Anag

An Anthology of Poetry and Prose on Peace

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ANAGNORISIS

Published by the Generation Peace Youth Network (GenPeace)
In partnership with
the UNDP – Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding Programme (UNDP-CPPB)

Copyright ©2011 All rights reserved.
Generation Peace Youth Network

The reproduction and distribution of the contents of this book are welcome provided that
due acknowledgement is given to the contributors, editors and the publisher. You may not use
this work for commercial purposes. The reproduction and distribution should not occur without
the consent of GenPeace. Inquiries should be addressed to:

Generation Peace Youth Network (GenPeace)
c/o Gaston Z. Ortigas Peace Institute
2nd Floor Hoffner Building, Social Development Complex
Ateneo de Manila University,
Loyola Heights, Quezon City 1108
Telephone: (+632) 4266122 Fax: (+632) 4266064

Editorial Committee:
Nikki Delfin, Beverly Orozco

Cover Design: Nikki Al Ben Delfin
Cover Artist: Emil Aldrine Alarcon, Obra ng Kapayapaan in Acrylic
Layout: Beverly Orozco

Printed at Quezon City, Philippines

The views expressed herein are those of the authors themselves and do not necessarily
reflect the views of GenPeace, UNDP and GZOPI.


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vi


ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

A nagnorisis would not have been possible without the support of
the different organizations and individuals that contributed to this
project.

First of all, we would like to thank all the youth contributors that shared
their creative reflections of peace with us. Thank you for your poems,
photographs, illustrations, short stories, and essays. We also thank the
person who sent us a song, which sadly could not be published in an
anthology of poetry and prose but was surely inspiring.

Many thanks to the stressed out but still youthful Management Committee
of GenPeace, as well as the Selection Committee, for the inputs that
shaped the final output of the book. We also thank all the GenPeace
members, partner organizations, schools, communities and individuals who
helped in disseminating the call for entries and all the related information
about this publication.

We express our heartfelt gratitude to Sulong CARHRIHL Youth, Youth
Solidarity for Peace, PAZ, PNU UNESCO Club, UNYAP, UST, Akbayan
Youth, PUP, EARIST, WMSU, St. Alexis College General Santos City,
JPICC - AMRSP, St. Scholastica’s Academy, Canossa College, Blue Screen
Entertainment, Asia United Bank, Ateneo de Manila University, Miriam
College, Center for Peace Education, UNYPAD, Mindanao Solidarity
Network, FEU, Peace Day Pilipinas Preparatory Committee, International
Alert and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process.
We give thanks to the unsung heroes, and the forgotten and unamed
advocates for peace.

We also thank the National Secretariat of GenPeace, the Gaston Z. Ortigas
Peace Institute, for encouraging youth involvement in peace initiatives and
providing logistical and technical support for this publication.

This publication has been financially supported by the United Nations
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ANAGNORISIS

Development Programme, under its Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding
Program. We thank CPPB for their generous support for this undertaking.

Lastly, we humbly acknowledge all the youth experiencing structural
violence and those in conflict-affected communities. You are both our
inspiration for our peace work, and the reason why we need peace,
now.

Nikki Delfin
Beverly Orozco
Editorial Committee

ii


TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT i

TABLE OF CONTENTS iii

INTRODUCTION v

DISCOVERY (Pagtuklas at Pagkamulat) 1

War - Jay Boy Evano 5
Bakit at Bakit - Allan C. Lumawig 5
I Cannot Sleep - Aubrey Graze V. Pareja 6
Ang Karahasan at Kapayapaan
sa Puso si Noel - John Marc B. Estoque 7
Out on the Road - Christelle Rosales 19
Karapatan ng Kabataan - Purma 22
Warrior of the Dark - Jude Ortega 22
Karanasan ng Ating Mga Katutubo - Cristina Maano 24
Langit, lupa, Impyerno - Ian Villanueva 28
Enigmatic - Debbie Diane Go 29
The Young Drive for the Peace - Noelle Marie R. Salvan 33
You Want a Peace of Me? - Paul Chester G. Alcantara 36
Shaping the City of My Dream - Aldrin B. Abdurahim 39
Untitled - From a student of St. Scholastica 42
A Child - Kat Carranza 44
Disillusioned - Jobelle Marie A. Jocson 44
Pag-Asa - LeLouch/Baral 45
Be An Instrument - Lamie Bagutsay 45
Hamon sa Kapwa Ko Kabataan - Leandro Perez 45
Civil Disobedience - Anonymous 46
Youth - Anonymous 46
Kapayapaan, para Kanino nga ba
Nakalaan? - Stephanie Castillo 47
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ANAGNORISIS

DREAM (Paniniwala at Pangarap) 49

Wala Nga Bang Kapayapaan - Marielle Trinidad 53
Kapayapaan Makakamit Pa Ba? Junrey Ferenal 54
A Different Face of Peace - Deanne Bianca Roque 57
Hostage - Mara Melanie D. Perez 59
Gunshot - Krizzia Dale A. Villaflor 61
Shooting Stars and Wars - April Anne Dizon 65
Kalapati - Den 66
There Is No War in Ba Sing Se - Louis Mark N. Plaza 66
Kabataan - Chiz 67
Gumising Ka - LeLouch/Baral 68
Pandama sa Mindanao - Debbie Cabanag 68
Tahimik na Komunidad - Aidner de la Torre 69
Ang Kabundukan - Anonymous 70
Pangandoy ko’ng Kalinaw - Bong Fabe 71
Kaming mga Tribo - Dike Tribal Elementary School 72
Katutubo - Chaybell de Leon 72
Unang Tao sa Mundo - Marjorie Maano 73
Mangyan sa Mindoro - Juanito Diado 75
Am I Awake? - Eireen Ena Beleno 76
Ikaw, Ako at ang HR - Milven O. Estrada 77
Karapatang Pantao - LIG’s 77
An Waraynon na Kabataan - Moi 78
Twenty Years From Now - Arianna Cariaga 78
The Declaration Between - Angelito Veloso 79
Babae - Anonymous 80
Journey of a Woman - Cherie 81
The Essence of Peace - Ferlyn Antiquina 81
Kapayapaan - Anonymous 82
Karapatang Pantao - Genalyn Villaluz 82
Karapatan ng Bawat Mamamayang Pilipino - Santos 83
Nagliliyab na Pangarap - Anonymous 83
“Kay Inang Bayan” - John Marc Benavidez Estoque 84

ANNEXES 89
Annex 1: List of Poem, Essay and
Short Story Contributors 89
Annex 2. List of Photo Contributors 90
Annex 3: List of Artwork Contributors 91
About Generation Peace 93
iv


INTRODUCTION

Anagnorisis (pronounced ænəɡnɒrɨsɨs/; Ancient Greek:
ἀναγνώρισις) is a moment in a play or other work when a character
makes a critical discovery. Anagnorisis originally meant recognition in
its Greek context, not only of a person but also of what that person
stood for. It was the hero’s sudden awareness of a real situation, the
realisation of things as they stood (Wikipedia, 2011).

Anagnorisis is a creative expression of the young generation’s take on
peace. It is a collection of poems, essays, short stories, artworks and
photographs that present the converging and diverging perspectives
of the youth on the notion of peace. While defining peace itself is not
addressed in this anthology, we start of with an assumption that it is to
be defined both individually, as reflected on the different literary and
artistic pieces, and collectively as the Filipino youth trying to navigate
the 21st century with age-old internal armed conflicts. Defining, believing
and working for peace have both its individualistic and collective roots.
How do the young generation make sense of peace? It is this idea that the
images and imageries in this publication explore.

“All the world’s a stage and all the men and women merely players,“
according to Shakespeare, V for Vendetta and also Gary Oldman’s
Nokia ad. Anagnorisis, then, is the moment of critical discovery, the “Aha!”
moment of the protagonist. We believe that you dear reader, like the
courageous contributors of this publication, are a protagonist for peace.
Discovering and dreaming are important processes and the youth’s
discovery of peace is as crucial as his or her contribution to spreading it.

Wikipedia (2011). “Anagnorisis” retrieved, January 16, 2011, from <http://en.wikipedia.
org/wiki/Anagnorisis>
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ANAGNORISIS

Anagnorisis is arranged into two main sub-themes: Discovery: Pagtuklas at
Pagkamulat and Dream: Paniniwala at Pangarap. Discovery delves into the
youth’s realizations from the self to the society. Afterall, everything that
is personal is also political, and everything can be subsumed under the
larger definition of peace. Dream expresses the youth’s frustrations and
aspirations for peace after his or her stage of discovery. Under Dream,
human rights, environment and gender empowerment are just some of the
prominent ideas. The two sub-themes do not in any way end in discovery
and dreaming but continue to journey through you. If our collective destiny
is a just and lasting peace, what will you do to deliver?

This publication is a project of GenPeace, a national network of
organizations and individuals engaged in peace advocacy. The ideas
in the publication come from the students, communities, organizational
partners and members of Generation Peace Youth Network across the
country. May the ideas here inspire you in your own anagnorisis and in
building a more just and humane society.

We beseech you: discover and dream peace, dangerously!

Editors

vi


Pagtuklas at Pagkamulat
DISCOVERY

Candlelight Enlightenment for a Peaceful Generation
1
by Dick Jay Bustamante
Youth Solidarity for Peace-Peace Advocates Zamboanga


Pagtuklas at Pagkamulat
DISCOVERY

T his section explores the youth’s realizations on peace. The literary
pieces take you on the young generation’s road to discovery from
the subtle breakout of hostility in War which opens up to different
tributaries of themes such as in a young person’s definitive moment of
reflection on peace in Bakit at Bakit and Out on the Road, to the stirring
within the soul, psychosomatically attacking as sleeplessness in I Cannot
Sleep. One can but fathom peace not merely in its abstraction but in how
it is deeply felt and experienced, and for a young person’s coming-of-
age story in Ang Karahasan at Kapayapaan sa Puso ni Noel, love (or the
internal violent struggle with it) becomes the perfect catalyst in exploring
and defining peace.

