Las Islas Felipinas and fishes

Yoyoy Villame’s novelty song will be forever etched in my memory. Here’ goes (clap your hands and stomp you feet!)

March sixteen fifteen hundred and twenty one
When the Philippines was discovered by Magellan
They were sailing day and night, across the big ocean
Until they came and landed on Limasawa island

I can’t remember the rest of the lyrics but from one blogsite (http://www.motorcyclephilippines.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=7814) has more:

“Wen Magellan visitated Mactan, to kristianize them everyone...den da batel bigan at dawn... bolos end spers versos gans and kanons...Mactan island he could not grab, Cause LapuLapu is very hard..."

Lapu-lapu was on the one centavo coin. This changed to a fish in the 90’s if I remember correctly.

The fish we know as Lapu-lapu is called hammour in these parts of the desert. Inexpensive as opposed to Manila’s horrendous prices. Affordable thus more Pinoys here can bring it to the table and introduce it’s taste to the young. One convenience they’d find hard to do back home. But that’s just me going off track. hehehe :-)

Lapu-lapu, the man, however remains an enigma. Shouldn’t we try to look more into this intriguing fellow in our history to know more about him? Rather than immerse in the Korean teleseryes of the day?

Here are some sites off the Internet you get on Lapu-lapu, the man, just by a simple keyword search in Google:

http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Harbor/1320/bbilapu.html
http://www.geocities.com/rolborr/lapulapu.html
http://www.yonip.com/main/articles/lapulapu.html

While searching, I also found this interesting site on the Philippines:
http://www.philippines.hvu.nl/index.html

As I reflect on the impact of March 16 in my life as a citizen of the world, and as a Filipino, my stomach yearns for the succulent white meat of inihaw na lapu-lapu. Better visit the fish market on my way home.

For People's Service Corps - UP

Naaalala nyo pa ba...
Ang lamesang blue na pinaitim na ng panahon?
Na siyang saksi sa saya at lumbay sa Palma Hall noon

Naaalala nyo pa ba...
Ang ikatlong palapag ng bulwagang Palma?
Matiyaga't maya-maya'y inaakyat nang tayo'y magkasama-sama

Naaalala nyo pa ba...
Ang logbook (na nawala) ng ating samahang PSC?
Puno ng minutes, doodles, at tula sa mga pinipintakasi

Naalala nyo pa ba...
Ang bench na mahabang, kulay brown?
Na kung sino man ang umupo ay siguradong tanggal ang kanyang frown (what else rhymes with brown!)

Kung naaalala nyo pa nga
Ang lahat nang ito
Naaalala nyo rin kaya
Ang mga nakasama nyo?

Nakipagsaya,
Nakitawa
Naki-kain
Naki-kanta
Naki-gawa
Naki-aral
Naki-isa?

Salamant sa mga ala-ala.

Greys bastos (pa ren!)

I must be old because reunions seem to be the thing floating in the air like a neighbour cooking delicious adobo and the aroma of the pork in soy sauce and vinegar is in the air enticing even the most cold hearted and couldn’t care less kapitbahay to turn his/her nose to that house’s direction. yes, reunions. Virtual and other forms of it. I’ve recently “met up” with friends from my college days; have been doing the same with my highschool and recently orgs and groups and circles I occasionally or frequently encounter are also in the reuniting mood. Nice to know that no matter where you go, people will still refer to you as Greys bastos...the girl so shook hands with men’s crotches! hehehe

Come on people, was that what I will ever be remembered for my stay at the Philippines’ premier university? As the girl whom fratmen avoided because they didn’t want to be touched “there” lest they be discovered that they aren’t in fact, “lalaki” but rather “liliit”? Haven’t I rallied for the noblest of causes? Stood side by side with most of you for freedom of speech and the right to a free, unbiased, state-funded education? Drank alcohol till we passed out at the Sunken Garden or brooded over life’s sorrows while watching the sunset or gazing at the stars?

Sigh. I wouldn’t have changed it for the world. At least I know who’s got the ‘goods’ and who doesn’t. Honestly, this old...I barely even remember!