ANG ALAMAT NG ASONG MATAPAT

By: Rio Fabellore

"Dedicated to my Best Friend Thyler"

(photo: My Oldest Dog, Tatang Thyler, he just had a fried pittbull staffordshire for his dinner)

Sa isang malayong lugar sa malapit sa hangganan ng kabukiran at kagubatan nakatira ang binantang taga-bantay ng Hangganan. Siya si Taji ang nagbabantay ng mga pag-aari sa kabukiran laban sa mga hayup na umaatake at kumakain ng halaman at mga inaalagaang hayup dito.

Si Taji, bamagama't taga-bantay, siya ay makatuwiran at pala-kaibigan sa lahat ng kaniyang nakikilala. Bukod sa tagubilin ng kaniyang panginoon, ang kaniyang pakiramdam din ang batayan ng kaniyang desisyon pagdating sa kaniyang tungkulin.

"Magandang hapon, Taji,. Maaari po bang tumawid papuntang bukid?" tanong ng mabangis na Ulupong.

"Dinaramdam ko, kaibigan, ngunit mahigpit ang bilin sa akin na di kayo maaraing magawi sa bukid. " paliwanag naman ni Taji.

"Akala ko ba'y kaibigan kita? Ano naman ang masama kung gagawi ako sa bukid?" tanong muli ng ulupong.

" Ang ginagawa ko'y para sa kabutihan mo rin, kaibigan. Ayokong mapahamak ka sa gitna ng bukid. Dahil bukod sa akin, nariyan ang anak ng may-ari na handang paslangin ka sa oras na makita ka. Kaya ikaw man ay binabantayan ko para na rin sa iyo." Wika ni Taji.

Galit na umalis ang ulupong at bumalik sa gubat.

Ilang oras ang nakalipas, ang masungit na anak naman ng may-ari ng bukirin ang lumapit sa bantay ng Hangganan.

"Alipin, ako ay tutungo sa kagubatan upang mangaso. Paraanin mo ako?" utos ni Bagdad.

"Ikinalulungkot ko, ngunit mahigpit ang utos ng aking pakiramdam na h'wag kang padaanin. Lubhang mapanganib sa gubat at galit ang mga hayup sa mga pumapaslang sa kanilang uri," paliwanag ni Taji

"Pagsisihan mo ang pag suway sa aking nais, alipin. Isusumbong kita sa aking ama." At saka umuwi ang galit ang si Bagdad.

Dumating at nagsi-alis ang lahat na nagtangkang pumasok sa bukid man o sa kagubatan. Ang unggoy, mangingisda, babo-ramo, agila, manlililok, mangangahoy, at iba pang nilalang, lahat sila ay nabigong kunin ang pahintulot ni Taji.

Lahat sila ay bigo na tawirin ang hangganan. Ang paliwanag ni Taji ay may kaniya-kaniyang hangganan ang bawat nilalang upang maiwasan ang di pagkakaunawaan at ang tukso na sirain ang pag-aari ng bawat isa.

Tanging ang mga bilin na sinambit ni Taji ang kanilang baon pabalik sa kanilang lugar, bukid man o gubat.

" Ang ginagawa ko ay para sa iyo rin naman, ang kaligtasan ninyo ang tunay kong binabantayan" ang madalas banggitin ni Taji sa mga mananawid.

Isang araw dumating sa kubol ni Taji ang panginoon ng bukirin. Wala si taji dahil nilalakad niya ang kahabaan ng Hangganan. Nakita ng panginoon ang sipag at kusang loob ni Taji sa kaniyang tungkulin. Maayos ang lahat at walang bahid ng anumang dapat ikabahala.

Ilang sandali pa ay dumating na si Taji.

"Magandang araw po panginoon. Sa aking, pagbabantay sa araw-araw Hanggang sa sandaling ito ay wala pong pag labag sa inyong tagubilin.Sana po ay nasiyahan kayo, " ani ni Taji.

" Lubos ang aking kasiyahan, Taji, At maging ang aking paboritong anak ay iningatan mo sa kabila ng kagaspangan ng kaniyang ugali. Labis mong tinanggihan ang iyong mga kaibigan sa gubat na makatawid dahil sa aking tagubilin. Sa kabila nito ay nanatiling kaibigan ka sa kanila," papuri ng panginoon.

"Nalalaman ko rin ang iyong layunin at matalinong katuwiran sa iyong bawat pagtanggi sa kanila, maaring magkaroon ka ng lihim na kaaway," wika pa niya.