Although all the contributors are youth, the tug-of-war of their different
perspectives and contexts are indispensable in their personal discoveries.
This divergence and convergence is somberly juxtaposed in the
uncertainty of riding public transportation in an Untitled Reflection from
a St. Scholastica student to the frugal but indisputable piece Karapatan
ng Kabataan by a young Mangyan. In Disillusioned, it is apparent that the
youth also harbor the cynicism and jadedness of the old and experienced,
but it remains a youthful trait to hope for something better and believe in
transforming reality as perceived in Pag-asa, Be an Instrument, and the
finality of the youth’s claim to peace in Kapayapaan, Para Kanino nga ba
Nakalaan?

The youth’s discovery of peace also navigates on the numerous levels
of the concentric circles—from self to family to community and society.
This self-discovery then progresses to one’s exploration of structures and
current social realities. We implore the young ones to record new personal
and social peace narratives, and we invite the ‘young once’ to remember
their self-discoveries on peace.

3


WAR
Jay Boy Evano

Suns
Moons
Slithering like a plague
From a craving nowhere
No one can find

Quivering –
In the bleeding horizon;
An ocean of fear.
A clash of titans
There is effort
To retain luminance
In open exhaustion
But look, stars…
Now, WHAT?

BAKIT AT BAKIT
Allan C. Lumawig

Katahimikan at kaguluhan
Kalungkutan at kasiyahan
Simula at katapusan
May panahon para sa lahat

May isinisilang at namamatay
May pagsikat ang araw at dilim ng gabi
May katanungan at kasagutan
Na tila ba’y paulit ulit lang

Hanggang kailan at saan
Ano nga ba at bakit
Mga tanong na napapanahon at paulit ulit
Hahayaan mo bang lumipas lang

Panatag ka na ba?
Hinahanap mo pa ba?
Ikaw at ikaw rin ang dahilan at kasagutan
5

ANAGNORISIS

I CANNOT SLEEP
Aubrey Graze V. Pareja

between me and my bed of concrete
is a pile of cardboard
to thin to lessen the cold.

between me and the rest of the world
are sheets of yesterdays’ paper
thrown out carelessly into the sidewalk,
too thin to be considered a blanket
but since I have nothing else,
these will do.

between me and my sleep
is a wall of noise i could not break
blaring of horns from busses,
curses of people who do not know
how privileged they are
that at the end of the night
they have narrow beds to rest on.

between me and waking up
is an uncertainty
that I will not be stepped on,
that I will not wake up broken
from the horrors of the night.

while half of the world slumbers
and the rest move about unceasingly,
i close my eyes and tried to drown
all that is between me and some little rest--
before I wake up to the horrors of the day
and once again (like the countless times before)
fight to make it through, but--

i cannot sleep.

6


ANG KARAHASAN AT KAPAYAPAAN
SA PUSO NI NOEL
John Marc B. Estoque

Kay dilim ng buong kalangitan. Ang aninag ng mapayapang b’wan ay
ano’t nagkukubli sa likod ng kadiliman ng buong kalawakan. At ang
mga tala... ang mga tala na sana’y makapagbibigay ng tanglaw sa
kaluluwang naliligaw, sa pusong nanlulumo, sa damdaming ano’t bihag
ng labis na panghihinayang... ay ano’t natatakpan ng pulutong ng mga
ulap na wari’y saksi sa damdaming yao’t pinagtaksilan ng kanyang sarili,
pinagtaksilan ng kanyang sariling sama ng loob. Ang gabing yao’y ano’t
isang gabi ng nagtatagong liwanag, nagtatagong kapayapaan... isang
mapanglaw na gabi na ni mga tala sa kalangita’y hindi mo na masilayan
ng tanglaw sa magulo’t mabagsik na alapaap!

Kay bagsik din ng hanging nagbabadya ng isang masungit na panahon.
Sa paligid na ang malalakas na ulan ay tila nagwawala sa lilim ng
kalituhan ng gabi. Ulan, na tila alam mong lumuluha’t naglalabas rin
ng sama ng loob! Ang matinding ulan... na tila imahen ng sa kaluob-

Bakwit Evacuees in Pikit, Cotabato by Kara Santos

7

ANAGNORISIS

looban ni Noel habang s’ya’y sumusugod sa masungit na panahon ng
walang payong at basang-basa habang tanging buhat-buhat lamang
ang kanyang matagal na nawalang aklat na natagpuan lamang nitong
huli na. Sa kalyeng dinadaanan n’ya’y maririnig mong ano’t sari-saring
ingay ng busina ng mga naiirita na’t mga walang pasensyang mga
drayber sa bigat din ng trapiko.

Kay gulo ng buong paligid: kay dilim ng langit, kay bagsik ng hangin at
ulan, kay ingay ng mga bumubusinang mga sasakyan, at sa loob-loob
ni Noel ay ano’t samu’t saring emosyon din ang nararamdaman na halos
ang buong paligid na’y nakikiisa sa nararamdaman n’yang ano’t kay
gulo rin at hindi rin maintindihan!

Sa bagsik ng ulan ay nagpilit ito na siya’y humanap ng landas tungo
sa pansamantalang masisilungan sa gabing iyon habang hinihintay ang
pagkakataon na ang lahat ay magbalik na sa kapayapaan. Naghahanap
siya ng masisilungan ng ang buong ingay ng paligid, ng bagsik ng ulan...
ay magbalik lahat sa katahimikan.

Wala na s’yang ibang mapuntahan. Ang lugar na kan’yang nakikita
na tila bagang inaanyayahan s’yang sumilong doon ang bukod tanging
nakikita n’ya sa mga oras na yaon.

Ang Ingay ng Mundo by Jupiter Polistico, Youth Solidarity for Peace-Peace Advocates Zamboanga

8


Pagkapasok n’ya na basang basa ay ano’t may tila samu’t saring
larawan ang nagbabalik sa piling ng lugar na iyon. Ang mga silya
at mesang nakaayos malapit sa window glass na ngayo’y ginagamit
at pinagkakainan na ng mga taong hindi na n’ya kilala... sa bukod
tanging lugar na iyon ng fast-food restaurant na tila may isang bagay
na nangyari sa buhay n’ya sa dating gabing lumipas na nga’t hindi na
mababalikan.

Tama! Sa mga silyang iyon... sa mga silyang iyon... Doon n’ya unang
nakasamang kumain ang pinakauna n’yang niligiwan. Sa lugar na iyon,
una na n’yang nakasama... si Monica, ang bukod tanging babaeng una
na nga n’yang minahal.

Hindi na s’ya doon nagtungo... at marahil wala na rin s’yang balak na
maupo roon kahit na umalis man ang masayang pamilyang kumakain,
nagkwekwentuha’t nagtatawanan (na tila wala pa naman talagang
balak umalis)!

Datapwa’t, doon na lamang s’yang mag-isa sa isang pangkat ng silya’t
mesa na nasa tapat ng lugar ng pamilyang iyon. Minamasdan n’ya hindi
ang pamilyang naroroon: ang malakas na halakhak ng matabang ama,
ni ang pag-aasikaso ng ina sa matatakaw na mga malulusog na bata,...
kundi minamasdan n’ya ang kahapong nakapamugad na sa pinakalugar
na iyon! Lalo pa’t umigting ang kanyang emosyon nang bigla pa n’yang
narinig ang kantang pinapatugtog, mga malulungkot na himig na kan’ya
ring narinig noon sa panahong nakasama rin n’ya ang una n’yang giniliw
sa lugar na iyon. Ang pamagat ng awiting malinawlinaw pa sa kanyang
isipan ay ano’t nabulong n’ya sa sarili “When I Dream About You ...”
habang ang labi’y gumuhit ng isang ano’t malungkot na ngiti.

Isang mabigat na emosyon ang nagpalalim sa kanyang dibdib na
napilitan s’yang ilabas na lamang sa isang malalim na buntong hininga.

“Ano po ang oorderin nila, sir?” anang ng lalaking nakaunipormeng
nakahanda nang sumulat gamit ang hawak nitong panulat at maliliit
na papel na tila nangangalay na! Kanina pa pala s’ya naroroon na
nagtatanong nang hindi man lamang naririnig ni naramdaman ni Noel na
may malalim kasing iniisip sa isang alaalang nagbabalik!

Hinugot n’ya ang kanyang pitaka at saka sinilip na lamang muna kung
magkano ang lamang pera nito. “Kukulangin ako...” sambit n’ya sa sarili
kung kaya’t nagpasya na lang siyang orderin ang pagkaing kakayanin
9

ANAGNORISIS

ng dalang pera kung hindi lamang n’ya nakita sa menu ang pagkain
din na kanyang inorder nung sa mga oras na kasama n’ya ang dating
sinisinta.

“Heto na lang ang o-orderin ko.” pagkaturo sa larawan habang pabirong
sinabing “Hindi ko pa kasi natitikman ito eh? Haha!” at umalis na nga ang
naguluhang waiter.

Ngumiti s’ya na alam n’yang may lungkot sa kanyang nararamdaman.
Nakapagbiro s’ya nang alam n’yang ang kaligayahang kanyang
pinapakita’y ano’t kabaliktaran lamang ng lahat ng halos gusto nang
umiyak o umiiyak na nga sa loob. Nagpakita s’ya ng kapayapaan ng
isip nang alam n’yang ang puso’y hinahagod ng hapis at ng kaguluhan.

Hindi na n’ya mapigilan, ang buong larawan ng mga pangyayari noong
mga panahong iyo’y unti-unting nagbalik sa kan’yang isipan...

