The Brotherhood of the Hog

*written by the Edge

1991. Tacloban, Leyte was the farthest place we’d ever been. But there we were, Filoy, Allan and I for the National Secondary Schools Press Conference. Astray, we were awestruck by its people and history. While the place seemed great, the food sucked. But one nasty lunch unexpectedly etched our memories there (and friendship too) in stone.

After getting our fill with silent fury (we actually heard our esophagus cursing), we callously mixed what was left of our food, water and soda in one bowl (partly out of frustration over the scarcity of a decent meal and partly because of our failure to make a dent on the bounty of pretty delegates before us). Without a sound, our little culinary affair rolled like a wordless script (like a Chaplin act). We stirred our potent brew to a boil like cloaked warlocks on a spell. Only our eyes spoke, our thoughts scattered.

Unmindful of the world and the crowd milling about, one after the other we took a swig of the silly concoction with eyes closed like neophyte wine connoisseurs. With one gulp the world suddenly made no sense. Chaos thumped reason. Dumb and foolish, the mushy blend somehow established a distinct fraternity. Funny, but a pact was sealed. And it wasn’t with blood nor tears.

Andres and his buddies forged their pact by drinking their own blood. Let’s give it to them for being bold and fearless. But we have a stronger stomach to forge ours by chugging hog chow.


(Postscript: Deo was also a delegate but wasn’t with us during that fateful meal. However this writer shall consider him a brother pending his day with the hog bowl.)

sabayang recitation

First year high. Winners for RTPI’s choral recitation competition were being announced. We, students of I-Daffodil weren’t expected to win, being freshmen and all, and I guess we ourselves weren’t expecting to win either. And we didn’t. But we did our best, that’s okay for now. No big deal.

Second year, same competition. A whole year in RTPI under our belt, we went to the choral competition with more confidence, with more conviction to do better than the year before. After reciting “I Am A Filipino”, we were a bit giddy. Hey, we did real well; we might just pull an upset and win this one. “The winner is… II-Rizal”. We won! What could be more “Filipino” than for the Rizal section to win the competition? Against all odds, we did it.

Buoyed by the victory from the previous year, we know we have a very good chance to win back-to-back. Our confidence was strong as the Molave tree, but we didn’t take the competitions lightly. “Not yet, Rizal, not yet. Sleep not in peace: There are a thousand waters to be spanned; There are a thousand mountains to be crossed; There are a thousand crosses to be borne…” we thundered, loud and in unison inside the Eulogio “Amang” Rodriguez Tanghalang Sining (EARTS). And after all was said and done, we, III-gold, were back-to-back champions.

The final year. We can make history with a three-peat at the choral recitation competition. As the top section of the senior class, we were expected to win but the IV-Molave was also good, as with the top section of the junior and sophomore classes. The piece was the poem “Mactan-1521” and that’s what we were feeling, the whole Spanish armada out to get our title. But we won’t lose without a fight. And we didn’t lose.

IV-Nara, back-to-back-to-back, three-peat choral recitation champion!

Yeah, those were good memories. RTPI high school life wouldn’t be complete without talking about those choral competitions. Those were the times that the whole class becomes one. With one goal. But those wins didn’t come easy.

And Philip knows this all too well.

For he was the sculptor who molded the class’ different strong personalities to move in one direction. He was the conductor who weaved his Fantasia-baton that made this orchestra a three-time champion. Yes, he was also the dictator who terrorized us whenever we’re not producing the results he expected of us.

First year, during our practice, out of frustration, he threw a flower vase. Deo was unfortunate enough to be at the wrong place and at the wrong time. He got wet.

Second year, Philip yelled and angrily threw an adobe brick which landed in front of the-still-unfortunate Deo.

Third year, again, out of frustration, Philip hurled a broken chair during a practice at the school rooftop. After a near miss of last year, this time, the chair hit Deo. The projectile wasn’t aimed at Deo and he knew that, it was just that unfortunate for him to be at those exact places.

Fourth year, a pattern was developing. Every year, Philip would get angry with the class and would throw something, anything. And Deo was always in the way of the thrown object. Having this in mind, Deo was then very alert during practices. But Philip, surprisingly, didn’t throw anything that year.

It was hard to be in Philip’s shoes in those times. It was hard to come up with an idea for a winning performance and it was much harder to lead this class in those practices. But he did it.

I don’t know if we, as a class, expressed our gratitude to Philip back then. I don’t know if Philip knew how much we appreciated all his efforts. But then again, it wouldn’t be too late to say thank you now, is it?

Thanks Philip.

---oOo---

Kung may choral recitation sa English, may Sabayang Pagbigkas competition din tuwing Linggo ng Wika.

Unang taon, mga baguhan pa tayo nun, mga virgin pagdating sa mga kompetisyong ganun. Hindi tayo nanalo. Okay lang. May susunod pang taon.

Sekendyir, alam nating kaya nating manalo dahil nagawa natin ito sa choral recitation. Kaya nating mangarap na manalo at talunin ang mga mas matatanda sa atin. Pero, subalit, datapwat, hindi tayo nanalo/ Okay lang yun, we can’t win them all. Give chance to others muna.

Ikatlong taon, ito na ang taon na mananalo tayo sa Sabayang Pagbigkas, sabi natin sa ating mga sarili nun. Nag-ensayo tayong mabuti. Inaabot pa ng gabi sa praktis. No sacrifices, no glory. Yan ang motto natin. At ang nagwagi! Ewan ko, basta hindi tayo. Olats. Shiet! Nadaya tayo! May favoritism. Yan ang mga alibis natin. Maghanda kayong lahat next year.

