. Wa ko madakpi ang tayming sa ginhawa. Kay hastilan puryabuyag hasta mong gwapaha. Sa una akuang kinabuhi tua ras kaon ug Dota. Pero ikaw ang mitudlo kanako kung unsa ang bation sa tawong mahigugma. Sukad adto ikaw nay nanag-iya sa akuang huna-huna.
16The student spent half a day surfing the Internet, hoping that the spirit of work will grant them its power to drive their Will.
15And God said that his creation is perfect that in the seventh day, he rested. 16Men used God’s gift to create wonderful works of art. 17And the gift was called creativity and it prospered for thousands of years. 18Men created sculptures, architectures, paintings, flying machines, literature throughout the ages. 19It is in pursuit of beauty and greatness 20and humanity’s thirst for ease and comfort became its thrusting force. 21Men created school to pass the duty to the next generation. 22Twothousand year passed, Men entered the age of free information and the age of progressive schools.23Men were divided into two classifications--The teacher and the student--24The former meant to usher the latter through its commands and examples.
10In the fifth day, God said “let men have sturdier legs, that he travel the path of knowledge and open new possibilities for his craft.”
Tung Una Nakit-anTikang
12And he rested for another day without progress.
13In the fifth day, the student opened two windows of opportunity, the MS word and Google Chrome. 14The word remained blank but the Chrome was filled with twenty tabs. 15The student went to Facebook and said “Oh, espiritu ng kasipagan, sapian mo ako!”
23And the student realized it too late, creativity has left and will only return to those who are willing to use it for good. 24The student performed an all-nighter consuming a litter of coffee and finished when the sun is about to rise. 25In the seventh day, The teacher received the student’s work entitled “The Rushed And Shitty Homework” (T.R.A.S.H.)
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14And God said “Let his mind be the most creative of the Earth, that not even the pigs and the monkeys and the likes cannot approach his greatness.”
6and men’s eyes were open to judge which are aesthetic and which are not before the end of the second day.
Tung una tikang nakit-an. Nihinay ang dagan sa kalibutan. Hapit nako nalimtan ang akung ngan. Adunay pagbating niursang di ko kapugngan.
Pero’g pananglitan, iya kang pasakitan. Kintahay makahuna-huna siyag ilis nimo sa uban. Gikan diha sa Glan lingi dinhi’s Gensan! Ali! kay aku kang ampingan.
17In the second half, the student stared at the blank pages until the sun went down the horizon. 18Deep in the night, the student only managed to do their title page. 19In the sixth day, panic started. 20He rose early in the morning to assess the situation; He saw that creativity is with him no more. 21The student strived to work under pressure from the moment he woke up until the sun dived below the horizon in the west.
25“Create a portfolio about your life as a student, Be creative. I will receive it after seven days” the teacher said. 1Images of beauty and excellence ran through the student’s mind and the student said “I will make the best portfolio in the class.”
2 1
by Kent Jerico D. Belardo
bagwis • feature
22The student said “I will no longer Procrastinate.”
TheCreativityCreationStrangeMythofof
O. Comendador
Kurt Joshua
3And men were given hands capable of creating wonders. 4And that happened in the first day. 5In the second day, God said “let his eyes be open to gaze and appreciate beauty, that he may be able to recreate it with his hands!”
Ang rason sa akuang kasubo ug pagmaya. Sa pagdagan sa panahon, ako nakonteto. Sa paglantaw kanimo gikan sa layo. Maong matulog permi ako ganahan. Kay ikaw ang akoang permi madamguhan. Miabot ang panahon nga ako kang nasugatan. Gipaningot kug bugnaw hastang lamia idagan. Ako mipangutana, nganong di man nako tistingan? Arun masugdan na nang Forever ng ilang gikabuangan.
11and men received stronger and more capable legs to walk where there is improvement in his art. 12And God saw that it was the best that he can give. 13In the sixth day, God saw that men is equipped to produce works that may last ages and worthy to pass to the generations that will follow.
