The Mistress

Ah. I know you are now thinking of Sari and JD. But wait, I am not a movie critic. I mean, not as of the moment. I don't think I have enough bullets to fire a really persuasive review. I also don't think I watch movies that often. Yes, I watch Tagalog movies a lot. Tons of them. The romantic type, filled with cheap, cheesy lines which become an instant talk-of-the-city where people try to muster and give it their own version (ala jd or sari). As if they are auditioning for the role? Uhm...dont get me wrong. Let me clarify that I also watch Hollywood movies. The hunger games? Yes I did. But the Tagalog films are dearer. I don't really know. It must be that when it rained patriotism, I was fully drenched of it and many get into my blood! Even with songs. And singers. And...okay. I know you are convinced. So i stop here.

My family's story has some element of "The Mistress". The notable difference though is that my mom befriended my father's other woman. And that they bore a child, Pipoy, who is of the same age with me. I can vividly recall that during birthdays, they came and gave us gifts. We played balloons. We were friends.

As far as my recollection, my childhood memory did not include confrontation that we seen in movies. The kind that Hilda Koronel delivered in The Mistress, "Layuan mo ang asawa ko. Tagalog yan para maintindihan mo." None at all. According to my mother, it was my Lola, Papa's mother, who went ballistic and acted like Hilda Koronel. My mother kept it. She remained strong. She did not make a hell out of it.

I was in dumaguete over the weekend and Pipoy and I met. We had coffee and we talked about my work in Bacolod and his work in Saudi. He just arrived from the Middle East after a two-year contract. By the way, he is a Mechanical Engineer. And I think he looks very similar to Papa. We don't see each other frequently so when that opportunity happened our storytelling will be in chapters.

We are a family. Growing up, Papa's other woman is my Auntie. And that's how I call her. No awkwardness. No aloofness. No insecurities.

And we are happy about it.

I jogged today; It's a Good Friday

I thank God today, Good Friday, and I think the whole of humanity should. Today the world literally stops from splurging in the sea of utter banality. I was able to jog early in the morning. And that is so rare. The last time I jog around the new government center in the morning? I couldn’t remember. It must be long ago. And I like it. I think that sometimes we have to break the monotony of living each day just repeating things over and over to remind us of so many things. Thus this is the time to recollect and reflect.

Very appropriately, I watched yesterday the film 3 idiots, as recommended by an officemate. It became instantly famous in the office that everyone shared profound thoughts about it. One day, without really wanting to buy a copy of it, my eyes was directed to see it. It must be fate so I had it in my bag. Of course I paid.

I felt the urgency of the message of the film that I immediately thought of blogging about it. And hopefully it will reach places and far destinations. I even thought that the government should have film showing in schools most especially, high schools, and if possible, with their parents and teachers. Is this asking too much? No. Believe me. If you’ve watched it, congratulations! Share the message of the film.

Don’t worry, I am not a film spoiler. I will not exert effort to narrate the events in the film. What I will do is to ask questions, well I consider them thought-provoking, so that you will already identify which character are you in the film.

Students should watch it. It will make them have a special connection with the three idiots or see themselves as one of them. That is even better. To be bookish or street-smart? To follow what makes us happy or follow what makes our parents happy? To choose a course mainly because society will put you in the pedestal of fame and power or because that what makes you happy? To always yield to tradition or stand for what is right? To say yes because it is the right answer or yes because it is what is expected of me? To memorize theories or to understand them? To make a life or make a living? To make our parents happy and live life that they wanted for you or make them happy by honestly telling them what you want and what makes you happy?

Parents should watch it. Do you ask your children what they want when they grow up or you immediately tell them you will be a doctor like me. Or you will soon manage our own business? Or you will defend my clients when you will be in the list of lawyers? That you will be a nurse because they make considerable fortune in the US and elsewhere in the world. That you will be a doctor because society will regard you with awe and admiration.

Teachers should watch it. Do you encourage your students to memorize theories and definitions in toto and when a word or phrase is missing, a deduction will be imposed? Do you not even ask if they understood? Do you tell your students that life is a race and that to be called successful you will outdo your competitors? And topple them if necessary? Have you failed a student because you think his idea will never work though he insists to make it work but you chose to close the opportunity?  Do you regard your students as someone below you? Did you choose to impose rules because you think it is disrespect to your-being-in-control when in fact they deserve certain considerations? Did you make them see that the Diploma is the end-all-and-be-all of studying? 

Students, teachers, and parents, make your choice.