January:
1. Back to work, overtime for two hours everyday. Jog around High Street after.
2. Buy sneakers. It's been ten years since I had my last pair. A testament to my couch potato-ness.
3. Climb another mountain with officemates. I love the outdoors when it's not rainy and muddy. Either Jan or Feb
4. Avoid binge eating.
5. Fix papers for government ID replacement cards/company health card.
6. Hepri's bday
7. Igi's bday
8. Buy a weekender, sando
9. Start loosing beer belly.
10. Moderate my drinking.
11. Find out when's the schedule for PDA Season 3 auditions.
February
1. Bro's bday
2. Ton's bday
3. Climb another mountain with officemates.
4. Overtime. Overtime. Overtime.
5. Expected annual salary appraisal.
6. Watch Dresden Files.
March
1. Mah bday. No bday celebration. Do charity.
2. Rachelle's bday
3. Ryan's bday
4. Khey's bday
5. Alwyn's bday
6. Apply for a credit card
7. Prepare for summer
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Poso
The day he arrived in Manila was one of the most exciting moments of Emeliano’s life.
The sun was up at its scorching peak but he didn’t mind it at all. It’s as if the stress was washed away by the scenery in the horizon. He stuck his head out the window of the bus as the wind of a better future kissed his face with a welcoming coolness. He saw towering concrete buildings racing for the sky, bustling pedestrians, a few calesas and automobiles. All these sights made his heart leap with joy. It’s just the beginning of wonderful things to come, he probably thought.
Manila for sure was on a transition to join the industrialization of other key cities of the world, and it was a risky transition that he just had to partake in.
He came from Bicol– a strapping young lad ready to seek greener pastures in a promising city that was Manila. At eighteen, Emeliano left home to fulfill his dream of a better life away from the fields, the trees, the mountains and the sea.
He felt discontented living a life among farm animals. He loved his home, his parents, his grandfather and his brothers who were scattered among his uncles and aunties back in his hometown. Indeed, he loved them with all his life, but there was a fire in his mind and soul that raged on. It was dark during nights in the province and he had heard tales of enchanting lights, blinking all throughout the night in another place. A better place.
He’d only had experience working in the fields and in the sea, with occasional jobs in construction sites and as a cook for a rural eatery. He didn’t have any diploma to show, just the optimism and ardor to make it in life. On that glorious day of his arrival, he only had a couple of bills in his pocket and a piece of paper with a direction to reach his destination,
He stayed in the house of his Tiya Maria in a little town in the metro called Pateros, the center of commerce and trading of balut and the then, famous alfombra slippers in the 70’s. He shared a room with his cousin Imben who just ended his work with a construction site as the building neared completion and lesser workers were needed. Together, they went out everyday looking for a job.
Emeliano landed a job in construction. He worked day and night, as a foreman and as a help in his auntie’s small piggery. He was efficient in his job; making sure materials were well approximated and evenly distributed. He was entrusted of keeping the inventory. He also took care of the pigs, making sure it was well fed and clean. He also did rounds in the neighborhood to collect kitchen and table scraps to be used for feeding the pigs. In one of those instances, Emeliano thought the city already threw all the beautiful things it could throw at his direction.
It probably happened one sunny Sunday morning.
To be continued…
The sun was up at its scorching peak but he didn’t mind it at all. It’s as if the stress was washed away by the scenery in the horizon. He stuck his head out the window of the bus as the wind of a better future kissed his face with a welcoming coolness. He saw towering concrete buildings racing for the sky, bustling pedestrians, a few calesas and automobiles. All these sights made his heart leap with joy. It’s just the beginning of wonderful things to come, he probably thought.
Manila for sure was on a transition to join the industrialization of other key cities of the world, and it was a risky transition that he just had to partake in.
He came from Bicol– a strapping young lad ready to seek greener pastures in a promising city that was Manila. At eighteen, Emeliano left home to fulfill his dream of a better life away from the fields, the trees, the mountains and the sea.
He felt discontented living a life among farm animals. He loved his home, his parents, his grandfather and his brothers who were scattered among his uncles and aunties back in his hometown. Indeed, he loved them with all his life, but there was a fire in his mind and soul that raged on. It was dark during nights in the province and he had heard tales of enchanting lights, blinking all throughout the night in another place. A better place.
He’d only had experience working in the fields and in the sea, with occasional jobs in construction sites and as a cook for a rural eatery. He didn’t have any diploma to show, just the optimism and ardor to make it in life. On that glorious day of his arrival, he only had a couple of bills in his pocket and a piece of paper with a direction to reach his destination,
He stayed in the house of his Tiya Maria in a little town in the metro called Pateros, the center of commerce and trading of balut and the then, famous alfombra slippers in the 70’s. He shared a room with his cousin Imben who just ended his work with a construction site as the building neared completion and lesser workers were needed. Together, they went out everyday looking for a job.
Emeliano landed a job in construction. He worked day and night, as a foreman and as a help in his auntie’s small piggery. He was efficient in his job; making sure materials were well approximated and evenly distributed. He was entrusted of keeping the inventory. He also took care of the pigs, making sure it was well fed and clean. He also did rounds in the neighborhood to collect kitchen and table scraps to be used for feeding the pigs. In one of those instances, Emeliano thought the city already threw all the beautiful things it could throw at his direction.
It probably happened one sunny Sunday morning.
To be continued…
Setting the Plot
Pateros is the smallest of the seventeen cities and municipalities comprising the Metropolitan Manila.
Before 1700, it was only a barrio of Pasig called "Aguho" or "embarcadero". Aguho was derived from the name of numerous shady trees planted along the Pateros River, while "embarcadero" means a small port. As a port, Pateros was the focal point of trade and commerce not only for the entire Municipality of Pasig but also for the neighboring towns. It also served as harbor for the Malay, Chinese, Swedish and Indian vessels that periodically called to disembark merchandise and to engage in commerce. These were the reasons why Pateros as the most progressive barrio of Pasig was given the name Aguho or embarcadero.
The Chinese traders who eventually settled in the town introduced the most famous balut industry and alfombra-slipper making. The name PATEROS came from the Tagalog words “pato” – the duck that lays the eggs for balut making, and “sapatero” – the word for shoemakers.
The sound and stable income of Pateros led to issuance by the Spanish Governor General of a decree in 1700 creating it as a Municipality. In 1896, when the Philippine Revolution broke out, many Pateros inhabitants joined the Katipunan in the struggle for freedom from Spanish rule. These patriots attacked the Spanish soldiers fortified at the Pasig Church. The following year, the Spaniards retaliated, and after burning Pasig, swooped down on Pateros, Malapad na Bato and Taguig. On August 06, 1898, Pateros joined the revolutionary government of Emilio Aguinaldo.
On March 29, 1900, Pateros was made a Municipality by virtue of General Order No. 40. Act. No. 137 of the Philippine Commission promulgated on June 11, 1901 incorporated Pateros with newly created province of Rizal. Two years later (October 12, 1903), Act. No. 942 consolidated Pateros, Tagig and Muntinlupa for purposes of economy and centralization, with Pateros as the seat of Municipal government. On March 22, 1905, the "Municipality of Pateros" was changed to "Municipality of Tagig". Later, Executive Order No. 20 dated February 29, 1908 separated Pateros from Tagig. Pateros regained its independent status as a Municipality on January 1, 1909 by virtue of Executive Order No. 36. On November 7, 1975, Pateros became part of the Metropolitan Manila through Presidential Decree No. 924.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
