Ulap Langit Sikat

A personal blog of Reynald Ramirez. Producer for GMA News and Public Affairs. Advocate. Participant. Filipino

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Marimar

“Ako po si Marimar”

Her age isn’t obvious in the way she moves and talks. Her skin is sun burnt. Her hair is wavy and unwashed. Living in the street has hidden her age, Marimar is only 6-year-old.

Dressed in blue shirt and jogging pants, she is wearing the same clothes for a couple of days already. With her pink sandals she walks around the streets of Delpan and Binondo in Manila to ask for rice in some karinderya. 

In asking for rice her usual line is, “Pahingi po ng kanin para sa mga kapatid ko.” Her friend Pacquaio, 4-year-old, usually accompanies her in asking for food. Unmindful of the danger, they cross the streets in search for generous karinderya owner who will give them rice. 

At her young age, Marimar carries the burden of bringing in food to their table. According to her she can’t stand it when her younger siblings are crying because of hunger.

“Sabi ko bakit kaya umiiyak kapatid ko sabi kong ganon. Siguro nagugutom iyong kapatid ko tapos sabi kong ganon Ma sabi ko, Ma akin na nga iyong pera ko, bibili ako ng kanin para makakain si Tutoy kawawa naman nagugutom, umiiyak.”

Home

Marimar’s stepfather is a pedicab driver. Her mother usually stays to take care of her siblings. They live in the sidewalk outside an old house in the corner of Madrid Street in Binondo. They usually sleep on the floor with makeshift beds made of cartons. For Marimar, the street is her home.

They used to rent a small room in Baseco Compound in Manila. Her parents didn’t have enough money to pay the rent that’s why they were forced to move out and live in the street.

Be Riceponsible!

After a 2-hour walk around Manila, Marimar was able to collect a plastic bag of rice and three pieces of stewed chicken. She quickly handed the food to her mother carrying her younger siblings. They had their lunch at 4 in the afternoon, way past lunchtime. Marimar wasn’t sure if that was their last meal of the day. 

According to the National Statistical Coordination Board (2012), there are almost 1.6 million Filipino families who do not have enough money to buy enough food. Marimar’s family is one of them. But it seems that we do not mind the number of hungry Filipino families because according to the Philippine Rice Institute in 2008, Filipinos waste an average of 3 tablespoons of rice daily. It is equivalent to 8.4 billion worth of rice that Filipinos waste every year enough to feed 4.3 million Filipinos.

For Marimar who needs to ask for food to feed her hungry family, every grain of rice is important. She usually encourages her friends not to waste it. Marimar believes that wasting rice will bring bad luck.

“Kasi po kaya hindi dapat nag-aaksaya ng pagkain kasi po binibigyan na nga po sila ng pagkain, sinasayang lang po nila. Huwag naman po sila ganoon. Kasi kapag tinapon mo iyan masasayang pa at magagabaan pa tayo.“ 

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Dear K,

May paparating na puting kotse. Nakasakay ka sa harapan. Nagtagpo ang titig ng ating mga mata. Nakakita ka kasi ng pamilyar na mukha. Una kang bumaba. Bumati na, “uy pumayat ka!”. Humawak sa braso ko at pumisil nang bahagya. Tanda ko ang kulay ng bawat damit na suot mo. Pati ang nahihiyang ngiti nang magkita tayo.

May tanong ako, mali ba na naalala ko lahat ng ito?

Gusto kitang kausapin pero bilang ko lang ang mga salitang pinili kong sabihin. Kaya kong isa-isahin ito at ulitin.

Tatlong oras lang tayo magsasama. Bago pa ito maganap, ipinagdasal ko na huwag ka sanang magpunta. Alam kong mas magiging espesyal ang gabi na nandoon ka pero kakayanin ko ba ang muli kang makasama?

Tumititig ka sa akin. Gagantihan ko ito ng pag-iwas ng tingin. Nais kong iparating na mas malakas na ako. Hindi na gaya ng dati. Ang isang sulyap mo'y katumbas ng aking titig.

Nakangiti ang iyong mga mata. Nais ko sanang tabihan ka. Ako'y isang kaibigan. Pero minsan walang masama sa pag-amin na naduwag. Baka hanap-hanapin ko kasi ang dampi ng balat mo sa braso ko, sa oras na matapos ang gabing ito.

Alas dose. Sa takbo ng oras ay nanghihinyang ako sa bawat segundo na hindi mo ako naramdaman. Nagpaalam ka na. Hindi ko na alam kailan muli tayo magkikita.

Habang papalayo ka ay gusto kong lumapit. Pero sanay na akong ang kagustuhan ko ay piitin.

Mahusay sana ang palabas ko. Ayoko kasing mapansin mo. Ako pa rin ang parehong taong iniwanan mo sa kanto noong ika-apat ng Agosto.

Pero sana nasabi ko ito sa iyo, “masaya ako na magkasama tayo”.

Nagmamahal pa rin, R

[rynldrmrz]

(via https://soundcloud.com/rynldrmrz/dear-k?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=tumblr)

[rynldrmrz]

Dear K,

Ilang buwan na ba tayong hindi nagkikita? Sa tagal, hindi ko na maalala. Ilang minuto lamang ba tayong nagkaroon ng pagkakataon na mag-usap? Kung bibilangin ko ni hindi aabot ang bilang sa daliri ng isa ko pang kamay. Kadalasan ay tungkol pa sa bagay na ikaw lang ang masaya. Araw-araw nagtataka ako kung bakit nasa isip pa rin kita. Hindi ko mahanap ang dahilan kung bakit ang hirap-hirap mong mabura. Kahit sa pagtulog ko naroon ka. Paggising ko ang una kong hiling, sana sa araw na ito iba na ang magpakilala.

