Assunta is an underprivileged but bright and ambitious young girl who got caught up in the game of dirty politics, power play, and the insatiable desire of the superciliously powerful to remain in power. This is her story, a very sad story.
I had been back but three days to the place whence I came and the familiar smell of rice fields during harvest season reminded me so. Serenity in all its color green now surrounds me and in my solitude I sometimes hug the wind.
I am at the crossroads of the thoroughfare that takes you to Duka and the narrow barangay road that leads to Cabarasan. Less than a mile to the north is the quiet fishing village of Minuhang, the largest barangay of my beloved town of Barugo in Leyte province. My mother taught the first grade there for a few years. Except for many houses now made of concrete the place have not changed much. I remember the topography for it was here that I spent my pre-school years tagging along my mother. One lazy afternoon while mother was busy with her class I sneaked out and crossed the street towards the shore. Out of curiosity and mischief I walked toward the shallow water as the tide was rising and was knocked down by the waves and almost drowned.
My sluggish motorcycle ride on the coastal road of Minuhang was disrupted by a minor commotion along the shore. My friend and I stopped to find out the cause of the commotion. A wounded dolphin beached. Several villagers were trying to help her get back to deeper water. And in the midst of the commotion and the noisy crowd a small group of teenage girls seemed unmindful of the attraction. As we passed by I overheard their conversation and, again, I couldn’t help but stop. I had to stop and listen some more.
I’ll just say her name is Assunta(1) to protect her innocence. And this is her story. She comes from a poor family. Her father worked as a caminero, the lowest of unskilled temporary workers for the government public works and highways district, the second district of Leyte. Casual worker is what someone like him is called, and he made just barely enough to put food on the table. He couldn’t even afford to send Assunta to the public high school so she had to live with and be supported by her aunt. This year she graduated from high school and wanted to pursue her dream of going to college.
Assunta is a bright young girl with ambition and determination. On her own she found out about Colegio de Sta. Lourdes of Leyte Foundation, Inc. in Tabontabon, Leyte. Colegio de Sta. Lourdes is not an ordinary school. All students are on full scholarship. Applicants whose parents’ annual income does not exceed 200,000 pesos qualify by passing an entrance examination. It also offers free living accommodation in the school’s spartan dormitory. Sounds like a perfect fit for someone like Assunta. She heard about the entrance examination scheduled on the second Saturday of April 2010. She told her friends about it and they obtained application forms for the entrance exam.
The school is a foundation established by Dr. Rustico Balderian(2), the incumbent mayor of Tabontabon, Leyte. He started the school before he entered elective public office. He is currently a candidate for the congressional seat for the 2nd district of Leyte running against the politically powerful and financially formidable Apostol political dynasty.
The Apostol husband-and-wife team has represented Leyte’s 2nd district for 18 years. The wife is the incumbent representative on her third and last term but she is running for mayor of Carigara, Leyte, where she is from. Before the wife, the husband represented the district also for three terms. He is now running for the same congressional seat. Their daughter is the incumbent mayor of Carigara, Leyte, on her second term but is giving in to mother and is running for the Leyte provincial board as the 2nd district member. In the town of Barugo, where husband is originally from, the wife of a relative, who used to be the mayor for three terms as well and is the incumbent vice-mayor, is running as the Apostol candidate for mayor. You may draw a wiring diagram if you find it a little complicated, as I did. If some alien from outer space were to land in one of the 2nd district towns of Leyte, he would think there is a dearth of capable political leaders in the 2nd district and more so in the towns of Carigara and Barugo.
It’s as if this is all a game of musical chairs and for millions of reasons they’re the ones lucky enough to sit on the chairs each time the music stops.
Apparently, someone heard about Assunta’s plan to take the entrance exam for Colegio de Sta. Lourdes. Somebody told somebody and before anyone could blink, Assunta’s father had been fired from his job. The family, fearful of other repercussions, like compromising the job of a member of the extended family, decided it was to their best interest that Assunta must forego taking the entrance exam. Poor Assunta, she had to miss out on the exam while her friends took it.
It seems like this is someone’s version of serving the public. Anyone gets in the way of someone getting elected to public office must be dealt with regardless of the consequences, intended or unintended. Everything is quid pro quo. This for that; no that, no this. The devil may care!
My heart bleeds not for Assunta because I am confident she will endure and somehow pursue her dream some other way. She has boundless potential and has her life ahead of her. Rather, my heart bleeds for the heartless people who put a façade and pretend to serve the less fortunate. I believe in karma.
Wouldn’t it be interesting if you were a fly on the wall listening to what these people admit as sin during confession? Lest I be accused of claiming to be pure of heart, I admit to being constantly in a state of mortal sin so I don’t bother receiving communion at all. I am WYSIWYG. With me, what you see is what you get.