QuantumLeap
by Rossel Audencial
15bagwis • literary14
People go far in life because someone believed that they can. I say, I go far in life because someone took a quantum leap. My Mother did. My Mother belongs to a family of twelve, the second eldest child of ten siblings. She grew up in the barrio amidst corn and rice fields her family did not own. Her parents both depended on the yield of these fields for them to have something to eat. They had eloped from Iloilo and never finished high school. They found refuge in South Cotabato and built a family of their own. She finished her elementary years by walking everyday, back and forth, at dawn and dusk, to and from the nearest school, three kilometers away. She had no money for baon. To buy her needed pencils and notebooks, she would sell guavas or pick kangkong or takway along the road to sell to her classmates or teachers while her mother sold suman. She can well relate to news features of children who carry their school things in cellophanes or net bags. She did the same just to go to school. There were no roads yet at that time. She had to traverse through the muddy embankments of rice fields, wet and slippery when it rained. Her cellophane bag, conveniently tied to her shoulders, kept her school things dry. She cannot forget that she wore slippers a lot bigger than her feet. She would pick them up, sling them in her arms, and walk barefoot instead, crisscrossing narrow paths just to reach school. She would wash her feet in a nearby stream when she was near the school building and put on her slippers again. When she was in high school, her father contracted an illness that made him unable to work for a year. In order to survive, my Mother and her siblings had to find work to feed the family and to support their schooling at the same time. During planting season, she would join the group of planters who were commissioned by the owner of a rice paddy to plant seedlings of palay by hand in a hectare-wide field. She experienced bending her back all afternoon under the raging heat of the sun with only a salakot covering her head and wading into mud to finish a row of the planting box. The faster you planted, the more rows you finished, and the faster your group covered the whole plant area, the faster you moved on to the next. She also tried plowing a field single-handedly. Despite her small and thin stature, she had to lead a carabao across a dry rice field. She grasped the reins of the animal with one hand and followed with the heavy plow with the other, digging into compact soil and leaving furrows behind. It was hard physical labor. All you needed was a body that could stay up long and the energy to move your hands and back all throughout the day and even weeks. As a teenager, her body had to learn to adjust to farming work. When harvest season came, she, together with her older sister and younger siblings, would go to different places to find rice crops ready for reaping. Sickle in hand, they joined groups of reapers in cutting rice stalks heavy with grain and stacking them into bundles for the hand-fed threshing machine. She had been wounded by a sickle many times, my mother would tell me, showing thin straight scars in her hand and arm. Even though her hand was bleeding, she would just wrap it with a cloth and continue cutting. This work of clearing a hectare of rice field could take a whole day. After all the bundles of rice stalks were threshed by the machine, leaving only the grains ready for winnowing, my mother would take their part of the harvest. The usual agreement during her time was through counting tin cans; those big cans of cooking oil served as their measuring tool. She explained that her part would be the sixth can, the one after every five cans of threshed rice grains as yield from the bundles she had been able to stack. This means two things. One, she had to cut more and stack large and heavy bundles of rice stalks in order to yield more than the five cans of grains. Second, she might not have anything to bring home if her harvest had not reached more than the five cans. Aside from this, her younger siblings could collect more rice grains from the heaps of straws left in the field or thrown out by the machine. They would bring the fruit of their labor home, tired but satisfied that at least they had something to eat and to sell in order to buy other necessary commodities like sugar and salt to last until the next work Amongopportunity.theseexperiences, she cannot also forget how it was to eat with one roasted catfish and a kilo of rice for dinner. Her father would hang the skewered fish in their thatched ceiling, out of anyone’s reach. When supper came, he would get it for all of the ten siblings to see. And what happened next? He would pass the fish to everyone around the table for them to smell it. Just to sniff at it, until everyone finished his or her cup of rice. And nothing more. No additional rice even if they wanted more. If they were still hungry, they would go out and climb fruit trees in the neighbourhood or find bananas