Warning: Shameless plug ahead!

My interview with GMA 7 at the UP CMC ended a few minutes ago. In case you’re wondering if I said anything incriminating, please watch the segment on blogging on Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (GMA 7) this Saturday (April 26) at around 9 p.m.

Even if I won’t have access to television this Saturday (more on that in a future post, or perhaps a column article for Pinoy Weekly), I’m sure that there will be some UP CMC students who are looking forward to watching it. There might be footage of them consulting with me…under the tree! Yes, the producer decided to be creative by interviewing me at our college’s parking lot.

Hope this encourages you to watch the show this Saturday. Thank you for reading and sorry for this shameless plug.

Thanks to my mother whose idea of parenting includes requiring her children to take summer courses, I learned how to type when I was still in Grade 5, or the summer of 1981 to be exact. (Yes, I am that old, and what we used then were not computers but typewriters, both manual and electric.)

My mother took me to a vocational school in Caloocan City where we used to live, and the teacher then wondered why I was enrolled in a class full of college students and professionals.

I was not taken seriously by my “summer classmates” at that time and I consequently felt like a “sit-in.” One of them would even tease me whenever my mother arrives after our class to take me home.

It was not until I topped (ahem!) an examination (I think it had to do with the parts of a typewriter) that they began to treat me like a classmate, asking me questions if they did not understand the lessons and advising me where to buy cheap coupon bonds, stencil papers, correction fluid and other supplies.

I finished the typing course in 1981 with the highest grade but I did not have the highest words-per-minute (WPM) during our final practical exam. From what I recall, the honor went to a female secretary who was more than 20 years my senior. I remember that my WPM then ranged from 100 to 120 WPM using an electric typewriter.

So what is my WPM at present? I took an online speed typing test and, much as I hate to admit it, I have slowed down a lot.

83 words

The website also states that I got “358 points” and that my rank is “6,242 (out) of 157,201 on the ranking list.” The test results also show the following:

You type 444 characters per minute
You have 83 correct words and
you have 0 wrong words

My current rank puts me in the upper 4% of those who took the test.

How about you? If you’re curious about your own WPM, it wouldn’t hurt to take this test which only takes 60 seconds to complete. Thank you for reading!

N.B. - This was published in Vol. 7, No. 15 (April 23-29, 2008) of Pinoy Weekly (p. 5).

May pagkilala man sa problemang kinakaharap, mapapansing hindi pa rin ginagamit ng pamahalaan ang salitang “krisis” para ilarawan ang problema natin ngayon sa suplay ng bigas.

Maingat ang pamahalaan sa pagpapaliwanag tungkol sa mahabang pila sa pagbili ng bigas sa mga pamilihan ng National Food Authority (NFA). Kahit na may sapat daw na suplay, kailangang iwasan ang pagsasamantala ng ilang negosyante’t pamilya.

Maiintindihan naman ang anumang inisyatiba para maiwasan ang pag-iimbak ng bigas na nabili sa murang halaga na ibebenta lang kapag tumaas na ang presyo nito. Ang anumang pagsasamantala sa ngalan ng tubo ay dapat na tutulan, at ang sinumang gumagawa nito ay nararapat na kasuhan.

Pero mapapansing nagkakaroon na rin ng limitasyon sa maaaring bilhin ng isang pamilya. Kung anu-anong “mapanlikhang” sistema ang ipinapatupad at planong ipatupad ng pamahalaan. Halimbawa, mayroon nang itinakdang maksimum na maaaring bilhing NFA rice ng isang tao at may plano ring magkaroon ng sistema ng pagmo-monitor sa kinokonsumong bigas ng bawat pamilya.

Bago pa man ang mga ito, matatandaang may panawagan din sa mga fastfood chain na bigyan ng opsyon ang mga kostumer na makabili ng kalahating kanin para hindi naman daw maging maaksaya sa pagkain.

Tunay na ang kampanya ng pamahalaan para siguraduhing may sapat na suplay ng bigas ay tinatamaan hindi lang ang mga mapagsamantalang kapitalista kundi ang iba pang pamilya. Kahit na may elemento ng pagsasamantala sa panig ng ilang pamilya (partikular ang mga may kakayahang bumili nang sobra pa sa pangangailangan nila), kailangang tandaang ginagawa lang nila ito dahil sa desperasyon at hindi sila dapat tratuhin tulad ng iba pang ganid sa tubo.

