Isa pang hirit. Who is number 1 - part 3

Nakakatuwa ngunit patuloy na nagbibigay kulay ang isinulat kong ito. Marahil ay nagtataka kayo kung bakit tagalog ang gamit ko ngayon. Minsan, mayroong nagmungkahi sa akin na nagngangalnag Olga (hindi ko alam kung tunay nya itong pangalan) na sana raw ay magsulat ako sa Filipino para mas maraming makaintindi (hindi ko alam na marami-rami na rin naman palang nagbabasa ng blog kong ito noong kasipagan kong mag tala dito.) Mayroon ding pumuna sa akin sa paggamit ko ng salitang Tagalog sa isa kong tula . Matatagpuan ito dito. Pakihanap na lang ang klomento ni Juan_Bahag. Pero, hindi po ang mga iyan ang dahilan kung bakit sa tagalog itong talang ito. Paki-tuloy na lang po ang pagbabasa nang malaman ninyo kung bakit. Salamat.

Ang kahulihulihang komento na natanggap ko sa unang parte ng seryeng ito ay tila bumabatikos sa isa pang nagkumento (pareho silang hindi nagpakilala) na mali-mali ang grammar ng isinulat nito. Sa suma total, sinabi nyang nakakaawa naman daw tayo dahil daw ang isang nakatapos ng MA, sa UP pa mandin, ay mali ang istrukturang ginagamit sa pagsulat ng ingles Bukod dito, sinabi niya pang Tama nga ang kasabihan na ang matsing, damitan mo man ng magarang damit ay matsing pa rin. Wag na lang mag-ingles kung mali naman ang grammar. Marahil ay isa siya doon sa mga taong maalab ang damdamin pagdating sa wika.

Sa aking sagot, sinabi ko sa kanyang huwag masyadong magmadali sa paghuhusga. Mayroong mga taong nagmamadaling maisulat ang kanilang gustong sabihin na hindi na nag-eedit pa dahil maaaring nagmamadali o natatakot na baka mawala ang kanilang iniisip na mensahe. May mga kaibigan akong manunulat na mali-mali ang spelling at grammar dahil dito. Mga amerikano pa ang karamihan. Ngunit hindi kailanman nabawasan ang respeto ko sa kanila pagkat alam kong magagaling silang mag-isip at tunay na dapat kong pag-ukulan ng panahon ang kanilang mga sinasabi. Isa pa, ako rin kadalasan ay mali din ang grammar na gamit dahil ako naman ay hindi nakatapos ng English o Language man lang kundi Fine Arts. Ang aking English ay talagang oido (sa tenga) lamang - kung tama ang tunog, tama siya sa akin. Dahil dito, minsan ay talamak ang aking SV agreement at lalo na ang tenses.

Isa pa, hindi lahat ng tao ay binigyan ng angking talino sa pagsusulat o pagsasalita ng kahit na ano pa mang wika, lalo pa ng kakanyahang matuto ng ibang lenggwahe. Samakatuwid, mayroong mga taong sadyang magaling magsalita o magsulat ng inggles, marami rin namang hindi. Baka naman hindi siya talagang sanay magsulat dahil iba ang kanyang propesyon. Hindi naman kasi lahat ng propesyon ay kailangan ng kagalingan sa pagsasalita tulad ng mga abogado, (kahima't nitong mga nakaraang taon ay may mga pag-aaral na nagsasabing bumaba na ang kalidad maging ng mga abogado sa paggamit ng ingles), manunulat o maging ng isang politiko. Sinabi ko pa sa aking sagot na ako'y mayroong mga kaibigan na mga inhenyero, pintor atbp na magagaling sa kanilang mga trabaho ngunit hindi magaling sa ingles. At hindi ito naging balakid man lang upang maparating nila ang kanilang ibig sabihin sa akin. Nagkakaintindihan kami. Sabi nga sa Desiderata, at pakinggan mo kahit sino sapagkat kahit ang isang mangmang ay may sariling karanasan at kwento.