Mga buwan ata ng Septyembre o Oktubre noon sa taong noong s’ya’y
nasa ikalawang taon sa ikaunang semestre pa lamang. S’ya, kasama
ng kaibigang mga kakurso, ay naglalakad nang papauwi mula sa
nakakapagod na klase ng Zoology na nagsimula pa ng mga ikaapat
ng hapon at magtatapos dapat sa ika-anim na ng gabi. Ngunit sa
sandaling iyon ay nag-extend ang guro nila sanhi ng pagkaliban nito sa
mga nakaraang araw. Ang extension na iyon ay ano’t sanhi para sila’y
talagang gabihin na nga ng uwi!

Habang masayang nagkukuwentuhan papalabas ng gate noon ay
napansin nila ang muling napakabigat na usad ng trapiko sa kalye.
Kalat-kalat ang mga sasakyan sa paligid na sa dulo ng kalye ay ano’t
mamamasdan mong ang mga sasakyang halos naka-stock na ata roon
ay tila iisa nang kumot na may pinagtagpi-tagpingkulay kung malasin
mula sa malayo.

Napakabigat ng daloy ng trapiko na alam mong mahirap makahanap
ng masasakyang jeepney. Buti na lamang at hindi gaanong kalayuan
ang dormitoryo nina Noel na maari namang lakarin ng isang paang
mat’yaga’t masipag maglakad.

Maglalakad na sana s’yang pauwi nang ang isa n’yang kaklase’y may
napansin sa isa sa mga taong nag-aabang ng mapagpa-parahan ng
sasakyan. “Uy! Yung crush mo!!” giit nito na tila mas sabik pa sa taong
nagtatago ng nararamdaman. Agad siyang nilapitan ng mga kaibigang
10


babae at saka kinuwentuhan sabay ang lahat ng grupo na ay nagsitungo
agad sa lugar na iyon habang si Noel na kinakabahan at sa hindi alam
sa kung anong gagawin ay nahila na ng isa sa mga kasama. Wala na
siyang nagawa.

Sa harap nito’y hindi na n’ya alam ang gagawin. Matalino si Noel.
Dean’s List s’ya sa isang maliit na kolehiyong pinapasukan n’ya. Nguni’t
merong iisang bagay na mangmang s’ya... at iyon ay pagdating sa
pag-ibig. Uuwi na lamang sana s’ya ng walang mabuting nagawa kung
hindi lamang nabulungan ng isang kasama na magpara daw si Noel ng
sasakyan para doon sa ginigiliw n’ya.

At ginawa nga ang suhest’yong ito ngunit walang nangyari. Lalo pang
nagkanda-gulu-gulo nang iniwan silang dalawa, si Noel at si Monica, ng
mga kasama nitong una. “Oh Pa’no? Ikaw na ang bahala.” giit ng isang
lalaki habang ang mga babae nama’y palakaibigang kumakaway-
paalam sa espesyal na taong kasama ni Noel.

“Kanina ka pa ba dito?” usisa ni Noel.

“Kanina pa...” ang sagot nito na lalong nagpakaba sa kanya na hindi na
n’ya maisip ang susunod na sasabihin.

“Naku! Hindi maganda yan... anong oras ba uwian n’yo.” nasambit
n’yang may pag-aalala.

“Kaninang 5:30 pa...” at ang sagot naman nitong tila naaawa na rin sa
sarili.

“Nagugutom ka na ba? Siguro mas makakabuti kung doon na lang
muna ikaw maghintay sa kainan malapit dito. At least... makakaupo ka,
makakakain, at may aircon pa dun! Oo...”

“Hindi. Ok lang ako.”

“Naku! Baka magkasakit ka n’yan. Tingnan mo? Umaambon na nga ata
oh”, nasabi lang kahit wala naman talagang ambon.

Wala nang nagawa ang babae kung kaya’t sumunod na lamang. Nang
nasa tapat na sila noon ng nabanggit na fast-food na kainan, nagtigil
bigla ang babae.
11

ANAGNORISIS

“Ok na ako dito, uwi ka na...” sabi nito.

“Sigurado ka ba talaga?”

“Oo. Ite-text ko na lang si mama na puntahan n’ya ako dito.”

“Wala kang kasama. Walang magbabantay sa’yo dito...”

At nainis na rin siguro ang babae, “Oh sige... papipiliin kita: Sasamahan
mo ako dito sa labas o hindi mo ako sasamahan pero doon na ako sa
loob?”

Wala na s’yang nagawa kundi ang, “Oh sige pala... ingat ka...” at saka
napilitang umalis kahit wala sa loob nito.

Laking panghihinayang at lungkot noon ang nasa dibdib n’ya habang
nagtungo na lamang papauwi sa kanilang dormitoryo. Hindi na sana s’ya
babalik kung hindi nga lamang n’ya napansing, “Naku! Anong nangyari
dito? Brown-out?” nakapatay lahat ng ilaw.

Tama ang hinala n’ya. Wala s’yang kaalam alam na sa mga sandaling
iyon ay nagbrown-out sa buong Metro Manila. Katatapos lang din noon
ng bagyong Ondoy. Nagbalik sa kanya ang damdaming samahan ang
babae. Nagtungo s’ya sa kanyang kwarto at saka kumuha ng limang
daang piso, wari n’ya: “Ililibre ko na lang s’ya ng hapunan, gutom na
gutom na s’ya siguro... at isa pa hindi ako makakakain ng maayos dito
kasi brown-out.

Agad siyang nagbalik sa lugar nang laki n’yang awang nakitang naiinip
at nalulungkot doon ang babae.

“Uy?” Ang bati n’ya sabay nagwika, “Brown-out sa amin.” habang naupo
na sa tapat nito.

“Na-text din sa akin ni Mama. Brown-out daw talaga sa buong Metro
Manila.” ang sagot nito

“Dito na lang tuloy ako kakain.” ang nasabi n’ya pero sa loob loob ay
gusto n’yang makasama ang babae sa sandaling iyon. “Nasaan na daw
si mama mo?” dugtong nito

“Pumunta kasi sila ni Papa sa SM Megamall. Papunta na raw dito kaso
12


traffic din daw...” napabuntong hinga s’ya’t pagkatapos ay kanyang
nawika, “Buti bumalik ka dito. Alam mo kasi nalulungkot na ako dito. Ako
lang mag-isa. Kanina... wala akong ginagawa kundi tingnan lang ang
mga tao sa paligid.”

“Ako naman... hmp! Ewan? Kainis yung brown-out na yan. Hindi tuloy ako
makapag Facebook.” ang pabirong sagot na lang ni Noel pero sa loob
loob n’ya’y laking pasasalamat sa brown-out.

“Nakakain ka na ba? Dito na lang kasi siguro ako kakain.”

“Hindi pa nga eh... magke-candy na lang siguro ako.”

“Naku! Masama yan... nagpapalipas ng gutom? Teka! Marami ka ba
kasing kinain kaninang lunch?”

“Sa totoo lang hindi na ako nakakain nang maayos sa lunch kanina. Dami
kasi kelangangGirls by Jupiter Polistico, Youth Solidarity for Peace-Peace Advocates Zamboanga
Balasa
gawin.”

“Gusto mo libre na kita? Teka... magkano ba kasi dala mo?”

“Sakto lang sa pamasahe...” habang malungkot n’yang pinakita ang
pitakang puro barya nga ang laman.

“Libre na kita.” ang huling nasambit na lamang ni Noel habang papatayo
na ito. Hihindi na sana ang babae pero wala na rin itong nagawa.

Dala ang limang daang piso sa bulsa, nagbalak siyang bumili ng pagkain
na may pagkamahal para sa babae at yaong isang mumurahin lang
para sa kanya.

Nang nakapagbayad na siya ay saka agad nagbalik sa pwesto ng
babae para hintayin ang binayaran nang mapansing nagbabasa na
lamang ito ng libro. Mag-aaral na lamang daw s’ya para sa darating
na pagsusulit.

Kinakausapkausap ito ni Noel pero ni katiting ng boses ay wala na itong
naririnig na sagot.

Dumating na ang pagkain. Nagsimula nang hawakan niya ang kubyertos
at saka nagsimulang kumain habang napansing hindi man lang ginagalaw
ang pagkain.
13

ANAGNORISIS

Nag-anyaya ang lalaki na kumain ngunit mamaya na lamang daw.

Naikwento ng babae na sa dati n’yang eskwelahan ay may ganoong
fastfood restaurant daw malapit doon at saka lagi daw silang kumakain
ng kapatid n’ya doon. Naisip tuloy noon ng lalaki na “pahiwatig kaya ito
na ayaw n’ya yung pagkaing binili ko?”.

Marami rami na ring nakain si Noel nang ang kasama n’ya’y hindi man
lamang ginagalaw pa rin ang pagkain. Tila nakasantabi lang ito sa
isang sulok sa mesa. Sino ba naman ang mapanghihinaan ng loob na ang
isang taong nilibrehan mo ng mahal na pagkain ay hindi man lamang
gagalawin sa harap mo?

“Lika kain ka oh?” pag-anyaya niya uli ngunit walang matinong sagot
ang narinig.

Sinubukan ni Noel na makipagkwentuhan na lamang ngunit ang babae’y
abala sa pagtetext sa cellphone o kung hindi man... maya maya’y abala
sa pagbabasa ng libro.

Nakangiti ang kanyang mukhang nagpapakita ng pakikipagkaibigan
ngunit ang puso’t damdami’y nararamdaman ang tindi ng pait at
sakit ng damdamin na tila naman pinagtatabuyan. Hindi man lamang
niya naramdamang natuwa ito sa ginawa n’ya ni nagpasalamat man
lamang.

Ang lalo pang nakapangliliit ay nang sabihan s’yang kainin n’ya yung
mga hindi sinasadyang nakakalat na kanin sa mesa sa kadahilanang
sayang daw!

Wala nang matinong nangyari matapos no’n hanggang sa dumating na
ang magulang nito. Lumabas na s’ya ng kainan bitbit ang pagkaing hindi
nagalaw. Kinabukasan nalaman na lamang ni Noel na pinakain na lang
naman pala sa iba ang binili niya.

