(l-r: arrival at Silay Airport, Silay Airport, smiles from Bacolod kids, CEGP officers at Love Swing, Outside University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos)
April 18 – I left Manila for Bacolod. It was my first time to ride on an airplane, and my first time to travel alone. It was scary exciting and challenging; Initially, I was supposed to go with the other officers last April 15 but since I still have articles to work on for my OJT, I had to stay for three more days. I arrived at Silay Airport at around 10 am. From the airport I was instructed to take a van going to UNO-R; when I got out of the terminal, I saw couple of vans and lots of people talking and haggling; the ‘maarte’ in me decided to sit a while and patiently wait until the area becomes more peaceful (I really don’t want to get myself into those haggling and talking, besides I don’t understand what they are talking about). So I sit and ordered a coffee in the nearest mini coffee shop. When I’m about to finish my coffee, I noticed the area became really peaceful, strangely peaceful. All the vans, buses, and jeepneys had left already. I approached a manong and asked him where I can get a ride going to UNO-R; he stared at me strangely, and told me, “Ay Neng, dayo ka no? Umalis na lahat ng sasakyan, huli na yung kanina. Mamaya pa ulit silang mga 3 pag dating ng susunod na flight.” I looked at my watch and it says, 10:55. I am to wait until the next van arrives, and it means I’ll have to wait for four hours. “Malay ko ba?!” I told myself. Like as though anyone told me that’s how those vans work.
It’s 11:30. I am dead hungry but I don’t like eating alone in public places. I decided not to eat until manong whom I asked and talked to while ago approached me, “Iha, kumain ka muna, magugutom ka, wag ka mag-alala ihahanap kita ng pwedeng magsabay sayo papuntang UNO-R”, and then he smiled. “Manong, you are heaven sent,” I thought.
So I ate a sandwich and drink one more cup of coffee. I put out my R (reporter’s) notebook and scribbled random thoughts.
For a moment, I felt relaxed and unoccupied. I wasn’t worrying whether or not the van will arrive earlier than 3pm. I am no longer afraid of traveling alone, of commuting alone, of going to some places new to me. I no longer feel awkward eating a sandwich alone. I watch people walked passed by me, people who wait for their loved ones to arrive patiently.
Minutes later, a van stopped in front of me. It was the van that will take me UNO-R. I need not to wait for three more hours. Yehey! I couldn’t thank manong enough for helping me out; I was about to get money from my pocket when he told me, “Naku, wag na iha, Mag-ingat ka na lang! Enjoy ka dito!” again, he smiled. I nodded and gave him a sweet smile.
Now I understand why this place is called the Land of Smiles.
It amazes me how someone could be so willing to help a stranger without asking anything in return. What amazed me more is how God turns a misfortune to a great venue of realization and discovery of greatness.
When I arrived in UNO-R, people are getting ready to join in a protest rally in City Plaza. I put off my bag, get my pen and paper, wore my press id and camera bag and left with them.
It was my first out-of-town coverage. In the protest rally, I saw familiar faces, NUJP officers Nonoy Espina, Rowena Paraan, and Inday Espina. Negros Press Club President Julius Mariveles was also there.
It was a difficult coverage, I must say. All the speakers, except Vijae Alqusola of CEGP, and Rowena Paraan, spoke in the dialect, Hiligaynon. I really had a hard time taking down notes and transcribing interviews. I needed to ask someone from local to interpret all the interviews.
All over the news, local and national
The next day, we were flooded with messages from friends in Manila saying that the protest rally landed on TV Patrol Linggo, and on major broadsheets. So we checked youtube and Inquirer.net and this is what we found:
Journalists mount rally - Inquirer
70th National Student Press Convention - Mambukal Resort, Murcia, Negros Occidental
Hundred plus of guilders from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao participated in this year NSPC. Great lineup of speakers also graced the convention; Dean Rolando Tolentino, Sir Jun Reyes Cruz, CENPEG’s Bobby Tuazon, Sir Mykel Andrada, Pinoy Weekly’s Ilang-Ilang Quijano, Bayan Muna Rep. Satur Ocampo, Gabriela Rep. Liza Maza, Kabataan Rep. Raymund Palatino, Senator Loren Legarda, ABS-CBN’s Atom Araullo to name a few.
It was my second NSPC but my first secretariat experience, and I must say. It was heaven and hell to be part of secretariat. Heaven, because I get to meet and talk to the speakers and be friends with (some of) them. Oops. Did I mention that I get to text Atom Araullo for his plane ticket details? BUT (yes, a big but) being part of secretariat means sleeping late and waking up early (though I’m an epic failure on this), running around the resort and troubleshooting troubles. It was fulfilling though, I must say.
After four days at Murcia, we return to Bacolod for evaluation and assessment. We stayed at Biboy’s for two more days. In those two remaining days, we toured around the city; we had dinner with NPC President Julius Mariveles and his family at their restaurant. On our last day in the city, we had the best food trip (of my life, so far); we went to Calea to eat the best cake in the city and to BongBongs to buy Piaya and other pasalubong. We also bought Napollones (the best!) and went to Manokan Country to have a taste of the authentic “Bacolod Inasal”.
April 27 - We went back to Manila.
I must say, Negros Accidental is indeed the one of the best places here in the country. If given a chance, I won't think twice of going back.
No comments:
Post a Comment