What I've been up to
Hello everyone! To all those who continue to visit my blog despite the lack of updates, thank you so much!It's hard to believe this is the third week of my vacation. I'm just enjoying the present moment. Some of my activities may seem boring or uneventful to others, pero masaya naman ako sa ginagawa ko, and that's what matters. So here are the highlights of my vacation thus far:
My visits to CIW
During my first week here, I spent most of my time at the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW). I visited my friends in CIW every other day from July 4th (my first day here) through July 11th (the day before I left for Tarlac). And I slept in the dorm formerly known as death row on June 8th. Siyempre, nag-bonding ulit kami ng mga kaibigan ko doon. Nag-videoke pa kami and we even took some pictures. Before we went to bed, Ate M told me, "Para na tayong pamilya." She's right. Wala na talaga silang pinagkaiba sa akin.
It's just as well that I visited CIW a lot during my first week here. At that time, I was still allowed to go inside the prison compound on weekdays, so I got to see everyone. Since the death penalty has been abolished, my friends are now on life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. They only got their papers certifying such on July 5th. The new rules applying to visits with them took effect a week later. Inmates with life sentences or less and their visitors are expected to stay in the visiting area, which is outside the prison compound, on weekdays. That means Ate S, the person listed on my visitor's pass, is the only inmate I can visit on weekdays. If anyone besides Ate S wants to see me on weekdays, kailangan nilang sumimple sa visiting area. They can only stay there for a few minutes; inmates who are officers and/or are close to the administration have more leeway. I can only go inside the prison and see everyone on Sundays and special occasions.
I only found out about the change of visitation policies when I visited CIW yesterday. I don't mind such a setup. What's important is that the death penalty no longer exists. But I can't deny that I miss everyone else.
Anyhow, I was lucky I was able to see a few other friends in CIW yesterday, besides Ate S. D, Ate J, and Lola had visitors, so I was able to say hello to them. Mommy P, an officer, got permission to go to the visiting area. I also saw Ate G, Ate V, and Ate A, who dropped by the visiting area at different times. I was so touched when Ate A told me she went to the visiting area just so she could see me and hug and kiss me.
Ate S told me Ate MB (who is in charge of the former death row) would submit a request for me to be allowed inside the prison compound on weekdays. But it takes at least two weeks for the request to be processed. In the meantime, I have to reserve all my Sundays for my visits to CIW just so I can see everyone.
My trip to Tarlac
I spent most of last week in Tarlac. I visited my friends in Kalangitan, an Aeta resettlement area that I've been visiting since I was 12. I went there at the height of the typhoon so my trip was quite an adventure. To top it off, I was with a lay missionary from Eastern Europe who had absolutely no sense of time and urgency. She was the major cause of delay in our commute to Kalangitan. Even if we were anxious to take a tricycle to the area, she decided to check her e-mail in Capas and she took forever in shopping for food. Naiwanan tuloy kami ng tricycle na inarkila namin kaya inabutan kami ng bagyo.
The warm welcome I received from the community made up for everything, though. I stayed with two different Aeta families. I visited other families in the area, as well, and did some catching up with the youth, who have a special place in my heart. Ate Tessie and Ate Gay (with whom I stayed on different nights) told me that even if I were show up unannounced, I'm always welcome there kasi kapamilya na raw nila ako. I'm so touched.
With the youth in KalangitanToo bad I had to leave a day earlier than planned because I had no clean or dry clothes left. But I'm going back there next week. I can hardly wait!
Quality time with family and friends
Self-explanatory. Haha, sorry tamad na ako magsulat. Basta, I'm just enjoying my time with my loved ones. And I've been spending more time with my family. *wink*
I'm leaving for Singapore in two hours and I haven't packed yet, so I have to cut this short. More later.
Take care, everyone!
found herself @ 9:00 AM
13 Comments:
Kung babalik ka ng 25... trip mo bang manood ng bday concert ni Ogie on the 26th, 9pm sa Ratsky's? Hehehe. Tapos papayagan ka kayang mag-sleepover sa bahay namin? Buong gabing kulitan, chikahan, at kulitan. Hehehe. :)
Ako bahala sa tiket mo. :)
Rina: Waaah! Sana sinabi mo 'yan sa 'kin ng mas maaga. :( :( :( Mukhang tutuloy ako sa Tarlac. Diretso ako doon pagbalik ko sa Pinas. Inimbitahan ako ng mga madretiks. I already said yes, since I just have to take a bus from the airport in Clark to Tarlac. Sorry! But I'll be back in Manila by July 29. Available ka ba n'un?
Kelangan nating magkita. Waah!
P.S. Sabay tayong online. Anong YM ID mo? Hehe :)
oist, si ano ... nagkita na ba kayo? :D
at ano naman gagawin mo jan sa Singapo? may date kayo ni tante melai??? daya ninyo ...
Mommy Neng: Yup, nagkita kami noong Monday lang.
Okay naman kami. Gusto nga niyang sumama dito pero may gawain daw siya sa seminaryo. Siya nga pala, bad siya...tinawag niya akong "kapatid." Ang sakit niya magsalita, waaah :(
Andito po kapatid ko kaya binibisita ko siya. Andito rin nanay ko, ate ko, lolo at lola ko, at mga tiya at tiyo ko. Isang barangay kami.
Ingat po!
P.S. Salamat sa testimonial!
Very touching naman ang mga visits mo...you visited those people who really needs a visitation. ...Very Christ-like.
Very admirable and inspiring.....
Long live sis....may your tribe increase!
God Bless....
Napaka memorable ng lahat ng bakasyon mo, napaka busy at marami kang napapasayang tao. Ingat lagi.
Flex J: Thank you! I guess I'm at the point where I consider my friends in prison and the Aeta community as my extended family, in a way. I don't get to see them all the time, so when I'm home, hinahanap-hanap ko sila. I just hope I can continue to visit them as much as possible, especially my friends in prison. I'm kinda worried, what with the change in visitation policies for former death row inmates in CIW.
Thanks for your moral support. God bless you too :)
Mommy Ann: Thanks! Hehe, for a good cause naman ang paglalagalag ko. *wink*
Sana nga patuloy akong makabisita sa mga kapatid kong bilanggo at katutubo pagbalik ko sa Pilipinas sa susunod na linggo. Hindi ako masyadong nag-aalala tungkol sa mga Aeta na binibisita ko. Pero baka bilang na ang mga araw ng pagdalaw ko sa CIW dahil sa mga pagbabago sa visitation policies doon. Pasensiya na, napa-emote tuloy ako sa inyo.
Ingat po!
buti nakapag-pa-pics kyo sa CIW. dati kasi bawal eh!
ang sarap naman ng bakasyon mo! magkikita ba kyo ni ate ghee?
ingats
may saysay talaga bakasyon mo, sa akin kasi puro gastos lang hahaha!
nakaka touched talaga mga trips mo. marami ka na namang napasaya.
keep it up, guapa!
Mommy Lei: Yup, bawal pa rin magdala ng camera ang mga dalaw sa CIW. May isang inmate na authorized na kumuha ng pictures. Nagkataon na doon siya sa dorm na dinadalaw ko (ang dating death row) at lagi siyang kumukuha ng pictures 'pag dumadalaw ako.
Sana nga magkita kami ni Ate Ghee.
Ingats rin po!
Ate Malaine: Haha, magastos rin naman ako. Panay kasi ang gala, LOL :)
Thank you! Touched ulit ako sa iyo. Salamat sa suporta. By the way, nice chatting with you yesterday. Miss you na, as in!
Ingat ka lagi. *mwah*
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