Halika, sandali lang

I wrote this article while I was working in Calvento Files. It was originally entitled 'Basta... Halika, Sandali lang.' Seryosong nagulat ako nang mabasa ko ito mula sa isang internet site. Nakakatuwa. Parang hindi ako ang sumulat dahil sa mga salitang ginamit. HAHA! :)

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'Halika, sandali lang.' 

Bumubuhos na luha, naninikip na dibdib, nanghihinang katawan at nanginginig sa takot at galit.

Ganyan ang kalagayan ng 29 na taong gulang na babaeng itatago natin sa pangalang “Ana.”

Ipinarating ang masakit na pangyayaring ito sa aming tanggapan ng biyenan niyang si Gloria Madera.

Pipi at bingi (multiple disabilities) itong si Ana ng Camarines Norte. Naiintindihan si Ana ng ibang tao sa pamamagitan ng pagsesenyas at pagli-'lip read.' (pagbasa ng salita sa pamamagitan ng bukas ng bibig).

Walang trabaho si Ana dahil sa kapansanan. Ang pag-aalaga lang ng dalawang anak ang pinagkakaabalahan niya. Ang asawa namang si Angel ay isang ‘tricycle driver.’

Ika-3 ng Agosto 2009, lumabas si Ana upang bumili ng ‘shampoo’ sa tindahan ni Bernardo. Nang hawak na niya ang binili at tangkang aalis na ng tindahan kinawayan siya ni Bernardo. Sinenyasan siya nito na parang pinapapasok sa loob ng tindahan.

“Basta... HALIKA, SANDALI LANG…,” sabi ni Bernardo kay Ana.

Tumingin si Ana ng may pagtataka. “Ano kayang kailangan nito?” tanong ni Ana sa sarili.

Matagal nang magkapitbahay sina Bernardo at Ana kaya lumapit naman ito. Agad namang siyang pinapasok ni Bernardo at pinaupo sa loob ng kanyang bahay.

Hindi nag-aksaya ng panahon si Bernardo. Pinwersa, pinaghahalikan at binaboy ang katawan. Mula sa labi gumapang ang bibig ni Bernardo pababa sa maseselang bahagi ng katawan ni Ana. Hinablot niya ang 'shorts' ni Ana hanggang maalis. Dinaganan niya ito para hindi makakilos. Inilabas ang kanyang ari saka ipinasok sa ari ni Ana.

Lumaban si Ana subalit malakas si Bernardo. Dahil siya'y pipi, walang boses na lumabas sa kanyang bibig. Nairaos ni Bernardo ang kanyang pagnanasa kay Ana.

Binantaan umano si Ana ni Bernardo na huwag magsumbong kung hindi ay papatayin niya ito at maging ang kanyang asawa.

“Kapag nagsumbong ka! Papatayin kita!” sabi ni Bernardo. Hindi man niya marinig ang mga katagang ito’y mahigpit ang pagkakadiin ni Bernardo sa kanyang braso. Sa lenguwahe ng kanyang kilos parang handa siyang pumatay.

Tumayo si Bernardo at bumalik sa tindahan. Si Ana naman ay nanatiling nakahiga at tulalang nakatingin sa kisame.

Nang makitang wala si Bernardo ay dahan-dahan siyang tumayo, isinuot ang panty at naghihinagpis na umuwi.

Tiniis niya ang kanyang dinanas alang-alang sa pamilya at kahihiyan. 

Kung noon ay bibig lamang ang tahimik kay Ana dahil sa kapansanan pagkatapos ng pangyayari ay pinatahimik niya rin ang kayang damdamin.

Pinili niyang busalan ang pusong punung-puno ng pagkamuhi dahil sa takot na mapahamak ang kanyang asawa.

Inakala ni Ana na sa hindi niya pagkibo ay nalampasan na niya ang malagim na trahedyang kanyang sinapit.

Ika-8 ng Agosto, 2009 habang nagwawalis sa paligid ng kanilang bahay, muling nilapitan ni Bernardo si Ana.

Hindi niya namalayan ang paglapit ni Bernardo sa kanya.

Dahan-dahan si Bernardo. Inipit ang kanyang leeg gamit ang kanyang braso. Hinila siya at kinaladkad. Dinala sa madamong parte ng bundok at inihiga sa matatalim na talahib. Tinitigan siya ni Bernardo. Doon naganap ang umano'y pangalawang panggagahasa sa kanya.

Kinagabihan ay naabutan ni Angel na nanginginig habang umiiyak ang asawa.

