Striking Reality

Some people are really evil in nature. Imagine, over 4000 women in US-Mexican border town have gone missing, and over 400 have been found dead in just a few years. Yes, it is true. I know it is quite unbelievable but if you could just watch the film BORDERTOWN, then you will definitely believe it. The film is inspired by a true story --- a reality about squalid evil human exploitation that has been happening in Juárez, Mexico for the past decade. It is ridiculous, isn’t it? I really can’t imagine that people could do such imprudent things to their fellow people. I mean raping and killing women, can it give them satisfaction? Can it give them the merriment that they ever wanted? Absolutely, no. That is why as I was watching the film, I was so dispirited by the striking reality. People now became blind due to worldly pleasures, without knowing that what they are doing is unquestionably wrong.
All people should watch the film so that they will be enlightened. The film features an impassioned American journalist for the Chicago Sentinel --- Lauren Adrian, played by Jennifer Lopez. She was assigned by her editor to investigate a series of slayings involving young maquiladora factory women in a Mexican border town. Worker Eva Jimenez, played by Maya Zapata, took a bus to go back to her shanty-town after work. After a while, she was the last passenger still in the bus. The driver asked her if it is okay that he will go to the gas station to fill up, and Eva agreed. However, he took her to a quiet place and assaulted and raped her together with another man, who then tried to strangle her. The two men, believing she’s dead, buried her alive. With the little energy she has left, Eva escaped. Lauren headed to Ciudad Juárez, Chihuahua, on the US-Mexico border to investigate the murders. In Juárez, she met up with Alfonso Diaz, played by Antonio Banderas, who she had been working with six years ago, and who was the editor for the local newspaper El Sol de Juárez. She also met Eva. The three tried to find the two killers and have them prosecuted. For this purpose, Lauren disguised herself as a Mexican worker to identify and trap the rapists. She took the same bus Eva rode the night she was raped. The driver tried to assault her in the same way as Eva, while the police assistance was arranged at the wrong place. She managed to escape her attacker and the driver was arrested by the police. Then, only days before Eva was to testify against the rapist, Lauren was forced to leave Juárez to try to have her story published. With Lauren gone, Eva tried to flee to the United States but was caught by the border police and sent back to Juárez. Meanwhile, Alfonso became a victim of a drive-by shooting and, by the time Lauren returned to Juárez, he has died. Lauren went looking for Eva, but encountered the rapist instead, and he attacked her. At the end, Lauren resigned in Chicago Sentinel and became the editor for El Sol de Juárez.
The film is really nice. Jennifer Lopez has handled her role well. But what I like most in the film is the impact it gives to the viewers. It portrays a gender issue that all people must care about. I know that women are really affected by this issue. We all know that in the contemporary world, women are really abused. There are cases of sexual harassment, gender discrimination or stereotyping, maltreatment, prostitution and violence. And all of them are against women. I can’t imagine if those things will happen to my mother and sister. I can’t accept it. I love them so much like the way they love me. Women are not born to be abused and harassed, they are born to be loved, cared and respected.

It's Not Bad to be an EMO

Many say that I'm EMO. I guess it's because of my hairstyle and the way I dress up sometimes. My hair covers my eyes and I usually wear black t-shirt and pants. However, is it really the essence of being an emo? And, am I really an emo?
Being an emo doesn't mean that you should wear what emo bands wear. It doesn't mean that you should do what emo girls and boys do. EMO is short term for EMOTIONAL. Thus, it is more on internals than externals. What I mean is, you can't determine an emo person by merely looking at his outside looks, you should dig deeper and know that person's inside.
I don't know why I'm like this. No one can understand me. Even my friends said that I'm different sometimes. It's as if I'm in another world.
"Don't be so emo," one of my friends told me.
Can I change myself? Why don't they spend time with me when I needed them so that they will know why I'm like this? I have lots of problems. God knows that. There is a possibility that our family will be broken.
Do you want to know why?
It's because of our father's infidelity to our mother and to us, his children. He fooled us! That's why, I really can't prevent my tears everytime it wants to escape my eyes. It is the only way to lessen the pain I'm feeling right now. I hope it would ease soon.
No wonder why I like black. Black means sorrow, grief, sadness, misery... Because everytime I cry, I feel like I'm a new person. A new Adoreland Basilan. I guess it's because tears wash away all the pains, heartaches and bad feelings.
It's not bad to be an emo, right? T_T

