Panitikang Pinoy: Ang Hayop na Iyon

Sanaysay ni Francisco D. Abalos

Nagising ako sa mahimbing na pagkakatulog, isang tanghaling ako’y nagpapahinga, nang maramdaman kong may sumigid sa likod ng tainga kong kanan. Ang sigid na iyon na makalawang inulit ay totoong matindi. Sa una’y pumihit lamang ako sa pagkakahiga at nagtangkang ipagpatuloy ang aking pagtulog. Nguni’t sa ikalawa’y hindi na ako nakatiis. Idinilat ang namimigat na talukap ng aking mga mata na di pa nasisiyahan sa mahabang pagkakapikit, at ako’y nakiramdam.

Ang sigid ay naramdaman kong muli na lalong masidhi kaysa una na aking ikinapangawi nang bahagya. Mabilis na kumilos ang namamanhid kong kanang kamay at kinapa sa likod ng aking tainga ang nanigid na iyon. Sa kabutihang-palad ay natuunan ng daliri kong panggitna, at pinagtulungang kunin ng aking hinlalaki at hintuturo; saka siniyasat ng nangungutitap kong paningin. Isang munting kulisap na pula ang aking namasdan.

Ang munting kulisap na iyon ay kasinlaki ng malaking butil ng palay, at binubuo ng tatlong pangunahing bahagi. Ang una’y bilog na bilog at siyang pinakamalaki sa tatlo; ang ikalawa na siyang katawan ay haba, payat, at siyang pinakamaliit na bahagi naman; at ang hulihan ay hugis-puso at halos kasinlaki rin ng una.

Ang una, na siyang ulo ay walang tigil sa kagagalaw. Ang dalawang tila pangil na siyang pinaka-bibig ay tumitikom-bumuka, at nagpapakilalang ang munting kulisap na iyon ay galit. Ang dalawang tila balbas na marahil ay siyang pang-amoy o pandamdam, ay wala ring tigil at nagpapahiwatig na siya’y nag-iisip ng paraang makawala sa aking mga daliri. Ang hulihang hugis-puso ay nakaugnay sa katawan sa pamamagitan ng baywang na manipis pa kaysa kanyang liig. Nakapagtatakang ang munting kulisap na iyon ay nakakaya ng kaniyang anim na pang maliliit pa kaysa pinakamaliit na balahibo ng aking ilong. Ang kulisap na iyo’y siyang malimit maminsala sa akin; namumugad sa aking mga damit at aklat; namamahay sa suluk-sulok ng aking tahanan. Siya ang kulisap na nanigid sa likod ng aking tainga. Pinagmasdan ko muna siya sa kanyang pagpupumiglas. Pagkatapos...

“Walang-hiya ka, ha,”-- ang paungol kong wika. “Wala kang pinatatawad na lugar; walang kinaaalang-alanganan kahit sino; walang pinipiling panahon. Pati katahimikan ng isang taong nahihimbing sa kaniyang pagtulog ay iyong ginagambala. Pangahas at walang takot. Sa iyong kapangahasan ay naputol tuloy ang aking panaginip sa bahagi pa namang kapana-panabik at nakasisiya. Saan ko pa hahabulin ang panaginip na iyon? Mabuti kung iyo’y magbalik pang muli! Dahil sa ginawa mong iya’y dudurugin kita!”

Selfless Generosity

"You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want" - Zig Ziglar

I might ask you: what is really our purpose here on Earth? Perhaps, some of you will answer these: to live life as it is and have fun with my girls and with my friends; to marry a beautiful girl; to finish my studies and have a great job; to have a happy family; etc. But looking deeply and putting yourself to the moment where you want to be-- are you happy?; are you satisfied?

Jesus Christ Himself died in the cross just to save us from our sins.
Did He do this in order to be famous? Try to think.

I could say that God created us in order to share his love and happiness. But what is really happiness? Perhaps, you will say that happiness is finding the right person as my life-long partner. And probably some of you will say that happiness comes from achieving our dreams-- dreams of becoming a successful lawyer, a celebrated actor, a famous billionaire, etc. But true happiness is not meant that way. If your perception of happiness comes from your desires of material and worldly things-- that's not true happiness but selfish cravings of the ego that will provide you nothing but meaningless life.

