Standstill…

This blog has been on a standstill for quite a time. Maybe I am having a long bout of blogodrought (imbento ko lang na term). It does not mean though that I have been on a standstill. On the contrary my days have been heavy, my brain and my hands have written so much the past weeks that having time to write or simply taking a peek in this blog has become a luxury.

My 6-month involvement in the recently concluded Sumilao campaign has dragged me from my lazy, inactive and happy-go-lucky ways and shoved me once more smack in the middle of a world of struggling people. It made me realize that i have been emotionally detached from the struggles around me even if I find time to write about these struggles here in my blog.

I am presently involved in the struggle of yet another group of farmers. This time they are just a couple of hundred kilometers from Manila. They have almost the same story as that of the Sumilao farmers, struggling for land that has once been theirs and struggling to pry loose the grasping hands of a greedy company which is using all its powers to snatch from the poor the land that give them sustenance and hope. i amm talking about he farmers of barangays Baha and Talibayog in Calatagan, Batangas.

I met them last December when they joined the Sumilao farmers in the final leg of the latter’s 1,700-km walk from Bukidnon to Manila. I did not get to know them well because my attention was with the farmers from Sumilao. However, a week after I came back from accompanying the victorious Sumilao farmers home, I was drawn into the struggle of the Calatagan farmers. A different group of people, a different case in a different place… but the same struggle – a fight for what is just and what is right, a struggle against institutionalized greed.

This blog may be suffering from a severe drought of updates and posts…. but I am very active in another blog… CALATAGANMARCH.WORDPRESS.COM – a blog about the 300-kilometer odyssey of 55 farmers in search of justice. I invite you to visit that blog. maraming salamat.

SOME BATTLES END IN VICTORY…

YET… THERE ARE STILL SO MANY BATTLES TO FIGHT…

The nomad is signing off once more….

*Photo of Manang Hilda courtesy of Dondi Tawatao

**Photo of the Calatagan March by Reggie Aquino

TAGGED: 12 months

TAGGED by MINE

Here are the rules:

1. Mention the person who tagged you and create a link back to them.
2. Copy-paste the traits for all the twelve months.
3. Pick your month of birth.
4. Highlight the traits that apply to you.
5. Tag 12 people and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving a comment for them.
6. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve done it!

JANUARY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Ambitious and serious. Loves to teach and be taught. Always looking at people’s flaws and weaknesses. Likes to criticize. Hardworking and productive. Smart, neat and organized. Sensitive and has deep thoughts. Knows how to make others happy. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Rather reserved. Highly attentive. Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds. Romantic but has difficulties expressing love. Loves children. Loyal. Has great social abilities yet easily jealous. Very stubborn and money cautious.

FEBRUARY: Abstract thoughts. Loves reality and abstract. Intelligent and clever. Changing personality. Attractive. Sexy. Temperamental. Quiet, shy and humble. Honest and loyal. Determined to reach goals. Loves freedom. Rebellious when restricted. Loves aggressiveness. Too sensitive and easily hurt. Gets angry really easily but does not show it. Dislikes unnecessary things. Loves making friends but rarely shows it. Daring and stubborn. Ambitious. Realizes dreams and hopes. Sharp. Loves entertainment and leisure. Romantic on the inside not outside. Superstitious and ludicrous. Spendthrift. Tries to learn to show emotions.

MARCH: Attractive personality, Sexy, Affectionate. Shy and reserved. Secretive. Naturally honest, generous and sympathetic. Loves peace and serenity. Sensitive to others. Loves to serve others. Easily angered. Trustworthy. Appreciative and returns kindness. Observant and assesses others.Revengeful. Loves to dream and fantasize. Loves traveling. Loves attention. Hasty decisions in choosing partners.Loves home decors. Musically talented. Loves special things. Moody.

APRIL: Active and dynamic. Decisive and hasty but tends to regret. Attractive and affectionate to oneself. Strong mentality. Loves attention. Diplomatic. Consoling, friendly and solves people’s problems. Brave and fearless. Adventurous. Loving and caring. Suave and generous. Emotional. Aggressive. Hasty. Good memory. Moving. Motivates oneself and others. Sickness usually of the head and chest. Sexy in a way that only their lover can see.

MAY: Stubborn and hard-hearted. Strong-willed and highly motivated. Sharp thoughts. Easily angered. Attracts others and loves attention. Deep feelings. Beautiful physically and mentally. Firm Standpoint. Needs no motivation. Easily consoled. Systematic (left brain). Loves to dream. Strong clairvoyance. Understanding. Sickness usually in the ear and neck. Good imagination. Good physical. Weak breathing. Loves literature and the arts. Loves traveling. Dislike being at home. Restless. Not having many children. Hardworking. High spirited. Spendthrift.

JUNE:

Thinks far with vision. Yeah, I have a 20/20 vision and I can see far. Think far? yeah sometimes I do have far-out, outrageous and outlandish ideas.

Easily influenced by kindness. Maybe, because I am seldom under the influence of alcohol.

Polite and soft-spoken. F*ck!!! Ako nga to lintek! may aangal? may kokontra? pak yu!

Having ideas. You just don’t know what kind of ideas I have. Curious? Tara try natin iba kong mga ideas hehehe. No MAlice 😀

Sensitive. Yes! very sensitive in some parts of my anatomy.

Active mind. Yeah, di pa naman ako brain dead 😀

Hesitating, tends to delay. Hesitating? yeah because oftentimes I’m shy. Tends to delay? Yeah ‘coz I like long foreplays hehehe.

Choosy and always wants the best. Sino ba ang ayaw ng the best?