“Sir! Heto na po ang order nila.” Wika ng babaeng maingat ingat na
inilalagay ang pagkain sa mesang kinalalagyan ni Noel ngayon.

Sa harap niya ay ang pagkaing binili n’ya noong mga araw na yaon
para kay Monica. Ngayon pa lamang n’ya titikman ang pagkain...

“Hindi ba ito masarap? Masarap naman ah?” Nabulong nito sa sarili na
14


parang may luhang nangingilid sa mata habang hindi pa naisusubo ang
pagkain sa kanyang bibig.

Tinikman n’ya ang pagkain. Hindi pala ito gusto ng panlasa n’ya na lalo
n’yang ikinalungkot. Isang lalong sampal sa isang abang kaluluwang hindi
makahanap ng katahimika’t kapayapaan sa pusong sanhi ng paggiliw
na tila pinagkaitan ng sariling iniirog!

Medyo humihinayhinay na rin ang ulan sa labas ngunit ang malulungkot
na mga kahapo’y tila lalo pang sumasariwa sa kaniyang isipan. Wala
doon ang pamilyang kumakain kanina ngunit puno pa rin ng kasiyahan
at halakhakan ang nasa paligid n’ya. May mga magkasintahang kay
lambing na nag-uusap. Mayroon namang matanda kasama ang kanyang
kinakaaliwang apo. May grupo ng magbabarkadang hayo’t aliw na
aliw sa kwentuhan at halakhakan. Ang lahat ay nagsasaya sa lugar na
iyon liban sa isang lalaking nalulumbay habang inaalala pang munti ang
mga nagdaan sa kanyang buhay.

Saksi pa sa kanyang kalooban nang una n’yang nakita ang babae
noong unang araw pa lamang ng pasukan. Hinagaan na n’ya agad ito
sa una pa lamang.

Hindi rin n’ya makakalimutan nang araw na iyon ng ‘B’wan ng Wika’
na si Noel ay napiling magtugtog ng biyolin. Natapos ang programang
wala man lamang kasiguraduhan sa kan’yang sarili “Nakakahiya...”
ang nawika nito habang hiyang hiya s’ya sa sarili nang alalahanin nito
ang mga pagkakamali sa pagtugtog na ipinapanalangin n’yang sana’y
hindi ito napansin ng mga manonood. Habang naiwang nagmumukmok
sa isang sulok, hindi inaasahang nilapitan siya nito at saka pinuri ang
napakagandang musika! Nabuhayan s’ya ng loob doon.

Hindi rin n’ya makalimutan sa kung anong ligaya ang kan’yang
naramdaman ng siya’y tanghaling pinuno ng grupo sa isang gawain sa
asignatura at makasama si Monica sa grupong iyon. Nang dahil doon,
nakuha n’ya ang kumpletong pangalan ang cellphone number nito! Dito
sila unang naging magkaibigan sa pagpapalitan ng mga mensahe’t
kwentuhan. Nabanggit pa minsan nito na ang pamilya nito’y nagbabalak
daw magpunta ng Amerika kung may pagkakataon na ikinatuwa naman
ni Noel para sa kanya.

At noong midterm exam sa araw na gaganapin ang pagsusulit sa
isang asignatura na kung saan kaklase n’ya ito, nagdala s’ya ng mga
15

ANAGNORISIS

tsokolateng binigay sa kanya ng kanyang ina. “Kakain ako nito bago
kumuha ng pagsusulit at nang maiwang gising ang aking isipan.” aniya.

Matagaltagal pa bago mag-exam nang mapagpasyahan n’yang
dumaan sa pook-dasalan. Natagpuan n’ya rin ito doon at saka sabay
silang nagdasal at nag-aral. Ah! Salamat din pala sa baong tsokolate,
may naipang-alok tuloy s’yang tsokolate para sa kanya sa loob ng
chapel na iyon.

Sa oras na nangangailangan si Monica ng tulong sa mga aralin, dito
nabigyang pagkakataon si Noel na magpakitang gilas.

Hindi rin n’ya makalimutan ang gabi nang una nga niyang makasamang
kumain ito sa labas. Ito rin ang pinakaunan pagkakataon sa kanyang
buhay na lumabas kasama ang isang babae na hindi niya kaanak at...
si Monica ang babaeng iyon. Ngunit ang kinalabasan nitong huli’y hindi
man lamang ata ito nagustuhan.

Bouncing Youth by Dick Jay Bustamante,Youth Solidarity for Peace-Peace Advocates Zamboanga

16


Siya rin ang kaunaunahang babaeng niregaluhan n’ya noong
pasko. Nagtipid s’ya’t nag-ipon ng kaniyang perang baon nang
may maipambiling regalo sa babaeng ito. Naaalala pa niya sa
kung papaanong naghanap s’ya ng paraang magkakita sila nito at
ang dahilan... isang interview para sa case study sa thesis n’ya. Ang
pamamaraan din sa kung papaanong pinapikit n’ya ang mga mata
nito sa kadahilanang ritual para sa psychological awareness di umano
at nang pagkadilat nito’y may malaking tsokolate nang bumubulaga
dito. Hindi rin basta tsokolate, may kasamang sulat ito na pinaghirapan
n’yang pagandahin ang pagkakatitik ng bawat letra. Isang sulat ito na
pinag-isa sa tsokolate gamit ang laso (ribbon) na pinagpuyatan ding
pag-aralan sa pagkakagawa.

Pagkatanggap ng babae ng pinaghirapang regalo ni Noel, inilagay
lang ang regalo sa tabi nito nang hindi man lamang ginalaw. Nang
kinakausap ay ayaw namang sumagot na tila walang ganang makipag-
usap. At ang masaklap pa’y ibinigay lamang pala at ipinakain ang
tsokolate sa mga kaklase’t pinagp’yestahan ito. Dito, tila may hinanakit
uli na sumampal sa sumisintang puso ni Noel.

Bakasyon noon sa Pasko nang unang tumatak sa isip n’ya ang lahat.
Nang mabuksan ang kan’yang mga matang binabalewala lang naman
siya nitong babae. Sa puntong iyon, tumigil na s’ya. Hindi na rin sila
nagkaroon ng komunikasyon... ni hindi man lamang nabigyang maayos na
wakas ang relasyon... hanggang sa nabalitaan na lamang niyang umalis
na ito’t nagtungong Amerika kasama’ng kanyang mga magulang...

Nagtigil nang tuluyan ang ulan gaya ng pagtigil na ng buong
pangyayaring tumatakbo sa isip n’ya. Lahat ay purong kawalan na tila
sarili na lamang n’ya ang nakikita sa puntong iyon. Madilim ang lahat!
Wala nang mga tao sa paligid ni ang indayog at ingay na lumalabas sa
mga labi nila. Siya at ang kan’yang mundo ang nakikita n’ya.

Sa isipa’t damdami’y may samu’t sari pa ring gulo’t ingay na naririnig!
Walang kapayapaan. Naguguluhang pusong umaawit ng kasawian, ng
pait, ng kamatayan para sa isang simpleng taong unang bese palang
mangibig!

Marahil, ang kapayapaan nga’y hindi lamang sa kawalan ng patayan ni
sa gulong makikita sa labas kundi ang pagkakaroon ng malayang himig
sa puso’t kaluluwa na nagsasabing ika’y masaya.
17

ANAGNORISIS

Ngunit si Noel ay hindi masaya. Sa isipan n’ya’y hindi pa rin maalis ang
kalabuan ng mga pangyayari. Hindi matahimik ang kaniyang damdamin
na tila ay bumabagyo’t umuulan pa rin. Hindi matahimik ang kaniyang
isip, ang kaniyang mga alaala ng dahil sa sugat ng kahapong tila
maingay na bumubusina pa rin. Hanap niya’y kapayapaan... ng isip,
...ng puso.

Payapa na ang ulan sa labas.
Payapa na ang gabi na unti
unting inaaninagan na ng buwan.
Naghanda na si Noel sa paglabas
nang maiwanan n’ya ang bagay
na bitbit n’ya kanina panangga
sa ulan, ang librong nawala n’ya
nang mahabang panahon at sa
huli na lamang natagpuan.

Walang magawa’t nakapako
na lamang ang nalulungkot
na mga mata sa pamagat ng
aklat habang inaangat ito para
buklatin:

“Sa labasan, sumalubong sa akin
ang bagong araw. Tumingin ako.
May kapayapaan ang langit.
Ang langit? Kapayapaan? May
gumugulo sa aking kalooban.
Kalawakan... iyan ang sabi
ng aking guro sa ikaapat na
baitang ng primarya. Iyan ay
by Deoner G. Catamora
hindi langit... at ang kapayapaan
ay hindi nakikita sa langit
kundi hangganan lamang ng nakikita ng pananaw at isip ng tao. Ang
kapayapaan ay nasa tao. Hindi nakikita. Hindi nahihipo. Hindi naabot.
Ang kapayapaan ay nasa tao... Nararamdaman hindi sa kawalan ng
isang bagay na iyong hinahanap ni hindi dahil sa kawalan ng gera,
kundi ang kapayapaan ay nararamdaman hindi ng mata, ng ilong, ng
kamay, ng tainga, ... kundi ng puso!”

Nang isasara na n’ya ang aklat ng naaksidenteng may bagay na
nalaglag sa aklat. Matagal na pala itong nakaipit. Hindi man lamang niya
18


napansin... at lalo’t mas pinatagal pa ito ng matagal na pagkakawala
sa kanya ng aklat.

Dinampot n’ya ito ng matagpuan n’yang ang bagay na nahulog ay isang
sulat. Isang sulat sa wakas na nagbibigay kaliwanagan sa kaluluwang
nagtatanong, Isang sulat na ngayo’y magbibigay katahimikan na sa
naguguluhang damdamin ng unang mangingibig na si Noel, ang sulat ni
Monica.

