Sa Dilim Ay Liwanag(The Homecoming)

A poignant short story of a balikbayan overseas contract worker from Saudi Arabia that ante-dates the growth and decline of Duty Free Shops in the country. The story starts at Roman’s ancestral home in Obando, Bulacan where his family prepares for his homecoming for the town fiesta, a Filipino holiday of merrymaking, festivities and binge. Then, the story moves to the old Manila International Airport (MIA), where Roman’s family waits for his arrival bringing with them a jeepney loaded with passangers the size of a whole barangay. It is a satire of Filipino lifestyle and a melodrama of both heroic triumph and personal failure. It is laden with nationalistic overtones and familial concerns resulting to one of Roman’s brothers’ decision to stay in the country for good instead of following Roman’s footsteps. As a totality, it is Filipino protectionism at the grassroots level.