Piyesta

Inimbita ako ng kalye
sa isang piging,
hindi ng mga nakaparadang
lechon
o masarsang putaheng
nakahain
kundi mga bilad na kamao
sa piyesta ng mga plakards…

Nakasabit na banderitas
ay hindi makulay na papel
kundi sakong sinulatan
ng mga di pinakikinggang
sigaw
pero punlong nagpapagalaw
sa mga katawang
pinagpipistahan
ng mga hayok na patron
ng pasistang rehimen.

Talagang May Panahon Na Mahirap Magdesisyon

Kulang ang mga araw upang magbilang
ng mga mariposang nagsiksikan sa iilang kwarto ng iyong tadyang.
Hindi maaaring sumipol ng mga awit
ang nag-uumpugang mga bato ng iyong singit.
Sa ngayong hindi mo kayang paghiwalayin
ang araw at gabi, pati ang kutsara sa tinidor,
naalala mo tuloy ang mga pag-aalala
na baka sa isang araw
walang anino ang naiguhit mong ambisyon.

Ngayong lasing ka sa pagkabalisa,
dahil nahihirapan kang basahin ang komiks ng iyong isip.
Sino ang makapagsasabi
na ikaw itong hindi ikaw?
Maskarang nakamaskara sa hubad na pagsinta.
Asam-asam pa rin ang mga diamante sa magkabilang dimensyon.

Paano hahanapin ang mga bagay na nakabaon
sa katotohanang nag-iilusyon
ang dalawang mundong nais mong yapusin?

Dahil walang maaaring pwedeng magpasya
kundi ikaw lang at ikaw.

Nostalgia

DALAWANG SAKNONG NA TULA NG MINSANG BUMISITA SI NOSTALGIA

I
Di ko maiwasan ang nostalgia sa iyo mahal
Sa tuwing mapadaan o mapunta sa lugar na dati mong napuntahan
Ng ang mga hangin ay bitbit pa rin ang iyong mga larawan
At ang mga sulok ay ibinubulong pa rin ang iyong pangalan.

II
Sabik pa rin ang puso sa iyo mahal,
Kung pwede lang sana yakapin ang iyong alaala
At hagkan
Di sana’y maibsan ang nagmumurang pangungulila.

Hayaan nyo muna akong magkwento. Kagabi, napanaginipan ko si Gretchen Baretto. Nagmamakaawa sya sa akin. Itanan ko na raw sya. Shempre, para di nya sabihing easyboy ako, tinanggihan ko sya. Pero panay pa rin ang hagulhol nya. "Huhuhuhu... Itanan mo na ako.. Itanan mo na ako..." Hanggang sa di ko na nga sya matiis, tinanong ko sya; "Paano na ngayon ang fucking bastard mong asawa? Si Tony Boy Cojuangco..." Wala syang isinagot kundi huhuhu... Tanong ko uli; "Are you ready to leave all the luxuries of life behind?" Wala na naman syang isinagot.Hanggang sa tuluyan na nga akong nabuwisit. At doon ko na lang nalaman na yon pala ay isang panaginip.

Alam ko walang sense ang ikinwento ko. Gusto ko lang kasing sabihin, walang sense din ngayon ang araw ko. Kaya kanina, naisipan kong sumigaw ng Fuck You!!! Fuck YOu!!! Fuck yoU!!!
Pero di ko ginawa shempre. Baka kasi maalarma ang mga neighborhood at tawagan ang CIDG; "Hello Sir, may isang tibak po ditong nagaamok ng away." Hehehe... Eh di ang cheap ng kaso ko pag nakulong ako. Kaya mas maganda na yong makulong ka dahil sa pinaninindigan mo ang iyong paniniwala. Yong makulong ka dahil sa kasong pulitikal. Hindi kriminal.

At dahil mejo praning ako ngayon, magsisinga muna ako ng tula.

Blah…Blah…Blah… and so on…

Sandali lang
Bago mo husgahan
Ang nagmumurang tula
Ng aking mga eccentricities
Bakit di mo muna sisirin
Ang namumuong ambiguities
Ng ating relasyon.

Kilala ba kita?
Kilala mo ba ako?

Anong papel mo sa buhay ko?

