Photo credit: Jacob Images
Hanunoo tribe of the Mangyan, also known as Bulalakao, live in villages typically with no more than 50 to 100 people. And this is one of them
Meng was bewildered, as she slowly walked through the village, also called a sitio. She felt like she entered a story book. Everywhere she looks, everything she sees is novelty for her. She did not realize that a world like this still exists, far far away from the civilization but still a community. A self-sustaining community of indigenous people.
She stayed close with kuya Poch and kuya Wally as they were greeted by some of village elders and their families, the names of which immediately escapes her memory the minute they turn around to meet another family. But if there's one thing that made an immediate impact on her, it's the smile on their faces, a picture of contentment and happiness.
She noticed that the huts are arranged in rows so that the veranda (yes, the huts have veranda) seems to be connected to the next hut. Interesting.
At the farther end of the village, they were then ushered to an empty Mangyan thatched-roof hut with bamboo floors, that was prepared for them in advance. It has some sort of divider resulting in a makeshift room with no door unless you put curtain to it making the outer part a small receiving area with a small and low bamboo table serving as the only piece of furniture. On top of the tables is a gas lamp.
Looking around, Meng took it all in. This is it! Walang kama, sahig lang. Bintana lang for ventilation. Walang TV o radio, magandang view lang sa labas. Walang kitchen, kahit kalan. No comforts of your home. Ito ang magiging mundo mo sa susunod na 5 araw. Magsisi ka man, wala ka nang magagawa.
"Ano Meng, okay ka lang ba dito? Ano hitsura nung kuwarto? Hala! Wala man lang palang kama o papag, ano tutulugan mo?
"Ano ka ba kuya Poch, umasa ka ba? Hindi ito hotel or resort. Buti nga may tutuluyan pa tayo. Wala kaya tayong na-displaced na pamilya dito?"
"Most probably meron o baka bagong kubo ito. Hindi kaya mabilasa ang beauty ko rito? So malamang sa malamang, walang shower. Teka, wala rin yatang banyo. Eeew! Uwi na kaya tayo Meng? Hindi yata ako tatagal dito ng isang linggo."
"Don't worry kuya Paolo, limang tulog na lang, Lunes na ngayon. Kailangan tayong bumaba sa Sabado kung ayaw nating mag-Rambo si Tatay. Limang tulog na lang at makakahiga ka na sa kama mo. Kaya pagbigyan mo na ko, tutal andito na tayo."
They heard kuya Wally and kuya Jose's excited voices as they enter the hut.
"Hello everybody!"
"Di ba exciting 'to! Magkakasama tayo sa iisang bahay?"
Ha?!? Wait, did she hear it right? Dito sila lahat tutuloy? Pati siya, who must not be named?
Speaking of the devil, enter the dragon, este sumilip lang pala sa may bamboo stairs
"Kuya Wally, Kuya Jose, ano ba kayo? Hindi tayo diyan!" he exclaimed.
"Bakit RJ? Diba eto tuluyan natin? Diba sabi ni Apo?" Jose said adamantly.
"Next week, pag-alis nila." That remark got her attention, she became alert but still not looking.
"Eh saan tayo matutulog?"
"Dito sa baba."
"Alam mo Tisoy, si Wally ang komedyante kasi siya ang kalbo! Nagbibiro ka naman eh. Lupa na yan, saan tayo matutulog diyan?"
"Nalimutan n'yo na, may mga tents tayo. The ground is wide enough for two tents. I'll use the smaller tent."
It was Pao who butt in. "Ah eh, kasya naman yata tayo dito. Meng can use the room, then dito tayo lahat sa labas ng room. Diba Meng? Kawawa naman sila, isang linggong tent."
Suddenly realizing the inconvenience that they are causing, she looked at kuya Jose and kuya Wally, intentionally ignoring him. "Tama si Kuya Poch, kuya Jose, sabi namin di kami magpapabigat and this house was obviously prepared for you."
"You talking to me? Meng naman! RJ, one order of English, please. Pakisagot.'
