Ambiguity

My hand groped down my pocket for my mobile phone, and it was not there. Argh! I probably left it at home again- memory gap.

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I was on my way to my evening class, I left early that afternoon to avoid rush hour. At about 4:30 pm I’m near Taft Avenue station already. I got off the bus immediately, as soon as it stopped near the station, I’m hoping at that time, it’s not jam-packed again in MRT. Well going up the overhead MRT, the queue is just like “snake road” that leads to heaven. When you get there, you’ll be exposed with a view of people like they’re in cans of sardines (without tomato sauce) in every train. I happened to ride the last coach and I squeezed in and stood at the back hugging my backpack. But every time the sliding doors open passengers start gushing in and only a few is going out, as a result, we’re literally a canned sardines sharing not of tomato sauce but “sweat” sauce.

Usually, I’m testy about being haggard, when I’m pinned in that kind of scenario, I’ll get in the train fresh, I’ll get off the train, wasted. But at that particular point, I had a paradigm shift, my perspective changed, instead of being irritated or annoyed I felt calm and enjoyed the moment being among the ordinary people, wad masses in that coach. Why?

In the news the night before, unabated crude oil price hikes caused the inevitable fare hike and public transport groups are even clamoring for more, the commuting public diverts to railway transports as means of transportation. I felt that I have no right to demand for comfort, if we all in that situation are trying to compress ourselves just all to fit in the couch.

Now we would understand. Just like hapless Filipino students who can’t afford matriculation in private schools because of annual Tuition increase fall back to already heavily crowded public schools whether they like it or yes…or on the other hand, they will opt to drop out. Just like the case of University of the Philippines, the supposedly state college for the Filipino youth especially the financially deprived but deserving, ironically raised 300 percent in matriculation fee, now only 30 percent enrolled among those who took the UPCAT. What does this mean?

In another news, Philippines was said to be likely become a society of skinny people, more likely as the masses struggle daily just to have a square meal a day, because of the high prices of basic commodities, low purchasing power of peso and the rice shortage.

While compressed inside the carriage, I started to contemplate. Coming near in just few weeks, GMA will address the public in her SONA. I wondered what she would say. Will she still exalt with her pronouncements “Ramdam na ramdan na ang kaunlaran”, like what her banners and public ads in radio and TV all over Metro Manila are screaming. And upon uttering those words will the angels sing in heaven, will bands play endlessly or will the people hallucinating in hunger or high in dope will all chorus? “yeah rayt!”

I don’t like to blame Gloria again, nor to point a finger to anyone, I’m tired of doing that, and the problem our country is facing rooted since time immemorial and a lot of leaders have passed her doing nothing as well. (But of course, we can’t deny the plunging trust rate of GMA that commensurate to her performance or legitimacy) But her leadership should be pivotal to our country’s development just like all the opportunities that all our country’s leader s had to elevate our country from extreme poverty.

And in the next two years, we will hear those presidential aspirants again, giving their eloquent speeches, using their best communicator styles to claim the throne of the palace nearby the Ilog Pasig. When will they’re jingle, their body language, their agenda, their style reinforce what they say? Will we still let them delude us, to let them hold our future, to sack us in this wretched plight? (That is, if we will have a 2010 election and if we still have a credible electoral system)

After 30 minutes of travel, I reached Santolan-Annapolis Station, I got off the train, breathe deeply and went ahead. I went up the the ninth floor going to our classroom but when I got there, the door was locked. Wondering why, I went to the school office. I happened to see Sir Paul and asked him, “May klase po ba kami ngayon?” He answered, “wala kayo klase ngayon, ‘di kaba tinext?” smilingly I answered. “naiwan ko po kasi cell phone ko…hehe. Salamat po”.

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“If you tremble indignation at every injustice then you are a comrade of mine”- che guevarra