OUT ON THE ROAD
Christelle Rosales

My family and I were currently on a road trip. I knew that we were not
going to arrive at our destination in a few hours. As I looked ahead of
me, the road appeared as if it could go on forever. I, then, found myself
musing what may be on the other side of this seemingly endless highway.
But somewhere along the way, I became so bored with simply sitting in the
car and observing our surroundings that I decided to tinker with whatever
my fingers can reach and touch. Preoccupied, I eventually forgot about
the road and why we were traveling in it in the first place.

Reaching our destination becomes easier when we are familiar with the
terrain of the road that we are traveling on. In the same way, it becomes
easier for us to attain solace when we understand the role of peace in our
lives. That’s when I thought, “What is peace for me, anyway?” I closed my
eyes and tried to think of an answer.

I was taken back to my sophomore year in high school. This, for me, was
the beginning of my transition. I was shifting from a shy, little girl to a
strong, independent woman. This was the year when I encountered so
many problems, particularly with my peers. I’ve always been different,
but it was only in this year that I was made to feel that I was an outcast.
I knew there was no way my classmates would accept me so I took the
liberty of detaching myself from them. However, I was not fond of being
alone, so I was often frustrated whenever I see them doing something
together as one big “family”.

Just as I was ready to give up on myself, I met a student who was strong-
willed and sure of herself. I began to admire her. She was, in a way, just
like me because she too was perceived as unconventional, and it was
probably for this reason that I felt like I could relate to her. I felt like
19

ANAGNORISIS

she knew what it was like to be me and that she understood how I felt.
The only difference between us is that she knew exactly who she was
and wasn’t afraid to speak her mind. From that moment on, I knew that
I wanted to become like her. I began exploring my individualistic side
and soon realized how much more liberating it was to just forget about
everyone else’s opinion of me.

This freedom, however, came with a price – an inner conflict arose. My
admiration for that student led me to adopt most of her traits, even bad
ones. By the time I reached my junior year, I noticed that I was becoming
too outspoken and rebellious. I had this tendency to question people’s
actions and walk out on practices if I thought that they were a waste of
time. Eventually, I knew that no good would come from these qualities so I
resolved to rid myself of them. I had to struggle with this inner conflict for
more than a year. And up to now, I still have not come up with a plausible
solution. Peace, therefore, could mean settling all of the problems one has
within oneself.

But it could also mean taking time to smell the roses. We are all so caught
up in this fast-moving world of ours that the only thing that seems to
preoccupy our minds is work. We don’t even notice it, but our “career”
has made us so paranoid that we tend to stress ourselves out. We are

Mother and Child - Hands of Peace by Kara Santos

20


afraid of the next day to come because we have not finished all of our
requirements yet. We are afraid of going home because we know that
the moment we enter the front door, family members will welcome us
with complaints on how we spend more time on our jobs than we do with
them. And, how could we blame them? It’s true; we burn our eyes staring
at the computer monitor, struggling to finish our assignments on time. But
afterwards we ask ourselves, “Was it really worth it? Was finishing this
project really worth neglecting the ones I love?”

Sometimes, the things that will make us happy are already right in front
of us. We are just too busy looking into the distance to notice them. That is
why I believe that one will feel a certain sense of peace when one learns
to appreciate the small things in life: stopping for a while, giving oneself
time to breathe and focus on the things that really matter, like family and
friends.

After thinking – or rather, dreaming – about all these, I opened my eyes.
It was already afternoon. The wind was blowing gently, and caressing
my face. I was still a little sleepy and the cool temperature was enticing
me to take another snooze, but I sat up because I knew that we would be
arriving at our destination any minute now.

The realizations I had kept on replaying in my mind: “Inner solace… I
guess that is what peace is for me. Well, seeing as to how my life is so far,
I don’t think I have reached the level of peace that I desire. And to think
the day is almost over… ” I muttered to myself. Then, questions suddenly
crossed my mind: why I am traveling this road in the first place? Was it
because my family obliged me to, or did I have another reason? Sleep
must have dazed me more than I thought because it took me quite some
time to remember. But at last, I did.

I began traveling this road because there were things that I wanted to
prove to myself. First of all, I want to prove that in this long, unpredictable
path we call life, I will be brave enough to be one of the few who will
opt for the road that is less travelled. Second, I want to prove that I can
and will stand for the things I believe in, even if that means standing
alone. Third, I want to discover peace within myself, so I ventured out on
a soul-searching trip, hoping to find some answers and maybe even a few
nuggets of wisdom along the way.

It is quite surprising though how I have managed to stay so calm after such
a long journey. These last fifteen years of my life have been one crazy
21

ANAGNORISIS

roller coaster ride, but I can still keep moving forward. I’m really starting
to believe that Someone is traveling with me as I venture through unknown
roads. Maybe I’m not alone after all.

Well, whoever this companion is, one thing is sure: He planned for us to
have a road trip so He can impart a lesson on me. And this lesson is that
we have to make sure that there is peace in our hearts. Different people
will have different definitions of peace, but no matter what our definition
is, we have to make sure that we hold on to it. Being at peace will make
all the difference in our lives. It will help us find the Light when we are
caught in Darkness. So if you believe that you already have it, then I
congratulate you. But if you don’t, then I advise you to start looking for
it now. If you want to, you can even take this journey with me and we
can look for peace together. All of the material things in this world may
disappear, but it wouldn’t really matter because it is peace that will lead
us to our destination. You see, there really is no way to peace because
peace is the way.

KARAPATAN NG KABATAAN
Purma

Ako’y isang batang Mangyan
Taglay ko ang aking pinagmulan
Pagmamahal sa kulturang Mangyan
Pahalagahan at ingatan
Ang aming karapatan

WARRIOR OF THE DARK
Jude Ortega

I dream of writing nonfiction novels on Mindanao someday. I’ll give one
book the title Warrior of the Dark. It will contain the story of my uncle.

My uncle, nearing sixty now, is a farmer and a good family man. He has
lived the life of an ordinary Mindanaoan. But there’s one part of his life
that I’d like to document, for it is not only a part of our family’s history, but
of the island’s history as well. This is when he went by the name Kumander
Dodoy.

In 1970s, my uncle joined Ilaga, a “Christian” paramilitary group that
22


fought against the Moro rebels. To call the members of Ilaga “vigilantes”
is an understatement. The media have described them as “dreaded,”
“notorious,” and even “barbaric.” The most infamous of my uncle’s
comrades, Norberto Manero, has caught the public’s attention (and
revulsion) for killing a priest and then allegedly eating the victim’s brain.

I’m drawn to my uncle and his group’s experiences not because I consider
them heroes. It’s quite the contrary. I believe intolerance and violence—
two ills Ilaga perpetuated—have no place in this world. I’m fascinated
with the members of Ilaga because I want to understand them. In knowing
their story, I hope to understand better the conflict in Mindanao, my
homeland.

“Ilaga” is a Visayan word for “rat.” Uncle explained a few years ago
that like the noxious vermin, they crept in the ground, feared water, and
attacked in the dark. Therefore, he told me, many Maguindanaoans
would keep their families from harm’s way by building raft houses in
ponds and rivers and staying in them at night.

Most of the members of Ilaga were farming settlers whose families
came from the island of Panay. My mother told me that when she was
about fourteen, my uncle, who was seventeen or eighteen that time, just
disappeared one day. They were living in Cotabato Province then. When
Uncle came back after a long time, he was bearing battle scars, one of
which was right in his jaw.

Uncle has told me what happened to the jaw—and why he believes
it happened. He said that in one battle, his amulet failed to work. A
bullet caught him in the mouth and tore through his cheek. The amulet
of an Ilaga was usually a tiny bottle containing lana (coconut oil), bits
of tree roots, and whatnot. The bottle would be tied with a string and
worn as a necklace or wrapped around the waist. To keep the amulet
effective, an Ilaga would also rub his skin with lana, utter Latin prayers,
and avoid certain kinds of food in certain days of the week. Taking a
bath and having intercourse were forbidden on Fridays. One Friday, my
uncle wasn’t able to resist the temptation—he slept with a woman—and
this he said lessened the power of his amulet.

The Ilagas have become a legend, and should remain so. They should be
nothing but a part of Mindanao’s past. They should be remembered not
as martyred crusaders but as warriors with a good end but a misguided
means. They wanted peace in Mindanao, but they thought the best and
23

ANAGNORISIS

only way to attain it was by subduing, if not annihilating, the Muslims.
They are a source of pride for young Christians like me, for in my veins
flows the same blood, the blood of fearless fighters. But they are also our
shame, for they turned into ruthless savages who every so often preyed
upon innocent lives.

Ilaga has done its share of wreaking havoc on Mindanao. The chapter on
them should be closed. Unfortunately, similar groups would surface from
time to time, especially whenever the thirty-year conflict in the island
heated up. I believe, though, that those “new” Ilagas could no longer
sow as much terror as the original group had. Times have changed. The
people of Mindanao have become more socially aware and educated.
Our voice against human rights abuses has become stronger. Many of us
Muslims and Christians have forged ties of friendship no senseless war
could break.

I still have a lot of whys to ask my uncle. His story will be engaging—full
of lessons to learn, full of mistakes we should not commit again.

KARANASAN NG ATING MGA KATUTUBO
Cristina Maano

Isang araw kaming mag-aaral sa kolehiyo ay naimbitahan sa isang
programa na kung saan ito ay naging malinaw sa aming pag-iisip at nag-
silbing gabay sa aming pag-aaral. Maraming bagay kaming natutunan
sa araw na iyon sapagkat iyon ay konektado sa ating pagkatao.

Ang programang ito ay tungkol sa mga katutubong nakatira sa mga
kagubatan o maging sa kabundukan na kapiling ang mga armadong
sundalo. May dalawang katutubo kaming nakasalamuha sa araw din
iyon, sila ay nagbahagi ng kani-kanilang karanasan sa bundok.