I believe that happiness comes from sharing true love to others. What does it mean? Well, true love is totally giving yourself to God and to others without any thoughts of receiving something in return. You want to court a girl because you love her as she is and you want her to be your life-long partner. You try your best to make her feel that you are the right person for her; and to make her trust that you will be a good husband for her. Dile nimo panguyaban ang babaye kay gusto lang ka makig-sex niya. You try your best nga ma-inlove ang babaye nimo para ihatag niya tanan apil ang iyang lawas. You provide her with chocolates, flowers, romantic quotes, pakitang-tao nga buotan kayo ka. Kung nakuha na nimo ang babaye. Wala na. You leave her and that's it. That's never love but selfish motive. And do you think maayo na kaayo ka? Macho na kaayo ka? Lipay na kaayo ka kay laki najud ka? Lipay na kaayo ka kay naka-experience naka anang butanga? Well, wa ka kabawo nga nasunog na diay imong kalag sa impyerno.

Panitikang Pinoy: Mula sa isang Kubo

ni Teo S. Baylen

Diyos, loobin Mong ang palad ko’t bisig

Ay maging lipakin sa linang ng bukid,

Nang upang mabuhay na walang ligalig---

Kami, na sa iyo ay may pananalig.

Ang aking kabiyak ay gawing lagi na,

Na tulad ng isang umagang maaya;

Ilayo Mo kami sa dayang ligaya,

Nang hindi mansag ang aming panata!

Mata ko’y ipinid nang hindi silawin

Ng pilak na hindi sa pawis ko galing;

Sa karalitaa’y natutuhan namin

Sagana ang buhay kung Ikaw’y kapiling!

Ang pulubing masok sa hapay kong kubo,

Sa sampinggang kanin nawa’y mapasalo;

Mabusog ang isang dukhang napatao

Ay kaligayahan niyang sumaklolo!

Ilayo Mo ako sa mga alitan,

Mahigang kasiping ay katahimikan;

Matulog na walang banta’t agam-agam

At walang patalim na kipkip sa unan!

Liwanagan Mo po ang hungkag kong diwa,

Nang di pamugaran ng imbing akala;

Totoo’t sa buti ang puso’y may nasa,

Nguni, ang katawa’y marupok na lupa!

Panitikang Pinoy: Batas ng Diyos

ni Florante

Diyos --- kawangis mo, nguni, di ka Diyos,

talos mong di lahat... iyong natatalos;

pakatalastasin

at dapat alamin ---

alabok ka lamang, kaya’t sa alabok...

magpakatampok ma’y diyan ka lang tampok.

Hubad kang sa lupa’y sumulpot na hubad,

ganap na hubo ka’t kahubarang ganap;

dapat mong mabatid,

dito sa daigdig...

likas na dahop ka, sa hina ay likas,

kaya’t lumipad ma’y di makalilipad.

Nilikha ka --- hindi upang sa Lumikha,

gumawa’t lampas an ang Kanyang ginawa;

makahapo’t ngayon

at habang panahon,

ang sumpa ng langit ay batas na sumpa

ang masamang pita ay mapapasama....!

Ang kaiyuhan mo’y tanging kaiyuhan,

kinapal sa iyo ng Poong Maykapal;

kahi pa ang mundo,

maging iyung-iyo...

ang kaalaman mo’y isang kaalaman

na sa takdang guhit ay may katakdaan.

Abutin mang pilit, di mo maaabot,

taluktok ng nasang lampas sa taluktok;

anupa’t alamin,

pakatalastasin...

alabok ka lamang at taong alabok,

kaya’t dumiyos ka sa tunay mong Diyos!

Panitikang Pinoy: G. Daigdig

ni  Consolacion P. Conde

Nagpapakilala: Ako ay si Atlag,

ang pasan-pasan ko’y ang mundong mabigat;

ang mga litid ko ay banat na banat

at ang kalamnan ko ay sakdal ng tigas.

Noong una, ako’y naroon sa linang,

kasa-kasama ko’y ang aking kalabaw;

sa magha-maghapon --- aking binubungkal

ang basal na lupang dati ay tiwangwang.

Noong minsan naman, hawak ko’y asarol,

aking tinitibag ang bundok at burol;

ang mina ng ginto’y aking kinukulkol,

ang yaman ng bansa’y siyang tinitimbon.

May isang panahong nagpanday rin ako,

ang  bakal sa bakal ang ibinabayo;

habang natilamsik ang apoy sa hurno,

kumikitid naman itong buong mundo.

Tao lamang akong nilikha ng Diyos,

kinakain: gulay, bungangkahoy, itlog;

ang iniinom ko ay tubig ng niyog,

kaya’t akong ito ay ubod ng lusog.

Sa araw: paggawa... sa gabi: pahinga...

ganyan ang buhay kong manigo’t Masaya;

katawan: malakas; isipan: masigla;

kaya malusog din pati kaluluwa.

Sa mga ugat ko ang masasalamin,

talaytay ng dugong sagansanan mandin;

kaya’t ang kilos ko’y maliksi’t masiging,

ang balintataw ko: may kislap! may ningning!

