Bisperas sang Eleksyon

Maawas sa bwas
Ang bulugasan ni Tomas
Malangis ang bibig sa bwas
Sang mga nagabangiris
Nga mga bata ni Tomas
Tungod liempo ang unod
Sang plato sa bwas
Sang pamilya ni Tomas
Matam-is ang yuhom
Sang misis ni Tomas sa bwas
Kay man nagaawas ang bulugasan
Nagalangis ang bibig kag liempo
Ang unod sang ila plato sa bwas.
 
Kag pagkatapos
Maubos ang unod sang bulugasan
Pagkatapos mahugasan ang langis
Sang liempo sa ila mga plato
Pagkaligad sang bwas
Mabalik sa naandan nga lugaw
Patis sabaw sitserya nga tagpiso
Ang pamilya ni Tomas
Kay ginbayluhan sang kawatan
Ang bwasdamlag ni Tomas
Sang isa ka pantasya nga bwas.
 
 
 
7.30 P. M.
12 May 2019
Esplanade, Iloilo City

Poetika Reading: Mga Maalam nga Wala Nagasapak sang Panghimanwa

Poetika, Iloilo's monthly event for artistic expressions, was sadly put on hold due to the pandemic. Good thing we have an online open mic!

Here's me reading Mga Maalam nga Wala Nagasapak sang Panghimanwa, my Hiligaynon translation of Otto Rene Castillo's "Apolitical Intellectuals."

Mga Pwede Ubrahon Sa Balay

This project is in collaboration with Aklat Alamid. I'm so excited to see my first storybook collaboration with them, hopefully in time for National Children's Month this year!

(Text by Early Sol Gadong; Art by Ara Villena; Layout by Eric Nebran)

Shoot Them Dead

On the dawn of April 30, 2020, unidentified men shot activist Jory Porquia in his home in Arevalo, Iloilo City. Porquia had been a passionate fighter for people's rights since his days as leader of the League of Filipino Students during the 1970's Martial Law. He was also an environmentalist.

Days before his violent death, Porquia was part of an initiative to provide feeding programs to people who have been direly affected of the Enhanced Community Quarantine imposed on Iloilo City due to COVID-19. The local PNP attempted to stop this program, and prevented members of progressive groups from entering communities to give the much needed donations.

Earlier this month, Pres. Rodrigo Duterte said in a televised address, "My orders to the police and military... If there is trouble and there's an occasion that they fight back and your lives are in danger, shoot them dead."

Here is my tribute poem to activist Jory Porquia, first featured on Panay Today.

Shoot Them Dead

(For Jory Porquia)

Nine gunshots roared

In the break of dawn

To silence a man

Who heeded the call

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Of guts that roared

In hunger. The sun

First sees the pool

Of red by the sea,

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Whose waves came

Crashing and thrashing

Making viral tantrums

Like a toddler.

Brrrt Brrrt Brrrt

When will they ever

Learn that bullets can

Not quarantine the voices

Of the raging people?

Bang!

Rest in power, mighty

Fighter. Mountain tears

Will flow in rivers

You’ve protected so.

Bang!

Rest in power, mighty

Fighter. You have led

The way for us to find

That power lives in us.

Bang!

Terrible Lack of Physical Activities for the Last 3 Months

Yep, what the title says. Huhu!

I've been having a terribly sedentary lifestyle since February, with the travelling and the lockdown not at all helping. I've had more homecooked meals, though, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're healthier. Needless to say, I've gained back the weight I worked so hard to lose. Sigh. 

This May, I've already been a bit more active this week, so I'm really really hoping I get my groove back.

Pahuway sang Baybay

Last year, as part of my efforts to win Rheane's affections (half-char!), I composed a song advocating for the Visayan Sea Closed Season policy of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). I teamed up with Hermie, had a lot of help from Rheane, and Pahuway sang Baybay was born.

The project was supported by the BFAR-USAID FishRight program.

UP Visayas researchers have made studies about the effectiveness of the policy and you may access their study here.

Here's the lyric video.

Mga Maalam nga Wala Nagasapak sa Panghimanwa

I first read the English translation of Guatemalan poet and activist Otto Rene Castillo's Intelectuales Apoliticos here only recently, and I chanced upon it at such an interesting time --- when the world was gasping for air in the middle of a global pandemic, while fellow academics were arguing about... whether or not the semester (abruptly halted midway) ought to continue.

Here is my translation, which is also part of Kasingkasing Press's Non-required Reading in the Time of COVID-19.

Mga Maalam nga Wala Nagasapak sa Panghimanwa

(ni Otto Rene Castillo)

Ginlubad ni Early Sol A. Gadong

Isa ka adlaw

pamangkuton

sang masa

ang mga mangin-alamon

sang akon pungsod

nga wala nagasapak sa panghimanwa.

Pamangkuton sila

kon ano ang ila ginbuhat

sang amat-amat

nga nagakapatay ang ila pungsod

nga daw inanay nga dabok,

magamay kag nagaisahanon.

Wala sing mamangkot sa ila

tuhoy sa ila pamiste,

ang ila malawig nga pagpahirong-hirong

matapos panyaga,

wala sing luyag makahibalo

sang ila ginakabuangan

nga walay kapuslanan,

wala sang may labot

sa ila mga nahibal-an sa negosyo.

Indi sila pagpamangkuton

tuhoy sa Kinaadtong Sugilanon sang mga Datu

ukon ang pagkangil-ad nila sa ila kaugalingon

kon may ara nagtaliwan

sa ila kaidadalman

sang kamatalaw nga kamatayon.

Wala sing ipamangkot sa ila

pagkabalingag

nga nabun-ag sa landong

sang bug-os nga kabutigan.

Sa adlaw nga ina 

maabot ang mga mamumugon.

Atong mga wala

sa mga libro kag binalaybay

sang mga maalam nga wala nagasapak sa panghimanwa,

apang adlaw-adlaw nga nagadul-ong

sang ila tinapay kag gatas,

sang ila pandesal kag itlog,

atong mga nagamaneho sang ila salakyan,

ang mga nagapakaon sang ila ido

kag nagapamunyag sang ila tanom

kag nag-obra para sa ila,

kag mamangkot sila:

“Ano ang imo ginbulig sang ang mga kubos

nagaantos, sang nagakapalong

ang ila kalulo

kag kabuhi?”

Kamo nga mga maalam sang akon pinalanggang pungsod

nga wala nagasapak sa panghimanwa,

indi kamo makasabat.

May kahipos nga daw ido buang

nga makutkot sa inyo tinae.

Ang inyo kaugalingon nga kapiutan

ang mangutkot sang inyo kalag.

Kag sa kahuy-anan matulon ninyo ang inyo dila.

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