Isang pagpupugay sa Kulturang Pilipino: Pinoy nga ba si Juan dela Cruz?

"Gud murneng klasmeyts. May neym is Isagani Katigbak.."

Bago pa man matapos ang pagpapakilala ni Isagani, pinatigil na siya ng nakabubulabog na paghalakhak ng kaniyang mga kaklase. Isang hindi maipaliwanag na ngiti na lamang ang iginanti ni Isagani sa kalupitang ito. Minabuti na lang niyang tapusin kaagad ang pagpapakilala at agad na umupo.

Nakakalungot isipin na ang mga 'katutubong' pangalan tulad ng Bayani, Bakoko, Makisig, atbp. ay itinuturing na 'nakakatawa' sa kabila ng katotohanang ang mga bansag na ito ay hindi hango sa kahit anong salitang banyaga. Balikan natin ang ating mga napagaralan sa HEKASI. Dahil sa hindi maintindihan ng mga Kastila ang mga pangalang ginagamit ng mga Pilipino, ipinagutos ni Gobernador-heneral Claveria na palitan ng lahat ng Pilipino ang mga pangalan nila ng mga pangalang Espanyol tulad ng Maria, Rosita, atbp. at mga apelyidong tulad ng dela Cruz, Reyes, atbp. Maging ang ating pambansang bayani ay nakilala sa laniyang 'banyagang pangalan.' Matapos tayo pagsawaan ng mga Kastila, ipinasa nila tayo sa mga Amerikano, na sa pagtuturo nila ng Ingles, ay nagawa nilang impluwensiyahan pa ang ating mga 'pangalan.' Ang Carlos Miguel ay naging Carl Michael, ang Maria Rosita ay naginng Mary Rose. Hindi naman masyadong pinakialaman ng mga Hapon ang ating mga pangalan, pero malinaw sa paningin ng isang totoong anak ng Pilipinas na nawawala na ang pagkaPilipino sa ating mga pangalan.

Matapos tayong makawala sa gapos ng mga dayuhan, nanumbalik ang kalayaan sa pagpili nating mga Pinoy. Maaari na nating ibalik sa dati ang mga bagay na binago ng mga banyagang mananakop. Pero, pinli natin na huwag nang ibalik sa dati kung anuman ang napalitan, katulad ng ating mga pangalan. Marahil nasanay na tayo sa tagal ng ating pagkakasakop, o hindi kaya natutunan nating magustuhan ang mga itinuro sa atin ng mga dayuhang nabanggit. Sa madaling salita, hindi na nakakagulat ang pandidiri natin sa mga 'katutubong' pananalita. Hindi rin naging maganda ang epekto sa atin ng media sa pagtanggap natin sa sariling atin, dahil sa idinidikta nito kung ano ang 'cool' at kung ano ang hindi.

Matapos ang klase, lumabas si Isagani sa kabila ng pagbubulungan ng mga kaklase. Si John Andrew, si Rossanne Lei, si Annika Louisse, si Ichigo Irumi.. Sa kalooblooban ni Isagani, siya ang natatawa, siya ang humahalakhak. Dapat nga lang naman, nag-aaral sila sa isang paaralan sa Pilipinas.


Reference (Sanggunian ba tagalog ng reference? hehe):
Pangalang Pilipino, from the article Ano Ito? by Luciano Uyan as read on Tempo, December 28, 2007

Random Christmas Cheers

Here's to everyone who made 2007 worthwhile.

And here's to the Reason for the season.

Season's greetings.

Innocence Misunderstood

"It was a shock for both of us, so unexpected. I was in complete and total shock and so was he."
-Jamie Lynn Spears on her pregnancy, as read on ishtarpish.blogspot.com

Wow. I'm not sure whether Jamie Lynn Spears is just overpoweringly naive or just plain stupid (forgive the cruelty). If it's the former, I'd suggest to Jamie to read my post Innocence Redefined in my blog archives because quite frankly, she has her goody-two-shoes, cutesy charms all mixed up with the realities of life (read: sex). Any action has its respective consequence(s) and a deed as notorious as premarital sex is no exemption and a dastardly good example. Perhaps Jamie did not know that, which is most definitely her fault if that really is the case. Sure, she's only 16 but we cannot (and must not) let her off the hook just because she's still a kid (considering the fact that we are talking about the little sister of the highly controversial Britney Spears). Whatever she was thinking back then (is Britney her childhood hero? Say it ain't so, Jamie Lynn), I can only hope she has learned her lesson.