Una na ng nagbahagi ng kaniyang karanasan ang mula sa Rizal, siya
ay katutubong Dumagat. Maraming bagay siyang ibinahagi sa amin.
Ang pag-sasalaysay niya tungkol sa mga kabataang pumapasok sa
eskuwelahan subalit may nasabi siya na sa pag-pasok ng mga kabataan
doon ay ilang milya pa at ilang ilog ang tatawirin bago makarating sa
eskuwelahan.Ngunit ng dahil sa dalawang kampo ng mga armadong
sundalo ang mga kabataaan sa lugar nila ay hindi makapasok, bagkus
natatakot silang makasalamuha ang mga armadong sundalo at kahit ang
mga guro na nais magturo sa kabundukan ay hindi makapunta sapagkat
24


natatakot rin sila sa mga armadong sundalo.

Kaya ang mga mag-aaral sa elementarya at hayskul ay hindi
nakapagtapos ng pag-aaral. Kaunti lamang sa kanila ang nakatungtong
ng entablado.

Pangalawang nag-bahagi sa amin ng kanilang karanasan ay ang
katutubong Ayta. Ibinahagi niya na sa tuwing daraan ang mga armadong
sundalo sa kanilang lugar ito ay nagtatanong kung may mga armadong
grupo na humihinto sa kanilang lugar at nanggagalugad ang mga ito sa
loob ng bahay ng katutubo.

Nabanggit niya na kapag nakakita ang mga armadong sundalo na
sobra ang gamit ninyo sa loob ng bahay ang ibig sabihin ay may iba
pang mga grupo na humihinto sa inyong lugar at ito ay pinaghahain
ninyo ng pagkain at dahil sa ginawa ninyong iyon, ang inyong ama
ay mapaparusahan ng kamatayan. Dahil sa bagay na iyon ay may
mawawala na mahal ninyo sa buhay.

C7 Paper Plate Meal by Jupiter Polistico, Youth Solidarity for Peace-Peace Advocates Zamboanga

25

ANAGNORISIS

Maging ang problema sa ang mga kagamitang pang-klinika nila para
gamutin ang mga may karamdaman ay hindi na nila masolusyunan
sapagkat ang kanilang klinika ay halos walang kagamitan at kahit
duktor man lang dahil sa takot tumahak para magbigay ng mga gamot
para sa mga may karamdaman. At dahil sa takot tumahak ng ilang
duktor, maraming katutubo ang mga namamatay sa sakit at karamihan
ay namamatay rin sa gutom sapagkat sila ay wala ng makain.

Ang mga karanasan na ito ay tulad rin sa mga katutubong Dumagat. Sila
ay muling nagbahagi tungkol sa nararanasan nilang hirap sa piling ng
mga armadong sundalo.

Naikuwento niya na ang mga dalagitang katutubo sa kanilang lugar ay
nililigawan ng mga armadong sundalo para maging malapit at makakuha
ng mga kabataan na nais nilang maturuan kung paano humawak ng mga
armas. Kapag ang mga ito ay natuto ay isasama nila sa pakikipaglaban
at inuutus-utusan sa kanilang kampo, samakatwid ito ay ginagawa nilang
alipin sa kanilang lugar.

Tugkol naman sa pag-aaral ng mga kabataang katutubong Ayta, ilang
ilog rin ang kanilang nilalakbay patungo sa eskuwelahan at natatakot
silang makasalamuha ng mga armadong sundalo at kahit guro man ay
takot din. Kaya ang mga guro’t kabataan ay minsan sa isang linggo
lamang kung pumasok at minsan rin ay hindi na pumapasok. Kaya ang
mga kabataang katutubo ay hindi rin nakakapagtapos ng pag-aaral.

Naglakas ako ng loob na tanungin ang dalawang katutubong
nakasalamuha namin noong araw na iyon. “Ano po ba yung naging
kalagayan ng mga katutubong kabataan sa inyong lugar, habang kayo
po ngayon ay nakakaranas ng kawalan ng kuryente sa inyong tahanan?
Papaano po sila nakakapag-aral ng mabuti?” Ang tanging isinagot
lamang nila ay, “Pagdating po sa aming tahanan na walang liwanag
ay hindi po talaga kami nabibigyan ng solusyon, sapagkat ang amin
lugar ay nasa kabundukan at hirap pong magkaroon ng kuryente sa
amin dahil na rin wala kaming kuwartang pambayad sa gobyerno, kaya
ang pangunahing ginagamit lang po naming ay gasera. Ito rin po ang
tanging ginagamit ng mga katutubong kabataan sa pag-aaral tuwing
gabi.”

Habang ikinukwento nila ang mga nararanasan nila araw-araw, pumasok
agad sa aking isipan ang mga sundalong nakakasalamuha nila, at kung
dumating man ang mga araw na nag-lalaban ang dalawang armadong
26


grupo, marahil maraming sibilyan ang mga nadadamay at makikita mo
na ang mga katutubo ay naliligo sa dugo dahil sa pagitan ng dalawang
sundalo.

Naisip ko rin kung ano ang magiging kinabukasan ng mga naninirahan
sa lugar nila lalo na sa mga kabataang nais makamit ang kanilang mga
pangarap. Dahil sa dalawang magkatunggaling kampo, maging ang
mga pangarap ng mga katutubong kabataan ay kaagad na lamang
naglalaho.

Maraming epekto ang ganitong
operasyon sa mga sibilyang
naninirahan sa kabundukan
o maging sa kagubatan.
Halimbawa, sa mga kabataan
at matatanda, kapag sila ay
nakaranas ng matinding hirap sa
piling ng mga armado at nakakita
ng kapwa nilang sibilyan na
pinipatay, ito ay nagdudulot ng
matinding takot at ang sobrang
takot ay nagdudulot ng troma,
at higit sa lahat, namamatay ang
ilan sa ating katutubo dahil sa
kagutuman.

Marahil tama ang sabi ng iba, na
kung bakit noong unang panahon
ang paglalaban ng dalawang
kampo ay malayung-malayo
sa atin, kumpara sa ngayon
na maraming mga sibilyan
ang namamatay, sapagkat
malapit sa mga komunidad ang
by Marjorie G. Sazon
mga engkwentro. Sa paglipas
ng panahon, padagdag ng
padagdag ang mga bilang ng mga namamatay na katutubo sa
paglalaban ng dalawang kampo lalong dahil na rin sa makabagong
teknolohiyang nalilikha ng tao.

Gayunpaman kahit naiiipit sa pagitan ng armadong tunggalian, marami
pa ring mga katutubo ang nag-pasya na hindi lilisanin ang kanilang
27

ANAGNORISIS

tirahan sapagkat naniniwala sila na ang ito ay pamana ng kanilang mga
ninuno sa kanila, at kahit anung mangyari sa lugar na iyon ay mabubuhay
sila ng matagal at mamumuhay ng tahimik kahit na sa katunayan ay
mapanganib na.

Siguro nagtataka tayo kung bakit ang pag-iisip ng mga katutubo ay
ibang iba sa ating mga taga-siyudad. Dahil sa kanilang pagbabahagi
sa amin, nabigyan kami ng linaw sa aming pag-iisip na hindi pala biro
ang mamuhay sa kabundukan o maging sa kagubatan.

Ang kanilang ibinahagi ay mas nakahimok sa aking sarili.

At sinabi ko sa aking sarili na, “Sa takdang panahon ang aking mga
kamay ay inaalay ko sa mga mahihirap lalo na sa mga taong mas
higit ang pangagailangan sa buhay, lalo na sa mga kabataan na nais
makapagtapos ng pag-aaral at makamit ang kanilang mga minimithi.”

LANGIT, LUPA, IMPYERNO
Ian Villanueva

sa mundong makamundong makamandag ang panahon
sa mundong dumadagundong ang madugong paghamon
sa lakas ng pagtaas nakakalas at nakakalason
sa lakas ng pagbaklas bumakas ang buong maghapon

malamang sa malamang sa ordinaryong nilalang
malupit na hagupit ang sa kanya’y nag-aabang
paghangang hanggang hangin inabot ng hunghang
at sa pagliban sa paglilibang, sya ay tila nahihibang

nag-aabang sa labanang walang katapusan
umaasa sa pagpasa at pagpasasa sa karapatan
tuwing tumatama tamatawa ang katapangan
di maaliw nababaliw sa saliw ng digmaan

tagung-tagong tagumpay, tinatyagang makamit
nagkataong taun-taon may taong nagpipilit
sumasablay, sumasabay, minsa’y nagtatagumpay
sumasakay, sumasablay sumasa kabilang-buhay

28


ENIGMATIC
Debbie Diane Go

Appreciation of present day youth’s notion of peace requires deeper
explorations of realities and meanings far more broad and vague. These
realities and meanings provide logic to what may be a contemporary
idiosyncratic ‘youthful’ definition of what peace is. Understandably, this
requisite is never less compelling as memory served that the conventional
notion of physical threat and insecurity as unpeace was significantly shaped
or dictated by the context of the time when such notion took root. It is
however unsafe to assume at this point that the youth of today are seriously
contemplating such meanings which by their popular connotations may be
tagged overrated or grey. Or, on the other hand hold such mundane and
antagonistic view that they are generally indifferent. Misunderstood as
often claimed, the youth of today in contrast actually imposes the burden
to inevitable judges surmising their true nature as members of a wider
relationship of responsible and irresponsible individuals.

More evident than a shared conscious understanding of such concept as
peace, among others, is the youth’s struggle for a personalized collective
language and perspective. This means not only the ingenious creation
of a new exciting style but also of a lens that looks into causes and
repercussions in a different manner contrasting the former submissive and
miniscule behavior or accepting conventional truths. At this junction, peace
for the youth means the literal meaning of Jose Rizal’s first novel – touch
me not. Space, freedom and an environment to be bold or be himself.
Fortunately or unfortunately, satisfying his desire for autonomy are the
gifts of the 21st Century. Speedy technological developments, especially
in telecommunications affords him expression, awareness, connectivity
and sensitivity – ideal end products – satisfactorily hosting his drive for
independence and personality with sufficient if not overdosed amount
of entertainment. His peace therefore in the dermis level is lodged in
the forms of the newest hit song, the latest fashion trends, the widely
circulated text quote, the most recent gossip and the hottest posts or
blogs of the clique juxtaposed with a belief of his significant participation
and involvement in these contexts. Summarized, it is being let and left
alone. Alone to define his own set of standards and alone as free from
conventional and imposed notions.