Hindi open book ang nakalatag kong akda.
Bago mo pa man dilaan ang mga titik ng aking tula
At nguyain ng nguyain
Para lamang iluwa,
Pwede ba,
Kilalanin mo muna ang diyos ng nagmumura kong tula.

Protect Indigenous People's Right!

An Urgent Appeal to Save Mt. Canatuan and the Subanon People

An open letter from Timuay Jose “Boy” Anoy


We are Subanons, indigenous peoples whose ancestors have lived in harmony with nature since time immemorial at the heart of Mt. Canatuan in Tabayo, Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte. Our beautiful land, replete with natural resources, is our life. It is given to us by Apu Manglang, to care and nurture for.

Our land, which is the essence of our existence, will be lost to us forever in the face of large-scale operations by Toronto Ventures Inc. (TVI), a Canadian mining company that has no respect for our people and our way of life. TVI has desecrated our altar, the tip of Mt. Canatuan, which is our most sacred place. They bulldozed the tip of the mountain, destroyed our most holy place, and in a matter of weeks, our community will be wiped out due to their mad drive for gold.

We entered into the government's Indigenous People's Rights Act (IPRA) and were awarded with the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT). We cannot understand why the government has given the green light for TVI operations. The legal holder of CADT is our Timuay. But the government also recognized the claim of a bogus organization of pro-TVI Subanons under the leadership of Juanito Tumangkis, who under our tradition is not a legitimate tribal leader.

The government says that attracting more mining corporations will help solve the country’s fiscal crisis. But our people will suffer the same fate of many of our indigenous brothers and sisters who have been driven out of their land by open pit mining, logging, mega-dams and other projects that mainly benefited big business.

In order to stop TVI, we have banded together and linked up with the people of Siocon - our Christian and Muslim brothers and sisters. We have launched protests to air our opposition to prevent the destruction of our lush paradise that is Siocon. TVI, with the help of the government's Special Civilian Armed Auxiliary (SCAA), have unleashed violent actions to quell our protests. The conflict around TVI’s mining operation has resulted in injuries and even death among our people and the people of Siocon.

Even with TVI's propensity for violence, we are determined in our struggle. However, we believe that we cannot do it alone. We therefore appeal to all concerned organizations and individuals to support our struggle against TVI mining. Join us in this very urgent matter of protecting our land, our life and our resources. Help us stop human rights abuses against our people. Together, let us stop the plunder of our national patrimony and destruction of our environment.

Timuay Jose “Boy” Anoy
Apu Manglang G’lupa Pusaka
(Ancestral Domain of Apo Manglang)


AGAINST THE HOODWINK

Enough are the lies
The canned goods, noodles and rice
Cannot anymore numb the mind
Of the national minorities
That you robbed,
Raped,
And condemned
In the sphere of ethnocide.
Enough!
Now they see…
Now they know…
Your development programs
Is nothing but a deception.
Who would benefit on your electrification?
Who would benefit on your giant dams?
Who would benefit the large mining?
Definitely not them
Who owns the land,
Till and nurtured…
The tribes, our tribe,
had learn to fight.

Rain

Some poets uses rain as a metaphor
of tears, sweat or blood
Of forgotten soldiers
In a weary battlefield.
Some said raindrops are guitar strings
Or prison bars
Of captive music
In the heart of wars.
Some think of rain as needles and threads
That stitches wounds
Of a young brain.
Some believed it is a renewal,
A relief and a rebirth of fallen heroes.
Rain, rain, and rain…
Whatever it symbolizes
The peasants knew only one thing
Rain is needed to nurture the rice field,
And freshen the strained soul.

-18 December 2005

tumubo ang mga mushrooms ng kumidlat

Isang tula muna para sa mga mushy...


INBOX

Hindi ko muna buburahin ang mga text mo sa akin mahal.
Saka na pag naging sigurado na ang nakakalitong mga siguro.
Dahil habang siguro pa ang lahat,
walang paglilinaw, walang sigurado,
may butil pa ng lumalagablab na pag-asa
na muli tayong magsasama.

Kaya di ko muna buburahin ang mga text mo sa inbox ko.
Kahit gugulong sa tawa ang makakabasa.
Kahit marami ang pagdududa.
Kahit makakarinig ng minatamis na mura.
Mushy, oo!
Pero anong pakialam nila?!?
(Pakialaman nilang mukha nila!)
This is only between you and me.

Walang nakakaalam mahal,
kundi ikaw lang at ako.