At kahit na sabihing kaya naman nilang bumili ng mamamahaling bigas, pinipili pa rin nilang bumili ng mas murang NFA rice dahil mas mainam nang isakripisyo, kahit pansamantala, ang kalidad (quality) kapalit ng kantidad (quantity). Para sa kanila, ito ang mga pagkakataong kailangang maghigpit ng sinturon dahil baka lumala pa ang sitwasyon sa malapit na hinaharap.

Pero ang desperasyon ay mas nakikita sa mga pamilyang walang sapat na pambili. Kahit na sabihing hanggang limang kilo lang ang kayang bilhin sa mga pamilihan ng NFA, alam nating hirap ang nakararaming mamamayang bumili ng kahit isang kilo lang.

Ang kahirapang ito ay hindi lang dahil sa ilang oras na paghihintay sa napakahabang pila sa ilalim ng sikat ng araw ngayong tag-init. Ito ay bunga rin ng mababang suweldo at mataas na presyo ng bilihin at serbisyo. Gasgas nang biro ang argumentong “Ang mayayaman lang ang maaaring mag-panic buying, samantalang ang mahihirap ay puro panic lang dahil walang pang-buy.”

Malaking kontradiksiyon sa kasalukuyang panahon ang pagkakait sa nakararaming mamamayan ng oportunidad na magkaroon ng sapat na pambili para sa mga pangangailangan nila.

Madaling sabihin ng mga opisyal ng pamahalaan na may ginagawa sila para bigyang-solusyon ang problema sa suplay ng bigas. Pero ang kanila bang mga inisyatiba ay para mapataas ang kakayahang bumili ng mamamayan at mapababa ang presyo ng mga batayang serbisyo’t produkto tulad ng bigas?

Maaaring isakonteksto ang pagiging maingat ng pamahalaan sa pagpapaliwanag ng kasalukuyang sitwasyon sa layunin nitong maibsan, kundi man tuluyang mawala, ang pag-aalala ng mamamayan.

Subalit kailangang tandaang ginagawa ang pag-iingat na ito dahil ayaw ng pamahalaang magresulta ang pangkalahatang desperasyon sa malawakang pag-aalsa. Hangga’t maiiwasan, patuloy ang pag-iingat ng pamahalaan, kundi man lantarang pagtatakip sa katotohanan.

Para makipag-ugnayan sa awtor, pumunta sa www.dannyarao.com.

N.B. - This was published in Vol. VIII, No. 11 of Bulatlat (April 20-26, 2008), the full text of which may also be retrieved from http://www.bulatlat.com/2008/04/gov-t-data-prove-necessity-substantial-wage-hike-0.

One only needs to look at government data to see the basis for a substantial wage hike, and one only needs to do simple mathematical computations to prove the anti-poor character of the proposed 10-percent wage hike for government employees.

BY DANILO ARAÑA ARAO

Unlike in the past, the Macapagal-Arroyo administration and a segment of the business sector now support a wage hike for workers. They say that the current problem with rice supply (they are careful not to use the word “crisis”) warrant the provision of relief to the country’s labor force.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo prefers another 10% across-the-board increase in the wages of government employees, similar to what happened in July 2007. Why are cause-oriented groups opposing this? Isn’t their objective to increase the wages of workers?

Analyzing the 1989 Salary Standardization Law’s (SSL) salary scale as of July 2001, the lowest-paid government employee covered by SSL had a basic monthly salary of P5,082 or $121.26 (Salary Grade or SG 1, Step 1). A utility worker or street sweeper who belongs to SG 1-1 got a measly P508.20 ($12.13) monthly when the 10% wage hike was granted last year.

On the surface, there seems to be nothing wrong with getting a little more than P500 ($11.93) monthly as it is better than nothing. However, the injustice in this kind of wage increase becomes apparent as one computes how much a government official who belongs to a higher SG got as additional income.

The highest-paid government employee covered by SSL is Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who, as the country’s President, belongs to SG 33. She used to get a monthly salary of P57,750 ($1,377.95). A 10-percent increase in 2007 currently means P5,775 ($137.80) more in her monthly salary.

If another 10-percent wage hike were granted to government employees, those belonging to SG 1-1 who currently receives P5,590.20 ($133.38) monthly stand to earn an additional P559.02 ($13.34) while Macapagal-Arroyo who earns P63,525 ($1,515.75) will get an additional P6,352.50 ($151.57) monthly. Where is the justice there?

