Sunday, April 17, 2011
1:31 AM
Wow ah. Binasa ko yung mga dating pinagsusulat ko pa sa computer namin nung bata pa ko. Hahahaha! Hinde, mga 5 years ago lang naman. Mga entries tungkol sa pag-ibig. Anak ng pating eh sabi ako ng sabi na hindi ako pang journ pero grade five palang may journal na ako at nagsusulat na ako ng mga kwento sa iba't ibang genre. OH ANYWAY, nagbasa nga ako. Yung iba ang korni, yung iba may puso. Pero lahat tungkol sa boyfriend ko hahahaha natatawa ako parang patay na patay ako sa kanya nun. Hindi naman patay na patay, parang super inlove ko lang na nagmumurang bayabas ako sa kainlove-an ko sa kanya. Ganun padin ba ako ngayon? Hahaha siguro ganun padin. Pero shet! Hindi naman na tipong ganun na sobrang high school love. Ngayon kasi, yung love namin pwede ng pang magasawa. Hahaha tatagal na pang forever. Hahahaha! Pero ang galing lang din. Wala lang, nakakatuwang basahin mga kabaduyan ko noon. Siguro years from now, matatawa narin ako dito.
Goodnight.
Confirmed. Ganito padin ako kainlove sa kanya. Puyat pag puyat siya o kung hindi, puyat parin kakaisip
sa kanya.
O, SORRY!
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
PROMISE
Monday, April 11, 2011
2:44 PM
PROMISE HINDI NA AKO TATAMARIN. PROMISE I'LL LOVE MY JOB! PROMISE I'LL WORK INDEPENDENTLY. PROMISE HINDI NA AKO AABSENT. PROMISE SUSUNDIN KO ANG PUSO KO SA PAGDEDECIDE. PROMISE I'LL ALWAYS CONSIDER WHAT MY BRAIN SAYS AS MY HEART SPEAKS. PROMISE I'LL AVOID PROCRASTINATION. PROMISE HINDI KO GAGAWIN ANG MGA BAGAY, BAGAY DAHIL LANG SA PEER PRESSURE.
I PROMISE. HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE
Hahahaha hindi kasi ako pumasok ngayon sa OJT eh. Tinamad lang ako. Hahaha! Yes, nagsayang ako ng 8 hours. Ayokong magiging ganito ako sa totoong buhay kapag nagtratrabaho na kaya kailangan ko itong aksyunan. Tatapusin ko na rin ang articles ko. Alright! I-close na ang iTunes na yan at magstart na ko. Bye!
2:44 PM
PROMISE HINDI NA AKO TATAMARIN. PROMISE I'LL LOVE MY JOB! PROMISE I'LL WORK INDEPENDENTLY. PROMISE HINDI NA AKO AABSENT. PROMISE SUSUNDIN KO ANG PUSO KO SA PAGDEDECIDE. PROMISE I'LL ALWAYS CONSIDER WHAT MY BRAIN SAYS AS MY HEART SPEAKS. PROMISE I'LL AVOID PROCRASTINATION. PROMISE HINDI KO GAGAWIN ANG MGA BAGAY, BAGAY DAHIL LANG SA PEER PRESSURE.
I PROMISE. HEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE
Hahahaha hindi kasi ako pumasok ngayon sa OJT eh. Tinamad lang ako. Hahaha! Yes, nagsayang ako ng 8 hours. Ayokong magiging ganito ako sa totoong buhay kapag nagtratrabaho na kaya kailangan ko itong aksyunan. Tatapusin ko na rin ang articles ko. Alright! I-close na ang iTunes na yan at magstart na ko. Bye!
Day Dream at Night
Sunday, April 10, 2011
1:26 AM
The one thing I love to do every before sleeping, NIGHT DAY DREAMING! Ayokong gumawa ng article. Tinatamad ako. Gan'to ba ang journalist? Hahahaha kung ganito magiging trabaho ko, edi palagi nalang akong tatamarin? Shet. Masyado ko na bang hindi mahal ang major ko? Hahahaha! Love ko ang journ syempre, forever. Anyway, yun nga. Bukas ko nalang gagawin yan, nako! Kung kaya at pwede naman bukas bakit ipagpapasa ngayon? Hahaha may word bang ganun? Okay. Moving on. Alam mo namang ang typical summer vacation ko ay magpaka borlog sa bahay. Matulog ng alas kwatro ng madaling araw at magpuyat sa kung anu-anong maliliit na bagay na pwedeng mapagabalahan tulad ng ipalobat ang laptop sa kakanuod ng movies o kakatingin ng pictures, i-eedit tapos gagawan ng video sa movie maker at hindi tatapusin at buburahin na kinabukasan dahil ang korni pala ng nagawa ko. So yun nga. I just want to say na hindi ito ang typical na summer vacation ko. Kasi nag-aalala ako sa pagpupuyat dahil baka pag nagpuyat ako ngayon tanghali na ako magising bukas tapos matagal na naman ako makatulog kinagabihan at mapuyat kinabukasan ng Monday! Oh Monday. Work day again. Hindi din ito ang typical vacation ko dahil may inaalala akong assignment. Yun ngang article. Pero di naman nakaka stress tska hindi din naman masyadong nakakatamad. Sakto lang. Okay nadin 'to. At least productive ang summer.
