Amungan is a play staged annually by Pagta, an organization based in the University of the Philippines Baguio, which showcases the culture of the Indigenous Peoples (usually more about the Cordillera since it is where the organization was founded) and shows the current struggles faced by IPs in the Philippines.
“Five hundred!” I blurted shortly after being seated when I saw what the people at the other table were drinking. Red Horse 500ml. “Ngayon lang ako ulit iinom ng hindi stallion,” I told my friends.
The scorching summer heat makes you just want to stay indoors with the fan and AC on but thank goodness I managed to defy the laze for I should’ve missed yet another awesome night.
When Inah asked if I want to go out, I asked back, “Saan? Sa Mall?” Kasi sobrang init di ko maisip maglakad lakad sa labas, haha. She LOLed, too, and suggested we go to Diliman. Since, I wanted to explore and go food tripping in Diliman for some time now. I said yes. I remembered I was just texting our friend Rogelio the night before and he asked if there’s any get together happening soon. Sakto! Three’s a party!
We were supposed to do some photo sessions but we got lost multiple times and the sun set too soon. We went looking for that restaurant/food stall “Lutong Bahay” but learned that they are open only in the morning. Sayang, we went ice candy-ing and tea-ing instead before moving on in search for the famed Mang Larry’s Isawan. After walking and walking and asking random people for directions (most of them doesn’t really know where Mang Larry’s Isawan is), we found him!
Mang Larry’s Isawan is indeed popular! Pinipilahan talaga! You just need to have patience because they got lots of customers and you have to wait for your orders to be cooked. The wait is worth it anyway. After wolfing down 27 sticks of isaw, we went Tomato Kickin’ so we could talk about things we can only talk about with alcohol around, haha.
I was amazed by how we talked about lots of things about us/our high school life I never knew of, despite the fact that we’ve been friends for years and it’s not the first time we went out together. Then 8 Toleran walks into the bar at di ko na naman mapigilan maging groupie. Ang daldal ko lang at ang ingay ko, kung makapag-Ian Tayao ako parang wala sila 8 sa tabing table. Well, it’s one of the best things about being drunk, you say things and don’t give a damn about what people thinks or say about you or about the things you said. The perks of being unknown, sabi nga ni Inah.
Alam mong lasing ka na kapag yung crush mo pinipicture-an mo nang walang paalam, harap-harapan at may flash pa. :p Yes, 8 is the better looking Queso but I am still Team Ian. :D We were the last ones to leave the place. Well, 8 and company were still there when we left but they’re not really customers I supposed? :)
All photos except Isaw and Mang Larry’s Isawan are from Inah.
June 6, 2006 Lumipat na ko sa boarding house.
Malamang kakalipat ko lang nito kaya one liner lang ang nasa journal. Napagod sa paglilipat ng mga gamit. Soloista eh. Mula Breha, sa Engineer’s Hill ako napadpad. Bakit ba ayos tumira dito? Una, mura at walking distance sa UP. Pangalawa, dahil may malapit na talipapa at mga computer shops. Nung nasa Engineer’s Hill ako, bread and butter ko ang pagsisinungaling at natuto akong dumiskarte para magsurvive.
Pano ko nga ba to nakita? Hmmm, dahil siguro sa karatulang wanted female boarder? :D Ang boarding house ay two-storey na kadikit mismo ng bahay ng landlord. Medyo luma na pero maluwang- may dalawang kwarto sa ikalawang palapag at isa sa attic. Ang mga gamit lang sa first floor ay isang lumang sala set at ang mga gamit panluto.
Pito kaming nakatira dito, pawang mga babae. Engineer’s Hill
So after all those years, the bird’s not a parrot but an eagle. I’m talking about the UP seal.
Last night, I was dazed upon reading Tuesday Vargas’ tweet that says: Ke eagle yan o parrot, UP will still uphold its standards as the epitome of higher education.
But thinking it’s just a petty rumor or something, I ignored the tweet but then few hours later Kuya Kim tweeted:
Because I’m too lazy to Google, I popped the question on Facebook and as expected, people unanimously replied it’s a parrot.
When I was a freshman in UP, I thought the bird in the seal is an eagle because it really looks like one. But then my roommates said it’s a parrot, merely because the bird is intelligent which most represents the people university (as it always claims hehe). During my second semester in the university, I got the same explanation from an instructor: it’s a parrot because the parrot is the most intelligent bird, and UP students are madaldal, in the sense na they speak out.
Upon raising the question on Facebook, a friend sent me a link to a blog explaining that the bird in the UP seal is an eagle, as claimed by the UP System Information Office.
Ano ba talaga?
Aside from working in New York City, my ultimate dream is to join the Amazing Race.
I’ve always fantasized that when I get older, probably when I’m 20 and one of the two major networks in the country had already franchised the reality show, I will definitely audition for it. But for now, I will start by joining amateur and school-based adventure race.
I learned from Karen that their Fine Arts class will hold this adventure race in school where any bona fide UPB student can join and that the winning team will receive cash prize. Aside from the fact that I was broke, I saw it as an opportunity to somehow fulfill my dream.