A 10-percent wage hike is inherently discriminatory against those who are earning less and those who are earning more stand to benefit from it. The administration’s proposal for another 10-percent wage hike therefore creates a situation once more where a wage increase becomes anti-poor.

That cause-oriented groups and progressive labor organizations and unions are demanding an increase in salaries in absolute terms is meant to remove any form of discrimination in the workplace. Unlike a percentage increase, workers, regardless of their position, stand to get equal amounts.

The workers’ campaign for a P125 ($2.98) increase in the basic pay of private sector workers was launched on August 25, 1999, immediately followed by the government employees’ campaign for a P3,000 ($71.58) increase in their monthly salaries. According to the 2002 book “Manggagawa: Noon at Ngayon (Workers: Then and Now),” the daily cost of living for a family of six was then pegged at around P460 ($10.98).

Nine years later, government would most likely argue that the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Boards (RTWPBs) established in 1989 have provided “substantial” increases, citing the case of Metro Manila-based workers in the private sector whose current salaries are now P164 ($3.91) higher compared to when they started their campaign for a P125 ($2.98) wage hike.

It should be stressed, however, that it was only in Wage Order (WO) No. 13 on August 28, 2007 that the P50 ($1.19) cost of living allowance (COLA) was integrated to the basic pay. Aside from the COLA’s integration, WO 13 only provided a P12-increase ($0.29) in the basic pay, increasing the minimum wage to P362 ($8.64), the highest in the country.

Metro Manila-based private sector workers are therefore enjoying a cumulative wage hike in the basic pay which is greater than what organized labor has been demanding since 1999 for only about eight months as of this writing.

The situation proves to be worse in other regions. Comparing the August 1999 and April 2008 minimum wage levels (non-agriculture), the RTWPBs provided a cumulative increase ranging from P37 or $0.88 (MIMAROPA) to P111.50 or $2.66 (Central Luzon). (See Table 1)

Analyzing the current data on family living wage (FLW), it becomes apparent that wages are not enough to provide for the needs of a family.

In a study by the National Wages and Productivity Commission (NWPC) titled “Development of Methodology for Estimating the Living Wage (2001),” living wage refers to “the amount of family income needed to provide for the family’s food and non-food expenditures with sufficient allowance for savings/investments for social security so as to enable the family to live and maintain a decent standard of human existence beyond mere subsistence level, taking into account all of the family’s physiological, social and other needs.” The current assumption is that a family has an average of six members and that two of its members (usually the parents) are earning.

The FLW show that it is practically impossible for two members earning only the minimum wage to provide for their family’s needs. The difference between the minimum wage and the family living wage, on a monthly basis, ranges from P6,638 or $158.39 (Eastern Visayas) to P20,826 or $496.92 (Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao or ARMM).

Incidentally, ARMM still holds the distinction of having the lowest minimum wage rate nationwide and the highest family living wage. Not surprisingly, ARMM is in a situation where all six family members have to work and earn the minimum wage to provide for the entire family’s needs.

No amount of government rhetoric can deny the kind of deprivation and injustice the workers are experiencing. That they need a substantial wage hike is already obvious, using government data no less.

The question at this point is if the government can muster enough political will to do what is right, at least this time. Bulatlat

Table 1: Minimum Wage Rates
August 1999 and April 2008
(highest nominal wage for non-agriculture, in pesos)

My trip to a popular mall in Marikina City last April 14 resulted in yet another harvest of funny signs.

My decision to start taking pictures around the mall using my camera phone (I know: It’s only a Nokia 6070, but it gets the job done!) was prompted by this sign I saw after buying a pineapple shake. I don’t mind adding P10 for ice cream, but what will I get for an additional P7?

Yes, my plan for this installment of funny signs is a product of the flan’s misspelling.

Roaming around the mall while drinking my pineapple shake, the sign below reminds me of my previous post on “Snickers,” “Chicken Fingers” and “Pocari Sweat.” Please note that what’s being sold are bubble gums.

Do you honestly think that children would buy a gum with this brand if they knew what a hockey puck is? If I were to give this to my four-year old English-speaking niece, she would most likely ask me, “Uncle, what the puck is this?”