Teka waits, parang naging malayo na 'to sa gusto kong tumbuking topic kaya nagbukas ako ng OneNote eh. Sabi ko I'm day dreaming… Ang playlist ko kasi ngayon sa iTunes ay "willmakeyoushiver" hahahahaha! Mga pang jowaers ang kanta. Naisip ko tuloy and aking wedding. Haaaay. Bilang nagsearch din ako kanina ng mga wedding invitations! May maganda na akong idea para dun. Hihihi. Pero ang tagal pa nun dre, hello?! Magpapayaman muna ako.
Anu ba yan. Nawala na yung feelings ko sa pagsusulat. Mema nalang ako ngayon. Bye na nga :)
HEY I HAD MY FIRST PUBLISHED ARTICLE YESTERDAAAAY! :) April 15. and check out for May issue of Women’s Journal! They’re gonna publish my two articles on summer tips and Mother’s Day especial and watch out for more, more articles of Joanne Fuentes to come! Hehehehehehehehehehe
1:26 AM
The one thing I love to do every before sleeping, NIGHT DAY DREAMING! Ayokong gumawa ng article. Tinatamad ako. Gan'to ba ang journalist? Hahahaha kung ganito magiging trabaho ko, edi palagi nalang akong tatamarin? Shet. Masyado ko na bang hindi mahal ang major ko? Hahahaha! Love ko ang journ syempre, forever. Anyway, yun nga. Bukas ko nalang gagawin yan, nako! Kung kaya at pwede naman bukas bakit ipagpapasa ngayon? Hahaha may word bang ganun? Okay. Moving on. Alam mo namang ang typical summer vacation ko ay magpaka borlog sa bahay. Matulog ng alas kwatro ng madaling araw at magpuyat sa kung anu-anong maliliit na bagay na pwedeng mapagabalahan tulad ng ipalobat ang laptop sa kakanuod ng movies o kakatingin ng pictures, i-eedit tapos gagawan ng video sa movie maker at hindi tatapusin at buburahin na kinabukasan dahil ang korni pala ng nagawa ko. So yun nga. I just want to say na hindi ito ang typical na summer vacation ko. Kasi nag-aalala ako sa pagpupuyat dahil baka pag nagpuyat ako ngayon tanghali na ako magising bukas tapos matagal na naman ako makatulog kinagabihan at mapuyat kinabukasan ng Monday! Oh Monday. Work day again. Hindi din ito ang typical vacation ko dahil may inaalala akong assignment. Yun ngang article. Pero di naman nakaka stress tska hindi din naman masyadong nakakatamad. Sakto lang. Okay nadin 'to. At least productive ang summer.
Teka waits, parang naging malayo na 'to sa gusto kong tumbuking topic kaya nagbukas ako ng OneNote eh. Sabi ko I'm day dreaming… Ang playlist ko kasi ngayon sa iTunes ay "willmakeyoushiver" hahahahaha! Mga pang jowaers ang kanta. Naisip ko tuloy and aking wedding. Haaaay. Bilang nagsearch din ako kanina ng mga wedding invitations! May maganda na akong idea para dun. Hihihi. Pero ang tagal pa nun dre, hello?! Magpapayaman muna ako.
Anu ba yan. Nawala na yung feelings ko sa pagsusulat. Mema nalang ako ngayon. Bye na nga :)
HEY I HAD MY FIRST PUBLISHED ARTICLE YESTERDAAAAY! :) April 15. and check out for May issue of Women’s Journal! They’re gonna publish my two articles on summer tips and Mother’s Day especial and watch out for more, more articles of Joanne Fuentes to come! Hehehehehehehehehehe
"kung hindi kami ngayon, bakit hindi ko ligawan?"