Nilapitan niya ito. Tinanong niya si Ana. “Bakit?” Iniangat ni Ana ang kanyang mukha subalit tumingin lamang ito sa kawalan. Muling tinanong ni Angel si Ana. Sa halip na sagutin ay yumuko lang ito.

Hinawakan niya sa balikat ang asawa at tiningnan ng mata sa mata. “Bakit? Anong problema?” muling tanong ni Angel.

Niyugyog niya ang asawa at sinabing “Sabihin mo! Huwag kang matakot. Anong nangyari sa'yo?”

Sa pautal-utal at sa walang tinig na paraan, ibinuka niya ang kanyang bibig at ipinahayag na siya'y ginahasa.

Humagulgol si Ana at yumakap sa asawa. Inilapit ni Angel ang mukha ni Ana sa kanyang dibdib.

Habang nakatingin sa malayo, sinabi niya “Sino? Sabihin mo kung sino ang may gawa nito sa'yo?”

Iminuwestra niya kung anong nangyari at ipinagtapat sa asawa. “Si Bernardo,” aniya.

Agad na sinugod ni Angel si Bernardo. Nagkaharap sila. Walang sabi- sabi, sinuntok niya ito. “Anong ginawa mo sa asawa ko?” sigaw ni Angel.

“May relasyon kami ng asawa mo,” galit na sagot ni Bernardo.

Nagkagulo sila hanggang umabot sa barangay ang nangyari. Itinuloy sa korte ang kasong ‘Rape’ laban kay Bernardo.

Sa ‘counter affidavit' ni Bernardo, itinanggi niya ang mga akusasyon sa kanya ni Ana. Galit lang diumano sa kanya si Angel dahil may relasyon sila ng asawa nito. Kababata at 'ex-girlfriend' daw niya si Ana.

Naputol lang daw ang kanilang ugnayan nang lumuwas si Ana sa Maynila at mamalagi ng matagal doon.

Nang bumalik daw si Ana ay maayos pa rin sila bilang magkaibigan.

Dagdag pa nito, lumapit si Ana sa kanya noong Hulyo upang humingi ng payo tungkol sa kanyang problema sa asawa. Doon daw muling nabuhay ang pagtitinginan nila sa isa’t isa.

Naikwento din daw ni Ana ang problema nila ni Angel maging sa asawa ni Bernardo.

Kinukwestyon din niya kung bakit wala man lang galos o pasa sa alinmang bahagi ng katawan itong si Ana kung talagang sapilitan siyang ginahasa.

Matapang na pinanindigan ni Bernardo ang lahat ng kanyang salaysay upang depensahan ang reklamo ng pamilya ni Ana.

Nakulong si Bernardo, nakalabas ito pansamantala sa pamamagitan ng pagpiyansa.

Sa ngayon, tuluy-tuloy ang pa rin ang pagdinig tungkol sa kasong ito.

Itinampok namin sa aming programa sa radyo na “Hustisya Para sa Lahat” sa DWIZ 882 Khz (tuwing 3:00 – 4:00 ng hapon) ang istorya ni Ana.

SA AMIN DITO SA CALVENTO FILES, isang magandang hakbang ang ginawa ng asawa ni “Ana” na pagsasampa ng kasong ‘Rape’.

“The weakest form of defense is denial,”. Malinaw na isa kina Ana at Bernardo ang nagsisinungaling. Sa ngayon habang nasa ilalim pa ng korte ang kaso, ang pinakamabuting gawin ng biktima ay maghanap ng matitibay na ebidensya na magpapatunay na talagang ginahasa siya ni Bernardo. Gayundin naman si Bernardo na kung talagang wala siyang kasalanan at tunay na may relasyon sila ay nararapat na maglabas ng saksi.

Nararapat din na alamin ng biktima mula sa kanyang abogado ang lahat ng kaniyang mga karapatan upang mas maipaglaban ito. Siguradong sa bandang huli, nakasisiguro ako na lalabas ang katotohanan at makakamit ng tunay na biktima, ni Ana o ni Bernado man, ang hustiya. (KINALAP NI MONICA ESTUPIN) Sa mga gustong dumulog ang aming mga numero, 09213263166 o 09198972854. Ang landline 6387285 at ang 24/7 hotline 7104038 o magpunta sa 5th floor CityState Center Bldg., Shaw Blvd., Pasig City mula Lunes-Biyernes.