This type of what is conventionally termed as “rebellion” can be surmised
in polar terms. Negative understanding of this new way of thinking and
behavior exemplified by the youth highlights arguments that include
29

ANAGNORISIS

apathy to present or current realities, capricious indulging into frivolities,
and the lack of concern for the future, among others. The image of an
easy-go-lucky, too happy, and indifferent individual is tendered upon the
youth in general as a result of his subscription to the Internet, Unlimited
Texting and Online Gaming and the Cable TV, stylish appearance
and unending parties. Such
raucous profiling is a result of
a comparative point of view
implicating the comfort of today’s
youth versus the troubadour past
of the older generations. The
comfort brought about by today’s
technology and enjoyed fully by
today’s youth serves as a central
issue of comparison that puts the
youth in a less favorable position.
As a result, descriptions include
“lazy,”” couched potato babies”
and “irresponsible members of
the society.” These analysis and
generalizations are of course
never without basis. In the light
of the preceding generation’s
benchmarks and experiences,
some, if not all of aforementioned
descriptions may be true but,
with certainty, such melancholic
understanding of the youth is
misinformed and less holistic if
examined by the modern eye.
At best, such judgments remain
Nature’s Skin A Healthy Outlook for a Brighter World as analyses of what is superficial
by Dick Jay Bustamante,Youth Solidarity for Peace-Peace Advocates Zamboanga
and therefore insufficient.

On a more positive note and constituting the other end of the spectrum,
there are various potentials and indeed strengths that the present
youth exemplifies. Personality descriptions of the present youth for one,
classified collectively as Generation Y, indicate that he is sophisticated
and able to handle dual or multi-tasks. Relatively gregarious, he maintains
a healthy level of confidence and easily submits not to established but
less understood notions and roles conferred upon by the society. Can
be considered as a counter movement to the previously reputable Top-
30


Down conditioning and perspective, the youth of today builds his own
factory of meanings and logic that his environment is actually, slowly
but surely appreciating. Chic to say, today’s societal configuration can
be characterized by a dramatic shift on the source of authority in terms
of information and knowledge favoring the active youth. Because of
the apparent discontent and uncomfortable submission to imposed and
misunderstood roles old, the youth of today is intuitively constructing his
own context where he plays roles which are still patterned to some sort
of past but are better understood and appreciated. A context where
the definitions of what is important or not, respectful or ostentatious,
right or wrong are understood, collectively shared and freely accepted.
Orthodox or more fashionably decried as “old fashioned” notions and
truths are now slowly sidelined giving way to “modern” perspectives.
Such shift relinquishes power from the then monarchical authority with
only the old are the knowledgeable, the classic as great, and the young
as merely followers into a more democratic and interactive relation. In
this new setting, determining meanings and polarities of a certain reality
can be done, and appropriately, through a dialogue of the new and old
generations.

In lieu of the illustrated conventional analysis, the next level of peace in
present youth’s perspective becomes evident – peace is the recognition
of a double-standard judgmental external society coupled by a level of
confidence on the saliency of his beliefs and sangfroid. Such recognition
does not require proof or justification before a given judge. Although the
relationship of the two differentiated beliefs can only be described as
contrasting or perhaps competing, the present youth strives not to please
his critical audience – at least not consciously. More appropriately,
his movements are caused by an internal need for acceptance and
belongingness to a clique that shares the same ideals as he does. While
the present youth recognizes that he is being watched or criticized, his
recognition is twinned by sense of pride. The confidence that renders
external judgments as inappropriate and inapplicable thereby displaced
and the same confidence that drives him into tendencies that later on may
be beneficial not only to him, his collective, but to society as a whole. The
blossoming of individualism in present day youth has now slowly been
recognized and its effects indeed felt. Unparalleled communications
and interactions afford him a rainbow of exemplary ways of living,
pornography, violence, environmental protection programs, socio-civic
news and realities, anime, among many others. With such exposure, with
negative and positive persuasions of equal opportunities to permeate, he
is left alone to decide. Whether he line up to the good or dark side of
31

ANAGNORISIS

the force now is irrelevant. A tangent emphasis is the present condition
of the availability of choices which, fortunately as can be observed, are
resulting to more positive manifestations. He now lives in a less confined
and strictly determined path and such new configuration, accepted by
society, serves as his reason to be proud. Proud to be well – well-rounded,
well-informed, well-connected and well- adjusted. This confidence and
pride renders today’s youth peaceful and satisfied of his state.

The finality of this analysis of the youth’s perspective of peace could not and
should not end as a form of an isolated justification. More appropriately
and indeed existent, is a new perspective that has various links into the
wider relationships of responsible and irresponsible individuals. This
perspective may carry the essence of and synthesized meanings of the
two other collage of ideas and illustrations formerly given. The youth’s
peace in finality is his belief that he is, indeed the hope of the motherland.
Cliché as it may appear but digging deeper would unearth a grotesque
picture of this belief. Such belief however is not directly expressed or
even consciously perceived. More appropriately, this belief is a result
of a myriad of unsatisfactory and undesirable actuations of the old. The
country’s consistent top rank in corruption, inefficiency and scandals serve
context for the increasing discontent of the youth to actions comfortably
understood to be responsibilities of the old. A looming distinction if not
outright categorization is becoming very much apparent with the youth
referring to the first or second generation predecessors in a less positive
light. This view is indicative of a dual perspective. The first one assumes
not rancor but a realization that the previous generations’ general
performance as leaders of a wider web of responsible and irresponsible
individuals have come short of being satisfactory. Previous practices,
and unfortunately included as reasons are the rationale and values that
stirred these practices are presently seen with disdain.

The youth’s recognized strengths and his generation’s ever vibrant
connections compose the potential counter-measures to the previous
insufficiencies he has observed. And because of this reinforcing fact, he
now assumes a more responsible role as agent of change, transmitter of
valuable information and a source of a new and maybe more efficient
perspective. Interestingly enough, what is comfortably dubbed as venues
for virtual social interactions and ostentations are now increasingly filled
with opinions and concerns regarding national even global issues. Such
venue is now stupendously filled with dialogues that are intelligible,
responsible and enlightening signaling a proactive youth. His heightened
interest in technology and modern interaction is practically coupled by a
32


broad concern of the more serious society where his interests are hosted.
These aspirations are all embedded in the youth’s actions even if he may
not consider them in the same strict and magnanimous manner as previous
generations would do. He now has no need for justification or pretensions
because he is at peace with himself. And his internal peace will surely
radiate in a scope soon to be described as unprecedented. His peace is
himself.

THE YOUNG DRIVE FOR
THE PEACE
Noelle Marie R. Salvan

There once was a king who
offered a prize to the artist who
would paint the best picture of
peace. The first picture was a calm
lake that was a perfect mirror
of peaceful towering mountains
all around it with the blue sky
surrounded by fluffy white clouds.
On the other hand, the second
was a picture of a scenery with
rugged and bare mountains, a
Vendor - Devotee - Hands of Peace by Kara Santos
gurgling waterfall and a pleasant
rain with streaks of lightning. And
behind the waterfall, the king saw a mother bird in her nest built in the
bush in perfect peace. Which do you think won the prize? The king chose
the second picture. “Because”, explained the king, “peace does not mean
to be in a place when there is no noise, trouble, or hard work, but, peace
means to be in the midst of all those things and still be calm in your
heart.”

This very short story, which I heard a couple of times before, leads us to
the true meaning of peace. Truly, peace is not just the absence of war nor
the absence of wickedness, instead, peace is the inner power that helps
keep your morality despite living in this world full of temptations. Peace
lies within oneself. It is a state of mind in which benevolence dwells that
keeps one’s connection with the people and the environment delightful.
The external peace that we feel is the outcome of the peace inside us
that we share with people we interact with. This can be tested when
we extend love and care that we offer to the poor who need food and
33

ANAGNORISIS

shelter because of the inexorable poverty that they are dealing with.
Through this we build peace within in contrast with the conflict that our
external world experiences. Offering justice, truth, compassion, and amity
are some ways in which we can remain peaceful in spite of the troubles
and conflicts that we face. I believe that though peace is elusive but it’s
never a wild-goose chase. One can achieve peace in one’s environment
as long as one is at peace with oneself.

Peace is something everyone
wants but a few exactly know the
means to achieve it. Our value
system is crashing before our
very eyes. The police brutalities,
massacres in different places of the
country particularly in Mindanao,
unjust murder cases, stealing,
oppressions, corruptions in many
ways, terrorism in Mindanao,
and the recent hostage-taking
in Quirino Grandstand-all this
is just a bird’s eye view of all
the injustice and chaos in the
world. Peace is sidelined. We
are looking for peace today in
every place but not in the right
place. This happens because the
principle of peace is still vague
for some. Again, peace is not the
absence of war. If the Philippines
is not involved in war now, can we
say that there is peace? Peace is
in doldrums of the country right
now. Extreme poverty is one cause
of this. The big gap that exists
between the rich and the poor is
one such reason for discord and
sa mata ng bata, ang sigaw ng kapayapaan disharmony because peace cannot
by Jupiter Polistico Youth Solidarity for Peace-Peace Advocates Zamboanga
be established in a society where
class distinctions exist. How can
we say that there is peace if there is social injustice? Justice cannot coexist
with greed and selfishness. Crimes result because of too much poverty.
Poverty is often a factor of the conflicts that are happening like abortion,
34


robbery, manslaughter, and kidnapping. But if one thinks deeply one
will realize that conflicts add to complexity in situations. The troubles in
Mindanao have damaged the lives and livelihood of the population,
generating an acute food and livelihood crisis. Our country today is
characterized by high levels of hunger, malnutrition, ailments, and crimes
due to indigence. But poverty is just one factor. Peace is however not the
monopoly of the affluent. One may have a great job, an excellent salary,
a palatial house, a wonderful family, or even a good health, and yet one
may not be peaceful. This can be attributed to the lack of faith in one’s
inner goodness which is Godliness.