Tuesday, April 05, 2011
7:21 PM
First day of OJT in Philippine Journalists Inc.? Or Journal Group of Publications? Whatever. Well, first day did not excite me. It's just as simple as working in OSA. Pero siguro dahil din at feel ko dahil talaga kasi wala yung mentor namin kaninang si NICKSEN. He went out for an interview with Mel Tiangco and he chose not to bring us there dahil masungit daw si Mel. Yesss? Anyway, the people there are very warm. They are all very approachable. Parang too good to be true (not to mention Mr. A? Yung nagalit sa'min kanina dahil hindi daw namin ginawa ang first assignment, which was a company profile? Dahil sabi ni sir Mike 'wag daw namin yun pansinin). It's like, not the real world since "sabi nila" harsh daw ang real world and blah, blah…
Gusto kong mag field! Ayoko ng boring na trabaho. I want excitement! I want something that will make me… "Oh yeah c'mon! I want moooore!" haaaay. Okay. I will give this two weeks. I'll wait for a work outside the office. A field work maybe? I chose my beat, advertising, kasi sabi ko hindi naman ako magsusulat for newspaper 'pag graduate ko dahil hindi ko naman masyadong gusto and especially because, walang pera doon. Sabi nila working is a matter of passion. You work not only because of salary but you work because you love that job! TAMA. Isang malaking tama para dyan! At napakaswerte ng mga taong tinatrabaho ang trabahong mahal nila. Pero hindi yun ang issue eh. I am willing to accept low pay naman as long as I really love the job. Kaya lang, being a journalist? Hindi masyado eh. May mas gusto pa ako.
Kapag in two weeks at hindi ko pa minahal ang trabaho ko, I will pursue that TV5, whatever it takes. Minsan lang magkaroon ng chance. Why waste it? Kung alam ko naman talaga ang gusto ko bakit hindi ko subukan? Kung baga sa magkarelasyon, kung hindi kami ngayon, bakit hindi ko ligawan? Bakit hindi ko subukang mapalapit? Wala namang imposible eh. 'Di ba?
Yes. I still want that other major over there! Kahit wala naman akong napagaralan about TV prod, Theatre Arts, Advertising and that and that, gusto ko parin parang ganun yung magiging trabaho ko someday.
Well, isa lang ang point ng entry na 'to. Magpapass ako ng resume sa TV5 on Saturday? And I think I'm gonna pursue it kahit sabihin nilang taga timpla ng kape 'pag sa TV? (I mean, sa OJT) Eh liligawan ko nga eh! 'Di ba 'pag mahal mo, you're willing to sacrifice? Hahahahaha. Yeah, I know love.
GOODBYE TAJ MAJAL. HAHAHAHAHA! :)
Hay Journalu. I love you.
7:21 PM
First day of OJT in Philippine Journalists Inc.? Or Journal Group of Publications? Whatever. Well, first day did not excite me. It's just as simple as working in OSA. Pero siguro dahil din at feel ko dahil talaga kasi wala yung mentor namin kaninang si NICKSEN. He went out for an interview with Mel Tiangco and he chose not to bring us there dahil masungit daw si Mel. Yesss? Anyway, the people there are very warm. They are all very approachable. Parang too good to be true (not to mention Mr. A? Yung nagalit sa'min kanina dahil hindi daw namin ginawa ang first assignment, which was a company profile? Dahil sabi ni sir Mike 'wag daw namin yun pansinin). It's like, not the real world since "sabi nila" harsh daw ang real world and blah, blah…
Gusto kong mag field! Ayoko ng boring na trabaho. I want excitement! I want something that will make me… "Oh yeah c'mon! I want moooore!" haaaay. Okay. I will give this two weeks. I'll wait for a work outside the office. A field work maybe? I chose my beat, advertising, kasi sabi ko hindi naman ako magsusulat for newspaper 'pag graduate ko dahil hindi ko naman masyadong gusto and especially because, walang pera doon. Sabi nila working is a matter of passion. You work not only because of salary but you work because you love that job! TAMA. Isang malaking tama para dyan! At napakaswerte ng mga taong tinatrabaho ang trabahong mahal nila. Pero hindi yun ang issue eh. I am willing to accept low pay naman as long as I really love the job. Kaya lang, being a journalist? Hindi masyado eh. May mas gusto pa ako.