It's All First Time

When we were still in the bus, excitement already filled my heart. It would be my first time to step in the land of Samar --- Brgy. Guinob-an, Lawaan, Eastern Samar specifically. I was excited to see the place, the people, and the environment. It's very shameful to say, but it was also my first time to take a look and pass through the well-known San Juanico Bridge. It's picturesque. I couldn't help but shout in glee.
Upon reaching the place, I noticed that it is just simple. You can't see tall buildings, lots of vehicles, business establishments, etc. I said, it is just simple. But, I really love it. It's like Tabing, my hometown. I could see the beauty of nature --- not artificial, not man-made. That's why I really love places like this.
Amandaraga falls --- it's a beautiful spot in Brgy. Guinob-an. It's a pristine waterfall that cascades in the midst of a jungle. It’s four kilometers away from the barangay. Of course, we went there. We were assisted by some residents of Brgy. Guinob-an. They were very nice, so hospitable. We walked through the muddy path, up and down in a mountain. It's tiresome, but I enjoyed it. We also crossed a river. It's excitng. When we finally reached the Amandaraga falls, I don't know what I felt that time. The scenery is breath-taking. I really love it. Actually, it's my first time to see a waterfall.
When I immersed into the water, it's very cold. I don't know how to swim so I just stayed near the rocks. I enjoyed myself watching the environment. God is really so creative. We must thank Him for creating such place. It's a perfect place for recreation. I would love to spend my vacation there, of course with my family. It feels great to be with nature, you will be absolutely relaxed.
When the time came for us to go back to the barangay, I felt sad because I will miss the place. I packed my things and then started hiking with my companions. I’m looking forward to go back to this place, or if not in this place, perhaps in a place similar to this. We also did boat sailing in the Brgy. Guinob-an’s fish sanctuary. It’s a very nice experience. The water is so clean and we can even see the corals. Some fishes jumped in the air that made us yell in amusement. Again, it’s my first time.
After all that wonderful experience, we embarked in the bus because we will be going back to the mischievous world of Tacloban. We will be in the concrete jungle again. I felt unhappy. Now, I realized how important it is to preserve the beauty of nature. I’m glad knowing that there are still beautiful places in Earth despite the rapid modernization. I hope that these places will not be obliterated in the near future. Man-made can never get the better of God-made. We must always think of that limitation. As what the writer Stephen Fry said, “If we look around us, anything ugly that we see will have been created by human hands”.

One Night With Stars

One frosty night, I went outside our house,
As rapid as a little petty mouse,
I laid down on the bed of verdant grass,
Departing the world of rudeness and brass.

The wind embraced me as I gazed beyond,
Watching the stars dispersed like seashore-sand,
They twinkled brightly as I looked at them,
Giving light to the sky so dark and dim.

How would the sky resemble at nightfall,
If no stars exist even a single?
Perhaps, it would be lifeless and somber,
Similar to a gold without luster.

Abruptly, I have heard a lullaby,
It tickled my ears as it elapsed by,
Then, my world restrained turning for a while,
And my exhausted mind drifted a mile.


(I composed this out of boredom when I was still in fourth year high school.)

Pag-ibig Sa Wika, Pag-ibig Sa Tinubuang Lupa

Ang kapuluan ng Pilipinas sa kasalukuyan,
Ay sadyang umiindayog sa saliw ng kaguluhan,
Wala na ang kinang na noo'y nakabatubalani,
Bagkus, karupukan at polusyon ang namamayani.

Pati sariling wika ay unti-unti ng naglalaho,
Hinahayaang bulukin ng sangkatirbang mikrobyo,
Dapuan ng langaw o 'di kaya'y kutkutin ng anay,
Hanggang sa manghina, malanta at makitil ang buhay.

Bilang 'sang Pilipino, puso ko'y puno ng siphayo,
'Di ko maatim ang nakakahimbal na tagpong ito,
Ating pagkatao, para na rin nating niyurakan,
Sa hindi pagtangkilik sa sariling wika at yaman.

Kung tayong lahat ay totoong may pagpapahalaga,
Bumuo ng magandang adhikain at magkaisa,
Kailangan natin na maisulong ang kaunlaran,
Kaya tayong lahat ay dapat makipagsapalaran.

Sa pamamagitan ng paggamit ng sariling wika,
Na wala ni kunting pag-iimbot at may pagkukusa,
Tayo ay magkakaroon ng pagkakaunawaan,
Sa lahat ng mithiin para sa lupang tinubuan.


(This poem of mine has won 1st place in the "pagsulat ng tula" competition held at Tabango National High School on 2006.)