to eat. She cannot imagine now how her family lived through the worst times of their lives—but she is thankful that they did. My mother finished high school. Fortunately, she said. College was a far-fetched thing. Her next option was to stop schooling. Thinking of quitting school, however, made her see in her mind’s eye the hardships and hunger around her. She came to that point in her life when she had to decide how her life would become. Her parents could never send her to college, but her life would remain as it was if she stopped schooling. By then, she promised to herself that she would not work in the fields again. The only way out of it was finishing a college degree to get a job other than wallowing in mud or in the heat of the sun or breaking her back in hard labor. She had nothing against life in the farm, but she also wanted a comfortable life. Thus, one day, a month after high school graduation, she declared to herself that she would go to college. Without bringing extra clothes and money but herself, she went to the nearest college institution in Marbel (now Koronadal City) and talked to a woman in the canteen there. She expressed her intention to be a working student. She was fortunate enough that day. One of the teachers hired her as a house help. She would do household chores in exchange for tuition. For four years, she washed the clothes of others, bigger than what her hands could carry, and ironed them before she could sleep at almost midnight. For four years, she tended to babies and kids unrelated to her by blood, that they grew up with her by their side more than the time she spent with her own siblings. For four years, she had to work hard in the house where she stayed and worked hard to finish her studies. All the while, she performed a balancing act of working and studying at the same time. What sustained her was her goal to graduate and those endless, silent prayers she muttered to herself every day. If there was one thing poverty had taught her, it was to cling to God. Her faith had walked her through the hardest path of her life that, after four years, she graduated in her education course. She is the only one who did among her ten siblings. She is now a teacher in a public high school in General Santos City. She says that it is not at all easy to teach. Being a teacher requires another level of hard work and patience, especially in dealing with teenagers, but she has attained a sort of progress compared to her previous experiences. We did not have much but had enough to eat three times a day, to dress in uniforms and wear shoes, and to have baon in our pockets. She was able to send us to schools near our house that we did not have to walk far. We haven’t tried planting or harvesting palay, not even touching a plow. And when we finished high school, college was the next option. She had reached her goal in life and she wanted us to reach our own with her support. She paid our tuition fees and gave us allowance for school requirements. We did not have to be a working student like her. She has been through hardships—physical labor, not to mention mental and emotional struggles. These hardships has made her not just a strong woman, but more aptly, a woman of strength. Her quantum leap has brought me to where I am now. It is a leap that opened a wide array of opportunities for me to soar higher than what she has reached. I thank her for walking away that day, away from that endless toil and cruel poverty. She knew that she could make her life better and that all she had was that courage sustained by her faith in God. She has taught me that life is a choice. And that choice depends on me, solely.
Gilingling ko ang lungon, nagwawaw ko. Nabatyagan ko nga may nagpalapit man sa akon pwesto, gibalikid ko kung sin-o, si mama. “May, tani masadya kana dira kung diin ka man subong. Palangga ka gid namon.”
ni Mariz Leona
Nagpalapit ako sa atubangan gusto ko siya gakson pero nakuha sang tarpaulin ang akon atensiyon. “In loving memory of Angel Mae Pagayon”
YOLOgy 17bagwis • literary16
Naga duko ako kag ginasubay ang dalan nga ginaagyan sang mga subay, daw wala ko sa akon espiritu nga gina sunod ang mga ini. Naugot abi ko kagaina pag bugtaw ko sa balay kay baw wala na gani tawo, wala pa gid pag kaon sa lamesa. Maayo tani pangutok ko subong kung my dapli ko nga nadakpan sa kaldero pero kay waay gid. Amo siguro to nga gisundan ko ya agi ka mga subay kay nadumduman ko mabakas gali ni sila pangyadi sang makaon, basi palang kakita man ko sang akon.
Nakahibi man ako sa iya gihambal. “Manang kung diin ka man subong tani nakit-an mo na ang tanan nga imo gipangsulat sa notepad mo. Nga tani makita mo dira ang katawhay kag ang kasadya nga wala sang katapuson. Ikaw na ang amon nga anghel subong manang, bantayi kami permi kag padamgo ka permi ha? Palangga ta gid ka manang. Perti ta gid ka ka palangga.”
September 8, 1998 – May 2, 2018
Akon si ya gikup-an pero indi ko si ya makaptan. Nagwawaw ako, “Ma, indi ako masadya. was wrong.” Then, she vanished parehas sa mga subay nga nadula gulpi sa iya mga panan-aw.