Karamihan sa atin, maaaring kasama na ako, sampu ng aking mga kasamahan sa paaralan, ang nag-aakalang ang kahinaan sa pagsalita at pagsulat ng inggles ng isang tao ay patotoong may kahinaan ang utak nito. Ano nga ba ang nangyari at marami sa atin ay nag-aakala nito? Sa aking palagay, ito ay dahilan sa pagkakasakop ng mga banyaga sa atin. Marami nang naisulat tungkol dito at ako ay lubusang naniniwala na ito ay totoo. Unang-una na ay ang ating pananaw sa kung ano ang maganda o ang ating aesthetic sense. Tingnan ninyo at maraming pilipino na nagpapakulay ng buhok, nagpapaputing pilit ng kanilang balat at pinatatangos ang kanilang ilong. Ito ay sa kadahilanang tayo ay pinalaki na ang kagandahan ay mula sa pamantayan ng mga puti. Ito ay bunga ng ating isipan (lalo na ng mga matatanda sa atin na umabot sa panahong tayo'y sakop pa ng mga amerikano - "uy tingnan mo ang sanggol, napakaganda, kulay mais ang kanyang buhok, ang tangos ng ilong at pagkaputi-puti." Ito ay sa kadahilanang ang mga puti, ayaw man nating aminin, ay naging mga "amo" natin kung baga. Nakita ng mga matatanda na sila ay lubhang makapangyarihan sa loob ng ating bansa. Ang kanilang mga trabaho ay sa opisinang malamig (marahil, kung may air con na noon) at paupo-upo lamang sa isang tabi at mando ng mando na siyang nagdulot ng ating pagpupumilit na magkaroon ng "white collar job" at pagmamalit doon sa mga nagtatrabahong ang gamit ay ang kanilang mga kamay (blue collar jobs). Sa kabutihang palad, sa aking palagay ay unti-unti nang nababawasan ang ganitong mentalidad pamula nang sumapit ang pagtatapos ng siglo.

Ngunit sa lahat ng ito, ang pinakamatibay na dahilan ng ating maling batayan ng talino ay sapagkat ang ating pag-aaral ay nakasaad sa wikang ingles. Natural, dahil ang ating pinag-aaralan ay sa wikang ingles, naging dalawa ang aiting pinagsusumikapang gawin. Matutong intindihin ang wika kung saan ito ay nakasaad at pagkatapos ay ang malaman kung ano ang konseptong nakalakip sa mensahe nito. Kaya lumalabas na iyung magagaling uminggles ay tumalas ang utak at karamihan doon sa mga hindi ay nawalan naman ng ganang magsumikap o hindi na nagpatuloy sigurong mag-aral ng mabuti - (basta pumasa lang, ayos na). (Iyan ay hindi pa kasama ang kakanyahang makapagtustos ng pag-aaral ng magulang o ng mag-aaral na sustentuhan ang kanyang pag-aaral).

Tunay nga bang kung magaling umingles ay uunlad ang ating bayan? Hindi po. Sinabi ko na noon na maraming mauunlad na bansa na nag-aral gamit ang kanilang sariling wika tulad ng Japan, Germany at marami pang iba. Kung sila man ay nag-aaral ngayon ng wikang inggles, ito ay dahil sa gusto nilang mapalawak pa ang kanilang emperyo at hindi upang mapaunlad ang kanilang sarili.

Kung inyong mamarapatin, pabayaan nyo po akong makapagbahagi ng aking saloobin dito. Ako po ay naniniwala na ang lenggwahe ay isang magandang paraan upang masupil ng isang mananakop ang isa pang kultura at kamalayan ng isang nasyon. Kaakibat kasi nito ay, ganoon na nga, ang pagbabago ng aesthetic ideal o kung ano sa tingin niya ang maganda ng nasasakop. Paulit-ulit ko nang sinabi dito na noong ako ay lumalaking teen-ager (medyo may katagalan na ano?) ang mga awiting naglipana sa ating himpapawid ay pulos ng mga banyaga. Lumaki akong nakikinig sa rock, jazz at folk songs ng mga amerikano. Ang mga mayayaman ay kinakausap ng inggles o kastila na, sinadya man o hindi ng kanilang mga magulang, ay lalo lamang nagpalawig sa kaibahan ng mahihirap sa mayayaman. (Ang Filipino ay ginagamit lamang sa mga katulong o kung hindi man, ay nagpupumilit ang mga katulong mag-inggles na nagdulot ng mga salitang "Mamaya na me" at "You make tusok-tusok the fish ball" na totoo namang napakasakit pakinggan. Salamat ng lang at nabuksan ang daan para sa mga kumpositor tulad ng Juan dela Cruz band (Himig Natin) at ni ginoong Jim Paredes na isa ring blogger, at karamihan sa mga kabataan ngayon ay nakikinig na ng musikang sariling atin.

