The Day Hector and His Family Helped the Perpetual Village 5 HA President, Louie Eguia

The Day Hector Garcia and His Family Helped the

Perpetual Village 5 HA President, Louie Eguia

By Apolinario Villalobos

 

When the unpaved roads of the Perpetual Village 5 was finally completed, courtesy of the City government of Bacoor City, flaws were discovered such as the low-grade asphalt that was used to fill the gaps of sections, and which practically cracked and broken into pieces in time, and the dangerous wide-gapped corners that endanger maneuvering cars, especially, vans and garbage trucks. Two garbage trucks almost lost their balance while maneuvering the corner along Fellowship and Unity Streets.

 

The anticipated dangers due to the precarious corners were brought to the attention of the contractor when the project was near completion, but to no avail. Understandably, he was constrained by the allocated budget that was allowed only for the approved width, thickness, and length of the roads in the subdivision. Rather than wait for mishaps to occur, the President of the Perpetual Village 5, Louie Eguia, decided to make use of the meager fund of the association.

 

As expected, Hector Garcia and the available members of his family volunteered to help – his wife Angie, daughter Mara, son-in-law Jet, and even the latter’s household “stewardess”, Ting.  From eight in the morning up to almost noon, the small group toiled under the searing heat of the sun. Even Mara who was on day -off and the lean and young “stewardess” Ting, took turns in mixing cement, gravel, and sand. Jet, who just arrived home from an overnight job also shook off the fatigue from lack of sleep. With a wheelbarrow, Hector tediously, made several trips to the Multi-purpose Hall for the pre-mixed cement and gravel, while Louie, though, suffering from skin allergies from the prickly heat, untiringly did his part.

 

I have already blogged the Garcia couple due to their unselfish “habit”, worthy of emulation. The habit practically runs in the family which also contaminated their house help, Ting, whom I lovingly call “the stewardess”. They talk less, but work more, and this habit made them click with the equally man of few words, Louie, their homeowners’ association president.

 

Sharing Need Not Be a “Big Time” Effort

Sharing Need Not Be a “Big Time” Effort

By Apolinario Villalobos

 

I ask from friends and collect myself, what others consider as “trash” – empty rice bags, used shopping plastic bags, brown paper bags, net bags, used tarpaulins, empty jars, lengths of straw rope, etc. – to be distributed among my friends who sell recyclable junks and vegetables by the pile on sidewalks. They are called “buraot” vendors and the “buraot” refers to the junks and wilting vegetables that they sell. Some of them keep the brown paper bags to be used by their children as book covers, and the sturdy plastic grocery bags as “school bags”. On the other hand, the rice bags have many uses, one of which is safekeeping of things in the absence of decent bags that are sold in department stores.

 

It takes me about two weeks to be able to collect a sizeable volume of these various “treasures”, classify the plastic bags according to size, carefully fold them and finally apportion them together with the rest of the items among the pre-identified recipients for easy distribution. I am most glad if I am able to collect big plastic cover of refs and washing machines because they can be used as extended roof for “kariton (pushcart) home” of my friends. I taught them to fold big plastic bags in such a way that they can be used as “rain coat”. I used to do that when I was in elementary during which I would scavenge the garbage dump of a bakery in our town for recyclable junks especially plastic bags.

 

One time, a friend in California, “Perla” sent plenty of blue tarps that went straight to sidewalk and “kariton” dwellers. But I told her to stop sending such kind of item because I met a couple who sell “tinseled” bags of condiments that when spread by slicing open the two sides can serve the purpose of a mat, as well as, protection against the rain – for just Php20.00 apiece.

 

Every time I come home from shopping, I see to it that the bags, both made of plastic and brown paper are properly folded and set aside instead of tossing them into the garbage basket. The brown bag can also be used in keeping extra portions of vegetables before storing them in the ref. Also, I am not ashamed in picking up lengths of straw ropes from the ground while shopping in outdoor shopping areas such as Baclaran and Quiapo, as they are also needed by my friends in tying things that they always bring along with them. As a recycling advocate, I had been doing this for more than thirty years now.

 

Every time I hit the road for my random acts of sharing my backpack is full of these “treasures”, aside from Skyflakes crackers and home-cooked pudding for sharing. I just want to show that sharing blessings need not be a “big time” effort that involves a lot of money. If I can do it, I am sure others can do it, too. Those interested to do the same can start with the plastic bags that can be collected and given to their favorite vendor in the market….by doing so, we also help Mother Nature as the plastic bags that we recycle are prevented from clogging esteros or canals.