Published in Philippine Star on June 13, 2011 
here's the link:
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=695658&publicationSubCategoryId=94
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Reading this, I felt nostalgic. I missed working with my loves (Cristy, Thea, Lhanz, ate Monique and ate Aicel). We didn't had the chance to work with each other for a long time but I know that I have a family with them forever.

To ate Aicel who helped me with this article (at nagturo ng mga salitang hindi ko akalaing maisusulat ko, SUPER THANKS! :)


       xoxo

It is not yet the end: Partypips at Ecopark

April 30, 2011 when me and my officemates together with Den, Henry and Dessa went to La Mesa Ecopark to have our bonding before we take different paths.

Sa wakas, natuloy din ang isa sa mga drawing na lakad namin! HAHA! :)

Jak, Lileth and Henry were the first ones to be there so while waiting for others, we just took pictures of ours.

It was also Jak's first time in the place. See how happy she was?

We first took our early lunch before we went around and pose with the beautiful spots in the place. Here are some of the highlights:

FIRST STOP: La Mesa Dam where no pictures were allowed so we only have these:

SECOND STOP: The Forest wherein, Kuya Marck who is from Quezon City is our tour guide.

Tapos pahinga naman bilang pagod na kami kakalakad.

We took our rest while Nomer, Kuya Marck, Carl and Dessa enjoyed the water in the swimming pool.

Then Den came and we went around again.

Den also convinced me to ride a horse which is one of my dreams. HAHA! I was a bit nervous but thanks to his encouragement, one of my dreams came true. I was also so touched when he walked and run just to have pictures of me while riding the horse. THANK YOU! :)

We are planning to do boating but it was suspended. We also want to try Ecopark's zipline but it was relocated and we don't want its new location so we decided not to try it because we will just be wasting money. Since we were also all tired, we just decided to went home.

It was full of fun! I know that it will took a long time before thing like this will happen again but I'm sure that it will happen again. I will miss them but I know, just like what the title of this post is, it is not yet the end. In fact, it is just the beginning of our stronger friendship.

LOVEYAH, PARTYPIPS!
'til next time!

I-drawing niyo na! HAHA! :)


       xoxo

The best way to say goodbye is by saying THANK YOU

I once said that saying good bye is one of the hardest thing to do. But again and again, I will say that changes will happen even if we don't want to. I once said goodbye to the people who left and now, it will be the other way around, I will be the one to say Au Revoir. 

I thought it will be easier because I will be the one leaving but I was wrong. It is A LOT HARDER than I think. Exactly 1 year and 1 month, I will be leaving the company that I considered one of my families. Its harder to see people crying and feeling sad especially when you know that you're the reason behind their sadness. But then again, I have to be tough and be positive that things really do happen for a reason. And so I prefer to say thank you as my way of saying goodbye.

ATE JESSICA, THANK YOU for being my teammate from the start 'til the end. Thank you for the foods that you've shared with me bilang pareho tayong payat. Thank you for dancing and singing with me during our presentation. Thank you for those laughters that you've shared with me. Thank you for treating me as your little sister. Thank you for understanding me with my kakulitans and kabaliwans. Thank you for those sweet nothings. As we are always saying to each other, maliit ang mundo para sating dalawa. We will surely see each other. I will miss you, that's for sure. Always be strong okay? You will always be my teammate.

ATE APRIL, THANK YOU for also being one of my sister. We may not be that close but I am happy to share smiles with you whenever we look at each other. Thank you for patiently guiding us in our tasks and for sharing your techie side with us. Thank you for making me feel happy whenever I hear you calling me 'Nica' which is my favorite nickname.

SIR JOSEPH, THANK YOU for helping me appreciate foods more. haha! We may rarely talk with each other but I will miss you wanting me to do brofist and appear with you. Thank you for being nice to me. Thank you for the pictures and for letting us see how lovely it is to love creativity. *BROFIST*

MA'AM CHE, THANK YOU for sharing your experience with us. Thank you for giving us advices. Thank you for you smiles. Thank you for making our work loads a bit easier for us and for making us feel that despite the hard tasks, everything will be okay. Thank you po to you and Sir Mito and for your poging-poging baby MJ. I know that you too will take a new path and I am sure that God will guide you because of your good heart. 