Kapag in two weeks at hindi ko pa minahal ang trabaho ko, I will pursue that TV5, whatever it takes. Minsan lang magkaroon ng chance. Why waste it? Kung alam ko naman talaga ang gusto ko bakit hindi ko subukan? Kung baga sa magkarelasyon, kung hindi kami ngayon, bakit hindi ko ligawan? Bakit hindi ko subukang mapalapit? Wala namang imposible eh. 'Di ba?
Yes. I still want that other major over there! Kahit wala naman akong napagaralan about TV prod, Theatre Arts, Advertising and that and that, gusto ko parin parang ganun yung magiging trabaho ko someday.
Well, isa lang ang point ng entry na 'to. Magpapass ako ng resume sa TV5 on Saturday? And I think I'm gonna pursue it kahit sabihin nilang taga timpla ng kape 'pag sa TV? (I mean, sa OJT) Eh liligawan ko nga eh! 'Di ba 'pag mahal mo, you're willing to sacrifice? Hahahahaha. Yeah, I know love.
GOODBYE TAJ MAJAL. HAHAHAHAHA! :)
Hay Journalu. I love you.
KUMA
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
12:34 AM
I know what they do when they go away :(
Masang, Tomas, Totoy, now Kuma. Lahat sila bigla nalang umalis at hindi na bumalik. I know what they do. Die. They are in pain that they want to go away, thinking that they could find a place where they could not feel the pain anymore. They go, go and go…
Hindi pa ako nakakaget over sa mga naunang umalis, tapos si Kuma.
I know, they wait for me before they leave. They leave a thank you message, I know. Before Totoy and Kuma went, I took a photo of them. Tomas, Totoy and Kuma, before they went, I told them I love them just, normally. Aaaaaahhhh.
Things come and go. Accept. I should just be happy that they came into my life and have been part of it.
Sorry, kinailangan kong magsulat. Malungkot ang feeling ko eh. Gusto kong isipin na okay lang blah, blah… pero deep inside, sobrang lungkot eh. Kasi sobrang hirap nung bigla silang nawawala na 'di mo alam kung saan exactly at 'pag narealize mo na hindi na sila babalik, hindi mo na sila makikita at hindi mo na sila mahahaplos………. Awwww naiiyak ako. O.A ba? Kanina pa ko umiiyak eh.
Eh kasi, mahal ko sila. Bakit ba? Mahal ko sila eh. Alam ko din na mahal nila ako, kami. Alam ko.
Nakakalungkot lang. Pero siguro dapat hindi na ko umiiyak. Acceptance nalang. Ganun talaga.
Haaaaay sana ay gumaan na ang pakiramdam ko. I love you Kuma and every one of you! Okay lang. Wherever he is, I know, he is loved and he is happy :) And also Tomas, Totoy and Masang.
April 6
OMG. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA JOKE LANG 'TO. SHET KUMA, SORRY. NAKAKAHIYA NAMAN. HAHAHAHAHA! THE NEXT DAY AFTER THIS DAY, HE CAME BACK VERY THIN AND VERY DIRTY BUT NOW, HE'S FINE NA AS EVER.
12:34 AM
I know what they do when they go away :(
Masang, Tomas, Totoy, now Kuma. Lahat sila bigla nalang umalis at hindi na bumalik. I know what they do. Die. They are in pain that they want to go away, thinking that they could find a place where they could not feel the pain anymore. They go, go and go…
Hindi pa ako nakakaget over sa mga naunang umalis, tapos si Kuma.
I know, they wait for me before they leave. They leave a thank you message, I know. Before Totoy and Kuma went, I took a photo of them. Tomas, Totoy and Kuma, before they went, I told them I love them just, normally. Aaaaaahhhh.
Things come and go. Accept. I should just be happy that they came into my life and have been part of it.
Sorry, kinailangan kong magsulat. Malungkot ang feeling ko eh. Gusto kong isipin na okay lang blah, blah… pero deep inside, sobrang lungkot eh. Kasi sobrang hirap nung bigla silang nawawala na 'di mo alam kung saan exactly at 'pag narealize mo na hindi na sila babalik, hindi mo na sila makikita at hindi mo na sila mahahaplos………. Awwww naiiyak ako. O.A ba? Kanina pa ko umiiyak eh.
Eh kasi, mahal ko sila. Bakit ba? Mahal ko sila eh. Alam ko din na mahal nila ako, kami. Alam ko.
Nakakalungkot lang. Pero siguro dapat hindi na ko umiiyak. Acceptance nalang. Ganun talaga.