"Ang paglilingkod at pagtupad sa inyong kautusan ang aking kasiyahan at dahilan ng pagkakalalang sa akin, panginoon. Tanging ang pagbabantay ng Hangganan aking mithiin at manatiling nasa ilalim ng iyong kasiyahan." Wika ni Taji.

"Ngunit paano ang sarili mong buhay? Hindi maaaring habang-buhay ay naririto ka sa amin at tumutupad ng aking tagubilin, palagay ko ay kayang gawin ito ng ibang nilalang sa bukid" ani ng Panginoon.

"Inilaan ko na ang aking buhay sa inyo at sa pagbabantay ng Hangganan upang maging ligtas lahat na nilalang. Anuman ang nais ninyong maging direksyon ng aking buhay ay tatanggapin ko, huwag lamang pong ilayo sa aking tungkulin na batayan ko kayo at ang Hangganan," hiling ni Taji.


" Kung ganun, maliit ang iyong kahilingan kung ihahambing sa laki ng iyong nagawa at nailaan. Pagbibigyan kita, anuman ang mangyari at anuman ang iyong kakulangan ay mapupunuan sa susunod mong buhay, " bitiw na pangako ng panginoon kay Taji.


Lumipas pa ang ilang kabilugan ng buwan, naroon pa rin sa Taji. Ngunit lahat ay tila naghihitay ng pagkakataon upang labagin ang batas ng hangganan. Nakita ng mabangis na Ulupong si Taji na natutulog at nagpapahinga mula sa maghapong pagbabantay.

"Ikaw lang ang tanging sagabal sa aming daraanan patungong Hangganan, dapat sa iyo ay mawala na sa aming landas," wika ni Ulupong sa kaniyang sarili.

"Sa bangis ng aking kamandag, ang tulad mong patulog-tulog ay tuluyan nang di magigising he he he he he he…" ani pa ni Ulupong.

Agad niyang sinalakay at tinuklaw ang natutulog na binata. Ngunit si Taji ay nagising sa sakit na dulot ng kagat ni Ulupong kung kaya't nagtatakbo sya papasok sa bukid. Subalit lubhang madilim ang gabi kaya di niya makita ang daan patungo sa bahay ng panginoon. Sa pagdidilim ng kaniyang paningin ay nagawi siya sa kinaroroonan ng palalong (mayabang) anak ng panginoon na kasalukuyang lasing sa alak.

" Tulungan mo ako, Bagdad, kinagat ako ni Ulupong," sumamo ni Taji.

" Aba! Ako ba'y pinagbigyan mo ng ako ay nais mangaso..ito ang para sa iyo," sabay unday ng pamalo sa binata na siyang tuluyang ikinamatay nito.

Sa labis na katusuhan, kinuha ni Bagdad ang kaniyang gamit sa pangangaso at tinungo ang landas sa gubat. Ngunit, tulad ng iniiwasan ni Taji, nagsalubong ang mangangaso at ang Ulupong. Nasawi ni Ulupong ang anak ng panginoon.

"Kailanma'y di nagkamali sa adhikain ang binata, nasawi si Bagdad dahil sa pagsuway sa batas ng kaligtasan na siyang pinatutupad ni Taji sa Hangganan," pahayag ng panginoon.

" At tulad ng aking pangako, ibinabalik ko ang binata sa kaniyang katungkulan na may taglay na kapunuan sa kaniyang kahinaan. Mula ngayun, ang kaniyang sigaw ay hudyat ng pagbabawal at pagbibigay babala," wika ng panginoon.

Iyon lamang at umalis na ang panginoon.

Nang magbukang-liwayway, isang bagong nilalang ang sumulpot sa Hangganan. Ito ay may kaaniya-aniyayang balahibo at maliksing pangangatawan. Higit na mabilis, matalas ang pakiramdam at pang-amoy, at lalong higit ang kaniyang kakayahang makakita sa dilim.

Natuwa ng higit ang panginoon sa pagbabalik ng tagabantay ng Hangganan, at sa tuwing maririnig niya ang kahol nito alam niyang tumutupad ulit ito sa kaniyang tungkulin si Taji, ang matapat na taga-bantay.

WAKAS.



PAGHAHALINTULAD:

Taji
alagang asong matapat (askal man o asong bahay) gaya ni Thyler, actually aso ko rin si Taji at si Baghdad (Bagdad)

Panginoon
amo ng aso, kahit alaga sya ng buong pamilya..iisa ang tinuturing nyang amo.

