Ang Mga Lanta o Pinatuyong Gulay at Minatamis o Pinatuyong Prutas

Ang Mga Lanta o Pinatuyong Gulay

At Minatamis o Pinatuyong Prutas

Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Hindi nangangahulugan na dahil ang gulay ay lanta na, ito ay hindi na masustansiya. May mga gulay na kailangang palantain nang kahit bahagya upang maihanda bilang isang uri ng pagkain, o di kaya ay patuyuin upang mapatagal sa pagkakatabi o pagkaimbak.

Sa paghanda ng “laing” (ginataang dahon ng gabi), ang dahon ay kailangang palantain ng bahagya, pero ang original na ganitong lutuin na nagsimula sa mga probinsiya ng Bicol, ang dahon ay kailangng tuyong-tuyo bago iluto sa gata. Kailangan namang patuyuin ng bahagya ang labanos at mustasa bago magawang “binuro”. Kung panahon ng sili, halos ipamigay na ng mga tindera ito dahil sa napakamurang halaga, subalit kung panahong bihira ito, ang presyo ay lumalampas sa isandaang piso ang kilo. Ganoon din ang nangyayari sa luya at sibuyas. Hindi naisip ng iba sa atin, na maaari silang patuyuin o buruhin sa tubig na may asin o suka upang magamit kung hindi na nila panahon. Ang masama, naging ugali na ng Pilipino na ngumalngal ng todo sa pagreklamo kapag sumirit na ang mga presyo, sabay sisi sa gobyerno!

Ang mga bansang India at Pakistan ay may mga bahagi kung saan, ang mga katutubo ay nagpapatuyo ng gulay upang maimbak at magamit pagdating ng panahong “tag-lamig”. Sa Italy, kung saan ang mga katutubo ay mahilig sa ispageti na ang pinakamahalagang sangkap ay kamatis, isa sa kanilang produkto ay “sun-dried tomato” na dinidelata o ginagarapon bago i-export sa ibang bansa. Ang Alemanya naman ay may tinatawag na “sauerkraut” na ang ibig lang sabihin ay binurong repolyo na maaari rin namang gamiting panghalo sa kahit anong klaseng lutuin. Sagana tayo sa mga nasabing gulay subalit ang gusto lang natin ay palaging sariwa, at kung panahong nagmahal sila, nagtitiis tayo sa mataas na presyo o di kaya ay nag-iingay tayo sa pagreklamo.

Dito sa minamahal nating bansang Pilipinas, malanta lang ng bahagya ang gulay, ay tinatapon na. Sa palengke, nilalangaw ang mga bulok na kamatis at lantang gulay na maaari sanang patuyuin. Nakakalungkot isipin na ang alam lang ng karamihan sa ating mga Pilipino, ay nasa sariwang gulay lamang ang sustansiya, kaya kapag naistak lang ng dalawa o tatlong araw sa ref ay sa basurahan na bumabagsak. Ang masama, ayaw pala ng iba sa atin ng nalalantang gulay, bakit bumibili ng marami at iniistak sa ref? Dahil kaya takot na baka biglang magdilubyo o di kaya ay lulubog sa baha o masunog ang palengke?

Sa prutas naman, ang ugali ng iba sa atin ay ganoon din, sa pagturing na ang sobrang hinog o overripe na prutas ay hindi na pwedeng kainin o di kaya ay para lamang sa mga mahihirap o naghihirap – yong mga namumulot sa basurahan. Hindi man lang naisip ng iba na ito ay pwedeng matamisin upang magamit na palaman sa tinapay o pamutat pagkatapos kumain. Ang mga prutas na sobrang hinog o may kaunting sira ay tinatapon na, ganoong pwede namang tapyasin ang bahaging sira at ang natirang maayos ay maaaring matamisin tulad ng nabanggit.

Para sa ibang kababayan natin, dapat ang prutas ay “maganda” ang kulay, wala maski bahagyang kulubot na tanda ng kalumaan dahil ang alam lang gawin ng ilan sa atin ay kainin ito na sariwa, at ang mga minatamis na jelly o jam ay dapat bilhing naka-garapon o naka-lata mula sa supermarket o grocery, at lalong okey kung imported pa!