That stupidity is a very dangerous and inevitably lethal disease.

Have a Merry Christmas everyone.

My Holiday Wishlist: Yuletide Sentiments

NOTE: Jiraiya's gone. Reading the latest chapter of the Naruto manga is enough motivation for me to post up this highly sentimental entry. Enjoy.

***
Everyone desires presents, even those who have no penchant for material luxuries like myself. For me, the thought alone will make my holiday. Of course, I do have my so-called wishlist to reference at, but it's not your every-Christmas day wishlist we are accustomed to seeing days before the obligatory Christmas party (not sans the equally obligatory exchange gifts). Ladies and gentlebeings, this is more of a 'miss' list.

I miss the good old days when studying was not at all mandatory and the free time was used to bond with friends, not in study groups.

I miss how Francis, Benzon and myself would just hang out in the wee hours of the morning and talk about Gubound among other things.

I miss how us boys would leave the classroom for luch in gleeful unison, then invade the school cafeteria, and how we left the establishment in a controlled chaos only the F4 boys are capable of.

I miss how Patit would just talk endlessly about how her day began and ended, on how her crush gave her the goosepimples and how the world is so unfair to her.

I miss how Vani would cut some pieces of paper, flavor it with her unique flair and scribble 'Gift ko sa'yo!' on them then give it out to her delighted classmates.

I miss Lovely and I for a fact believe that the world would've been a better place had she stayed here in the Philippines.

This list may or may not be finished. Whatever the case, it would be perfect if eveything on this list will be granted. Hey, my Christmas wishlist has no world peace in it so hopefully, they will all come true.

At least for just one December 25. Or 26. Or 27. Or whatever date Vani & Lovely could come up with.

"Chestnuts roasting on an open..OY YUNG SINAING SUNOG NAAA!!!!!!

Wooh! Christmas is getting nearer and nearer, as evidenced by the continuous drop in temperature we all have complained about during our nightly escapades (and Lando & friends did no justice to that, too). The carolers have all made their presence felt (at least in LB by the way..for some reason, no caroling can be heard back at home), the Christmas lights are as bright as ever and the melodious songs of Yuletide lore fill the chilly, Christmassy air. Ahh, Christmas. How I hate it.

Hold on, that can't be right. Did I just say I hate Christmas?

Well, not actually hate. You see, this particular Christmas is particularly err, unnerving for me. To put it simply, this year's Christmas pretty much sums up the life I have lived this year: cold, annoying and expensive (and put more emphasis on expensive!). Yeah, I have a knack for being so pessimistic, but hey, it pays to tell the truth sometimes. Gosh, what an unproductive existence.

Of course, I could always count on the next year for some consolation but the fear that 2008 may end up like the previous years looms. Not good for someone who promises to change now then blows 80% of his weekly allowance on DotA later.

So, what can I do? If I get worse every year, is there any hope for me? My personal answer is something unexpected for a lackluster person like myself: Yes, there is.

One day, we won't be able to sing Auld lang Syne. One day, we won't be able to decorate the Christmas tree. One day, everything will just come to a screeching halt.

While the answers to my questions may not be what I would've hoped, I know my shenanigans would end. They are human needs after all.

And on that day, that very day when I would give up DotA for good, I would change for the better.

And hopefully, Christmas would be what it's supposed to be: warm, fuzzy and selfless (that's expensive in a good way!).

APC stands for Alexander P. Castro

November 29, 2007. The entire nation was again shook up by that one name who never fails to stir up an upheaval, a despearate attempt to unseat President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. Again, Lieutenant Senior Grade Antonio Trillanes gathered his military comrades, marched to another hotel (this time Manila pen), imprisoned himself and his subordiantes in rebellious grandeur and attracted the ire of his fellow countrymen, especially those of the unwary civilians and dedicated (albeit hasty) mediamen who were trapped inside the establishment, forced to referee the battle between the police outside and the military rebels who were just upstairs. And once again, his insurrection against the government ended with the beleaguered senator waving the white flag. Annoyingly enough, he blamed his own countrymen, the same people who voted him to take public office, for his failure saying that they disrespected his endeavors, his actions. Pfft.

And November 29 was suppposed to be "someone's" special day. At least that gargantuan APC did make my day (it rammed itself through Manila Pen's doors for crying out loud).