Heard the word over and over this morning (actually, the wee hours of the morning, mga 2 to 3 am, baga) over radio DZRH as announcer MannyBal invited listeners to give their ten cents’ worth in a discussion on the proposed transfer of province- bound buses to Caloocan or some place further than Cubao in Quezon City where many bus companies plying the provincial route have set up their terminals. They were also asked to provide suggestions to better improve traffic in the streets.
The operation of these buses kasi daw add to the congestion in the very busy traffic activities in the many parts of the city. Most of the fault fell on the bus driver- that is according to one of the listeners who had phoned in- who loads and unloads passengers at wherever he wishes, drives like a maniac and sanay mag- abot ng ‘greasemoney’ sa traffic enforcer na humuhuli.
Ratsada naman nung isang tumawag din-‘ aba, wag natin sisihin ang nagmamaneho, dumidiskarte lang sya. Sa hirap ng buhay ngayon, ginagawan nya ng paraan para maitawid ang kanyang pamilya sa gutom that is why kelangan makarami sya ng pasahero at whatever cost. And so, dahil sa ‘commission’ basis ang kinikita nya, derpor, more pasahero equals bigger komisyon. San ka pa???’
Big NGEK!! That kind of diskarte yata is one big reason why pagkakupad- kupad naman talaga ng progreso ng ating lupang tinubuan. Tawag dyan ay diskarteng may palusot.
Sagot naman nitong medyo more rational (sa aking palagay lang, ha?)- e kung nakakadiskarte pala sya, e bakit di na lang sa mabuti nya gawin yun? Poverty is no excuse to do bad kung na- ingrain (in tagalog, naisalaksak) sa utak ng isang tao ang paggawa ng mabuti at di nakakabwisit ng kapwa.
Tumpak- ‘yan ang daang matuwid. Ask Pnoy. Maganda lang ang diskarte kung mabuti ang resulta in general- tulad ba ng reremedyuhan ni misis ang maliit na budget by preparing ‘baon’ for kids and hubby who go to school/ work every weekday morning, or ang pagbaklas ng fashionistang miss ng isa pa nyang mataas na shoe heel dahil natanggal naman yung una as she was prettily alighting from the mrt coach- naitulak kasi ng madaming estudyanteng nag-uunahang lumabas at humabol sa kanilang mga klase(hwag na kasing rumarampa pag rush hours and for heavens’ sake, wear flats! – baunin mo ang high heels mo sa bag at isuot na lang pagdating sa opisina, ikaw naman!).
Isa namang walang pusong nanay ang dumiskarte sa isang Gulf Air plane on the way to Manila from Bahrain last week. On the way na rin pala ang nanay at kabuwanan pa- akalain nyong nanganak sa loob ng CR ng plane and disposed of her baby, placenta and umbilical cord in the trashbin! Let us not condemn her- e bakit ba hinde? Sabi nga ng very outraged na si Dinky Soliman (head ng DSW)- ‘that was no way to treat an infant!’ I agree. What a lucky boy this newsborn will be- nga pala, ituloy natin ang kwento, nadiskubre nung isang empleyado natin dito sa NAIA ang supot ng basura at nakita si baby-buhay at mabilis na isinugod sa airport clinic – I am very sure that he will have a good life ahead of him. Di pinababayaan ni Lord at ng DSWD ang mga batang naging ganyan ang kapalaran.
As for the nanay, we suspect that she must be an ofw who worked in the middle east and was sent home or just came home because of the pregnancy. Natakot siguro sa condemnation ng pamilya and friends. Hindi naman enough reason yun, Neng. Di mo dapat ginawa yun kay George Francis, ang pangalang ibinigay sa baby by the health personnel who took care of him at the airport.
Each day, we make diskarte to get through the day, para hindi ma delay ang ating skeds, magawan ng paraan ang isang nangangailangan ng emergency measure and therefore smoothen what remains of the day for us.
For many Pinoys here in lupang tinubuan, perhaps the experience of being constantly in need (sa madaling salita, poor) have made people’s diskarte sense very strong- gumagawa ng paraan, ika nga- ke sirang tubo ng tubig na kailangang kumpunihin, di pag- andar ng nineteen kopong- kopong na kotse, aba, ginagawan ng tapal- tapal yan at misteryo naman, gumagana pa rin ulit.
But for it to be successful, diskarte needs to be resorted to only when one is well- informed. Kailangan naman may basic knowledge and background din ang isang taong gagawa nito. Kelangan, aware din ang tao sa repercussions or end result. Sometimes,kapag palliative measures lang ang ginawa,one must remember to do remedies later on para naman maging more permanent ang magandang result- dun sa tubong tinapalan, maybe pag- ipunan ang ipambabayad sa tubero para makumpuni o mapalitan ang problematic na tubo…dun naman sa niremedyuhang vintage na kotse, mano namang palitan mo na yan- road hazard na yan!
Lastly, maganda lang siguro ang diskarte gamitin sa mga bagay bagay at hindi totally sa mas malalaking concerns ng ating buhay- Life will not be worthwhile kung ginagawa nating tapal- tapal lang, nireremedyuhan, yun na nga, dinidiskartehan. These would include siguro ang pagpili ng lifepartner(take note, my daughter Marj!) na magpahang-gang sa ngayon ay sinasabi ngmga olds na ‘hindi kaning isusubo at iluluwa kapag napaso’ , pagpili ng vocation, pag chart ng kabuhayan, etc.
Let’s be prudent with our diskartes.
Taking this opportunity to say I take my hats off two young ladies, friends of my daughter who are successfully hurdling odds for them to reach their dreams for their families, combining diskartes and intelligent decisions and going through all of these cheerfully.. Mami Len V. Reyes is a 30- year old and something mother of three who has just passed the July board exam for nurses. Mamilen of Isabela now sets her sights to a new career as a nurse at the same time she remains a loving wife and mother. She says she owes her sister in SanDiego, Cal. much for she sent her tuition fees and moral support for a couple of years. That’s the Pinoy family!
This other friend, Heidi Ydel of Batanes is much younger,( in her early 20’s), a wisp of a girl (kapayat but kaganda) who has braved the daily throng at Ubelt to finish school. She is now reviewing for the December nursing board exams. Heidi was sent to school through a scholarship from a benefactor in Batanes and stays with a family in San Andres Bukid as she reviews. When not at the East- West Review Center in CMRecto, she gives time to lend a hand to bring and make ‘sundo’ the schoolkids and help with the house chores, her way of saying thanks for the free board.
Life is a series of challenges- It is the same today as it was during my youth. But I think the young has more difficulty facing these concerns nowadays because of the many temptations confronting them-to choose the easier life over the more difficult path.
I know there are thousands of young people like Mamilen and Heidi who would rather be called derisively as ‘squares’, ‘nerds’ even, because of their choice to stick to their books and schoolwork rather than socialize indiscriminately in school. I know that as young people, it would entail sacrifice not be with the ‘in’ crowd.
‘Yaan nyo lang sila and be happy with your choice. The future awaits you.
Thank you, dear Toronto!