Hangganan
property boundery (loob at labas ng bahay o bakuran)

Mga hayup at iba pang karakter
mga di welcome sa bahay ng master

ANNOUNCEMENT:

PLEASE LOVE and RESPECT THE FEELINGS of ALL DOGS!

"Paliguan nyo ang aso nyo kasi hindi niya abot ang sabon at tabo, ayaw rin nilang mabaho sila e."

A CHALLENGE TO THE FILIPINO BRIGHTESTS

In the old days strong young men usually flexed muscles in order to be able to lift a one whole piece of Nipa hut or the traditional Filipino home, from one place to a quite distant new location. May it be far or near, the journey was never easy especially some walking paths were terrains that were never been flat for easy traveling. The Nipa Hut was carried on the shoulders of mostly able-bodied young men from within the neighborhood and other places as invited volunteers. Nipa Hut-is a traditional Filipino home made of bamboos as its main structural, flooring members, wall runner and roof rafters tied together by strands of bamboo skins to achieve structural strength. Its main roof is usually made of bunch of pre-arranged cogon leaves or woven coconut leaves.

The effort is what we Filipinos called the Bayanihan. This is uniquely Filipino. This tradition is still in practice in our countryside, where huge transportation is not so practicable option to lift a house or the very natures of circumstances are so poor to do it other than lifting the house by shoulders. Usually, Bayanihan starts from developing a keen planning, where to lift, what path to take and how many men are needed for the job, however the latter is not usually limited to few or to the numbers needed. As long as there more volunteers, more are so welcome to share the loads. The efforts await no monetary rewards but just cold fresh water from clean spring.

NOW THIS IS A CHALLENGE to the young, able-bodied and brightest Filipinos, both professional and skilled ones. Let the spirit of this Bayanihan be elevated on a higher level of mission, a bigger challenge and more difficult terrains to traverse.

We have numerous different associations and societies of professionals like engineers, economists, computer scientists, public accountants, lawyers, and doctors of medicines and many more, to include the skilled group of fabricators, welders, machine operators, electricians, mechanics and other trade practitioners. Most of them are scattering around the world making their employers more dominant in their respective field of businesses, while likewise their employers give them comfort in life because of their indispensable contributions through high salary rates and other benefits.

Khalliwalli (Arabic for “do not care”) the militant leaders and street activists. We sometimes need to abandon their old style of expressing grievances. More often than not, street protests ended in vain and painful laryngitis at the end of the day. All the time the ordinary people are the once affected by their acts like Tigil-pasada and traffic congestion due to mass rally on streets. Militants have more loud shouts (than result) to effect changes and always trying to push the most immovable entity in the world, the government, to the hell on their feet and address our economic problem. We need to replace this style professionally. We should not shout and wait and shout again, but we rather convene, brainstorm and work for it, and maybe we can shout at later portion.

Through the years, the Filipino masses are lambasted by undeniable corruptions in the government, mismanagement, grids, poverty and political theatrical play to fool the ordinary Pinoys. Prices increase overnight but with unclear reasons behind. Oil and Currency exchange are the easy escape-goats by the manipulators and by the government, but to approach the problem with solutions is always out of their hands. Monster giant companies usually pick one (between oil and peso rate) after the other as reasons for increases, or sometimes pick them both. In my personal view, it is high time to challenge everyone (politicians not counted). Our first project to be lifted, not a Nipa Hut, but a power plant. Let the Filipinos be free from paying expensive electric bills.

Let the engineers convene to develop new power plants that do not rely solely with petroleum, or much less depend on it. It may take time but let it a mission for the generation. Technology is just around the corner, Engr. Dingle has proved it. Honda cars had proved it too. All the engineers need to do is to gather around unselfishly and contribute what they have got. Launch a contest maybe through our top universities. This is a challenge; let us carry it in our shoulder.

Last time, I saw a Pinoy engineer on television who applied a US –initiated type of engine in his passenger jeepney using used-cooking oil instead of diesel fuel. More than a half of daily expenses were saved. He is somewhere in Pasong Tamo, Makati I guess, I forgot the name. As a short brain back-track, our very own coconut oil is also used as cooking not to mention the vegetables (Halleeer! We are vegetation country kaya) Diesel emits pollution, cooking oil does not. While Saudi Arabia has abundant of natural oil, the kingdom has no vegetations and coconut trees in their deserts. Imagine a big power plant spreading the smell of “pinirito” instead of lethal carbon monoxide.