Sang nadula na sa akon nga mga panan-aw ang mga subay, gitan-aw ko ang palibot. Perti akon kibot kay sa minatyan takun gidala ka mga lilintian. Baw maayo gid managap makaon ang mga dyutay nga subay ni. Sa may pagka-chismosa man ako ti gi lingling ko kung sin.o ya gihaya basi palang kilala ko man wala lang ko kabalo. Pag lingling ko, baw madamo sang tawo naga pururungko daw may misa haw. May ara sa tupad sang lungon nga ga tindog nga laki, gimurutan ko, baw amon nga Kapitan ini. Sa wala pag duha duha nag sulod ko kag nag pungko man sa higad kay surebol gid nga pagtapos sining ila himuon may kaon gid mo. “Maayong adlaw sa aton nga tanan no. Ari kita subong gatinurumpok para sa aton nga utod nga nagtaliwan na.” Umpisa sang laki, matyag ko kung indi ni pari pastor ni mo. “Palihog mag tindog ang tanan.” Pagtapos sang pangamuyo kag wali sang laki kay gihatag ni ya sa Kapitan namon ang mikropon. “Tama, gid ang hambal ni pastor kagaina nga ang kamatayon wala sang ginapili nga edad o kung sitwasyon. Kung imo na gid na nga adlaw, imo na gid ina. Wala na kita mahimo kundi iampo ta nalang gid ang ila nga kalag.” Hambal sang Kapitan.“Subong nga udto, tagaan ta sang higayon ang mga tawo nga malapit sa kay Maymay. Mauna anay ako kay ari na ako nga daan dri sa atubangan. Si Maymay kay isa gid ka maayo nga public servant. Isa siya sa mga maayo nga SK chairman nga akon nabal-an. Wala gid ina siya naga duwa duwa pag bulig sa barangay para sa ikalambo ni ini. Actually one of her project na pending pa kay ang public library tani, katong una wala ako nagsugot sa iya gusto pero ka-grabre gid kakugihan nga bata gibalik balikan niya gid ako sa balay para pirmahan iya nga proposal. Iya gid nga gi eksplinar sa akon nga importante gid sa mga kabataan nga makatuon maka basa kag ini ang maging habit para mabatuan ang droga nga grabe na gid ang impluwensya diri sa aton lugar. Wala gid ako mahambal nga malain sa ini nga bata kay nasaksihan ko gid ang iya kabuot sa tanan. Ginahangyo ko man ang mga nabilin nga kaupod ni Maymay sa SK nga tani sundon ninyo ang iya nga mga nabilin nga mga proyekto para biskan siya nagtaliwan na makita ta gihapon ang iya nga gipangabudlayan. Saludo ako sa imo May, masubo lang kay kami na imo gibiyaan.” Gitrapuhan niya ang luha nga nagtulo sa iya nga mata. “Ginatawagan ko si Nancy.” Gihatag dayon si Kapitan ang mikropon kay Nancy. “Bestfriend gid kami ya ni Maymay. Upod gid kami sadto kaon lupa mo, ga luto-luto pa kami sa lata sang sardinas. Kung bakulon gani ko ni nanay pati siya gawawaw man. Isa siya ka mabuot nga bata, bal-an ko gid ina kay everytime malagaw kami ako yaw ala lisensya lisensya a, biskan di sugtan hala sige malagaw gihapon ko ya pero si Maymay tana ya kay ma lisensiya gid na siya biskan sa lapit lang naya kag kung indi sya sugtan indi gid na siya maghalin sa ila balay.” Nag untat sya storya kay grabe nagid iya hibi. Gitagaan sya tubi. “Si Maymay kay isa gid ka mabunuligon nga tawo kay tong mga daw isa bulan bag.o siya napatay, tong grabe gid akon problema sa kwarta wala gid siya nag duwa duwa nga buksan ya iya nga alkansya para may ipahulam lang siya sa akon mo. Indi lang sa mga amo sina nga butang, biskan sin.o pa na basta may kenanglan nga bulig, buligan niya gid naya sang wala pag duwa duwa. Mabuot gid nga baye si Maymay.” Giatubang niya ang lungon kag nag hambal, “May, indi ta gid ka ya malimtan hangtod sa hangtod, ang imo mga pagyuhom nga ka nami kag imo mga kadlaw daw budlay gid dulaon sa akon mga dalunggan. Salamat miga sa tanan tanan. Tani makita mo na dira imo nga kasadya.” Baw grabe ba, daw puro lang kamaayuhan sang nagtaliwan akon nabatian. Wala gid may malain sa iya nga? Ano na siya perpekto gid? Grabe man ning mga tawo diri man, ka mga plastic a. Nagtaliwan na gani ya tawo ila pa japun gina into sang ila mga ginapanghambal. Nagsunod