And in the periphery of Assunta’s dream, others, whose only motive was to do the right thing, have been implicated. The principal of the elementary school that was used as the venue for the entrance exam likewise became the object of scorn. It is said that the queen commanded the rabidly loyal princess to summon the principal and be presented before her court for an inquisition. Of course there was no trial for the only purpose of the appearance was to promulgate the sentence. Guilty as charged, the poor principal was summarily castigated by the queen.
For the venue of the next entrance exam two weeks later, the organizers tried to obtain permission from the principal of the other elementary school. Politely, she refused for fear of incurring the wrath of the queen. Neither the king nor the queen shalt thou displease, or suffer thou the consequences. Public service! The devil may care.
The end of the Minuhang coastal road on the northeast direction leads to the mouth of the Cabarasan River. The place is called Balaurte, well-known as the site of an ambush of a large contingent of Japanese soldiers by a small band of courageous Filipino guerillas during World War II. There is a historical landmark memorializing this famous local encounter.
There is another landmark in Balaurte, albeit infamous and a testament to the arrogance of power and the vindictiveness of the powerful. It is the remnants of the wooden Balaurte Bridge. Across the river is barangay Balud, a few minutes’ walk from Balaurte. Villagers have mastered the art of balancing on wobbly, single wooden planks about a foot wide between each section of the bridge foundation to get to the other side of the river. They make do with what they got. I tried but the balancing act after the fourth plank was too much of a challenge. I gave up and hired a boat to cross the river.
Apparently, the people of Balud have incurred the wrath of the powerful as well because in every election for over a decade now, only a very small minority voted for the powerful. No vote, no bridge. Quid pro quo. This time, as a show of love and concern for the people of Balud and Balaurte, the ever so powerful orders a palliative. Perhaps it is pure coincidence that it is election campaign period. Perhaps not.
It would have been funny if only it is not pathetic and insulting. On top of the wooden planks, a metal frame about a meter wide with a handrail was built on top of the wobbly planks. Two-by-four coco lumbers were used as steps bolted to the frame. The spacing of the steps is dangerously wide you have to look down every step of the way. And it is incomplete, only halfway through. Perhaps the second half will come after the elections, the better to show their "love and concern" for the villagers. To the people of Balud and Balaurte, it is more of a joke and an insult to their intelligence. They wonder what mind would think they would buy the love charade!
My heart bleeds not for Assunta and the people of Balud and Balaurte. They may be downtrodden but their spirit is not broken.
I believe in karma.
I had been back but three days to the place whence I came and the familiar smell of rice fields during harvest season reminded me so. Serenity in all its color green now surrounds me and in my solitude I sometimes hug the wind.
I am at the crossroads of the thoroughfare that takes you to Duka and the narrow barangay road that leads to Cabarasan. Less than a mile to the north is the quiet fishing village of Minuhang, the largest barangay of my beloved town of Barugo in Leyte province. My mother taught the first grade there for a few years. Except for many houses now made of concrete the place have not changed much. I remember the topography for it was here that I spent my pre-school years tagging along my mother. One lazy afternoon while mother was busy with her class I sneaked out and crossed the street towards the shore. Out of curiosity and mischief I walked toward the shallow water as the tide was rising and was knocked down by the waves and almost drowned.
My sluggish motorcycle ride on the coastal road of Minuhang was disrupted by a minor commotion along the shore. My friend and I stopped to find out the cause of the commotion. A wounded dolphin beached. Several villagers were trying to help her get back to deeper water. And in the midst of the commotion and the noisy crowd a small group of teenage girls seemed unmindful of the attraction. As we passed by I overheard their conversation and, again, I couldn’t help but stop. I had to stop and listen some more.
I’ll just say her name is Assunta(1) to protect her innocence. And this is her story. She comes from a poor family. Her father worked as a caminero, the lowest of unskilled temporary workers for the government public works and highways district, the second district of Leyte. Casual worker is what someone like him is called, and he made just barely enough to put food on the table. He couldn’t even afford to send Assunta to the public high school so she had to live with and be supported by her aunt. This year she graduated from high school and wanted to pursue her dream of going to college.
Assunta is a bright young girl with ambition and determination. On her own she found out about Colegio de Sta. Lourdes of Leyte Foundation, Inc. in Tabontabon, Leyte. Colegio de Sta. Lourdes is not an ordinary school. All students are on full scholarship. Applicants whose parents’ annual income does not exceed 200,000 pesos qualify by passing an entrance examination. It also offers free living accommodation in the school’s spartan dormitory. Sounds like a perfect fit for someone like Assunta. She heard about the entrance examination scheduled on the second Saturday of April 2010. She told her friends about it and they obtained application forms for the entrance exam.
The school is a foundation established by Dr. Rustico Balderian(2), the incumbent mayor of Tabontabon, Leyte. He started the school before he entered elective public office. He is currently a candidate for the congressional seat for the 2nd district of Leyte running against the politically powerful and financially formidable Apostol political dynasty.