Haaaaay sana ay gumaan na ang pakiramdam ko. I love you Kuma and every one of you! Okay lang. Wherever he is, I know, he is loved and he is happy :) And also Tomas, Totoy and Masang.
April 6
OMG. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA JOKE LANG 'TO. SHET KUMA, SORRY. NAKAKAHIYA NAMAN. HAHAHAHAHA! THE NEXT DAY AFTER THIS DAY, HE CAME BACK VERY THIN AND VERY DIRTY BUT NOW, HE'S FINE NA AS EVER.
Crush: A Big "IT'S DIFFERENT!"
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
12:48 AM
Ito ang lalaking gusto ko. At ito naman ang lalaking mahal ko.
Fact: In front of the person you like, your heart beats faster but in front of the person you love, you get… simply happy.
'Yun naman pala eh. Ano pa ang dapat pag-usapan? Hahahaha
I'm so lucky I have a very good relationship with my boyfriend (Reinnier Sanchez). Alam mo yung, masasabi mo sa harap niya na may crush ka at seryoso kang kinikilig pero okay lang? Actually, syempre hindi naman okay yun pero alam mo yun, intindido ka niya (may word bang ganyan?). Eh 'pag ba naman ganon, magkaka-crush ka pa ba? Hahahaha! 'Ba yan! Mema naman ako.
Hindi ko na nga crush si _______________ ! Dati lang. HAHAHAHAHAHA
Tinatamad na 'ko magsulat.
Basta I know. I found my soulmate and my destiny. Yes, cheeeeesy oh. But admit it or admit it, WE ARE REALLY FOR EACH OTHER! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha nakakainis. Ni Reinnier Sanchez ha. OMG! I love saying his name kahit sa isip ko lang, kinikilig ako. Reinnier Sanchez Reinnier Sanchez reinnier sanchez reinniersanchez reinniersanchez his name and surname go together like joannefuentes joannefuentes. Baliw.
I'm not making sense at all.
12:48 AM
Ito ang lalaking gusto ko. At ito naman ang lalaking mahal ko.
Fact: In front of the person you like, your heart beats faster but in front of the person you love, you get… simply happy.
'Yun naman pala eh. Ano pa ang dapat pag-usapan? Hahahaha
I'm so lucky I have a very good relationship with my boyfriend (Reinnier Sanchez). Alam mo yung, masasabi mo sa harap niya na may crush ka at seryoso kang kinikilig pero okay lang? Actually, syempre hindi naman okay yun pero alam mo yun, intindido ka niya (may word bang ganyan?). Eh 'pag ba naman ganon, magkaka-crush ka pa ba? Hahahaha! 'Ba yan! Mema naman ako.
Hindi ko na nga crush si _______________ ! Dati lang. HAHAHAHAHAHA
Tinatamad na 'ko magsulat.
Basta I know. I found my soulmate and my destiny. Yes, cheeeeesy oh. But admit it or admit it, WE ARE REALLY FOR EACH OTHER! Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha nakakainis. Ni Reinnier Sanchez ha. OMG! I love saying his name kahit sa isip ko lang, kinikilig ako. Reinnier Sanchez Reinnier Sanchez reinnier sanchez reinniersanchez reinniersanchez his name and surname go together like joannefuentes joannefuentes. Baliw.
I'm not making sense at all.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Under the Guava Tree
“They are coming to town!” people were all shouting and children were running fast from school. Everything seemed to be in panic. It was chaos in one bright morning of year 1941.
Ernesto Castro, a grade-two student of Manaog Elementary School, as usual, prepared himself for another day in school. But as he walked through the walkway of the Manaog shrine where he usually passed when walking to school, he saw children, some of them were his classmates, running fast and horribly from their school. Only then when he realized that classes were suspended and teachers advised the students that they will have a long rest for they don’t need to come to school for the next days because the Japanese were coming for invasion.
Unlike the frightened classmates, the eight-year-old boy joyfully went home and was happy to hear the news since no classes would mean a lot of time to play. He was the one who broke the news to his family. “Nanay, the Japanese are coming here!” he said excitedly. Terrified were his parents, they scolded Ernesto about the positive feelings he had for the coming of the Japanese. Horrified and clueless, Ernesto wondered why people were so scared of them.
Ernesto’s life with his family was hard. They belong to the lower class of the society. His parents do not have a day-job and they have difficulties providing their daily needs, sometimes even the basic ones.
The coming of the Japanese in the Philippines in year 1941 was a commonplace. When they entered Philippines, Manaog Elementary School became one of their evacuation areas and later became one of their headquarters as well.