istorya sa atubangan kay college classmate daw sang napatay. “Ante Fe, Angkol Jun, kag Boy, gi bayaan nagid tatun ni Maymay ya. Indi gid kami makapati pagkabati namon nga wala na gid siya.” Grabe ang wawaw sang baye nga ga istorya. “Sa amon nga barkadahanay siya gid ang isa sa mga gapakadlaw sa amon, kengkoy siya namon. Siya man ang amon nga maaasahan nga friend sa tanan nga oras. Oo tanan gid nga oras kay baskin kaagahon na kay ginapasulod gihapon kami niya sa ila balay biskan tulog na sila ante. Matingala pagka aga sila ante nga damo na tawo sa kwarto sang iya bata.” Nagkadlaw sya pati man ang mga naga pamati. “Wala gid kami nagdahom nga amo sini ang matabo sa iya. Kay tong mga tatlo ka adlaw bag.o siya napatay kay grabe gid iya nga pakadlaw sa amon, grabe gid siya ka caring sa to nga adlaw. Na akig pa gani siya sa akon kay hambal ko sa iya nga depress ko subong. Gisumbag niya bala ko sa akon bukton pag hambal ko sato, ti nakibot tamon kay siya tana ang nag walk out. Pero nagbalik man siya dayun sato nga time kag nangayo sa akon pasaylo kag iya ako gikup-an kup-an. Perti abi sa iya ka sweet nga baye, maayo gid ang pagpadako sang iya mga ginikanan sa iya. Dedicated gid siya sa iya nga pag skwela kag may ara gid tana siya sang handom sa iya nga kinabuhi ya. Sa amon nga mag barkada daw si Maymay lang gid ya may kongkreto nga handom sa kabuhi mo. Goal oriented gid tana siya nga baye ya. Wala lang gid kami nagdahom nga sa iya ginapagawas nga kasadya, kapait gali ang ara sa iya nga sulod sulod. Abi namon okay lang siya, abi namon wala siya problema, pero wala lang gali namon napansin kay daw wala gid namon siya nakilala. Ginatago niya lang gali iya mga frustrations kag problema, nd namun bal-an kung ano gid hinungdan pero kami nga iya mga barkada may ara gid kapakyasan sa iya.” Nagwawa siya kag daw indi na kahambal. Pati man ang iya nga mga barkada kag pamilya. “May, kung diin ka man subong tani mapasaylo mo kami kay wala ka gid namon na buligan. Kag tani natagamtaman mo na ang kasadya nga wala sing katapusan.” Pag tapos niya sini ka hambal nag paralapit sa iya ang iban niya nga barkada kay ila ini gikup-an pati man ang lungon ni Maymay. Matapos sa iya, nagbulos sa atubangan si Boy – ang manghod ni Maymay. “Manang! Manang! Manang! Gibiyaan mo na gid kami.” Iya ini ginaliwat liwat kahambal sa atubangan, daw ginabutang niya ini sa iya nga isip. “Tupad gid kami matulog ni manang biskan may kwarto siya, sa kwarto ko gid na siya matulog. Kis.a ginasipa ko na siya sa akon kama kay tungod maugot ko saiya kay perti kasabad. Sige siya ka istorya bag.o matulog sang mga naga karatabo sa ila nga skwelahan sina nga adlaw pero ginatulugan ko lang na siya permi. Pagkaaga, aga pa na siya mabugtaw kag ako iya sabadun duman. Biskan wala ko klase o biskan ala una pa akon klase pukawon niya gid ko sina sang alas syete amo na nga permi kami ga inaway nga duwa. Pero pagkadugay dugay migohanay duman kami a kay ya baba ni mama naga bratatat na.” Nakakadlaw ang mga tawo sa iya gihambal. “Pero tong isa kagab-i, wala siya nagtulog sa akon kwarto. Natingala ko kay alas 10 na sang gab-i wala pa siya nagtupad sa akon ti gi kadtuan ko siya sa iya nga kwarto. Naabtan ko si manang nga gaatubang sa iya nga laptop, busy kayo. Gipamangkot ko pa siya kung diin siya matulog kay i lock ko na ang akon kwarto, ang sabat niya lang saakon kay “I lock lang a, diri lang ko matulog”. Ti sadya sadya man ko e kay masolo ko na man gid akon nga kama, sa wakas!” Nag-untat siya istorya kag nag atubang sa lungon. “Diyaon ka gid manang ya! Hambal mo upod ta permi kag! Ti ngaa gibayaan mo na kami subong? Hambal mo matugtog pa gani ta sa simbahan pay. Ako ma gitara kag ikaw diba ang makanta? Diba nahadlok ka man mapilas? Ti ngaa gi pilasan mo imo kamot kag wala ka pa nadala gi higot mo pa imo liog? Manaaaaang!”