The Apostol husband-and-wife team has represented Leyte’s 2nd district for 18 years. The wife is the incumbent representative on her third and last term but she is running for mayor of Carigara, Leyte, where she is from. Before the wife, the husband represented the district also for three terms. He is now running for the same congressional seat. Their daughter is the incumbent mayor of Carigara, Leyte, on her second term but is giving in to mother and is running for the Leyte provincial board as the 2nd district member. In the town of Barugo, where husband is originally from, the wife of a relative, who used to be the mayor for three terms as well and is the incumbent vice-mayor, is running as the Apostol candidate for mayor. You may draw a wiring diagram if you find it a little complicated, as I did. If some alien from outer space were to land in one of the 2nd district towns of Leyte, he would think there is a dearth of capable political leaders in the 2nd district and more so in the towns of Carigara and Barugo.
It’s as if this is all a game of musical chairs and for millions of reasons they’re the ones lucky enough to sit on the chairs each time the music stops.
Apparently, someone heard about Assunta’s plan to take the entrance exam for Colegio de Sta. Lourdes. Somebody told somebody and before anyone could blink, Assunta’s father had been fired from his job. The family, fearful of other repercussions, like compromising the job of a member of the extended family, decided it was to their best interest that Assunta must forego taking the entrance exam. Poor Assunta, she had to miss out on the exam while her friends took it.
It seems like this is someone’s version of serving the public. Anyone gets in the way of someone getting elected to public office must be dealt with regardless of the consequences, intended or unintended. Everything is quid pro quo. This for that; no that, no this. The devil may care!
My heart bleeds not for Assunta because I am confident she will endure and somehow pursue her dream some other way. She has boundless potential and has her life ahead of her. Rather, my heart bleeds for the heartless people who put a façade and pretend to serve the less fortunate. I believe in karma.
Wouldn’t it be interesting if you were a fly on the wall listening to what these people admit as sin during confession? Lest I be accused of claiming to be pure of heart, I admit to being constantly in a state of mortal sin so I don’t bother receiving communion at all. I am WYSIWYG. With me, what you see is what you get.
And in the periphery of Assunta’s dream, others, whose only motive was to do the right thing, have been implicated. The principal of the elementary school that was used as the venue for the entrance exam likewise became the object of scorn. It is said that the queen commanded the rabidly loyal princess to summon the principal and be presented before her court for an inquisition. Of course there was no trial for the only purpose of the appearance was to promulgate the sentence. Guilty as charged, the poor principal was summarily castigated by the queen.
For the venue of the next entrance exam two weeks later, the organizers tried to obtain permission from the principal of the other elementary school. Politely, she refused for fear of incurring the wrath of the queen. Neither the king nor the queen shalt thou displease, or suffer thou the consequences. Public service! The devil may care.
The end of the Minuhang coastal road on the northeast direction leads to the mouth of the Cabarasan River. The place is called Balaurte, well-known as the site of an ambush of a large contingent of Japanese soldiers by a small band of courageous Filipino guerillas during World War II. There is a historical landmark memorializing this famous local encounter.
There is another landmark in Balaurte, albeit infamous and a testament to the arrogance of power and the vindictiveness of the powerful. It is the remnants of the wooden Balaurte Bridge. Across the river is barangay Balud, a few minutes’ walk from Balaurte. Villagers have mastered the art of balancing on wobbly, single wooden planks about a foot wide between each section of the bridge foundation to get to the other side of the river. They make do with what they got. I tried but the balancing act after the fourth plank was too much of a challenge. I gave up and hired a boat to cross the river.
Apparently, the people of Balud have incurred the wrath of the powerful as well because in every election for over a decade now, only a very small minority voted for the powerful. No vote, no bridge. Quid pro quo. This time, as a show of love and concern for the people of Balud and Balaurte, the ever so powerful orders a palliative. Perhaps it is pure coincidence that it is election campaign period. Perhaps not.
It would have been funny if only it is not pathetic and insulting. On top of the wooden planks, a metal frame about a meter wide with a handrail was built on top of the wobbly planks. Two-by-four coco lumbers were used as steps bolted to the frame. The spacing of the steps is dangerously wide you have to look down every step of the way. And it is incomplete, only halfway through. Perhaps the second half will come after the elections, the better to show their "love and concern" for the villagers. To the people of Balud and Balaurte, it is more of a joke and an insult to their intelligence. They wonder what mind would think they would buy the love charade!
My heart bleeds not for Assunta and the people of Balud and Balaurte. They may be downtrodden but their spirit is not broken.
I believe in karma.
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Notes:
(1) Assunta is not her real name.
(2) “Toti Balderian – Change We Have Seen” – www.himanglos.blogspot.com January 2010
Notes:
(1) Assunta is not her real name.
(2) “Toti Balderian – Change We Have Seen” – www.himanglos.blogspot.com January 2010