When the Japanese first came in the Philippines, they were more of a friend than an enemy, except when one challenges them.
The Japanese Soldier
Had stopped from school, Ernesto as a young boy, had a lot of time playing and doing things that he wanted to do. One time, when he was out and was on a top of a tree getting guavas, on a nearby neighborhood, he met this Japanese soldier named Hitaski. Young Ernesto was amazed by his camouflage uniform and a set of firearms on his side and asked him if he wants some of his guavas. Hitaski was so stunned by the wit of the little boy.
The next day, while Ernesto was again out for a tree-climbing, he saw Hitaski again but this time, Hitaski has brought something for him. A paper and a pencil, which he said will be useful when the classes resume. Ernesto never felt that happiness he felt that day. That was the first time he had a new paper and pencil since the day he started schooling.
Ernesto and Hitaski met several times. After their first encounter, Ernesto would always climb on top of that guava tree where they first met and wait for Hitaski there.
They were both having fun with each other. Although they do not talk that much, because both know just a little about each other’s mother tongue, they had a harmonious friendship. Being the oldest child in the family, Ernesto felt as though he had an older brother.
Ernesto never told his parents about his new friend because he knew that when they find out that he is being close to a Japanese soldier, they would scold him and worse, they would not allow him to go out and he would never see Hitaski ever again.
The Last Encounter
Ernesto’s last encounter with Hitaski was during one sunny afternoon. Ernesto went to their meeting place, under the guava tree, and saw Hitaski there who brought some foods for them. They ate, played and as usual had story telling when Hitaski told him that he was not going to see Ernesto anymore since he was assigned to different place, somewhere far from Manaog. Having a real friend at eight, for the first time, Ernesto did not know how he would feel at first. Hitaski has been very close and very kind to him. He was almost like a brother and a father to him and for the first time in almost two months, he would lose him. As remembrance, and for Ernesto a sign of their friendship, Hitaski gave him the spoon which he used after their picnic under the guava tree that day and finally said goodbye to Ernesto. After that, Ernesto never saw Hitaski again.
The Cruelty Started To Unfold
People were all in terror and everything was mayhem. They have just heard that the Japanese were coming for attacks and they ruthlessly kill Filipinos who were against their administration. Everyone was looking for a place to evacuate and everybody was running and shouting. Even women, unmindful of themselves, ran across the river naked, in fright that Japanese soldier might captive them and make them their slaves.
The Japanese then began to attack the Philippines step by step. Clark Air Base in Pampanga was first attacked then Japanese forces landed at the Lingayen Gulf and then proceed to Manila. It was then when General Douglas MacArthur declared Manila as an open city. From there, the cruelty of the Japanese soldiers started to unfold.
Life Was Tough
Ernesto’s family also started to evacuate. They went to Barilao, Pangasinan and for the mean time stayed there with his family’s relatives and sometimes with his family’s friends. Their life became harder. His parents got every possible job that they could get to sustain their family’s basic needs. Their life for them became even tougher when Ernesto’s younger brother, Pedro, who has a cerebral pulse, became badly ill. They do not have enough money to send Pedro for medication plus medications during those times were very rare since Japanese wrath got worse and worse. There would come a time when they would have to dig under and make tunnels just to hide from the cruel Japanese soldiers. Their life was turmoil. They do not know how they will get the basic necessities that they need for survival.
Every morning, they come out of the tunnel to look for foods. People will get anything they could even if they were not sure if some of those were edible. That was the time when Filipinos invented exotic vegetables such as kangkong and malunggay. Before, those foods were given only to pigs but since the Japanese occupation, those have become part of a typical meal of almost all Filipinos.
Ernesto, at first, couldn’t believe that the people who were treating them badly were the Japanese soldiers whom Hitaski was a member of. He did not want to believe that Hitaski also could do things as cruel as what he was encountering. Ernesto was saddened by the fact that his first true friend could possibly be like the ruthless soldiers who were maltreating the Filipinos in some other place and could also possibly has killed lives of his countrymen.
Ernesto has witnessed an actual physical harassment of a Japanese soldier to a Filipino. One morning, when he was out of the tunnel, looking for food, he heard Japanese soldiers talking not far from where he was. Then he heard shouting and crying. He peeked from the bushes and saw that it was a Filipino who did not bow to them when they were on what they call the “Garrison” or a checkpoint. The Filipino man tortured by a Japanese soldier and Ernesto could hear the laughing of the others. Ernesto saw that Filipino and he would never forget the first time he actually witnessed harassment that bad. He could still remember how helpless and how pitiful that Filipino was, until now.