Mga Mapagkunwaring hindi “raw” Nakikialam sa Buhay ng Iba…subali’t, matindi kung manlibak

Mga Mapagkunwaring hindi “raw” Nakikialam sa Buhay ng Iba
….subalit, Matindi kung Manlibak
Ni Apolinario Villalobos

Naniniwala ako sa kasabihang, kailangan natin ng isang salamin upang makita ang dumi sa ating mukha. Sa ating buhay, ang salamin ay ibang tao na magsasabi sa atin ng ating pagkakamali. Kaya para sa akin, ang magbigay ng payo o magpuna ng pagkakamali ng iba ay hindi pakikialam, bagkus ay pagtulong upang maiwasto kung ano man ang dapat iwasto sa kanyang sinabi o ginawa. Hindi yong, kung kaylan siya nakatalikod ay saka magkukuwento sa iba na isang panlilibak.

Isang halimbawa ay kaibigan kong walang sinasabi kung kaharap ang kumare niyang maraming anak na halos ay naghahagdan na sa dami. Subalit kung wala na ito ay saka naman magsasalita ng mga hindi magandang pakinggan tulad ng pangungutang nito o di kaya ay pagpalya ng pamilya nito sa pagkain dahil wala man lang bigas na maisaing – lahat itinitsismis niya sa ibang tao, pati na sa akin kaya nalaman ko. Sa tagal ng kanilang samahan ay hindi man lang niya napayuhan ang kumare niyang maghinay-hinay sa pagpabuntis sa asawa nitong pa-sideline sideline lang ang trabaho. Para kasi sa kanya ay isang pakikialam ang magbigay ng payo sa kanyang kumare tungkol sa pagbubuntis nito. Baka daw kasi sagutin siya na baka naiinggit lang siya!

Sa isang party naman, may isang babaeng dumalo na kaibigan ng kausap ko. Nagulat ako nang mapansin kong parang nakakalat ang kanyang pulang lipstick. Sinabihan ko ang kaibigan kong bulungan ang kaibigan niya na kinawayan lang nito. Ang paliwanag ng kausap ko ay baka sabihin daw ng kaibigan ko na “usisera” siya, kaya hinayaan na lang niya kahit pinagtatawanan na ang kaibigan niya. Sinadya ko na lang sabayan ang babaeng nakakalat ang lipstick upang bulungan na tsekin ang kanyang lipstick dahil “parang kumalat”. Sinamahan ko siya sa isang tabi kung saan ay naglabas siya ng maliit na salamin habang hawak ko ang kanyang pinggan. Pagkatapos ay pabirong nagsabi na gawang Tsina daw kasi ang lipstick…nagtawanan na lang kami. Nalaman kong marami palang karinderya ang babae, masuwerte sa negosyo kaya kinainggitan siguro ng kaibigan niya niya na umaasa lang sa kita ng asawang drayber ng taksi. Nagkaroon tuloy ako ng pagkakataon na maimbita siyang tumulong sa grupo namin.

Isa namang kumpare ko ang madalas magreklamo tungkol sa katamaran ng kanyang manugang na babae, na sabi niya ay parang hindi babae dahil walang alam sa mga gawaing bahay. Ang payo ko sa kanya ay kausapin ang anak niya at asawa nito, subalit sinagot niya ako ng, “ayaw ko, bahala sila sa buhay nila”. Binuweltahan ko siya ng, “ganoon pala, bakit ka naghihimutok, at sinisiraan mo pa sila sa akin?”. Sa bandang huli, dahil mga inaanak ko naman sa kasal ang tinutukoy niya ay ako na ang kumausap…at nakinig naman. Nang pasyalan ko uli sila, ang manugang na niya ang nagluluto para sa kanila.

Noong panahong lumala ang diktatorya ni Marcos, kung hindi nakialam ang mga Pilipino na naging dahilan ng pagkaroon ng People Power Revolution sa EDSA, ano kaya ang nangyari ngayon? Kung hindi seryoso sa pakialam ang mga korte sa mga anomalyang nangyayari sa gobyerno ngayon kahit pa sabihing trabaho nila, mabubulgar kaya ang mga nakawang ginagawa ng mga ibinoto sa puwesto? Kung hindi pursigidong makialam ang ibang mga senador na ibulgar ang ginagawa ng mga kawatang opisyal kahit sabihin pa ring trabaho nila, paano na lang kaya? Kung hindi sa pakikialam ng mga tao sa media, mabibisto ba ang mga anomalya sa gobyerno? Kung hindi nakialam si Hesus sa sangkatauhan na humantong sa pagligtas niya dito mula sa unang kasalanan, ano kaya ang nangyari?

May isang hindi ko makalimutang comment ng kaibigan. Ang sabi niya, baka kung makialam daw siya sa iba, baka umasenso pa ang mga ito at malampasan siya, kaya bahala na lang sila sa buhay nila! Ayaw kong banggitin ang religion niya, dahil baka magtatalo ang mga readers…