Also let the other professionals and skilled ones to convene for this patriotic agenda and contribute using their profession. (Convene not for bowling and basketball. Television exposures and name-screen flashing are also not included, unless of course one has political ambition). This is a challenge; let us carry it in our shoulder.

Needless to say, “Necessity leads to invention”. But more than enough has been invented and its only development and application are the next thing needed. Now and more than ever our necessities are too high and too big to face against. Admit it or not, in our solitary time, we are thinking of sure-shot alternatives to somehow cope up with current difficulties. How to use our cars without spending too much, how to eat enough without spending too much and how to get things we need without spending too much. Even going too church now in order to file a complaint before God about what happening is becoming too expensive too.

I know our agriculturists, nutritionists and other food scientists are so busy inside UPLB in addressing food problems. Last time they announce the development of submarine rice that can live inundated for two weeks. I wish they could develop a fast growing “kamote” that can be harvested in a month so we can just plant it inside our home-made garden, maybe inside empty tin cans. Sweet potato is better alternative to high priced rice, I guess. It is better than instant noodles as your toppings for ice cold rice and healthier too.

One example of usual innovation available to us, last time our company here in Dammam, KSA, developed a German-designed Barge Water Desalination for the royal personalities. This maybe common but Filipinos do not have it, the fact that we can do it too. The vessel travels on sea and converting sea-water to mineral water. It was quite expensive in its final commercial price of course due to too much profit our company has added, it maybe cheaper though. The unit is quite big fixed to the front of the barge to get all this water to be converted to fine potable water, but the idea is not always depend on moving barge.

I am thinking, if few million pesos from each congressman’s pork barrel will be used to this project to create desalination for constituents; people will be free from paying too much water bills or maybe for maintenance and operations contribution only. We will gonna spend once for a long time benefit, after all we are surrounded by sea. This is a challenge; let us carry it in our shoulder


This is just a challenge, take it or leave it.

WIND OF CHANGE
By: Astig RIO

This is just a short reminiscence of the early days of Astig Pinoy and other Filipinos in Camp Taji, Iraq.

When I arrived in Camp Taji, I almost got the job of a bus driver. Good thing my driving license is still an official receipt since our LTO back home was “too fast” and “too systematic” in issuing my plastic card. (I have not got it until after 24 months huh!)

Good thing, Eleño informed me that Gary Pierce had just lost his rodman in Engineering Department due to medical reason. After a short interview about design engineering and CAD skills, I got the slot. My one and only batch mate, whom I flew with inside a Russian Cargo airplane from Dubai to Camp Anaconda in Balad, Servando “Vanny” Delen, who is also supposed to take that slot for bus driver, got the admin works in the warehouse instead.


Months later, I got the respect in my field, while Vanny (from Rosario, Batangas) smoothly sailed his ship in the high winds in his Tool Room Management.





Gary Pierce did not just left me without letting me learn about Land Surveying and by the time Byron Miller arrived, he just added much more techniques.

And allow me to mention a good friend, Mike Hester, a very fine gentle giant; he stands more than six-foot and a half. He taught me about engineering supervision and time and scheduling management.






And Khalás! (Arabic for “finish”), after few months these two gentlemen from Houston left the Engineering Department to me, on my own, until the end of my stint (I was alone, man!)

During those days, Filipinos were just occupying ordinary positions, no matter how you excel in your field, no amount of promotion was there waiting for you. All you could get is, “YOU ARE THE MAN!” Of course we could not buy anything from the PX using those appreciative words as payment. But anyway it is still an appreciation and really it is a food of the heart for us. It feels really good to hear that. (Ego-boosting ika nga!)

Now, Astig Pinoy excels not just in the mere sense but in actual change of seats and change of titles. They have got also salary increases too. (Ewan ko lang si Marlon Flores, my true friend, kung may increment na, Attention: Terry Tweedel). After Astig Eleño and Astig Joseph, (a.k.a bus lover) accepted as direct hired employees of KBR in Afghanistan, expats had started to express admirations to Filipinos’ skills and capabilities, although they really do admire Filipinos but not to the extent of getting them in their caravan. I heard those who used to be laborers are now enjoying their respective air-conditioned offices with full internet access. That is really pretty uncommon before when I was there. Once, I was asked by an expat, “Why most Filipinos are really educated?” I told him because we simply value it as the only way out from poverty.

All I can say now is that…prevailing wind of change has blown Astig Pinoy to better future. Hooah!