Fourth year, IV-Narra, the proud, the mighty. Imposibleng mabokya tayo sa Sabayang Pagbigkas. Ibubuhos na ang lahat ng makakayanan. There is no tomorrow dahil huling taon na natin sa RTPI. It’s now or never! And the winner… (drum roll) …

Umuwi tayong talunan nun. Pakers. “Who cares about Sabayang Pagbigkas? Mas prestigious ata ang choral recitation, no? Bleah! La wenta” we silently, bitterly said to ourselves as we bid RTPI goodbye.

high school life / batch 91

*sinulat ito ni Gil, ninakaw ko sa friendster nya hehe

Hay naku kakamiss talaga high school life..more than 10 years na pala nakakalipas.

Pero kahit matagal na panahon na mga nagdaan di ko pa rin malilimutan ang mga pinagsamahan mga adventures and misadventures ng Batch 91.

Sino ba makakalimot sa rivalry ng III-Gold at III- Silver / IV-Narra at IV- Molave? Hindi paawat sa mga oral declamation, Florante At Laura, gaya gaya puto maya contests at kung ano ano pang contests. Buti na lang nananalo kami kahit papano, galing kasing umarte ni Lissete Tica kasama na ang mga Katipuneros sa background. At swerte din kami sa mga dancers namin sa Elvis and James presentation ng III-Gold. Nadala ng sleeveless blouse at may spraynet na buhok..

Naalala ko pa mga grupo at kabarkada kong BRat Boys, notorious sa panonood ng Triple x na betamax pagkatapos magpiknik at uminom ng fanta sa bahay nila Dennis. Nandyan din ang JR GEMS, barkadahan ng Cardona Girls at Binangonan Boys. At syempre ang RAGE compose of Roehl, Alejandro (anak ni mayor), Gil and Eric. With matching RAGE t-shirts at L.A. gear na sapatos pa yan ha habang naglalakad magkasabay sa Mateo Hall.

Namimiss ko din kumain sa Guevarras. Sampung piso pa lang ata ang ulam noon at di pa uso ang fasfood sa Morong, dahil ang pinakamalapit na Jollibee ay sa Edsa Crossing pa.

Wala pang Gloria Resign noon pero may Valdriz Resign naman. Di pa uso cellfone o pager non, kasi kahit PLDT phone bihira kang makakita maliban lang sa bahay nila Giselle Gonzales. Wala pang playstation non pero at least may atari sila Deo Aterado. Wala ding FX non pero may Blue Thunder naman, ang paboritong jeep ng mga estudyante. Wala pang Creepwalk non, pero may Roger Rabbit at Running man na tinuro pa sa kin si Oliver (alagang alaga namin si Puti..)bago mag concert ang NeoColors. Sikat na si Gary Valenciano noon, sikat pa rin hanggang ngayon.

Naalala ko din ang mga girls na pinangarap ko maging kabiyak ng aking buhay, kaso torpe talaga ako non..Crush ko talaga ang mala-anghel na kagandahan ng Vidanes sisters..(Angelica and Gemma, in alphabetical order yan) ..si Gladys Ignacio a.k.a. Goldie,na beauty and brains..at si Maricel Santos ang black beauty ng Teresa na naging ka close ko lang after graduation sa dahil sa isang overnight swimming namin.

Takot ako dati sa mga Officers kasi kailangan ko pang mag side step pag nakakasalubong ko sila. Minsan kahit officer-officeran nagsisidestep din ako. Takot din ako sa grupo nila Stalin, kasi ang lalaki ng kanilang katawan. Kung pwede ngang mag side step din ako sa kanila gagawin ko.

Haay sarap talagang maalala mga nakaraan. Nakakamiss. Lalo na ang mga taong nakasama at naging kaibigan mo. Miss ko na Class President ko, si Janet Alfonso huli kong nakita sa Mcdo Crossing way back 1995 pa ata. Miss ko din mga barkada ko, sila Peggy, Sir Dennis Inocencio, Edzel, and Francis Mangulabnan. Miss ko mga taga Cardona, si Matet, si Rica the crying Lady, si Estacio, si Glad na perslab ko...

Yung ibang kabatchmates ko nakikita ko rin, minsan sa Mrt, minsan sa megamall, minsan sa Karaoke, minsan sa bilihan ng pirated cd, kaso dyahe mag approach kasi nakapustura sila samantalang ako dami dalang gamit. Mga pasalubong sa Lola ko sa Binangonan. Minsan na rin kasi ako umuwi, wala na kasing byaheng bus na San Ildefonso Lines. Mura kasi don.

Musta na lang kila Julian Joseph, future Congressman 1st District of Rizal, sa aking ex si Lyn Santiago,hehehe. Next tym ingat sa paglalakad baka madapa ka. Sa Guy and Pip ng Batch 91 Lia Santiago and Ruel Balbuena, ang mga entreprenuers na Minnie and Eric, at sa mga kabatch ko na taga Baras, Cardona, Teresa, Tanay, Pililla, Morong at Binangonan, hinding hindi ko kayo nakakalimutan, lalong lalo na kung anong petsa ng Piyesta sa inyo!!!! Mag-imbita naman kayo! hehehehe