The typographical error in the next sign is not so obvious but if you read my previous post on the eight-digit electronic calculator, you would immediately know what’s wrong.

Yes, It’s wrong to use a dash in this case as the two words are not being used as an adjective. The product being sold promises that you’ll be alluring for one day, which means a 24-hour (or one-day) state of attractiveness.

If this is a sign that has an unnecessary character, our next funny sign has an excess character, or a letter to be more precise. Care to guess what letter it is?

If your answer is the letter “e,” then you’re correct. This is a common mistake in spelling out the word “tarp.”

Kindly note, however, that the words “adrenalin” and “adrenaline” are both correct. You have the option to choose one or the other but you need to be consistent, of course, if you were to use the word “adrenalin/adrenaline” in your written output more than once.

Our next sign is also a case of an excess character, this time involving the letter “s.”

You may think it’s just a joke if you were to tell me that the word should have been “tuffs.” There is such a word, mind you. Tuff refers to a rock formed by the consolidation of volcanic ash. From what I know, tuff is not a collective noun so “tuffs” could be used to refer to several rocks of this kind.

The word “stuff,” however, is a collective noun so it is wrong to add the letter “s” after it to refer to its plural form. This rule may remind you of my previous post on the use of the word “gear.”

The sign below, on the other hand, confuses me as to what’s being sold.

Does this refer to bags you can use if you were to go on a shopping spree? Or does this sign refer to bags that are currently on sale? Since it’s apparently the latter, the sign should read: “Bags on sale.” (I assume, of course, that you are not putting on sale only one bag, but several.

Let me end this installment with a joke which I hope you’ll find funny.

There are several innovations being done by capitalists to meet and create demand for products. In the case of mobile phones, for example, there are so many add-on features that result in the convergence of telephony with other aspects of information technology, making them practically part of our lives. Some people would even quip that mobile phones are already part of their anatomy (not literally, I hope).

I know that I promised you a joke, so here it is: Have slippers finally evolved into something that’s part of our human body? Look at the sign below:

I know there are slippers for boys and girls, as well as men and women. I didn’t know that even women who are experiencing that time of the month should wear “mens” slippers.

Or maybe I’m mistaken in my interpretation. The slippers are the ones menstruating!

See what a lacking apostrophe can do to my imagination, as well as yours? Thanks for reading!

If you watch 24 Oras or Saksi on GMA 7 tonight (April 16), you might see me explain my views on the wage hike debate.

I was just interviewed a few minutes ago by a GMA 7 reporter who, in the course of her research on the topic, came across an article I wrote in January 2007.

The article is titled “The Logic Behind a Legislated Wage Hike” published in Bulatlat Online Magazine. The reporter asked questions regarding the points I raised in this article.

I also provided updates on my computations with regard to how a wage increase could affect cost of production, at least in the manufacturing sector. If you would read my article, you would notice that I only used 2006 data, hence the need for updates. True enough, the effect on the overall cost of production is lower now than my estimates two years ago.

Just out of curiosity, I searched “legislated wage hike” in Google and, to my surprise, my January 2007 article currently ranks fifth.

I don’t think that this is a reflection of lack of more current research on a very important issue. Then again, I consider this a wake-up call to write once more about wages, especially in the wake of the current rice crisis.

Update (April 17, 1:25 pm): That’s me being interviewed by 24 Oras (GMA 7) last night (April 16, around 6:40 pm). I don’t know if I deserve to be called “political analyst,” but I agreed to it when it was suggested by the reporter. If you want to view the entire news cast, kindly click the image above. Thank you for reading.

N.B. - This was published in Vol. 7, No. 14 (April 16-22, 2008) of Pinoy Weekly (p. 5), the full text of which may also be retrieved from http://www.pinoyweekly.org/cms/2008/04/mensahe-sa-magtatapos-ng-kursong-peryodismo.

Hindi lang ito pagbati sa iyo, kundi isang apila.

Pinili mong tapusin ang isang kursong sinasabi ng ibang napakadali para sa iyong kakayahan. Ilang beses mo na sigurong narinig ang mga katagang “breeze course” tuwing pinag-uusapan n’yong magkakaibigan ang kurso mo.

Kumpara daw kasi sa agham at teknolohiya, wala kang kailangang gawin sa peryodismo (journalism) kundi sumulat ng kung anu-ano, isang bagay na kayang gampanan ng kahit sino. Walang lugar diumano sa kursong peryodismo ang pagpapakadalubhasa sa anumang larangan (kahit sa wika) dahil simpleng pagsusulat lang ang kailangan mong gawin.