She refined my skills and helped me in interpreting pieces according to the period they were composed and who composed them. She would help me with a condition: I must return to GenSan to help other aspiring musicians. To each of them, I only had the same reply: “Sige, ma’am, apas ra ko sa inyo puhon.” I always said that with a reassuring smile. * I’ve always believed that I can do it and catch up with my former music teachers. But deep inside, downcast feelings engulf me. My mentors always support me, confident that I will follow their words. But at this rate, I know I’m already letting them down. I’m losing hope. I no longer have the fire that fueled me before. I remember my friends: Ate Jasmin and Kuya Sid. They want me to be music majors like them. I always thought that I could be like them. But that was before. can only hope that I could meet them someday, not as their student, but as their equal. I believe that no matter how skilled he/she is, an amateur pianist can never equal a professional one, except perhaps the gifted ones. But what a truly great day that would be: when my dream finally becomes a reality, when it’s time that my life transposed into a major key. Sitting by the piano tonight, I remember the musical pieces used to play. The night is young and quiet, a good time to play music. A sonatina by Clementi is a good piece to start. The first few notes are heavenly. Full of emotions, I close my eyes and play it by memory. Years of practice has imprinted that piece into my mind and body. It all feels like a blur, a glitch, a painful memory. I’ve lost my tempo, I’ve lost my tension. But still, with my eyes closed, fingers bumping each other every once in a while, tap away on the piano keys.
* I’d gone through many music teachers, but the last teachers I had were by far the most influential, as they were the ones I ran to when I was already mature enough to understand things.
A Dream in a Minor Key
Ma’am Marian introduced me to technical playing, improving my touch to the keys. She always emphasized that I should play with emotions, to harness them to enhance my performance. Our lessons were always filled with her friendly, albeit sometimes fierce, reminder to “keep it soft, don’t band the keyboard.”
19bagwis • literary18
The words of Ma’am Malou seemed like a distant echo: “Talented kaayo ka, Kurt, ba. Pag-apas sa akoa sa Cavite ha? Didto ka mag-school sa CUP.”
The year 2013 was one of the best years of my life. started following the Boston Red Sox and watched them become the world champions in October, in that year. I also bought the very first book in my collection. It was also in that year that my parents finally managed to buy a real piano: a Trebel Vertigrand. I was also by Kurt Joshua Comendador
starting to play at our church as a substitute pianist. I’d always give the song leader, however, a list of the songs I could play. It was all the same throughout the year: lessons, practice, play. I was always craving for more. I had the thirst for learning and playing the most difficult pieces. I wanted to be a concert pianist. I wanted people to see me at my best in a concert hall, just me and my piano up the stage. When I was in high school, if anyone asked me what I wanted to be, I would almost always answer, “Concert pianist.” Although I also wanted to be a pilot, I thought that it was too ambitious. At* the end of high school, like almost everyone, I had to pick a course for college. That was the moment my dream took a huge detour. My song changed from a major key to a minor key. “Gusto nako mag-music school, My,” I opened up to my mom. “Dili man na puwede kay dapat mag-professional jud ka,” my mom replied. couldn’t understand. Why couldn’t I follow my dream? Was it about the money? The nature of work? I couldn’t understand. Wasn’t music a profession? My parents and I fought over it for some time. These fights were sometimes so bitter it could leave my mother“Gustocrying.ko ninyo mag-abogado kay gusto ninyo modato. Tanan wala ninyo nabuhat, ipabuhat ninyo sa ako,” I would blurt out sometimes. My parents are both professionals. My mom is a registered pharmacist, and my dad is an engineer. I couldn’t understand them at all. Why didn’t they want me to become a professional pianist? Why couldn’t they let me chase after my dream? Bitter and rejected, I followed them. I enrolled in the English program of Mindanao State University in our city. But still I continued my piano-playing. When I reached college, it all became too much. I knew I was running out of time.
