Standing with our comrades, who is now fighting the reign of a reprobate dictator.
We stood up to fight for our beloved country, most days attending rallies. Ngayong linggo, lang kami hindi naka-attend ni Denise. Bukod kasi sa may exam pa siya, birthday na ni Tatay itong darating na Byernes. Nasa kwarto kami ni Jenny, nagpapractice para sa birthday ni Tatay.
"Etong piyesa na ito, kaya mo ba?" I asked Jenny.
"Kaya po Ate." Jenny said.
"Okay, himig ng pag-ibig by Asin. Pwede nating ibahin ang areglo, ako personal kong mas gusto yung ganitong areglo." I said as I strummed my guitar, it was a slow arrangement.
"Gets, Ate. Gusto ko din yung mabagal lang." She smiled.
She strums her guitar that I let her borrow. It was my first acoustic guitar that I bought out of my own money. I listened to her as she strums it, she smiles nervously as she sang the first line of the song.
Tulad ng ibong malaya ang pag-ibig natin
Tulad ng langit na kay sarap marating
Ang bawat tibok ng puso'y kay sarap damhin
Tulad ng himig na kay sarap awitin.
She sang the first stanza and I was in awe with her good voice.
"Jenny, ang ganda pala ng boses mo!" I exclaimed at her.
"Ate, wag mo nga akong binobola." She laughed at me.
"Totoo naman. Sasabihan ko si Nanay na turuan ka." I told her.
We continued to practice her chosen piece, buong araw kaming nagkulong sa kwarto ko. By this time, I just finished my Masteral at the University. Habang si Denise naman ay naghihintay na lang na grumaduate at makapag-bar exam. Dahil sa pagpapalit ng dating rehimen sa K-12, namove ang graduation ng mga mag-aaral to June. Tapos na ang finals ni Denise, naipasa na din ang kanyang Thesis at naidefend na niya ito. She just needs to study for her upcoming bar exams.
"Salamat po, Ate Maling. Kundi dahil sa pagmamalasakit ninyo sa amin ni Jerick, sana nasa lansangan pa din kami." Jenny said.
"Oi, Jenny, wala yun. Mabuti na lang at mabait din kayo ni Jerick. Gusto mo bang mag-aral?" Tanong ko kay Jenny.
Her eyes lit up, pero bahagyang nawala ito.
"Bakit, Jenny?"
"Ate, parang hindi naman para sa akin ang buhay na yan. Wag na lang po." She said.
"Jenny, hindi pribilehiyo ang pag-aaral, isa itong karapatan na dapat sana ay ibinigay ng iyong mga magulang." I said to her.
"Salamat Ate." Sabay yakap naman ni Jenny sa akin.
"Magmula ngayon, parte ka na ng Pamilya Cruz, Ikaw na si Jenny Cruz at kapatid mo Si Jerick Cruz at Humaling Cruz. Hindi ko na kayo hahayaan ni Jerick na mag-isa sa lansangan." I said to her.
"Salamat Ate Maling." She said.
***Birthday ni Tatay Boy***
Busy kami ni Nanay, Jerick at Jenny sa paghahanda, umagang-umaga pa lang sinamahan ko na si Nanay sa Palengke upang mamili ng mga sangkap na kakailanganin para sa salo-salo namin mamaya. 3 PM magsisimula ang birthday ni Tatay. Pagtapos naming mananghalian, doon na kami nagluto ni Nanay. Ako, si Jenny at Jerick ang assistant ni Nanay. Nag-gagayad na kami ng mga ingredients ng biglang dumating ang Pamilya ni Denise.
"Mahal ko, ang aga nyo naman." Nasurpresa kong sagot.
"Syempre, tutulong kami maghanda ni ate at mommy." She says as she introduced her family to Nanay and Tatay.
"Tatay Boy, Nanay Cristy, ang Daddy Ernesto ko po at Mommy Virginia ko po." Nagkamay naman ang parehong parents namin.
"Saglit lang ho, maiwan ko muna kayo at baka masunog yung niluluto ko." Sabi naman ni Nanay.
"Tulungan na kita." Sabi ng Mommy Virginia ni Denise.
"Mahal, maupo ka muna dyan. Babalik na ako sa kusina para tulungan si Nanay."
"Love, kaya nga kami maaga diba? Tutulong nga kami sa inyo." Denise said.
"Tara na Ate." Aya naman niya sa Ate nya.
Nauna pa silang bumalik sa kusina. Habang si Tatay at Daddy Ernesto ay naiwan sa sala. Pagbalik ko sa kitchen, I took my time to watch Denise habang nag-gagayad ito ng mga ingredients, the easy conversations she and Nanay held maya-maya pa ay lumingon ito sa akin, ngumiti siya sa akin at tumango.
