Here is a notation on ‘pasaway’ I saw, copied and paraphrased from the Internet; thus, all credits belong to the anonymous source.
Originally, the notation said, ‘pasaway’ is not a Tagalog word.
It is a word in Ilongo — one of some 170 regional languages heard in the Philippine archipelago — principally spoken in parts of the Visayas and Mindanao regions.
Through word of mouth and widespread media use, ‘pasaway’ has become part of street lingo in Tagalog-speaking areas, particularly in Metro Manila.
Basically, ‘pasaway’ means (first level) being impish and naughty, (second level) being stubborn or hard-headed, and (third level) being a troublemaker.
First used as a derisive comment, ‘pasaway’ has lately been accepted as a light-hearted joke, to mean an attention getter or KSP (Kulang sa Pansin); or one who has the habit of doing naughty things.
*****
Mga pasaway ang mainit na topic of discussion ng mga young once sa fastfood corner ng mall.
“Nuong araw, naging pasaway din naman tayo, ah. May diperensya ba sa pasaway nuon at ngayon?”
“Kasi nuon, medyo ‘refined at GMRC-trained’ tayo, yung takot saktan si Bathala at ang puwit natin.”
“Really? Ang mga pasaway ay biktima na rin ng mental illness? Aba’y back in the day, kung may topak ang tao at laging nawawala sa sarili, simple lang ang lunas — sa loob ng Mandaluyong.”
“Pards, balita namin, uuwi ka ng Pilipinas.”
“‘Di ba ang katangahan ay uri ng breakdown sa pag-iisip? May gamot na ba sa mga tangang pasaway?”
“Bro, subukan mo ang exorcism. Bayaran mo lang ang gagawa, at baka ma re-possess ka.”
*****
Marami pang tanong at sagot, pasaway at hindi, ang umagos at nag-criss cross sa nananatiling malinis na mesa; at ni isang patak ng kape, walang pinalampas sa kani-kanilang labi ang mga nanghihinayang na mga discussants.
Tulad ng dati, nakatunganga na naman ang mga oldies sa pader ng mall, nagbabaka-sakali na mauntog at magising sa katotohanang nakabulatlat sa kanilang harapan.
From out of the blue, stand up ang lolong sosyal at nag-recommend: “Para sa mga pasaway na medyo nag-rise to the next level, mag-fundraising tayo … Pasayaw ng Pasaway.”
“Oo nga, ano? Naisip mo pa ang line dancing? Mag-isa ka!”
*****
“Ayaw away? Huwag maging pasaway!”
Hay, naku naman! Pero dumarami yata ang mga pasaway sa paligid.
Kailan kaya sila magpa-pass away?
*****
A peer always wondered why he, believing he also had leadership potential, could not get higher than the secretary and PRO posts after polls of countless groups and organizations he was a member of.
Except for one, maybe.
During the election for organization president, someone nominated him to the position. Another seconded the nomination. No objection. A third moved to close the nomination process. A fourth seconded the last motion. No objection.
When he was proclaimed president-elect, he was still snoring.
*****
The way everyone laughed out loud, he really would have a hard time getting up.
Yes nga naman. Ang mahilig matulog sa pansitan, nakapikit.
*****
But the tall tale did not end there.
On waking up and learning he reached the top, he fell into a coma and slept on the job all year through.
This kind of reminds me of Washington Irving’s Rip Van Winkle and Charles Perrault’s Sleeping Beauty who both might have asked, when they finally winked an eye or two after a long and deep slumber: “What did I miss?”
Ayayay! Kung pasaway ang pagboto, pasaway din ang ibinoto.
*****
The political and social drama and dilemma enveloping the Ontario Progressive Conservative (PC) party appears to be heading further than the recent proclamation of Doug Ford — a former Toronto councillor and brother of former Toronto mayor Rob Ford — as the party’s new leader.
Ford, the first to make known his intent to replace resigned PC leader Patrick Brown, is seen to challenge the leadership of Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne during the provincial polls on June 7.
But the PCs would have to clean and clear all the mess that have tainted the brand — the latest being the complaints of serious poll process irregularities raised by Christine Elliott, runner-up to Ford — before they could even launch a campaign of unity and strength against Wynne of the Liberals and Andrea Horwath of the New Democrats.
While the clock ticked, PC candidates would have to prove to and convince the fold and Ontario voters that they indeed have regained the integrity — in mind, body and spirit — that could in form and substance make them contenders in the provincial elections.
Sleeping and slipping on the job never helped.
*****
What’s up between the United Nations (UN) and the Philippine government? No love lost?
Just recently, UN high commissioner for human rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein suggested that Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte “submit himself to some sort of psychiatric examination.”
Media reports noted that Al Hussein’s comment came after the Philippine justice department filed before a Manila court a petition that would brand over 600 people as rebels for “using acts of terror.”
Listed in the “rebel” categorization were Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, UN special rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder José Maria Sison and 18 CPP leaders and four former priests.
The UN implied that the petition was an act of retaliation on Tauli-Corpuz, a staunch critic of government attacks on and killings of indigenous Lumad people.
Al Hussein added: “These attacks (on UN personnel) cannot go unanswered … the UN human rights council must take a position.”
In a statement, the Netherlands-based Sison said Duterte was launching an anti-communist witchhunt “to silence his critics and opposition to his cruel and corrupt regime, and in order to realise completely his fascist dictatorship”.
“It is Duterte who is truly the No 1 terrorist in the Philippines,” Sison said.
As the song goes: What now, my love?
*****
Walang katapusan na yata ang parada ng mga pasaway.
Kailan kaya sila magpa-pass away? #####
