Unread

So many books, so little time.



"When I get a little money I buy books; and if any is left I 

buy food and clothes." Desiderius Erasmus

Pamiyabe 12 Writers Fellowship

Since I have exported all my multiply files, I am re-uploading these precious photos. Pamiyabe 12 will always be special to me.

Backdrop

Jericho and Carlo. Carlo, like me is one of the Panelist's Choice.

Keith,Sai, and 

Another Panelist Choice.

Other Fellows

Panelists Nerissa Del Carmen Guevarra, and Erlinda Mendoza.

Palanca Multi-Awardee Gelacio Guillermo, author Eros Atalia, and Scriptwriter Jerry Gracio.

Pamiyabe 12 Project Head Jayvee.

Panelist Ralph Galan.

Angelite Technical Adviser, NUJP Pampanga Vice-President Fred Villareal.

The Hosts.

Noong nakaraang dekada

Dati, tamad na tamad akong magbasa. Maliban sa Ibong Adarna, Florante at Laura, Noli Me Tangere, at El Filibusterismo at laksa-laksang "required" readings noong high school, hindi na ako nagbabasa ng iba pa. Wala na akong alam bukod sa mga awtor na nirerequire ni titser. Itong Dekada '70 ni Lualhati Bautista ang unang nobelang natapos ko nang buo; yung hindi ko dadayain ang sarili ko na lagpasan ang ibang pahina. Ang sarap palang magbasa. At mula noon, hindi na ako tumigil sa pagbabasa.

The 'Humble Toy' Story

Tuesday, I woke up late because I do not need to rush myself. "I'll be off to school by lunch." I sighed. As I exit our yard I saw my father's tricycle, (it was a motorcycle with a sidecar, for foreign readers, in any case). Dust, cobwebs, and dried leaves from a nearby Narra tree are scattered in its couch. No one ever dared to clean it. Sort of.  I couldn't remember the last time I drove that. Maybe it was 2010, oh, two years ago. Perhaps because my two elder brothers have their own motorcycles too, and maybe because I do not own a licence.

I waited for the bus for about fifteen minutes. I was giving a watch to it. But before the bus came, Mama went home for lunch. I am disturbed by that idea. Mother does not go home for lunch since my father has died in 2008. But today was different. She arrived with three men. Two of them are familiar to me. They are engaged in a tricycle buy-and-sell business. The other one must be the prospective client. Mother has pronounced weeks ago that she has this plan of selling father's tricycle. "No one uses it anyway." She said. Nobody in the family replied during that dinner.

It was a 1993 Honda TMX 155 Model, equipped with a Stainless Steel sidecar, which is kinda rare today. The motor costs P90,ooo; sidecar is P30,000. Imagine that value in 1993. Father was very careful with his humble toy. He would get angry if his sons would sit on its fuel tank. He doesn't want us to dent it, or damage it in any way. He succeed but not with the discoloration of its stickers which is inevitable --- I presume.

Pamiyabe 12

So here it is, me as a fellow on Pamiyabe 12. This is another opportunity to learn. Define thankful.

On being a Journalist

Ed Lingao: I like to think that journalists should read more than they write, listen more than they talk, think more than they speak, and sometimes, cry more than they would like to admit. After all, journalism is about learning, more than anything. That is why we talk to people, observe, probe, unearth, research.

We are the ultimate students, learning on everyone else's time, intruding into other people's lives, and getting paid for it in the process. At the same time, some of us get famous too, and run for public office. And we are the ultimate teachers. We wield the power of mass media, we command the airwaves. If it's in the media, it must be true.

Politicians claim to love us, and the public wants to elect us. Sometimes, maybe too many times, it gets to our head, and we believe our own propaganda. So what do we make of journalists who write but do not read, talk but do not listen, and still have the gumption or the nerve to try to mold public opinion on current events?

Thanksgiving

10 Jan 2012

2:38 AM

Bathala, salamat po sa biyaya na sa tuwing magigising ako ng ganitong oras at nagugutom, may pagkain pa rin sa ref.

- Carl