Ibig sabihin, kahit sino’y maaaring sumulat ng simpleng pangungusap na gumagamit ng mga simpleng salita. Maraming naniniwalang basta’t alam mo ang balarila’t ortograpiya, madali kang makakapasa sa mga kurso mo sa peryodismo. Sa katunayan, may mangilan-ngilan pa ngang may opinyong hindi na kailangan ang kaalaman sa wika sa panig ng mga mamamahayag dahil may mga patnugot (editors) namang tumitingin sa mga sinusulat nila.

Ang mga ito raw ang dahilan kung bakit balewala ang kursong peryodismo. Sa isang banda, hindi naman kailangang nakapagtapos ka ng peryodismo para magtrabaho sa midya. Maraming hindi nakapagtapos sa kolehiyo na kinikilalang mahusay sa larangang gusto mong pasukin.

Tinatanggap man natin ang katotohanang kahit sino’y maaaring maging mamamahayag, alam mong hindi totoong madali ang kursong pinili mo. At lalong hindi balewala ito.

Matapos ang apat o higit pang taon sa kolehiyo, alam mong hindi lang limitado sa pagsusulat ang kursong pinili mong tapusin. Nariyan din ang pagtuturo ng disenyo, layout at pagkuha ng larawan.

Iba na rin ang oryentasyon ng mismong konsepto ng peryodismo – kung noon ay limitado lang ito sa larangan ng print, ngayon ay multimedia na ito. Nangangahulugan ito ng pangangailangang matutuhan ang iba’t ibang porma ng midya (print, radyo, telebisyon at new media).

Bukod sa oryentasyon at iba’t ibang aspeto ng peryodismo, alam mong malaking panahon din ang ginugugol sa pag-aaral ng etika (ethics).

Higit pa sa kakahayang alamin ang balarila’t ortograpiya, kinakailangang tandaan ang mga pamantayan at tamang pamamaraan ng paglalahad ng mga balita. Hindi tulad ng ibang disiplina, ang pag-aaral ng etika ay hindi lang pag-alam sa mga konseptong kaugnay nito kundi ang masusing imbestigasyon sa aktuwal na paggampan ng mga mamamahayag sa kanilang gawain.

Pansinin ding hinubog ang iyong kritikal na pag-iisip sa iyong pagsusulat. Inisyatiba man ito ng iyong mga propesor o sariling pagkukusa, naging kritikal ka dahil sa kinakailangan ang malalimang pagsusuri sa mga paksa. Integral na bahagi kasi ng pagbabalita ang pagsusuri. Sa pagsusulat ng isang editoryal o kolum, halimbawa, inaasahan ng publiko ang iyong paninindigan. Kung wala ka nito, walang dahilan para pag-aksayahan ng panahon ang mga pinaghirapan mo.

Pero may matinding hamon sa iyong pagtatapos dahil hindi lahat ng organisasyong pang-midya ay naniniwala sa tungkulin ng mamamahayag sa paghubog ng pampublikong opinyon sa pamamagitan ng makabuluhang pagbabalita. Tulad ng mga korporasyon sa iba’t ibang industriya, may mga organisasyong pang-midya na dinidiktahan ng tubo at pansariling interes ng mga nagmamay-ari.

Bagama’t nasa iyo ang desisyon kung papasok ka sa mga organisasyong ito at susubuking baguhin ang sistema mula sa loob, dapat mong tandaang maraming opsyong naghihintay sa iyo, partikular ang alternatibong midya na may mahabang tradisyon ng makabuluhang peryodismo. Hindi man masyadong popular ang alternatibong midya, hindi ba’t mainam na magtrabaho ka sa mga ito para hindi makompromiso ang iyong prinsipyo?

Sa panahong may malaking kahinaan ang mas popular o mainstream na midya sa paglalahad ng pambansang kalagayan, kinakailangan mong pumasok sa larangan ng peryodismo. Sana’y seryoso mong isipin ang pagpasok sa alternatibong midya.

Huwag mong isiping may kailangan kang patunayan sa iyong sarili. Mas mahalagang isaalang-alang ang publikong makikinabang sa iyong paggampan ng peryodismo sa tunay na esensiya nito – ang makabuluhang paghubog ng opinyon at pagkilos para sa pagbabago.