His face was still serious when he answered. "No, kahit kasya tayo, it's still not proper. We don't want to offend their custom and values. Alam nilang hindi tayo related."
"Kasi dapat sinabi mong mag-asawa kayo nung tinanong ka. Di naman sila manghihingi ng marriage contract at di naman sila mag-iinspeksiyon kung magkatabi kayo. Diba ganon sa mga teleserye? May mga nagkukunwaring mag-asawa?"
That remark caused a blush to spread across her cheeks. "Biro lang Meng, kung lulusot lang naman."
"The arrangement is final." RJ was not to be persuaded.
There was a reason why he came to the hut. He climbed the stairs, then approached her, ventured out to talk to her, truce or no truce. There was no use alerting others of their conflict.
"Wala yata silang kumot at unan dito, you can use these for now. Kuya Paolo can use the sleeping bag he used yesterday. It will get colder at night" He handed her a blanket and neck pillow he packed from his pickup truck.
His concern made her momentarily forget her resolve not to talk to him, "Eh ikaw, paano ka?" Menggay, galit ka diba?
"Don't worry, we have sleeping bags, remember?"
Reading between the lines of his exchange with kuya Jose, she understood now what he had to sacrifice to protect her reputation. She felt gratitude despite her anger. Haay Ricardo, ang contradicting ng actions mo! Bakit di ko makuha magalit sa 'yo nang matagal?
"Thank you." Yun lang ang nasabi niya but didn't realized that her look softened with a smile.
His heart skipped a beat at the unexpectedness of the gentle smile.
Recovering himself and his resolve, "There's a welcome banquet that the village prepared for us tonight, it's up to you if you will join or not."
There he goes again, it's up to me, and he doesn't care. Ano kaya kung patulan kita? Forcing herself to smile this time, "Of course we will come."
"Have it your way, it doesn't matter." He was about to leave when he remembered something.
"Oh, one more thing. I told them that you're both apprentice from the government agency we work with. Remember, it's NCIP. It stands for...."
"I know, National Commission for Indigenous People."
"Right, and you're here to observe so you don't have to do anything. I had to make up something in the absence of any information from you. I know you're tired from the climb so if you want to rest I'm sure they will understand."
"Yes, but as you said, we don't want to offend them so of course we will attend. Saka hindi kami makakakain kung di kami pupunta diba?"
RJ continued na parang wala siyang narinig."I also told them and the captain at the ranger station that you are relatives of the Commissioner of the agency. Just in case they ask. Sorry but I had to come up with some story in the absence of personal details."
"You already said that. You don't have to rub it in the second time, pero salamat ulit."
Little did they know that three curious pairs of eyes are closely observing them, like watching a ping-pong match.
Wally cleared his throat. "Ehem, sige lang usap lang kayo. Kunwari, wala kami dito."
"Panira ka ng eksena Wally! Ang ganda na sana nung pinapanood natin. Parang teleserye oh. RJ, Meng, may LQ kayo?" Trust kuya Jose to go straight to the point.
"Anong LQ Jose? LizQuen ba yun? Natutuhan ko yon sa anak ko." Wally asked innocently
"Okay Wally, wala kang jacket at out ka na sa jackpot portion. Kapamilya 'yon! Kapuso tayo. Yung LQ...Paolo, ano na nga yung LQ?"
"Lovers' Quarrel! LQ agad-agad? Mukhang hindi pa nga sila friends eh!" Paolo remarked, fishing for any reaction from the two.
That broke the spell for Meng. She became conscious again, more so now that she knows what the other three are thinking.
It was RJ who recovered first from the teasing. "Kuya Jose, Kuya Wally, may gagawin pa tayo diba? Itatayo pa natin yung mga tent, diba?"
"Tisoy, wala bang goodbye message diyan kahit may LQ kayo? Yung tipong 'sige pahinga ka na, see you later'?" RJ, in turn, glared at him in warning.
"Sabi ko nga Wally, lika na eh. Abangan na lang daw ang susunod na kabanata."