Because of extreme poverty that they experienced during the war, Pedro, Ernesto’s younger brother died. Ernesto, at an early age who experienced those kinds of incidents, has grown matured and strong. After years of famine and deprivation, Ernesto seemed to have become immune from suffering.
The Comeback
When General Douglas MacArthur has returned to the Philippines in 1944, as he promised, together with his American soldiers who have just gone from the United States to undergo several trainings, the real war between the Japanese and the Americans had started. They attacked all the Japanese headquarters then and there. It took them weeks of intense fighting before the Japanese finally surrendered and on July of 1945, Philippines has received its freedom back from the Japanese with the help of the Americans. That was the end of the Japanese cruelty in the Philippines.
The Guava Tree
The end of the Japanese cruelty was also the end of Ernesto’s friendship with Hitaski as he knew it, because although Hitaski said goodbye to him during the war, he knew that there is still a possibility that they could meet again and be just like what they used to be but after the Japanese have left the Philippines, he knew that it was really the end.
After the war, Ernesto’s family has gone back to their house in Manaog. He also was back in school and restarted as grade-two student. When walking to school, he would passed the guava tree where he had all the memories of Hitaski, his first true friend, and he could still the recall the stories they used to tell and the games they played.
It was so strange that Ernesto has met his first true friend amidst the war but it was stranger that the first true friend that he met during the war belonged to the enemy of his country. But even though that was the case, Ernesto never had anger to Hitaski.
The paper and the pencil that Hitaski gave to him were lost during the war but the spoon that Hitaski used during their last picnic is still with him and is still classified as one of the most precious things that he has.
Ernesto Castro, a grade-two student of Manaog Elementary School, as usual, prepared himself for another day in school. But as he walked through the walkway of the Manaog shrine where he usually passed when walking to school, he saw children, some of them were his classmates, running fast and horribly from their school. Only then when he realized that classes were suspended and teachers advised the students that they will have a long rest for they don’t need to come to school for the next days because the Japanese were coming for invasion.
Unlike the frightened classmates, the eight-year-old boy joyfully went home and was happy to hear the news since no classes would mean a lot of time to play. He was the one who broke the news to his family. “Nanay, the Japanese are coming here!” he said excitedly. Terrified were his parents, they scolded Ernesto about the positive feelings he had for the coming of the Japanese. Horrified and clueless, Ernesto wondered why people were so scared of them.
Ernesto’s life with his family was hard. They belong to the lower class of the society. His parents do not have a day-job and they have difficulties providing their daily needs, sometimes even the basic ones.
The coming of the Japanese in the Philippines in year 1941 was a commonplace. When they entered Philippines, Manaog Elementary School became one of their evacuation areas and later became one of their headquarters as well.
When the Japanese first came in the Philippines, they were more of a friend than an enemy, except when one challenges them.
The Japanese Soldier
Had stopped from school, Ernesto as a young boy, had a lot of time playing and doing things that he wanted to do. One time, when he was out and was on a top of a tree getting guavas, on a nearby neighborhood, he met this Japanese soldier named Hitaski. Young Ernesto was amazed by his camouflage uniform and a set of firearms on his side and asked him if he wants some of his guavas. Hitaski was so stunned by the wit of the little boy.
The next day, while Ernesto was again out for a tree-climbing, he saw Hitaski again but this time, Hitaski has brought something for him. A paper and a pencil, which he said will be useful when the classes resume. Ernesto never felt that happiness he felt that day. That was the first time he had a new paper and pencil since the day he started schooling.
Ernesto and Hitaski met several times. After their first encounter, Ernesto would always climb on top of that guava tree where they first met and wait for Hitaski there.
They were both having fun with each other. Although they do not talk that much, because both know just a little about each other’s mother tongue, they had a harmonious friendship. Being the oldest child in the family, Ernesto felt as though he had an older brother.
Ernesto never told his parents about his new friend because he knew that when they find out that he is being close to a Japanese soldier, they would scold him and worse, they would not allow him to go out and he would never see Hitaski ever again.
The Last Encounter
Ernesto’s last encounter with Hitaski was during one sunny afternoon. Ernesto went to their meeting place, under the guava tree, and saw Hitaski there who brought some foods for them. They ate, played and as usual had story telling when Hitaski told him that he was not going to see Ernesto anymore since he was assigned to different place, somewhere far from Manaog. Having a real friend at eight, for the first time, Ernesto did not know how he would feel at first. Hitaski has been very close and very kind to him. He was almost like a brother and a father to him and for the first time in almost two months, he would lose him. As remembrance, and for Ernesto a sign of their friendship, Hitaski gave him the spoon which he used after their picnic under the guava tree that day and finally said goodbye to Ernesto. After that, Ernesto never saw Hitaski again.