Para makipag-ugnayan sa awtor, pumunta sa www.dannyarao.com.

For this installment of funny signs, let’s differentiate between the not-so-obvious errors and the glaring ones.

Arriving earlier than expected at a bus station in Cubao yesterday (April 10), a relative who was scheduled to take the night trip to Bicol went with me to a popular mall. But before going there, I can’t help but take a picture of a sign hanging on the door of a bus company.

The spelling of Naga, Ligao, Daraga and Tabaco (all of them in Bicol) is correct. What about the remaining one? The correct spelling should be Legazpi. I have to concede, however, that there are those who are wont to replace the “z” with an “s” in referring to this city, also in Bicol. Please note that this is wrong.

Inside a popular mall in Cubao, I noticed this summer promo at a retail outlet.

That the word “summer” was capitalized below is very minor. What proves to be unacceptable in English grammar is putting the letter “s” after the word “gear” which, in this particular case, is used as a collective noun.

The word “gears,” however, can be used when referring to the mechanism used to transmit and control motion from an engine. For example, our Honda Wave 125 has four gears. Our old-model Suzuki Vitara has automatic transmission with Park, Reverse, Neutral, Drive, 2 (second) and Low gears. (Hope you’re not thinking that I’m just using this post to link to my motorcycling and driving-related posts. Then again, I can’t blame you if you think that way.)

As regards our Vitara, I waited for my wife to arrive to consult her on the possibility of buying a cover for it. Even if expensive, we decided to buy one. When we arrived at our house, we were surprised by what we read on the label. Aside from the Vitara, other vehicles can use the cover, apparently even a misspelled one.

I am well aware that the series model of vehicles go by different names. What is known as Vitara in the Philippines, for example, is called Sidekick and Escudo in others. But the make (in this case Suzuki) never changes.

The same case holds for the Toyota. The current dry spell in the Philippines shouldn’t prompt us to rename it to Toyuta or Tuyota (tuyot, ah!). (For those who don’t know Filipino and don’t get the joke, tuyot means dry.)

Our last funny sign (definitely not from Cubao) was emailed by a former student, Julie Aurelio, who now works for one of the country’s leading broadsheets. She said that this was just forwarded to her by a reporter from another broadsheet, so I do not know who took this picture.

In any case, I think my earlier promise of ending with glaring errors has been fulfilled by this. Read it and try not to weep!

That’s all for now. Thank you for reading!

As promised, here are some funny signs from my recent out-of-town trips.

Let’s start from a province that’s about an hour’s drive away from our house in Marikina. I was invited to conduct a writing workshop for high school campus journalists, and the activity was held at a recently opened resort.

My wife and I noticed this sign inside our room.

Do you know what’s wrong? Not yet? Let’s focus on the last two paragraphs.

Do as you would be done by. That’s obviously an awkward sentence construction, and I won’t even try to interpret it.

Please tell me: How does one go about “scattering sunshine?” And if you think for others, does this mean that the others won’t think at all? That’s something to think about. (Talk about an indirect crash course in prepositions!)

Anyway, my wife and I took the night trip to Bicol immediately after the workshop I conducted. While passing by city hall, I noticed this sign that proudly and redundantly announces the city’s anniversary.

You don’t need to put the word “year” if you’re referring to an anniversary. The latter already means annual celebration.

That’s all for now. Thank you for reading!

N.B. - This was published in Vol. 7, No. 13 (April 9-15, 2008) of Pinoy Weekly (p. 5), the full text of which may also be retrieved from http://www.pinoyweekly.org/cms/2008/04/nakakapatula-ang-mga-sandaling-ito.

Pakinggan ang aking babala: Hindi po ako makata.

Kakaunti lang ang mga tulang sinulat ko sa wikang Ingles at Filipino. Sa aking pagkakaalala, may dalawang tula akong naisama sa isang libro noong 1994, at ito na ang pinakahuling pagsabak ko sa larangan ng literatura.

Dahil pamamahayag ang aking propesyon, hindi ko masyadong gamay ang matalinghagang pagsulat na kadalasang kinakailangan sa pagsulat ng isang tula. Bunga ng popularidad ng pananaw ni Roland Barthes na “death of the author” – na siya ring titulo ng kanyang sanaysay noong 1967 – madalas na kinikilatis ang isang tula batay sa dami ng interpretasyong maaaring ilagay sa mga teksto.