Temperamental. Yeah lagi akong nilalagnat at sinisinat… hay

Funny and humorous. Definitely not me. I’m grim and determined, boring …

Loves to joke. (Refer to answer above)

Good debating skills. Yeah definitely me. Magaling akong mandilat ng kadebate at malakas ang aking boses at mataas ang pitch. Bungangero in other words.

Talkative. Nah! not me, sorry.

Daydreamer. Only when I’m puyat.

Friendly. Ako nga to!

Knows how to make friends. …and enemies too

Able to show character. Ano kaya ibig sabihin nito? I don;t SHOW okey?!?!?!

Easily hurt. …. but I love being spanked hihihi

Prone to getting colds. …and getting hot too!

Loves to dress up. On the contrary I love to undress and get undressed.

Easily bored. …only when I’m talking to myself. Again refer to my answer way up above.

Fussy. Op Kors!!!! I love fussy.

Seldom shows emotions. I’m a foker face

Takes time to recover when hurt. Nah! feel free to spank and bite me again the next round.

Brand conscious. Only when when buying ukay-ukay.

Executive. Oo, kaya dapat may secretary ako.

Stubborn. Yes, I love having stubborn. Nakakakiliti daw sabi nila.

JULY: Fun to be with. Secretive. Difficult to fathom and to be understood. Quiet unless excited or tensed. Takes pride in oneself. Has reputation. Easily consoled. Honest. Concerned about people’s feelings. Tactful. Friendly. Approachable. Emotional temperamental and unpredictable. Moody and easily hurt. Witty and sparkly. Not revengeful. Forgiving but never forgets. Dislikes nonsensical and unnecessary things. Guides others physically and mentally. Sensitive and forms impressions carefully. Caring and loving. Treats others equally. Strong sense of sympathy. Wary and sharp. Judges people through observations. Hardworking. No difficulties in studying. Loves to be alone. Always broods about the past and the old friends. Likes to be quiet. Homely person. Waits for friends. Never looks for friends. Not aggressive unless provoked. Prone to having stomach and dieting problems. Loves to be loved. Easily hurt but takes long to recover.

AUGUST: Loves to joke. Attractive. Suave and caring. Brave and fearless. Firm and has leadership qualities. Knows how to console others. Too generous and egoistic. Takes high pride in oneself. Thirsty for praises. Extraordinary spirit. Easily angered. Angry when provoked. Easily jealous. Observant. Careful and cautious. Thinks quickly. Independent thoughts. Loves to lead and to be led. Loves to dream. Talented in the arts, music and defense. Sensitive but not petty. Poor resistance against illnesses. Learns to relax. Hasty and trusty. Romantic. Loving and caring. Loves to make friends.

SEPTEMBER: Suave and compromising. Careful, cautious and organized. Likes to point out people’s mistakes. Likes to criticize. Stubborn. Quiet but able to talk well. Calm and cool. Kind and sympathetic. Concerned and detailed. Loyal but not always honest. Does work well. Very confident. Sensitive. Good memory. Clever and knowledgeable. Loves to look for information. Must control oneself when criticizing. Able to motivate oneself. Understanding. Fun to be around. Secretive. Loves leisure and traveling. Hardly shows emotions. Tends to bottle up feelings. Very choosy, especially in relationships. Systematic.

OCTOBER: Loves to chat. Loves those who loves them. Loves to take things at the center. Inner and physical beauty. Lies but doesn’t pretend. Gets angry often. Treats friends importantly. Always making friends. Easily hurt but recovers easily. Daydreamer. Opinionated. Does not care of what others think. Emotional. Decisive. Strong clairvoyance. Loves to travel, the arts and literature. Touchy and easily jealous. Concerned. Loves outdoors. Just and fair. Spendthrift. Easily influenced. Easily loses confidence. Loves children.

NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Can become good doctors. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

DECEMBER: Loyal and generous. Sexy. Patriotic. Active in games and interactions. Impatient and hasty. Ambitious. Influential in organizations. Fun to be with. Loves to socialize. Loves praises. Loves attention. Loves to be loved. Honest and trustworthy. Not pretending. Short tempered. Changing personality. Not egotistic. Take high pride in oneself. Hates restrictions. Loves to joke. Good sense of humor. Logical.

Sumagot lang po sa tag at pasensya na kung di ako makapag-tag ng iba. Bow!

Postscript to an Exodus

Exactly a week ago today, the Sumilao farmers made a final push from their camp in Caritas in Pandacan to San Carlos Seminary in Guadalupe, Makati. They brought with them not banners that proclaimed the calls the bore for the last 12 years but calls for other landless farmers who remain struggling for their land. In their final walk in Manila to sign the Memorandum of Agreement with San Miguel Corporation, the Sumilao farmers echoed the cries of their fellow farmers calling for justice.

The walk to San Carlos Seminary was a walk of triumph, the triumph of sacrifice and perseverance, the triumph of solidarity, the triumph of Daviid over the giant Goliath. This walk was the culmination of tens if not hundreds of thousands of steps the Sumilao farmers took to make their plight too scandalous to be ignored. In the end they were triumphant.

San Miguel Corporation said it was their commitment to “corporate social responsibility” that made March 29 possible. Malakanyang claimed that it the Arroyo administration’s commitment to social justice that made March 29 possible. We all know that both SMC anD GMA were pushed to a corner and the MOA signing last March 29 was but a fait accompli for both. The sacrifices of the Sumilao farmers and the rightness and justness of their cause that awakened the hearts of thousands including church people and ordinary citizens left SMC and GMA with no choice but to go for a settlement.

Last Sunday, the Sumilao farmers went home. They made a final walk into the land that they can now call their own. They broke the barb wires that for decades kept them away from their land. The rubicon was crossed. Shouts and tears of joy erupted. Families were reunited. The Sumilao farmers were finally HOME.

I am blessed to have shared their journey.