Dahil sa “imported mentality” naman nating mga Pilipino, naiisahan tayo ng ibang bansa, lalo na ng Tsina. Umaangkat sila mula sa atin ng mga prutas upang tanggalan ng katas o di kaya ay patuyuin, at binebenta sa atin pagkatapos – imported nga naman! Kaya ngayon, sa mga grocery, naglipana ang mga pinatuyong iba’t ibang prutas galing Tsina, na galing din pala sa Pilipinas, tulad ng sampalok, mangga, pinya, buko, kundol, at saging. Marami ring mga fruit juice na dinelata, na ang pinanggalingang sariwang prutas ay galing sa atin. Sarap na sarap tayo sa pagkain ng mga minatamis na tuyong mga prutas na ang plastic na balot ay may tatak na “manufactured in the People’s Republic of China”, at pag-inom ng mga fruit juice na ang lata ay may ganoon ding tatak, na ibinalik lang pala sa atin bilang finished product!

Kaylan kaya tayo matututo upang maging maging mapamaraan o resourceful, hindi yong magaling lang magreklamo kung mataas na ang mga presyo? Siguro ay kung nasa ilalim na tayo ng Tsina, na gustong mangyari yata ng isang nagkakandidatong presidente…

A Godsend flock of young “Angels” – nuns of the “Women Congregation of the Servants of the Poor”

A Godsend flock of young “Angels” – nuns of the

“Women Congregation of the Servants of the Poor”

By Apolinario Villalobos

My encounter with these “angels” happened on a jeepney, as two of them, whom I later learned to be Sisters Bona and Pauline were on their way to the market to buy flowers for the altar of their chapel. I broke the ice by making queries about their group which I learned to be in the midst of a middle-class subdivision in Bacoor City. I always equate religious groups with charity, outreach to the poor, prayer for the sick, etc. Before they got off, I asked their permission if I could pay them a visit to learn more about their congregation, soonest as possible to which they consented.

When they were gone, it was only then did I notice that the twitching of my tired left eye which started to bother me as early as 5 AM was gone! Since 3 AM, I had been working on my laptop until 8 AM. Usually, the twitch that occurs could last for 2 days. The nuns could have healed it! (wild idea…only). As I was excited to visit the nuns in their “convent”, I immediately finished my transaction, so that in a couple of hours after our meeting, I surprised them with an unannounced visit, as they did not expect that the “soonest” would mean that morning.

I found out that their congregation which was founded by Blessed James Cusmano, S.D.P., an Italian, and their Mother General is Sr. Palmira Burzellino, S.D.P. The “S.D.P.” stands for “Servei Dei Povere” or Servants of the Poor. In the Philippines, the main Mission House is located at Roxas City, Capiz, and the one in Bacoor City is the first Mission House established outside Capiz. The congregation also has “Brothers” who are simply referred to as “Servants of the Poor”, aside from priests, who are referred to as “Missionary Servants of the Poor”. The congregation for the Brothers was founded in 1984, while that of the Sisters was in 1980.

Aside from Srs. Bona and Pauline, a third nun just arrived from Roxas City, Sr. Joy, and in the near future, their Mother Superior shall follow. Their House is a conjoined structure that consists of three units of the Siena Villas row house system. It has a small chapel with several religious images. Hugging the fence are shrubs and medicinal herbs and vegetables. According to them, they have been in the subdivision for six years to date, thanks to their benefactor who donated the lot and the units.

They have been into charity works, reaching out to children of poor families using the donations that they are receiving. They are currently assisted by the “Kalingap Ka”, a non-government organization, which is based in the Our Lady of Peace parish of Salinas 2, Bacoor City. The said NGO also provides volunteer service as necessary. To augment their financial needs, they welcome donated recyclable materials such as corrugated boxes, bottles and old magazines that they sell to the junk shop.

They are in need of donations such as learning materials for children, clothing, towel, blankets, and other things that can be shared with the less fortunate, especially, food, as they also have a feeding program. For those who plan to donate rice, there are stores near their House where this can be purchased. For cash donation, perhaps, it can be sent via Cebuana Lhuiller which is very near their place, but first I have to check again for the name to which it could be addressed. When I asked for their contacts, they admitted that they do not have a computer so an email address is out, and no landline, as well. All they have is one cellphone, the number of which I cannot publish. I counseled them to have even simply printed “contact cards”, on ordinary paper with the size of the regular of business card, for the convenience of information dissemination about their charitable works. Their situation is understandable as they are a new congregation. I told them not to worry, as those who are really interested to extend help can seek them out at the address below:

Women Congregation of the Servants of the Poor

Block 1, Lot 29

Sienna Villas, Camella Homes 2

Habay 2, Bacoor City, Cavite

The generous residents of this subdivision are one in assisting the Sisters who told me during my visit that a neighbor just brought them viand for lunch.

Friends who view this share, and who wonder how they can show their gratitude to God for the life they enjoy on earth, can now have an address to check, or send queries through my fb.