Pagpapagiik / Threshing Day

What is the difference between a sipok, a talumpok and a mandala?

That was just one of the things I learned in less that half a day of joining, nay, observing the pagpapagiik in one of our rice fields. There were other deeper more relevant things, among them the concerns, hopes, and plans of several farmers, one of whom was our farmhand.

Theirs is a world, a life, that is far from the world of my students and many of my friends. But it is an essential world without which the city, and the lifestyle of those who live in it could hardly survive. The Filipino farmers draw life from the soil in order to feed many of us. Yet they belong to one of the groups that are often neglected by policy-makers and yes, even myself. Often their flight is considered in hindsight.

But their life is hard. They toil under the heat of the summer sun and the lashing of the monsoon rains. They often end up penniless or at the mercy of lenders for the harvest season comes only twice a year.

If only their earnings are dependent on hard work, they would have been rich men a long time ago. However, the reality is, they are at mercy of mother nature's whims. Too much sun and the fields would dry up. Too much rain and I learned, even wind, can bear fruit to worthless chaff.

Good Friday Procession - Cabanatuan City

I imagine that our version of Christ's funeral procession would pale in comparison with the fabled one in Baliwag. I note, however, that it was an improvement over how I remember it when I was younger.

There were far more karosa (carrozas, carriages). Whereas before, only statues of the principal characters of Jesus' passion story were depicted, now different scenes from Jesus' life, and the passion itself, were added. Each one of the carriages were colorfully eye-catching. And when nighttime came they were glorious to behold.

The event was also more pastorally meaningful. At the starting point of the procession in front of the cathedral, each karosa passed before a stage where it was blessed with holy water and incensed by the parish priest and his assistant themselves. An interpretation of each tableau was read and, because all were properly Christ-centered, they were theologically appropriate. Monsignor Elmer Mangalinao, parish priest and a friend of the family, also took the time to explain the whole ritual as analogous to the journey that people take on our way to the Father.

I did not get to see the end of the procession but it was announced that a ritual of Jesus' burial will take place at the Cathedral to close the event.

Note: Photos are of poor quality. I will be more prepared next year.

i'm going to observe the threshing of rice in one of the two rice fields.

Immersion 10-11

Flowers of April

It is indeed springtime and the plants in Mommy's Garden, in a way, remembered. I actually did not notice that they are in full bloom until this morning.

This day, our house hosted the first station of the Way of the Cross. It was an honor that I do not take lightly. I was therefore forced to wake up earlier than usual. It was in the process of looking for appropriate decorations for the makeshift altar that I noticed these wonders of nature. They are all in our garden. Mommy planted and took care of the plants years ago. They more or less take care of themselves now. And if one lets his or her belief explain things, God, too.

I took the photos because these living things are memories of my mother. Yes, each one of them.

Images circa B.D.E. (Before the Digital Era) Scanned

she looks really tired!

These pictures were assignments for a photography class I took at the Ateneo in 2002-2003. I was then reviewing for my comprehensive exams for MA in Theology and I wanted to formalize (show on my TOD) my preference for this art form as well as productively use my spare time.

One may say that the shots are rather amateurish but that is what they are and that is what I am in terms of photography, an amateur. I used an early 1980s SLR Nikon camera. All manual. No flash was used nor was it allowed. The pictures now serve as documents for me of an era in photography that is gone: delayed gratification and feedback, darkrooms and exposed films, lost moments and grainy images. But, it was not all that bad, because on that era, too, the photographer was not too dependent on his camera's settings and power, as well as on digital editing tools. He should rather always have his wits readily on hand. There was no such thing as trial and error. One had to almost instinctively compose the picture in one's head, adjust the camera settings, aim, focus the lens, and take the shot. Lots and lots of imagination was needed.

Somehow, I missed those times, but, I wouldn't go back to it; too much stress.

XS Faculty SY 2007-10

I created this vid to pay tribute to my colleagues the year that I became a tenured teacher at XS. Many of them became truly close friends and it is sad to see many of them leave the school for various reason.