Doon ako natauhan muli at kinuha ko yung isang plastic kung saan nakalagay ang sitsaro. Inumpisahan ko na itong balatan. Habang ang Mommy naman nya ay katabi kong nagtatadtad ng baboy na pinipiraso niya.
"Maling, hindi mawawala ang anak ko." Tatawa-tawang sabi ng Mommy ni Denise.
"Mommy, salamat po for raising Denise to be a good woman." I said to her.
"I am thankful she found you, Maling. Alagaan mo siya Hija." She smiled at me.
"Opo, Mommy." I smiled back at her.
"Balae, Maraming Salamat sa tulong ninyo ha?" Nanay said.
"Walang ano man, Balae." Mommy Virginia said.
Nagkatinginan naman kami ni Denise at ng kanyang Ate.
"Naku, Maling! Kailangan mo nang pakasalan itong si bunso namin." Ate Nadine said laughing.
"Balang araw po Ate. Mag-iipon muna ako ng lakas ng loob." Tatawa-tawa ko namang sabi kay Ate Nadine.
"Sige, aabangan ko yan." Ate Nadine laughed at us.
Nang matapos na kami sa pag-gagayad ng ingredients, naupo na kami ni Denise at Ate Nadine sa garden ni Nanay.
"Naloka ako kay Nanay Cristy lablab."
"Oo nga Mahal eh." I said laughing.
"Kailan nyo ba plano?" Ate Nadine asked.
"Ate, bata pa kami ni Maling, we'll have plenty of time to think about this." Denise said.
Maya-maya lamang nagsi-datingan na ang mga kaibigan at kamag-anak namin. Ipinakilala ko si Denise at Ate nya sa mga ito. Pagtapos ng munting salo-salo namin, nagtipon ang lahat sa may sala, ako muna ang naghandog ng isang kanta para kay Tatay at pagtapos ko si Jenny na ang susunod.
"Tatay Boy, Nanay Cristy. Maraming Salamat po sa pagkupkop ninyo sa amin ng kapatid kong si Jerick. Maraming salamat at hindi ninyo kami itinuring na iba. Habang buhay naming tatanawin ang utang na loob namin sa inyo. Makaka-asa po kayo na hindi namin kayo bibiguin." Jenny said to them.
She started to play Asin's Himig ng pag-ibig she sang so beautifully and soulfully that by the time she finished singing, Tatay and Nanay had tears in their eyes. It was a proud moment for me, as I saw everyone applaud her. Sino ba naman ang magaakala na magaling tumugtog at kumanta ang batang ito. She was 14, although her previous family had dealt her a bad hand in life she never gave up on her brother, she took him with her the moment she decided she have had enough of her abusive mother.
Your uncle Jerick and aunt Jenny were the strongest people I know. I can't imagine what life was back then for them. From day one we treated them as family. It was the year 2019, life was hard under martial rule. But, the only thing I could remember was my love for her, that strengthened my will to fight for our freedom. A freedom you kids enjoy now. I ask you of one thing; Never let any one steal your light. Love as if today will be the last day you will ever live. For tomorrow you can't be too sure about what fate you have.
A/N:
I have been reluctant in writing a Martial Law Fiction, being that some of the things I write comes true for other people. Like last year, I accurately predicted the split of Rhian Ramos and her then boyfriend Jason Choachuy. A few months after I have written Dating Tagpuan.
So, please bear with me if it took time before I published this work of mine. I had to find the strength not to write about the things I observe, but they still manifest my wishful thinking. I wish The President would stop being a fool. I wish he would stop being full of his bravado, he doesn't even have remorse for his actions let alone the lies he had told Millions of Filipinos.
I wish for people to learn from our rich history, the things we did wrong during those times so that we could act responsibly for other Filipinos. The future of our children relies solely upon us, if we keep on making stupid decisions how are we supposed to give our children the life they deserve?
Oh and I want to clarify that this story is set on current time but with a slight twist. There is a new form of Government in this story, which is Federalism here is a short Wikipedia Article I found about it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federalism_in_the_Philippines
I also found this article informative, it goes on to explain what Federalism is: https://kami.com.ph/2492-federalism-philippines-explained.html#2492
You may also watch this FB Video: https://www.facebook.com/BasaPaMorePhilippines/videos/553533891463194/
Sa susunod na halalan para sa senado, pag tumakbo si Mocha Uson at nanalo ito, itaga nyo sa bato na papasabugin ko siya. 😂 Utang na loob, wag tayong tanga. I have nothing against her, but it is her method of sexualizing everything that's absolutely giving me the cringe.
Hala, masyado nang mahaba ang note ko. Hahahaha! See you guys on the next Chapter.
Spread light and love!
-Sky