Today in this fast developing world, if a person does not have his own
peace of mind, how is he supposed to contribute to the peace that the
whole populace dreams of? Therefore it is necessary to first secure
peace inside yourself before you share it to the population. But be aware
that the time is running out and every second is important to salvage the
moments of today and tomorrow. As a youth, writing this essay about the
true essence of peace is one of the simple but powerful things that I can
do to help not just the citizens of my country but of the whole world in
achieving peace. I believe that the youth of today are not just the future
of their homeland but already the present heroes of their countries. We,
the young Filipino people, are in a great position to make the dreams
of peace come to reality. The number of Filipino youths today shows a
formidable group of people more than enough to take the country beyond
the realms of dreams into a place of peace. It is a great challenge for
the young people of today because they are our hope right now. Young
people have an enormous stake in changing the crooked trends in the
past and present generations in order to be able to have a better future.
First, we should familiarize ourselves with the core of peace. And second,
by committing ourselves to the education of our totality as individuals –
spiritual, moral, emotional, and physical. We should undergo through
the development of the highest moral and spiritual values taught in our
religion like the qualities of love, understanding, respect, non-aggression,
non-interference, equality, compassion, justice, honesty, trustworthiness,
and courtesy. Remember that these qualities that are essential in molding
our character and must be internalized and expressed because peace
starts within you. We should also be properly educated to develop
our talents, abilities, and potentials in such a way that we, as young
people, are equipped to contribute to the development of our nation
and of the world. Also, educated people make fewer conflicts and can
easily understand situations while an empty mind is a room for bad and
negative thoughts.
35

ANAGNORISIS

It is really a call for us to attain peace in the midst of the problems that
we are suffering because we can see our hope in peace. Describe our
country living in peace and without peace. Can you see how beautiful
our country would be if there is serenity? Several songs that express
their desire for peace like “Imagine” by John Lennon, “A Thousand Years
of Peace” by AlchemyVII, and “Let There Be Peace On Earth” are not
enough in order to attain peace, although they help us motivate. Unless
we do not know what peace truly means, we still cannot attain it.

Peace starts with you but the only place you will ever find peace is God.
We may not live in a perfect world but we can achieve perfect peace if
we only find the One whom we are looking for, who is God. But still, we
cannot get the peace that we want if we do not act today, particularly
the hope of the nation. Youth need to engage themselves in different
opportunities in decision-making processes, not only because they will
be leaders, facilitators, and stakeholders of our future, but because they
can also play a central role in shaping our present. We should not wait
for another major mistake to happen in our country. Mahatma Gandhi, a
peacemaker hero, once said, “We must become the change we want to
see. Be the change you want to see in the world.”

YOU WANT A PEACE OF ME?
Paul Chester G. Alcantara

Every day, every person has to go to war and deal with a place so
disorderly, noisy, and chaotic. It is the place where everyone hardly gets
some peace, where silence is not a choice, where the out-of-control is
the norm, where all the bad things in the world usually commence. Every
person has to deal with the most terrifying battlefield of all…the mind.

The mind is not simply the place for thoughts, knowledge and memories. It
is the broad entity where the fine line between right and wrong lies, where
the biggest decisions in the world are made. It is indeed a battlefield
between man and himself. As long as one uses his mind, he dwells with
different kinds of hardships that cannot be easily resolved through either
words or actions. The mind really is complicated.

A complicated mind does not even require to have extremely complicated
knowledge. A complicated mind usually encounters difficult decision-
making situations. One doesn’t have to be an adult to experience these. I
am just a normal teenager, and I can say that I do encounter complications
36


in my ways of thinking every
single day.

It doesn’t even have to be
something huge or life-changing.
As long as one gets stuck between
a rock and a hard place, it’s really
hard to escape from the burden
that the mind has brought. This is
also why the world could be full
of burden.

What problems could bring me
such distress in mind? These would
include social status, esteem issues,
high school education, morality
etc. A war would just break out
inside the brain once I encounter
conflicts. The brain would tell me
a lot of things, but it would say
another in contrast of the first
statement. It is also possible to
continuously think about other’s
thoughts or what happened
earlier that day. This is where we
suddenly stimulate emotions such
as sadness, anger, hopelessness,
indifference, joy and excitement.
It causes confusion and yet it only
wants one thing: to get through
this challenge.

It is true that the brain is no
appliance that you could get it to
stop functioning. The mind thinks
what it wants to think of. That
is another reason why it could
get so messy. The uncertainty of
thoughts would get into our nerves
and would cause us more trouble
in our actions.. Meaning, the war
Bakwit Evacuees in Pikit, Cotabato by Kara Santos
inside our head would cause an
37

ANAGNORISIS

even bigger war outside of our brain.

If a person would aim for world peace, he/she must attain a peace of
mind first. But what is peace of mind? Can this be attained when the
brain is not being used anymore? That would be ridiculous, especially for
a teenager. I do believe that adolescence could bring about the least
peaceful state of the mind.

It’s like everyone in high school is obsessed about something. I experience
it myself. It feels like you always have to create a diversion in your mind,
something that could divert your attention from high school itself.. There
are just a really few people who would actually focus on their studies.
Our generation is so obsessed with labels, social interaction, technology
and the occasional romantic involvement. This is why a teenager is never
at peace. Do we even have time for homeworks? With all these things,
thinking can only stop momentarily during sleep.

There’s this silly perspective that I have in high school: everyone’s a bit
of a drama queen. But once I experience this mess of thoughts inside my
head, I could easily understand why everyone is like that and I, myself,
could be the same at times.

I could say that this lack of peace of mind is what causes so much trouble
in high school. Anyone could easily get into anybody’s nerves. After this,
teenagers don’t even want to spend some time for more thinking; we just
act on it. We’re neither insensitive nor brainless…we’re just too tired of
sitting around and thinking about it.

So, is a peace of mind really out of the question for us teenagers? I hope
not, for the discovery of peace is not always based on how much you do,
but on how you would do. Teenagers have to think straightforward. Set
a goal. Achieve something. That is one way to obtain peace of mind, not
just for teenagers.

The attainment of peace of mind is like overcoming grief…it all comes
down to acceptance. Even though there would be a change of pace
in the brain, it’s not the same as changing one’s mind. It’s not as easy
because emotions start to get attached. I don’t believe that there’s such
thing as ‘a thinking heart’, but there is such thing as ‘a feeling mind’. The
heart and mind are not two separated entities wherein the mind does a
different activity than the heart. I believe that it’s all in the mind, including
emotions.
38


Peace of mind is all about acceptance, for one can only have his/her
peace about something once it has sunk into the very core of the brain,
once it’s become a part of his/her full knowledge. Once it settles there,
emotions will follow. For one to reach the actual anagnorisis on peace,
he/she has to sit down and think about it completely. I do believe that
most troubles come from the lack of knowledge and wisdom, and that’s
because actions come out better with the absolute conception from the
mind. It’s really not that hard.

The large-scale peace is only possible if every individual in this world
would be allowed to have their own peace…peace about themselves,
peace about what they have, peace about the limitations of each person,
peace about his/her imperfections, peace about the things in this world
that can never be changed, peace about this world. That’s all it takes
for a person to go out in the world and stay out of trouble and be an
eternal instrument of peace. So…I need a peace of you; the world needs
a peace of you.

SHAPING THE CITY OF MY DREAM
Aldrin B. Abdurahim

“Living in a world merged with paradise and hell, one must dream a
horizon set greater than life. Life itself is complex and simple on the other
hand”

It is with these exhortation that people from all walks of life regardless
of status realms-classes amidst level, differences amidst commonalities,
cultures amidst powers and stability, races amidst beliefs. Peace amidst
Life itself. In daily endeavors as people coming from diverse sectors
process daily transactions of living the world confined with, everyone are
entitled to manage all affairs intended and planned to undergo.

I am just an ordinary man with a very simple life. I am happy dealing
with different people, to know one’s culture, exchange ideas from them
and learn to live the way they live. All boils down in giving me the energy
to be happy all the days am worthy of living. Having with me my family
and friends, I always exert and gave the best efforts of service and
love with dignified passion of volunteerism and care for other people. I
am living in a world full of fantasy dipped with convergence of reality.
We may be poor but thinking about it brings me the idea of being rich
at the same time. People equate things in different perspectives. Life
39

ANAGNORISIS

consists of trail of pictures in a
movie of reality. Yes, it is so hard
to deal with the status quo of life.
Think about it. Simplicity versus
complexity! It is too hard to handle
and its reciprocity determines how
a person deals with it through
simple and complex at the same
time? How can I shape the city of
my dream, my life?

A leader in me was emerged in
its full blossom to really inspire
young people to be motivated
to pursue one’s actualization of
dreams and putting it into reality.
Dreams are not just hoping it to
happen but more of mobilizing it
to its full realization and existence
powered through the foundations
of love, respect and the positive
energies of conflict and sacrifices.

I am an individual energized with
lots of inspirations through stories
of experiences from children and
young people as well as guidance
and supervision from friends and
individuals maneuvering lightness
amidst darkness. These had been
the focal point of my existence
which leads me to really inspire
others as well. Through the years,
I had been journeying lots of ups
and downs of life. Life had been
struggling from the very start but
I never hindered myself not to
cherish every single step of my way
in venturing new horizons of life. I
may be strong but deep inside I
am weak. I may be powered with
lots of intelligence to interact and
40 Sa dilim o sa liwanag
by Jupiter Polistico, Youth Solidarity for Peace-Peace Advocates Zamboanga

Anag

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