When the Beat Drops (Chasing Celestine #2)

Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

Requests

"What is your definition of success?" Iyon ang tanong sa akin para sa question and answer portion.

Huminga ako nang malalim bago humawak sa microphone at sumagot.

"Success for me is not when I've earned lots of money, the accomplishments I have made, or the applauses I get. It doesn't matter if I am the richest person alive or if I'm given a world title for everything that I did. Success... is when I've reached my goal in life while I also help others reach theirs. I believe that not because you've worked hard, you'll become successful. Opportunities come first before hard work. An example of that in the Philippines, a lot of people have graduated in their chosen fields, but not everyone gets to practice it. Some graduates go abroad because they are better compensated there than here, even if the job they got is not related to the degrees they have graduated from. A lot has been working tirelessly from Monday to Friday, even on the weekends, but they only get the minimum wage. So I can only regard myself as a successful person if I have already given opportunities to other people. Because I believe success equates to one person's accomplishment and how they use their success to pull the others up."

Humakbang ako ng isa palikod at nakatanggap ako ng masigabong palakpakan.

Tulad na lang ng pamilya ni papa. They're rich. Very influential. Pero ginamit nila ang kapangyarihan para makapanghamak ng mga tao—ng sarili nilang anak. Turning their back against him was one thing, and leaving him with nothing is another. Kaya yung sinasabi ni mama na nakakatakot ang mundo, masyado itong sakim... totoo pala talaga 'yon.

Kahit sarili mong kamag-anak, hindi mo mapagkakatiwalaan.

"Thank you for that wonderful answer, Miss Revilla..."

Pinabalik na rin ako ng host sa likod, sa tabi ni Kat. Sunod naman na tinawag ay yung sa section 3 pero nasa kabilang room dahil pare-parehas lang din ang mga tanong para sa girls.

"Your answer is so nice!" Ngumiti nang malapad si Kat.

"Salamat..." Nahihiyang sabi ko.

Hinanap ko si Karim sa mga nakaupo sa harap at nagthumbs up siya sa akin. Mas lalo akong napangiti dahil doon.

Nang matapos na ang question and answer para sa mga muse, pinababa na rin kami para kami naman ang maupo. Si Alceo ang unang nasa stage habang ang iba ay nasa parehas na kwartong pinagstay-an namin.

Alceo is like Karim. Hindi rin siya palangiti kaya kahit itong nasa pageant, wala ring ekspresyon ang mukha niya. Still, he answered the question well.

Sunod na tinawag naman ay si Karim.

"For you, Mr. Pascual, who do you think is more powerful, a man or a woman?"

Tumango si Karim at nilapit ang bibig sa mic.

"Comparing a man and a woman is pointless to me. Both men and women can do things and have power in different ways. They should be looked into equally, as men can do the things women can, and women can also do what men can. Still, it's up to the individual, whether a man or a woman can do specific things. For example, a man with health issues couldn't carry heavy things, and a healthy woman could. There's this stereotype also that girls should only receive and that boys should give. No... if we aspire for equality, we should view this as complementing of strengths and weaknesses of each individual. What the other can't do, the other should, whether you're a man or a woman. Besides, powerful is an adjective and not used as how you stereotype men and women."

Napangiti ako nang malapad at tumango tango sa sagot ni Karim. Isa ako sa mga malakas na pumalakpak para sa kanya. Nakakahanga rin yung prinsipyo niya sa buhay.