SIR MELO, THANK YOU for making our day lively with just one laugh and 'banat' of yours. Thank you for those great photos and foods that you've shared us. Thank you for your wisdom and sharing of your experiences with us that made us feel like we want to be like you. Thank you for being so cool when dealing and talking with us. Thank you for catching us as we fall down. haha! :))

KUYA MARCK, THANK YOU for being so good to me. I will miss hoe you call me 'Tiny' bilang feel na feel mo na ang laki mo than me. Thank you for always being there whenever we need you. Thank you for treating us as your true friend though we've only known each other for a year. Thank you for trusting us and for opening up with us. . Thank you for teaching us and being SO PATIENT with us. Thank you for the laughters. You are one of the kindest and hardworking person I've known. I will miss our lunch together. I will miss you. 

LILETH, THANK YOU for being with me for 5 years. FIRST TIME NATIN 'TO. :( After 5 long years, from being groupmates in different productions and projects, being thesismates to being officemates, oh my, I am so used to seeing you just beside me. Thank you for sharing a lot of things with me. May it be about sad or happy things, we are always with each other and I know that it will never change. Thank you for the positive thoughts that we've shared with one another. Thank you for the true friendship. Thank you for being one of my angels. Mamimiss ko ang 'wit' at 'chararat' mo. Loveyah girl! :)

CARL, THANK YOU for giving me the opportunity to meet these good people. Thank you for your patience whenever you have to fix my laptop. This will never be too long for our paths will surely cross again bilang magkalapit lang tayo ng bahay. :)

JAK, THANK YOU for also being a true friend since elementary. I guess I don't have to say a lot of things bilang laging pareho ang iniisip natin. Thank you for those times that you are there to listen whebever I have something to share. Thank you for the laughters and putting eye liner to my eyes. Mamimiss kita. Alam mo yan. Alam mo na lahat. :)

SIR GAB, THANK YOU for trusting us to be a part of this company. Thank you for all those things that you've taught us. From the things that we must know about the company to the things that we must know about saving and staying healthy, THANK YOU. I know that these things are hard for you more than we could imagine but I know that you are strong enough to deal with it. Thank you for supporting us and being a cool boss whom we can ask about anything that we want to know. Thank you for making us feel good as we say goodbye.

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened." Yan ang sabi ni Sir Mito. I am happy so I didn't shed even a drop of tear until now. It is not because I am not sad, it is just because I know that it really is not the end. 

Thank you for sharing a lot of memories with me. With 1 year and 1 month stay with you, I've learned a lot. Our journey in life will all continue the earth rotates. We all have to move forward along with the changes that we will face along the road. 

God is great. He knows what's best for us. He is the only one Who knows what will happen next and so we must trust Him will all our hearts. We are all binded tightly with this friendship that we built together which means that it will be hard to get rid of each other. Sorry, touch-move na, friends na tayo forever.

As what I've said before, this is not the end of our friendship for friendship will forever be in our hearts. Our souls will forever be united and distance will never be a hindrance for us to still love and care for each other. And when I say forever, I mean ETERNITY. I will always be part of EI family. I will all miss you! Loveyah all!

 

 

'til we meet again. :)

THANK YOU!

"Don't be dismayed at goodbyes.  A farewell is necessary before you can meet again.  And meeting again, after moments or lifetime, is certain for those who are friends." --Richard Bach

      

       xoxo

'Til we meet again

Tears fell. Hearts broke. Sadness covered our hearts. :(

Saying goodbye to the people we love and used to be with isn't that easy. Sabi ko nga, MASAKIT. MABIGAT. MALUNGKOT. Sometimes, even if we don't want to, changes happen and the hard part is, we can do nothing about it.The harder part is, we have to accept the fact that they have to leave. And the hardest part is to "move forward" without them.

I've been with these people for almost 10 months now. We've faced ups and downs, happy and sad and that made us stronger. The people who were once strangers to each other became good and real friends. In fact, everybody treated each other as if they were real family. Personally, with them, I found a new family.

"Some good things must come to an end." A very common line that we hear whenever something is drawing to an end. I guess it's true and though it's hard, we must be strong enough to face what tomorrow will be. And so, I'll try to be strong but before moving forward (which I don't know how to start), let me first give few words to the following people:

KUYA ALLEN, thank you for the Cristmas gift. I know you've had a hard time finding that something just to make me feel happy. Salamat sa "plain" na bag. Salamat dahil di mo ko binilhan ng jejemon na jacket. haha! Mamimiss ko ang pagbati mo ng "good morning monica" at pagpapaalam mo bago umuwi habang naglalagay ako ng face powder. Take good care of your family, especially cutie Bella! :)

SIR MITO, thank you for being a jolly and cool senior. Though we're not that close, I can always feel your care for us. With your every smile, you can also make me smile. Mamimiss ko ang paglike at comment niyo sa mga posts ko (i know that you can still do that but it will be different this time). Mamimiss ko ang dance moves niyo at ang famous "lol" niyo. Same with kuya allen, take good care of ma'am che and baby MJ. Ingat ka po "John Lloyd."