The Cruelty Started To Unfold
People were all in terror and everything was mayhem. They have just heard that the Japanese were coming for attacks and they ruthlessly kill Filipinos who were against their administration. Everyone was looking for a place to evacuate and everybody was running and shouting. Even women, unmindful of themselves, ran across the river naked, in fright that Japanese soldier might captive them and make them their slaves.
The Japanese then began to attack the Philippines step by step. Clark Air Base in Pampanga was first attacked then Japanese forces landed at the Lingayen Gulf and then proceed to Manila. It was then when General Douglas MacArthur declared Manila as an open city. From there, the cruelty of the Japanese soldiers started to unfold.
Life Was Tough
Ernesto’s family also started to evacuate. They went to Barilao, Pangasinan and for the mean time stayed there with his family’s relatives and sometimes with his family’s friends. Their life became harder. His parents got every possible job that they could get to sustain their family’s basic needs. Their life for them became even tougher when Ernesto’s younger brother, Pedro, who has a cerebral pulse, became badly ill. They do not have enough money to send Pedro for medication plus medications during those times were very rare since Japanese wrath got worse and worse. There would come a time when they would have to dig under and make tunnels just to hide from the cruel Japanese soldiers. Their life was turmoil. They do not know how they will get the basic necessities that they need for survival.
Every morning, they come out of the tunnel to look for foods. People will get anything they could even if they were not sure if some of those were edible. That was the time when Filipinos invented exotic vegetables such as kangkong and malunggay. Before, those foods were given only to pigs but since the Japanese occupation, those have become part of a typical meal of almost all Filipinos.
Ernesto, at first, couldn’t believe that the people who were treating them badly were the Japanese soldiers whom Hitaski was a member of. He did not want to believe that Hitaski also could do things as cruel as what he was encountering. Ernesto was saddened by the fact that his first true friend could possibly be like the ruthless soldiers who were maltreating the Filipinos in some other place and could also possibly has killed lives of his countrymen.
Ernesto has witnessed an actual physical harassment of a Japanese soldier to a Filipino. One morning, when he was out of the tunnel, looking for food, he heard Japanese soldiers talking not far from where he was. Then he heard shouting and crying. He peeked from the bushes and saw that it was a Filipino who did not bow to them when they were on what they call the “Garrison” or a checkpoint. The Filipino man tortured by a Japanese soldier and Ernesto could hear the laughing of the others. Ernesto saw that Filipino and he would never forget the first time he actually witnessed harassment that bad. He could still remember how helpless and how pitiful that Filipino was, until now.
Because of extreme poverty that they experienced during the war, Pedro, Ernesto’s younger brother died. Ernesto, at an early age who experienced those kinds of incidents, has grown matured and strong. After years of famine and deprivation, Ernesto seemed to have become immune from suffering.
The Comeback
When General Douglas MacArthur has returned to the Philippines in 1944, as he promised, together with his American soldiers who have just gone from the United States to undergo several trainings, the real war between the Japanese and the Americans had started. They attacked all the Japanese headquarters then and there. It took them weeks of intense fighting before the Japanese finally surrendered and on July of 1945, Philippines has received its freedom back from the Japanese with the help of the Americans. That was the end of the Japanese cruelty in the Philippines.
The Guava Tree
The end of the Japanese cruelty was also the end of Ernesto’s friendship with Hitaski as he knew it, because although Hitaski said goodbye to him during the war, he knew that there is still a possibility that they could meet again and be just like what they used to be but after the Japanese have left the Philippines, he knew that it was really the end.
After the war, Ernesto’s family has gone back to their house in Manaog. He also was back in school and restarted as grade-two student. When walking to school, he would passed the guava tree where he had all the memories of Hitaski, his first true friend, and he could still the recall the stories they used to tell and the games they played.
It was so strange that Ernesto has met his first true friend amidst the war but it was stranger that the first true friend that he met during the war belonged to the enemy of his country. But even though that was the case, Ernesto never had anger to Hitaski.
The paper and the pencil that Hitaski gave to him were lost during the war but the spoon that Hitaski used during their last picnic is still with him and is still classified as one of the most precious things that he has.
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