Bisig ko ay maso, pandayan ang dibdib,

buto ko’y matibay, laman ko ay siksik;

ako ang sa mundo’y siyang nagtitindig,

ang tawag sa akin --- Ginoong Daigdig!

Panitikang Pinoy: Alpha at Omega

Photo owned by www.esciencelog.com

ni Orlando C. Rodriguez

ang ating daigdig ay nagtutulakan

habang ang liwanag

at saka ang dilim ay nag-iikutan;

hindi mo mayapos ang aking liwayway,

hindi ko mayakap

kahit na ang buntot ng iyong karimlan.

ako ay tulog pa kung ikaw’y magising,

kung magbangon naman

ang aking umaga ikaw’y nahihimbing;

hindi ko mahagkan ang pangit mong dilim,

natatakot ikaw

na madampulayan ng aking luningning.

ang kanitang palad ay lubhang baligho---

tila puno’t dulo

ng isang hiwagang hindi magkatagpo;

magkalapit tayo nguni’t magkalayo---

ang iyong anino

sa aking liwanag ay di magkaanyo!

hindi magkasugpong ang kanilang landas,

gayong kasunod lang

ng takipsilim ko ang iyon magdamag.

(kurus ang hawak ko, ang tangan mo’y tabak

sa pag-aagawan

sa isang daigdig na saklot ng sindak!)

In History and Biography: Jose Rizal is in Love with Books

Since early childhood, Jose Rizal already loved books. His mother, Doña Teodora Alonzo taught him how to read a material in Spanish language and developed his mind and artistic talents by telling him wonderful and colourful stories and poems. Furthermore, his Tio Gregorio, a book lover, intensified his reading of good books.

The favourite pastime of Rizal during his stay in Madrid was reading. Instead of gambling and flirting with women as many young Filipinos did in the Spanish metropolis, he stayed home and read voraciously until midnight.

I can relate Rizal’s love on books to my passion. Since my high school days, I was drawn to insightful books and magazines. Unfortunately, this passion of mine was not developed early enough because our school’s library back then is poorly-equipped. There are only few books and most of them are outdated but I managed to gain insights from them.

By the time I went to the University of San Jose-Recoletos (USJ-R) in Cebu City to pursue my college studies, I was very much excited when I found out that the institution has a very fascinating library. The size of our library in high school is only one percent of the library of this University. I was amazed by the myriad of new and insightful books displayed in the book shelves. Furthermore, the facility has a huge space so that it can accommodate lots of students.

   

What made Jose Rizal the Great Hero of the Philippines? (Reminiscing the Childhood Days of Rizal and the Influences that Foster his Whole Personality)

By: Frances O. Ponce

“I was born in Kalamba on the 19th of June 1861 between eleven and twelve o’clock at night, a few days before the full of the moon.”

A portrait of Dr. Jose P. Rizal
photo credits to moralheroes.org

The above line was written by Jose Rizal himself reminiscing his childhood memories in his beloved hometown, Calamba. Jose Rizal, like many Filipino boys, had many beautiful memories during his childhood days. His was a happy home, filled with parental affection, imbued with family joys, and sanctified by prayers. In the midst of such peaceful, refined, God-loving family, he spent the early years of his childhood. The beauties of Calamba impressed him as a growing child and deeply influenced his mind and character. The happiest period of his life was truly his childhood days in his natal town.

Looking at the life story of our greatest hero, we can see that Jose Rizal was indeed the “chosen one and the most unique among all.” He grew up in a place and in an environment full of unique influences. Those influences made him a great hero of the Philippines. Among these factors that influenced him are the Hereditary Influence, Environmental Influence, and the Aid of Divine Providence. The ancestry of Rizal was a mixture of different races and cultures. Among these are Malayan, Chinese, Spanish, Negrito, Indonesian, and even Japanese.

From his Malayan ancestors, Rizal inherited his passionate love for freedom and his serenity of life’s outlook.  We can see this from the very nature of Jose Rizal. Although, he was a frail, sickly, and undersized child, Rizal’s mind was instilled with deep convictions. He was an introvert by nature and he loves meditating and sightseeing with the great beauties of our Mother Earth. His love for the nature can be recounted during his boyhood memoirs: Rizal, at the age of three, watched from his garden cottage, the caliauan, the maya, the maria capra, the martin, the pipit, and other birds and listened “with wonder and joy” to their twilight songs; the happy moonlit nights at the azotea after the nightly Rosary; the many stories about the fairies, tales of buried treasure and trees blooming with diamonds, and other fabulous stories that the aya related to the Rizal children (including Jose); the nocturnal walk in the moonlight by the river, where the trees cast grotesque shadows on the bank.