Pero aaminin ko, kapag nasa isip kita lumalawak ang posibilidad na may mangyayaring maganda. Kapag nasa isip kita paulit-ulit kong sinasabi sa sarili, na may pag-asa pa. Totoo pala ang pagiging masaya kapag masaya ang iba. Sumasaya ako kapag nakikita kitang maligaya, kahit iba ang kasama.

Magtataka ka siguro kung bakit hanggang ngayon nakukuha ko pa ring sumulat ng tungkol sa’yo. Pagkatapos ng ilang taong napaniwala kita, napaniwala ko ang sarili ko na... ayos na ako. Marami akong bagay na naiisip. Kadalasan inaamin ko na nasa akin na ang mali, kung bakit hinahayaan kong tuluyang mabalahaw ang isip ko sa alala mo. Kung bakit hindi ako gumagawa ng sarili kong alaala kasama ang iba. Kung bakit hanggang ngayon ay una ka pa rin sa listahan habang ang pangalan ko para sa iyo ay may ekis na.

Sabi nila kapag ang isang tao minahal mo ng totoo, mawala man siya, hindi na siya mabubura sa puso mo. Maaring makuha ng iba ang mas malaking espasyo pero mananatili siyang may puwesto rito. Sana tama ako.

Alam kong hindi pa ito ang huling beses na susulat ako ng tungkol sa’yo. Pero sana sa susunod ako naman ang panalo.

 Nagmamahal,

R

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Homecooker

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5 posts!

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Parehong lawa kaya ang aabutan nila sa pagkaunti ng mga buto sa kanilang katawan? O isang lawa na sa amoy at itsura’y malilimutan nila na minsan sila ay bata.

[rynldrmrz]

My last memory of someone playing this instrument was a blind man asking for money in Sta. Cruz Church in Manila. I can still remember how I stopped walking to watch him play. The music from his harmonica is a priced possession. That encounter interested me to learn the instrument.

[rynldrmrz]

It is not everyday that you witness The Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra in rehearsal. Imagine me sitting in the second balcony with my chin resting on the panel, surreal!

[rynldrmrz]

Marimar

“Ako po si Marimar”

Her age isn’t obvious in the way she moves and talks. Her skin is sun burnt. Her hair is wavy and unwashed. Living in the street has hidden her age, Marimar is only 6-year-old.

Dressed in blue shirt and jogging pants, she is wearing the same clothes for a couple of days already. With her pink sandals she walks around the streets of Delpan and Binondo in Manila to ask for rice in some karinderya. 

In asking for rice her usual line is, “Pahingi po ng kanin para sa mga kapatid ko.” Her friend Pacquaio, 4-year-old, usually accompanies her in asking for food. Unmindful of the danger, they cross the streets in search for generous karinderya owner who will give them rice. 

At her young age, Marimar carries the burden of bringing in food to their table. According to her she can’t stand it when her younger siblings are crying because of hunger.

“Sabi ko bakit kaya umiiyak kapatid ko sabi kong ganon. Siguro nagugutom iyong kapatid ko tapos sabi kong ganon Ma sabi ko, Ma akin na nga iyong pera ko, bibili ako ng kanin para makakain si Tutoy kawawa naman nagugutom, umiiyak.”

Home

Marimar’s stepfather is a pedicab driver. Her mother usually stays to take care of her siblings. They live in the sidewalk outside an old house in the corner of Madrid Street in Binondo. They usually sleep on the floor with makeshift beds made of cartons. For Marimar, the street is her home.

They used to rent a small room in Baseco Compound in Manila. Her parents didn’t have enough money to pay the rent that’s why they were forced to move out and live in the street.

Be Riceponsible!

After a 2-hour walk around Manila, Marimar was able to collect a plastic bag of rice and three pieces of stewed chicken. She quickly handed the food to her mother carrying her younger siblings. They had their lunch at 4 in the afternoon, way past lunchtime. Marimar wasn’t sure if that was their last meal of the day. 

According to the National Statistical Coordination Board (2012), there are almost 1.6 million Filipino families who do not have enough money to buy enough food. Marimar’s family is one of them. But it seems that we do not mind the number of hungry Filipino families because according to the Philippine Rice Institute in 2008, Filipinos waste an average of 3 tablespoons of rice daily. It is equivalent to 8.4 billion worth of rice that Filipinos waste every year enough to feed 4.3 million Filipinos.

For Marimar who needs to ask for food to feed her hungry family, every grain of rice is important. She usually encourages her friends not to waste it. Marimar believes that wasting rice will bring bad luck.

“Kasi po kaya hindi dapat nag-aaksaya ng pagkain kasi po binibigyan na nga po sila ng pagkain, sinasayang lang po nila. Huwag naman po sila ganoon. Kasi kapag tinapon mo iyan masasayang pa at magagabaan pa tayo." 

You can watch Marimar’s story here: http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/video/262184/investigativedocumentaries/6-year-old-girl-asks-people-not-to-waste-rice