Kung ang kamalayan ng isang bayan ay nakatuon sa isang wikang hindi kanya, natututunan niyang yakapin ang lahat ng gawi ng mga taong gumagamit ng wikang ito. Ito ay sa kadahilanang ang wika ay kultura. Lahat ng "nuances" at "idiosyncrasies" ng mga puti ay ating namana na rin. Hindi ba't parang nakakainsulto na ang maganda sa atin ay yaong mga kabaligtaran natin? Marami ang nagsasabing huli na raw para baguhin ang ating "medium of instruction" dahil mahihirapan nang i salin ang mga terminong teknikal? Gaano ba kahirap o kaselan ito? Hindi ba't nang bago naman tayo matuto ay pinagaralan din natin ang mga kahulugan ng mga terminong ito, maging ito ay sa inggles, pranses o aleman? Samakatwid, parating may umpisa, hindi ba? Dapat bang lahat ng termino ay isalin pa natin o pabayaan na lang nating gamitin ang mga orihinal na katawagan sa mga ito?

Para lalong gumulo ang usapan, dapat nga bang baguin ang "medium of instruction" dahil sa mga nabanggit ko? Ah, para diyan sa bagay na yan, basahin na lang ninyo ito at ito ay natalakay ko na rin naman. At kung sinisipag pa rin kayong magbasa, pakituunan ng pansin ang palitan namin ng kuru-kuro ng isang nagngangalang Arturo Arbera sa bandang huli. PAra kayo'y ganahan ng kaunti, ang huli niyang banat ay ganito: "magaling daw mag-Ingles ang mag PIlipino. mayaman ba tayo. ikaw na mahilig mag-Ingles mayaman ka ba? mag-isip ka nga."

Who is number 1 - part 2

Surprisingly, I am still receiving comments for a post I made in May, 2005 about a poll made during that time on who is number 1? referring to the top schools in the country today. I will save you the time and say that UP landed on the top spot.

One of the reasons for that post is to say that it would be too easy for a university to land at the top. Should there be a competition on who is the best, which would mean that it is the universtty to go to, all a university or a college has to do is to select its students well. Open it only to the best students through a very rigid entrance examination and should there be students who manage to get in prove not up to par, to weed them out immediately. That ought to do it. That is what UP does. And rightfully so as most of its students are scholars whose education is being paid for by the State. I guess it is imperative that the State takes care of its investment. However, should this be the case with students who are willing to pay an exhorbitant fee for education? Should schools drop them out should their capacity to learn fall short? Maybe, maybe not. Good students do not need very good teachers. They can learn on their own. It is the weak ones that need the best teachers. Those who can motivate them well to perform to their utmost capacity. The good students need good teachers who will challenge them. These teachers may not necessarily be the same kind.

It is unfortunate that education in the country is not accessible to all. It has become expensive that many intelligent individuals could not go to the university of their choice, if ever they can afford to go to college. ONe of my recent commenters lamented that even if he/she passed the UPCAT, he/she decided not to go as daily expenses would be a problem. Since the commenter comes from Isabela, I would assume that included board and lodging. In my response, I said that "if there is a will, there is a way" If he/she is bent on getting a good eduication, he/she can get it anywhere provided he/she is willing to go the extra mile. Reading on your own, keeping abreast on the current trends, etc. and most especially, studying the lessons well. Later on, you can look for scholarships here and abroad. It's just knowing where to look and in this age of computers, it is not really that hard.

Actually,in the end, it does not matter what university or what course one took. It will all boil down to what lessons were learned and how these are being used. Case in point, many politicians or even businessmen, (as politicians have been used as an example quite too often that they are now trite) graduated from the best universities but they got eaten up by their greed and causing us a lot of miseries today. To paraphrase the Bible, "What does it benefit a man to own all the riches in the world and yet, lose his soul?" The ultimate question for me is, "Are you happy or not?"

What it boils down to is that polls on who is number 1 is totally a waste of time. Why? I would suppose that the most valuable thing this information can give is for students to know what school to go to. However, the best schools are not open to everyone. It is only open to those who are already bright and who has the capability to engage in an expensive enterprise. And to think that education is one of the tickets for progress...

Nasty C5

If you pass by C5 enroute to the SLEX like I do everyday, beware of the road as it sometimes has umbrella wires to ruin your tires. I have been a victim before. It was on the first day of school last year when my front tire suddenly blew-out! It was a good thing I don't drive that fast considering we were running late. Had I been going at top speed, the blown out tire would have caused the car to go haywire as it was the front wheel. And I had my kids with me.