Kaya mananatili ang mga text mo sa inbox ko mahal.
Inbox 1
Inbox 2
Inbox 3
Hanggang muling magtagpo
ang di naiiba nating mundo.

Destabilizer ang Iskwater na Nagtatae sa Malakanyang

Wala akong maisulat na bago, kaya naisip kong irecycle muna ang dati kong naisulat. Recycled kasi puro din recycled ang naririnig ko sa bunganga ng mga fucking bitches sa malakanyang.

Inilagay ko ang petsa kung kailan ito naisulat, pero syempre may revision na akong ginawa. Tinanggal ko ang mga linyang malayo na sa katotohanan sa kasalukuyan.

July 12, 2005

GLORIA MACAPAGAL – ARROYO IS THE REAL DESTABILIZER

Too much has been said about the plot of destabilization. GMA and her minions were repeatedly telling the public that the ongoing mass protests asking her to resign were nothing but a mere design to create chaos and destabilized the government. Worst, GMA is trying to put the protesting masses on a bad light by accusing them of just being used by traditional politicians for their own vested interests of power. But is this the real score?

GMA has lost moral ascendancy, legal mandate, and credibility to stay in power. She cannot accuse the progressive and patriotic forces of trying to destabilized her government because in the first place since her stay in the palace stability has become more elusive.

Who can objectively say that there is stability on a government with ballooning debts, swollen budget deficits and political scandals of its making? And what chaos is much worse than skyrocketing of prices, increasing rate of unemployment, intense commercialization of education, miniscule budget for social services, extremely low wages, regressive taxes and widespread human rights violations?

The social discontent that this country is having now is due to the Arroyo government’s imposition of greater economic burdens for the people alongside repressive measures, fraud and corruptions. It is too much from someone who may not even claim to be the lawful president of this country. Now call it destabilization.

If all of us want peace and unity there is a need of truth and justice. GMA must first be removed from power. Then the people should create the democratic people’s council which includes the real and sincere representatives of workers, peasants and the middle social strata as well as the civil bureaucrats and military personnel who criticize and repudiate the corruption and subservience of the ruling politicians to the US.

The time is running fast. The people must act now to avert the imminent catastrophe that the incumbent ruling clique is carrying. GMA should be removed soon. Let us not allow ourselves to be deceived by her. Analyze the events critically and you’ll find out that GMA is the one destabilizing this country.


July 13, 2005

THE YOUTH AND STUDENTS START COUNTDOWN TO ARROYO’S REMOVAL FROM POWER


Based on the latest surveys, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has gained increasing distrust from the people together with her husband, her son and Noli De Castro. The entire ruling clique of Arroyo-De Castro tandem is gradually in isolation from the broad mass of the Filipino People. This shows that the people are no apathetic on confronting the gross crimes of the ruling bogus regime. It manifests on the widening and strengthening force of the masses calling for GMA’s removal from power with the intensifying protests in the streets and other possible venues.

The Filipino youth and students along with other sectors are very much firm on its undying commitment to end the bogus, fascist, corrupt and puppet regime of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The youth and students has become even more resolute to continue the militant traditions of its sector on advancing people’s democratic rights as Arroyo’s regime has gravely neglect its responsibility towards education and other basic social services. The exposed massive electoral fraud committed by GMA’s camp shall be the last straw. Once again, the youth and students will assume its historical duty in social transformation.

The Arroyo regime cannot ridicule the intensifying protests of the Filipino people by saying that Filipinos were already tired of another mass uprising to topple down a disgusting regime. Not even her expensive deceiving propaganda and supports from her minions in AFP and CBCP can neutralize social discontent. GMA’s hypocrisy is totally evident.

There will be no escape of GMA’s speedy removal unless she will take the desperate option of declaring a martial law before long. A step that she will possibly consider with the broadening of people’s united front against her bogus regime. We wonder how they would sleep in the night with clocks ticking.

It is only a matter of time that the bogus regime of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo will collapse with its rotten bones to the mud of history. After the ouster or resignation of Arroyo-De Castro tandem a people’s democratic council can act as a transition government.

The ranks of ANAKBAYAN and the rest of our fellow youth and students will never turned away in times of crisis. GMA must pay for her debts and serious crimes to the people. The Filipino youth was one of the most powerful forces that placed her in power during EDSA 2. Now, our ranks are among those in the forefront calling to hasten her inevitable ouster.