JAMIE, thank you for all those laughter and bonding that we've had. For always being jolly and energetic, you can rock our world (though sometimes, you have your own world.haha!) Mamimiss ko ang malakas mong tawa, ang away-bati niyo ni Lope, ang pagkanta mo ng malakas, ang kulot mong buhok, ang pagpapahiram mo ng eye liner sakin at ang walang kupas mong kaignorantehan sa ketchup na nasa plastic. Kulang na ang writers :( Take care of yourself always, okay?

SIR RYAN, :( thank you for being the best senior for me. Thank you for all those things that you've taught me. I will treasure all of those. Thank you din po sa souvenir (kahit medyo di niyo alam na souvenir niyo yun sakin. haha!) Mamimiss ko po ang katahimikan niyo. Mamimiss ko po ang smiles niyo at ang pagiging game niyo nung Christmas presentation natin at pagsswim dance. hehe. Kayo po ang isang taong never na tumanggi kahit anong ialok ko (nata-touch po kasi ako pag di ako tinatanggihan, lalo na't senior ko kayo). Thank you po talaga. I salute you for your kindness. Team Ryan pa rin ako!

Maybe, thank you will never be enough for me to express how much I am grateful that you became a part of my first job. I will all miss you. The bonding and laughter will forever stay in my heart. You'll always be a part of me wherever I go.

Seriously, I'm crying while doing this post but I can't think of anyway to express what I am feeling. Masyadong mabigat kaya dito ko nalang nilabas.

God is so great. He knew that this moment will come that's why He binded us together and made our relationship stronger. To all of you, this is not the end of our friendship for friendship will forever be in our hearts. Our souls will forever be united and distance will never be a hindrance for us to still love each other. And when I say forever, I mean UNTIL ETERNITY. You'll always be part of the EI family. We will all miss you! Loveyah all! :)

Au Revoir!

'til we meet again! :)

"Don't be dismayed at goodbyes.  A farewell is necessary before you can meet again.  And meeting again, after moments or lifetime, is certain for those who are friends." -Richard Bach

      xoxo

Now we're happier, many thanks Broadcore! :)

From the time I was still studying until I graduated and now that I am working full time, they've been with me to show me what real world truly means.

We've been through easy and hard times. When I say hard times, I mean HARD. As in hard to come at work and do all those works because something went wrong. Worse, writing an article became harder for me and I know, that's not me. I almost burst out. I almost give up.  :(

But God is really watching and didn't want to end what we have started that way, He really did something to put those broken pieces back. He gave us that 2 hours inside a room where we let all the feelings come out. No other details needed, everything was left inside that room and was forgotten as we come out. Ending? All's well that ends well. I'm very happy for that.

RESPECT and UNDERSTANDING, these two words are what we have learned. These words became the key for the reconciliation. Everything is normal now. No fake smiles, no hard feelings, only true laughters and talks.

It's my first job and I really love working with these people who are teaching me more about life. In fact, I love the people around me. It just that, misunderstanding happens once in a while.But there is more to life, I know, and I am very willing to learn.

Now, it's almost 9 months that I've been with them and I am hoping to know these people more.

To my co-writers, many thanks for always being there. Nothing to say more, you know it already.

To the juniors, many thanks for opening their eyes, ears and heart to make all the reconciliation possible.

To our Seniors, many thanks for understanding us and making the first move regarding the reconciliation.

To Sir Gab, many thanks for lending his time to listen to us an for all those advice.

To my whole Broadcore family, many thanks for giving me another family to love!

As what Sir Gab said, "We will all be stronger after." We are all here for one reason and one goal, to work for the betterment of the company. I know that there are individual differences but with the help of one another, we will learn to blend with each of our characters.

It's Christmas season and I love that it happened at the right time.Now that everything's okay, I know that we will start to build more happy memories together. 

“I offer you peace. I offer you love. I offer you friendship. I see your beauty. I hear your need. I feel your feelings. My wisdom flows from the Highest Source. I salute that Source in you. Let us work together for unity and love.”

-Mahatma Gandhi

My heart is just really filled with happiness that's why I wrote this. :))