Hindi tulad ng mga teksto sa pamamahayag, maaaring ibang mensahe ang makuha ng isang mambabasa sa isang tula. Ang pagkakaroon ng iba’t ibang pananaw tungkol sa kanyang ginawa ay isang porma ng selebrasyon sa husay ng awtor. Sa kabilang banda, ang malawakang pagkakaintindi sa mensahe ng sinulat ng isang mamamahayag ay sukatan ng kanyang kakayahan bilang manunulat.

Pero hindi sa lahat ng pagkakataon ay kailangang maging matalinghaga ang pagtula. Ang mga paborito kong manunulat na sina Pablo Neruda at Bertolt Brecht, halimbawa, ay kayang tumula nang iisang mensahe lang ang naipapahatid.

Ganito rin ang kaso sa mga nanalong awtor sa nakaraang patimpalak ng Filipino Institute of Translation, Inc. (FIT) na “Katext Mo Sa Katotohanan.” Direkta ang mensahe ng kanilang mga tula. Malinaw ang paninindigan ng mga awtor laban sa nangyayaring pagtatakip ng mga nasa kapangyarihan para mapanatili sila sa puwesto.

Nang makatanggap ako ng mensahe mula kay Prop. Romulo “Joey” Baquiran ng Unibersidad ng Pilipinas (UP) noong Marso 3 tungkol sa inorganisang aktibidad ng FIT, naisipan kong muling subukin ang pagtula, kahit na sa pormang “dalit” na siyang hinihingi ng patimpalak.

Para sa mga hindi nakakaalam, ang dalit ay isang tradisyonal na porma ng tula na may apat na linyang may iisang tugma, at ang bawat linya ay kailangang may walong pantig.

Kahit na sabihing maikli lang naman ito, malaking hamon para sa isang manunulat ang gumawa ng isang dalit. Bukod sa pagiging angkop ng mga gagamiting salita para matugunan ang kinakailangang istruktura, kailangan ding maghatid ang mga salitang ito ng mensaheng maiintindihan ng mambabasa. Sa kasong ito, ang mensahe ay tungkol sa kahalagahan ng pagsasabi ng katotohanan, isang bagay na wala sa bokabularyo ng mga nasa kapangyarihan.

Hinintay kong matapos ang patimpalak bago ko isapubliko ang ilang naisulat kong dalit. Dahil personal kong kakilala si Joey at ang ilan pang hurado ay mula sa UP Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas (DFPP) na kung saan marami akong kaibigan, mas mainam sa aking palagay na huwag akong sumali.

Sa puntong ito, sana’y basahin ninyo ang unang dalit na sinulat ko:

Baligtad na ang totoo
Sa mata po ng gobyerno
Naduling dahil sa tubo
Binulag tayo’t niloko

Kung wala kang bantas na nakita rito, ang ikalawa’y mayroon na:

Hindi ipagkakanulo,
Demonyo’y magiging santo:
Alagaan mo lang ako
Presyuhan mo ang totoo!

Napag-uusapan na rin lang ang presyo, sa ikatlo’y magkaroon tayo ng diskurso sa premyo:

Doon tayo sa kangkungan
Di uso’ng katotohanan
Kapalit ng karangalan
Premyo ay biglang pagyaman

Totoong maraming paraan para yumaman, at ito ang batayan ng ikaapat na dalit:

Mayroong katotohanan
Itong kasinungalingan
Sagutin ang katanungan:
Sino ba ang yumayaman?

Kung gusto mo ng mas direktang mensahe, basahin ang ikalima at huling dalit:

Doon po sa Malakanyang
Wala na pong pakundangan
Anu-ano pang dahilan
Puro kasinungalingan

Matagal ko nang tinalikuran ang pagtula pero kusang bumalik ito sa akin dahil na rin sa pambansang kalagayan. Sigurado akong kung susubukin mong magsulat (sa larangan man ng literatura o pamamahayag), makakaramdam ka ng pansamantalang pagluwag ng pakiramdam. At ito ay hindi dahil sa tuluyan nang naglaho ang iyong disilusyon, kundi dahil sa naibahagi mo na ito.

Para makipag-ugnayan sa awtor, pumunta sa www.dannyarao.com.