Why wasn't I surprised when out of nowhere, a man offered help? I asked him if he had a good jack and true enough, he said he can get from a house (presumably a vulcanizing shop) at the opposite side of the road). My first impulse was to get angry at him suspecting that it was he who planted that thing on the road. But then, that was sheer speculation and I had no proof. Besides, I really had to be in school on time. So, I told him it was too far and that he can use my jack instead. And he did. After several minutes, he finished, I gave him a hundred and was on my way. I definitely won't have that tire fixed on that vulcanizing shop across the street.

And I thought I learned my lesson! Hell no! it happened to me again today. We were on our way home and not realizing it, I was already running with a flat tire. I only got to learn about it when my friends, who ride with me, got off at Buting and someone told me I had a flat tire. With no vulcanizing shops around, I took a good look at the tire and decided it can go a few more kilometers before the air really ran out.

I found a shop near Bagong Ilog and lo and behold! We found three pins made out of umbrella wire, all lined up (this made me sure they were planted on the road). The only reason the tire did not give in at once was because unlike before where two big pins were embedded on wood (that made the pins lose their grip on the tire causing the air to go out) these new pins were embedded on the tire. Tubeless tires don't give in easily if you leave the nail hanging onto the tire, you see.

I'm sure I got these pins at the same place where I was victimized before. So, if you are going to pass by C5, keep your eyes open as the road is not completely safe!

a newbie bus rider

I don't usually put my poems in this blog as I maintain another blog for my poetry. Hwoever, there are several reasons why I am putting this poem here. First, I have just posted a new one in my poetry blog which you might want to know also contains a reprint of a surprise poet, (surprise because I didn't know he wrote poetry)a very good friend of mine. Secondly, because this is a true story (one of my experiences in Canada) and lastly, I want other people to know that I have another blog (plugging, hehe)

Anyway, this is about my first bus ride in Canada. Yes, I have been there three times and yet never experienced riding a bus. This was a first time for me. Hope you like it. Here goes:


Newbie rides the bus


Take the car," she says.
But I'd rather take the bus
that knows where it's going
than drive around the city,
lost

I walk to Moncton
unmindful of the seagulls flying past
owning the vast space above my head
freely going to and from their nest
transporting food for their young.

Clad in sweatshirt and a jacket on my arm
toying with a twoney and a quarter in my hand
I plan the journey
up ahead

sitting on the bench at the stop
I wonder if the bus will take me
directly to Gastown
where the Seabus docks

or should I transfer to another...
but which one and where I do not know.
Thoughts of Rosa Parks
run through my head
or falling flat on my face
or being shouted at
for a clumsy move

together with a thousand
horror stories happening
on my first bus ride

until

a twenty year old woman arrives,
smiles and tells me,
"You'll have to transfer at Richmond Center
take the B39, get off at Waterfront,
walk a block to The Station to find
the Seabus that'll take you to North Van."

No glitches till now
until I take the trip back.
Should I take the bus to Railway
or should it be Steveston
and walk less than a mile?

Bus going to Railway arrives
decide to take it now
than wait for the other.

People standing in front of me
waiting for seats to be vacated.
I look out the window,
and realize, "ah Railway!"

Suddenly, the bus made a turn at Wilson,
I panic! The bus could be headed back
to the Center.

With bags in tow
I get off and decide to walk
only to find out that it's all of four miles!
to make matters worse
my bladder is full
and I really have to go

Halfway there... drats! It begins to rain.

PTN anniversary

HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY, PTN!!! (click here)

The Pinoy Teachers Network started out by Marisol, we call PTN for short is celebrating its first year anniversary. It is a network of teachers from here and abroad where we get to share our experiences with teaching, thereby hoping to bridge the gap in education. It is our deep intention to help ourselves and others become better teachers and aid in any way we can to make education in the Philippines become more progressive.

If you are a Filipino teacher or planning to be one, or anyone who is interested with Philippine education, why don't you drop by our site and check it out? Drop a comment or two in any entries there or if you wish, even send an article or two. You can email them to me at rollydelossantos@gmail.com.

For our first year anniversary, I wrote a piece which sums up a brief history of the group. You can read it here. You can also read the other core group's articles in the main webpage.

Happy anniversary to us and may we increase some more and have all our dreams come true!