Censorship Wars: Call to Freedom

1: Garrison Assault

~Garrison Assault~

Sabi nila, mahirap maging isang guro. Paano pa kaya kung isa kang sundalo at teacher na gaya ko? Siguro masasabi mo na isa lamang dapat ang ginagawa ko sa dalawa, tama?

Kung isa akong normal na Pilipino, yun ang gagawin ko. Pero, mayroon akong pangako at ipinaglalaban.

Nawalay ako sa pamilya dahil sa "Tito" na iyan. Namatayan ako ng mga kaibigan at nawala sa akin ang pinakamamahal ko dahil sa lintik na Censorship Law na 'yan.

Gagawin ko ang lahat mawala lang ang NDC na 'yan sa mundo gayundin ang diktador na "Tito" na 'yan. Kahit mamatay para sa bayan.

~Faculty Room, Academic Building, Meycauayan College-High School Department, Annex Campus-07:50AM, August 8, 2021~

Normal na araw ng klase ulet para sa akin. Eto ang trabahong una kong minahal bago pa ang pagiging isa kong sundalo sa EDF. I have been in this profession for over a year now and I think I'll be here in the next few years pa.

Nag-aayos pa lang ako ng aking mga gamit para sa unang period nang pagtuturo ko nang biglang...

KRRIIINNNGG!!!

The bell signalling the start of classes had rang.

On to my first class then. I wore my best smile as I walked up the stairs to my first room, Room 404.

~Room 404~

Napagod ako ng kaunti sa paglalakad. Kung sabagay, mahirap nga naman maglakad paakyat ng apat na palapag nang suot ang uniporme at may bitbit na gamit panturo.

I should have felt lucky. Dati chalk ang gamit dito. Bibihira ang gumagamit ng LCD Projector at laptop. Ngayon, we could connect our handheld tablets using a bluetooth device to the mounted LCD Projector in every classroom. Ang techie di ba?

At libre din ang WiFi sa buong campus.

I entered Room 404. Home room for Grade 10-Rizal. Ang dati kong section. I am assigned to teach World History and Geography to these teenagers the whole year, one hour each day for four days a week. Not bad. Especially if you're a teacher of Social Sciences and PE for Junior and Senior High while being a soldier for the EDF.

For the record, I have classes Monday to Thursday, Full-time duty in EDF on Fridays, CAT on Saturday and EDF duty again on Sunday. Most of these EDF duty times are office works and library-garrison security. Bihira lang na mapasabak ako sa bakbakan di tulad two years ago when the war was very hot and when real, live bullets were flying around. I think I'm getting accustomed to this routine of mine.

"Good morning, class." I said, greeting the youngsters with a smile.

"Good morning, sir." they replied, almost in sync.

"Attendance please." I said.

And the class went on.

~EDF Office, Meycauayan Library-Garrison, Camalig Nat'l High School Campus-04:15 PM~

Lagi kong iniisip kung bakit naisip ilipat nang aming EDF Provincial Command ang battalion command headquarters sa malayong eskwelahan na ito mula sa mas accessible na MC Annex Campus. At ngayon, muli na namang naisip nang aming provincial commander na ilipat kami sa Marilao Trade School. Mas malapit sa aming "drop-off point" at mas accessible kumpara sa aming present place.

Well, orders will be orders. And we must comply to those. That's our job as soldiers.

Now, here I am, nakaupo sa aking office table. Working on my paperworks while reading a book I was recently given by a trooper of mine the month before as a birthday gift.