Sa dinami-rami ng baklang kamag-anak, friends, acquaintances, at napapanood ko sa media, dalawang gays lang talaga ang nirerespeto ko ng bongga. Two gays who taught me a lot about how to fight, how to keep silent, how to face struggles, how to give wholeheartedly and how to take without complain.
Speaker si Sir AM sa seminar that I attended 2 years ago nang una ko siyang makita. I disagreed pa sa kanya noon kasi sinabi niyang unahin muna ang pera kaysa love. He didnt specified the love he was talking about but I assumed that he was talking about the boyfriend-girlfriend kind of love, while I'm pertaining the love for family and God. I hated him for that, naisip ko pa noon na, 'Bakla kasi. He needs money to find love.' Ang sama no? I know. But my bitterness towards him melted when, well, I dont really know when. It just melted. And eversince, I really dont believe the saying that goes, 'First impression last.'
Palagi siyang nagiging speaker sa mga seminar na pinupuntahan ko. He's discussing about Millenium Development Goals, about leadership, about youth impowerment, and so on and so forth. He wasn't just discussing, he's captivating our heart and soul in every smooth but fierce word his mouth was releasing.
I respected him more nang nakasama ko siya sa isang three-day seminar sa Baguio. He wasn't only accomodative, he was also appreciative. He wasn't only a talker, he was also a leader. He wasn't only funny to be with, he was also overwhelming to be with.
Sa seminars lang kami nagkikita, we are not close, we are not friends (even in facebook cuz he's not accepting my friend request yet), but I respect him so much. Why? Because he is he.
Si Hubby. Isa siya sa dalawa. I knew him for about three years. And when I say 'I knew him', I mean I only knew his what and where abouts. I knew him but I dont really knew him. Until our rough journey in senior year started. I dont know when I started to call him 'Hubby'. I dont even know how it started. Maybe because he's so gentle and kind, he was my love interest? I dont know. Haha.
One thing that made me salute him is that he will never leave you kahit ano pa ang mangyari. Umaraw man o umulan. Mag ka-El Nino man o El Nina. Bumagyo man, lumindol o magka-tsunami-hinding hindi ka niya iiwanan. Hinding hindi ka niya bibitawan. He will hold your hands as if they are his just to be able to save you. He will never let you go unless he knows that you are already safe. He will be there until the very end of the journey.
Sa isang taon na magkasama kami sa iisang classroom, sa loob ng iisang magbabarkada, at iisang organisasyon, hindi ko na mabilang kung ilang beses niyang sinabi na, "Kami na dito," to give me time to rest. At minsan, kahit hindi namin siya ka-grupo, tumutulong siya sa amin. Hindi lang 'basta tulong', napakalaking tulong. Sasamahan niya kami sa concept, sa props, sa rehearsal, sa lahat lahat--hanggang sa paghatid ng mga kaklase namin kahit sobrang lalim na ng gabi.
I will never forget that time when I almost breakdown in the middle of the night at the middle of the road kasi hindi namin mapigilan 'yong isa naming kaklase from walking 2 kilometers (wala ng sasakyan na dumadaan) para lang makauwi na siya dahil alalang alala na ang family niya sa kanya. Sobrang panic na ang nararamdaman namin ni Hubby, and when we saw a tricycle na papunta sa amin, naghihiyaw kaming dalawa ng, "Kuyaaaa! Para po! Parang-awa niyo naaa~!" And thanks to God dahil sobrang bait ni manong at ang family niya dahil pinasakay ang kaibigan namin. After makaalis ng friend namin ay parehas naming minura ang teacher namin na siyang dahilan kung bakit kami nag-practice sa gabing 'yon.
And that time when he announced that 'asawa' niya ako to our batchmates. Man, kinilig ako ng bongga! Kinabog niya si Enrique Gil! Haha.
Bakla siya, pero mas lalaki pa siya kumpara sa iba. Yes, may kamalian, pero iyan ang tunay na lalaki, iyan ang tunay na tao. May kamalian, pero nangingibabaw pa rin ang kabaitan. Hindi man siya tunay na lalaki, wala akong paki. Ika nga sa kanta 'I dont care! I love it!'
At ang kaka-hired lang. Ang fresh na fresh from the list. Ang isa sa tatlo. Si Vice Ganda. Palagi ko siyang napapanood. Palagi niya akong napapatawa. Sa pelikula man, or sa mga show niya. Palagi. Pero hanggang doon lang. Noon. Ngayon? Lampas tao ang respeto ko sa kanya. Sino bang artista ang maglalakas loob na tanggalin ang mga kolorete sa mukha at buhok para ipakita sa lahat ng tao kung ano talaga ang hitsura niya? Sinong artista ang may lakas ng loob na ipakita sa buong mundo ang panget niyang mukha at isigaw pa rin na "Maganda ako!" Sino? Sinong artista ang nagpakita kung gaano kapangit ang mukha para i-comfort ang isang taong minsan nang nabully? Sinong artista ang nagkwekwento kung paano ang mga gawain ng mga mahihirap dahil nanggaling siya doon without any kahihiyan? Sino? Si Vice Ganda. Isang bakla. I may not know him personally, I may not meet him personally, but my respect for him is over flowing. Bakit? Because he is Vice Ganda. Isang bakla. Isang tao. Isang kabayo. Isang nagpapakatotoo.
Bakla sila, yes, but I respect them more, most even, than those ego-bloated, self-centered human beings.
