Mga Bungang Isip ni Christopher Zoloan

Misery, Hunger, & Grandpa Rizal

Misery, Hunger, and Grandpa Rizal
Christopher S. Alonzo
[June 19, 2012]

    Today is his 151st birthday- Josè Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonzo Realonda, National Hero, martyr, medical practitioner, opthalmologist/opthalmic surgeon, agrimensor, novelist, inventor, scientist, poet... The list goes on & on. For my part, I always celebrate his birthday for a toast or two, without any food but the customary visit to his monument & giving a respectful salute & bow. It is also my preference to spell the Alonzo with "z" instead of the traditional "s", not because my last name is spelled that way, but because that particular apelledo, when pronounced in Spanish, is mostly sounded as "z" & the difference doesn't really matter in most older documents.

    But I'm dismayed, because nobody seemed to care that today is his birthday. Nobody, in my community at least, seems to remember. For most teachers this day, there is no cause really to celebrate- salaries delayed- waiting on line in hope there will be at least a few bucks in their ATM pouch- but they know for a fact that they were only fooling themselves. For my own part, I have 50 Pinoy bucks to spend until tomorrow- that would only amount to jeep fares and a single drink. Most other teachers worry because of numerous types of loans yet unpaid, & some more worry that they could not give even just a meager or frugal party for their child's birthday.

    Teachers' plight remained the same. Overworked yet underpaid. (Now even more overworked). It's like teachers are a most enduring batch, & to use Dr. Watson's words, "the most suffering of mortals". It's like a machine where more and more work is added, yet nobody cared to have the machine cleaned, renewed, or calibrated. Despite meager increase in salaries, it still just aint enough. Some teachers do their thing shouting in the streets, hoping the government will listen to their pleas. It is true indeed- a soldier's lowest rank even gets higher pay than a poor teacher. Most teachers, to support the whole family, have their salaries already loaned before the money even reaches them. On a cold stormy day & stormy nights like this day, some of us have tuyo for dinner.

    Which reminds me of Grandpa Rizal. He ate sardinas secas for breakfast, which is actually tuyo, but at least he has chocolate to match it. Some of us today do eat tuyo without anything to go as accompaniment. On a cold winter, I also remember that he goes outside to look for restaurants, salivating at the food displayed on the stalls. Then he goes back to the hotel or boarding house afterwards, pretending he has already eaten. I also remember an instance when he has packed biscuits as rations for a whole month. Now, Sky Flakes for dinner, teachers? But some teachers, especially the new ones, & most especially the contractuals who only get P3000 a month & get it delayed could live with it.

    Happy Birthday again Grandpa Rizal. At least in this midst of desolation, I could find time to relate to you. Happy Birthday Sir, cheers! with imaginary food and wine.