Without using her coercive apparatuses, the countdown to GMA’s removal from power will be too easy that even a kindergarten pupil can participate. Nevertheless, nothing can stop the countdown. Time starts now.

Isang Gabing Nagbantang Sasalakay Ang Mga Aliens

Walang maibigay na dahilan ang utak
sa tuwing nagtatanong ka ng bakit
sa mga bagay na hindi bagay.
Gusto mo mang uminom ng kape
pero walang kape
dahil wala kang pambili.
Kaya, ayun, lumabas ka na lang ng bahay.
Naglakad. Sumisipol.
Hanggang matisod mo ang isang lata ng sardinas.
Sa wakas. Makapaghapunan ka na rin at last.
Kaya, mabilis kang humakbang pabalik.
Excited na sigurado ang tiyang nanghahapdi. Sabik na sabik.
Pero. Ano eto?
Ano ito’t bigla kang napatigil?
(sa lakas ng brake uminog ang bilbil)
A strange light flashes…
Weird. Hindi ito bulalakaw o kidlat.
Kaya nagtanong ka uli sa iyong utak…
Is that a UFO?
Utak: Im not sure, basta alam ko there is a prophecy…
Aatake daw ang aliens ngayong gabi…

"Mahirap mag-isip kung walang laman ang utak. Pero mas mahirap mag-isip kung walang laman ang tiyan." Uhm, hindi ko po motto 'yan. Motto yan ni kuwan... Pero minsan hinihiram ko rin yan... Sa buong araw kasing umaandar ang makina ng utak, minsan parang ayaw ng gumulong ang mga bolitas...dahil nagsi-aklasan na ang mga braincells sa gutom... Welga!!!

Hindi ko maiwasang magdura ng mga kataga...


Kabarkada na pala natin sina Instant Pancit Canton, Noodles at Sardinas


Simula ng mag-aklas ang buong sandatahan ng mga bituka natin sa tiyan
at magpiket ng ilang buwan,
hindi man lang natin namalayan,
barkada na pala natin sina instant pancit canton, noodles at sardinas.

Halos araw-araw kasing sa opisina
depressed si kaldero at plato.
Paano? denuded na ang gulayan
sa likod-bahay, kung saan gumagala ang mga pusa sa kanal.

Kaya sa tuwing nilulusob ang ating tiyan
ng kung ano-anong organismo sa loob,
agad takbo sa tindahan, nang makautang
para may pamasahe ang mga barkada nating sina instant pancit canton, noodles
at sardinas
papuntang kusina ng ating opisina kung saan
ang mga kutsara at plato ay may tampuhan…

Between Sardinas at Tinola

Again, nag-intensify uli ang digmaan between sardinas at tinola. Kaya sa paggising ko kanina, isang nilalagnat na tula ang aking nai-anak.

Diliryo

Nakaapak sa lupa ang mga walang muwang,
Habang bawat talulot ng nalalantang halaman
Sa kasukalan
Ay unti-unting nalalagas
Walang patid
Ang ubo
Ng bagong salta
Sa gubat na isinumpa
Ng mga makina sa kaparangan
Mga magdyadyaryong walang ulo
Mga duguang magbobote
Ayaw kong balikan ang mga paninda
Ng tinderang nagsusuka
Ng tsismis sa bawat kanto
Butas ang bulsa ng mga pasahero
Kaya sumigaw
Itigil! itigil!
Ang kawalanghiyaan
Ng mga CAFGU, sundalo
At mga vigilanteng sira-ulo
Habang nakapila-balde ang mga ungas
Na ngumunguya ng chewing gum
Naghihintay sa mga putting kuwago
Upang pamahagian
Ng whiskey, spam
At tsokolate
Nagbibilang ang mga walang binibilang
Nagbabasa ang mga walang binabasa
Umiiyak ang mga tumatawa
Kanino?
Kanino ang bayang walang anino?
Isabit sa sampayan
Ang mga bitukang walang laman
Ibilad hanggang mag-apoy
Sapagkat ang mga damit mong nabili
Ay walang amoy…
Kaya halina!
Silaban ang tubig
Ng umagos ang ilog
Patungong Dabaw…
Dahil sa bukid
Uhaw sa ulan ang mga kalabaw…