It was the summer at the end of fifth grade. My brother, after seeing a violin ensemble perform at our church, managed to convince my parents to enroll him in music lessons. He wanted to play the violin, but my parents believed that he should start with the piano in order to establish a solid musical foundation. “Ubani lang imong manghod, Kuy. Pa-lesson lang sad ka’g apil.” I agreed to go. After all, what was I to lose? Never did I know that it would be one of the most important decisions in my life. Learning the piano is roughly the same as going to school: you start in Kindergarten (Kinder A and B), and then Grade 1 until Grade 8. I finished the Kinder B book in a month, skipping the entire Kinder A book. Maybe because of my age, I quickly understood what was being taught to me. I was promoted to Grade 1 right after. The pieces got more complex, so I needed to practice more often to keep up. As learned and mastered one piece after another, got this satisfaction I couldn’t describe. The joy of playing the pieces was very pleasurable sensation. The gliding of the fingers through the black and white keys of the keyboard had a very intimate feeling to it. Playing the right keys, hearing the right notes, magnified these feelings a hundred times over. I played the piano with vigor. I was young then, very passionate. An obstacle appeared when I was in Grade 6: I got busier and lost my time for piano lessons. I spent my time practicing and learning alone. By this time, I had improved a bit and started playing church hymns, most of which were arranged with four voices. Meaning, I had to read and play multiple notes at a time. It was a hard and taxing effort, one which required multitasking: identify the notes, find the right keys, position the fingers, to name a few. It also required patience and dedication. “Pag makahuman ka og isa ka piyesa, Kuy, hatagan tika’g dyis,” my father would tell me. I got more motivated than ever. Getting 10 pesos was a good reward for me back then, coupled with the happiness of playing a piece. Whenever I mastered a piece, I couldn’t wait to play it during our evening family worships, always gleaming with pride and pleasure. The piano, for me, was a way of life. I needed to practice every single day. A day without practice was a wasted day. There was one time when my little 54-key electric keyboard, bought from a surplus store, got broken and was not repaired for three months. Missing three months of practice was a very big deal for me, especially that I’d already claimed to be a pianist. So, like a good musician, I practiced without sounds. It was boring and dull, but I needed to keep my senses sharp and keep myself from, so to speak, accumulating rusts.
She pledged to help me enter a music school, even offering to give lessons for free. Then came Ma’am Dianne, my last teacher, but the first one who encouraged me to finish my current degree first. “Tapusin mo na lang muna ‘yung degree mo. Tapos tutulungan kitang makarating sa Maynila.”
“I hope it doesn’t rain” is my mantra every time I wash my clothes. For some odd reasons, this doesn’t work too well and it becomes kind of frustrating because the sun is up whenever I decide not to do the laundry and the rain falls whenever I turn on the washing machine. One day when I had finally thought that it was the perfect time to wash my clothes, the sky began to look gloomy and I could hear the loud roar of the thunder from afar. It was super loud. A single roar lasted for at least one whole song. A whole song! Or maybe that’s only an exaggeration. I winced. Wasn’t it scary. I went on with my chore hoping that the clouds won’t throw a tantrum on me and my laundry. It was hard because I no longer had any clothes and undergarments to spare. But the weather seemed to be teasing me. Roar! This time, it was longer and louder. Images of huge waves crashing against a cliff I so often see in movies registered in my mind as though I was watching a slideshow from a huge monitor. The dried leaves of the rambutan trees from an adjacent house fell from the twigs and branches and some of them rested on my basin. I picked them one by one, careful as I could so as to not crush them. At this time, I contemplated whether or not to continue what I was doing because the sky showed no sign of clearing up and my clothes would give off this pungent smell if I hang them on the balcony. What if a bolt of lightning strikes, I thought. Hey, what if a single bolt of lightning strikes me when I’m busy cleaning off the stain from a white blouse my mom bought for me? Or what if, what if, ten bolts of lightning simultaneously hit ten people from across the globe and then the time stops, and those people- including me, the protagonist of my own delusions- suddenly acquire superhuman powers and nobody knows except us. I laughed, closed my eyes, and after that brief pause was staring at the little girl who was crouching beside me. She was wearing an expression akin to that of someone who’s seen something for the first time. It was kind of cute and kind of creepy, plus this little girl was actually me. was wearing the white pants and yellow hat saw from an old photograph tucked neatly inside my album a few months ago. “What’s with you?” I asked, but my voice came out from her tiny mouth, only it sounded that of a five-year old. She frowned, and I believed I had the same exact reaction. It didn’t make sense. The petals of red roses falling from above didn’t make sense either. Or was it the dried rambutan leaves? My back was wet, and though it seemed to be raining, it seemed to be not. The sky was a kaleidoscope of colors and bathed with its grandeur, felt that was gazing at the different galaxies out there. “Isn’t it beautiful?” she spoke to me- or was it me who was speaking to her? And then smiled to myself and was taken aback to realize that I was watching myself sitting on the small, black chair that had a crack on it, and that the little girl was still there. I felt the cold water on my hands as they were soaked in the basin and the bubbles from the two sachets of soap powder I poured into it began to rise, forming a random pattern on the air. The iridescence tickled my eyes and it felt great. The weirdness stopped bothering me and instead, I got drawn to it. A slight tug on my oversized shirt divided my attention between the bubbles dancing around like butterflies that had only recently learned how to fly, and the gush of water from the small canal beneath the little girl’s feet. For something narrow and shallow as that canal, the passage of the water came about as that of a river, and though it appeared to be rising, it never overflowed. listened to the sound it made. Somehow, it drowned all the other noises around as though they were contained in a bottle and thrown into a deep cave. There seemed to be silence, but it was in fact the water from the sink that flowed onto the canal. In that sense, it wasn’t silent. The sound blended with the setting and the longer listened, the more I thought wasn’t listening to anything at all. I cleared my throat.
20
The little girl looked at me and at the other image of me sitting on that small, black chair- and the three of us laughed. It was the kind of laughter I make after remembering a naughty act in the past, such as when we were caught and scolded for being noisy outside the Boys Dormitory when it was already three in the morning. Tears instantly formed in the two corners of my eyes, and I wasn’t sure if it was due to the nostalgia or from laughing too much or the mixture of both. looked down and saw my reflection on the water on the basin. But I wasn’t only looking at my reflection, or at the petals of roses falling from my eyes; I was peering over to the other side, to the world beneath the water that was wider than what my peripheral vision could reach. It seemed to me that was watching the perversion of the mundane world and its reality but them being warped isn’t something that I could lay hands on. And there was no need to. So I leaned back and focused on the world before me. The clouds were gone, and the myriad of hues in the sky continuously blended and moved about, like paint coming off the canvas. The bubbles were still having a dance duet with the rose petals but the mini river that now reflected the colors of the sky fell silent, unmuting the whole place. The sky turned darker than black, and the petals and the bubbles vanished. “Did you like it?” someone asked, and wasn’t sure if it was addressed to me or if it was me who asked. I did, I thought. And then a droplet of cold rain sent a tingling sensation on my back. I looked up, and in that instant the world came back to me- the fallen rambutan leaves, my laundry, the gloomy sky, the rain, and the washing machine that came to a stop after setting it on an 4-minute timer. I heard my mom calling from the kitchen, telling me to go inside and abandon my chore since the clothes won’t dry up anyway. A long sigh escaped from my lips as I stood up and wiped my hands on the hem of my basketball shorts. I almost slipped when walked, but my little squeal of surprise was swallowed by the heavy rain- swiftly as the gale that blew everything away.
bagwis • literary by IbrahimRohannieIridescence
