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The Pioneer AUF

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The Pioneer AUF

The Pioneer AUF The official student publication of Angeles University Foundation

Living up to its mantra of bridging gaps, bringing unity in diversity and writing to serve, The Pioneer launches its online journalism campaign through its page where the publication could inform and update a wider audience on the internet.

08/02/2025

𝐏𝐑 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬 | 𝟐 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐬 𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐋𝐇𝐄𝐏𝐂 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓; 𝐏𝐢𝐨 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝟒 𝐫𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬

With the theme, "PRESS PLAY: Campus Journalists as Game Changers in Digital Revolution,” Pio scribes emerge victorious as they claim two spots for the Luzon-wide Higher Education Press Conference, amongst more awards in the regional-wide competition.

Sophia Briones and Deinber Datu, who secured one of the top five spots in their fortes, are set to compete for the upcoming LHEPC 2025 to represent Region 3.

Besting 37 campus publications all over Central Luzon, individual staffers have won the following awards: Sophia Briones earned a silver medal securing 2nd place in Feature Writing (English); Deinber Datu clinched 5th place in News Writing (English); Kirsten Nicole De Vero won 9th place in Poetry Writing (Filipino); and Jarius Mendoza achieved 9th place in Sports Writing (English).

As always, the Association of Tertiary School Paper Advisers of Region III, Inc. (ATSPAR III) organized the RHEPC from February 5 to 7 at Palm Cabanas Resort in Arayat, Pampanga.

(Report by Deinber Datu; Graphics by Phoebe Salvador/ The Pioneer)

27/01/2025

𝐏𝐑 𝐍𝐞𝐰𝐬: 𝐏𝐢𝐨 𝐜𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝟔 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐎𝐂𝐏𝐀 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

The Pioneer, official student publication of Angeles University Foundation, bagged awards in the Luzon-wide 5th Assumption Outstanding Campus Press Award (AOCPA).

Moreover, the publication brought AUF six awards in said prestigious competition. Thirty campus publications all over Luzon have joined the prestigious event.

Individual staffers won the following awards:
8th Most Outstanding Campus Journalist - Mishle Joy Sardeng
2nd Most Outstanding Literary Writer - Kirsten Nicole De Vero
6th Most Outstanding Opinion Writer - Francesca Marie Perez
7th Most Outstanding Sports Writer - Jarius Jermeionne Mendoza
8th Most Outstanding News Writer - Julia Bucad
8th Most Outstanding Investigative Journalist - Lark Joshua Gatbunton

The College of Education's official student publication, Teacher’s Pen, also got two awards. These are Kyroh Ramirez for Feature and John Warren Lansangan for Photojournalist.

(Report by Julia Bucad; Photos by Chianne Tiglao)

24/12/2024

✨ 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗮𝗯𝗶 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗚𝗲𝗹𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗶𝘆𝗼 ✨

🕯️ 𝗗𝗮𝘆 9: “Fulfilling a Wish Like a Promise”

“Matuto tayong tanggapin ang mga pagbabago, sapagkat iyan ay blessing ng ating Panginoon. Kahit minsa’y tayo ay nasasaktan, ‘wag nating kalimutan na siya ay may plano para sa ating lahat. Kaya kung ngayon ay nakararamdam ka ng lungkot, tandaan mong ika’y hindi nag-iisa. Darating din ang panahon, mauunawaan mo na ang pinaka-the-best present na natanggap mo ay ikaw mismo na nasa present moment na ito.”

👇 Tap ‘See More’ to uncover the full story!

— — —

Christmas was alive in the dead of night. One could now feel the growing excitement of every person walking by the street as they greeted one another, “Maligayang Pasko!” The 24th of December was but a few minutes away. Just one more night, and the present of God would be delivered once again. Yet, Gelo was having a completely different night altogether. Instead of excitement, he felt pressure.

“Huling gabi na, ni isang wish wala pa ako,” he complained, frantically ranting to Piyo over and over again. “Like, bakit pa ba tayo magsisimba kung wala naman tayong wish?”

Piyo simply gave his human a blank stare. If only he could talk, he’d tell him to calm his nerves down.

After an hour of complaining, Gelo finally realized that they had to sleep soon, for the hour of mass was fast approaching. They needed some rest—and rest, they soon got.

In Gelo’s sleep, he dreamed of something—a dream that was so weird that it could scarcely be called a dream. The boy saw nothing, just plain nothingness, yet he could hear something—something incredibly familiar…

It was his own voice:

“𝘞𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵,
𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘪𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵.
𝘚𝘰, 𝘢 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘴𝘵,
𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘴.
‘𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦?’”

The voice continued with the poem, but Gelo could no longer hear the next lines. What could be the reason for this… message? He locked onto the voice, trying to enhance his hearing.

"𝘈𝘯𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘮𝘰?"

These were the words that woke Gelo up. Perhaps it was the stress from thinking too hard about his wish throughout the past week. One last mass before he could make one; still, not a single thing came to his mind.

"Woy, Piyo!" shouted Gelo, as he tried to pull himself up and awake. It was 3:30 in the morning—the last day of Simbang Gabi. "Tara na! Huling araw na rin naman, 'wag ka na tamarin,” he said laughing.

Piyo groaned lazily as he stood up, glanced at the window, and appreciated the stay of the moonlight.

Outside, the pair watched the stars swim in the darkness of night, as they walked by the street. The glimmer of these celestial bodies descended and posed as streetlights, which were called Parol.

As they pushed through the busy streets, Gelo’s mind wandered—the words from his dream calling him to write a poem. “Ano nga ba purpose ko? If I could think about that, maybe I can know kung ano iwi-wish ko,” he told Piyo, as they braved the chilling breeze of the wind together.

"Ang lamig! Medyo nakakagutom din," Gelo whined. Each whisper of the chilling wind carried the aroma of their favorites: bibingka and p**o bumbong. "Dami ko tuloy naalala."

Piyo barked in reply, indicating that he must be hungry too.

“Maya na lang tayo kumain. Huling misa na rin naman.”

Gelo now carried Piyo, as he pondered over his dilemma once again. As someone who had always had his way with words, writing had always been the key to Gelo’s enlightenment. It was the bridge that led his uncertainties towards the path of clarity. So, with a heart that yearned exactly for clarity, he pulled out his phone, opened the Notes app, and wrote:

“𝘐𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘴, 𝘸𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘢𝘮,
𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨—𝘸𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦.
𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴, 𝘸𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘭𝘦𝘧𝘵 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘦.
𝘚𝘰 𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴,
𝘸𝘦’𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺.”

“Maganda siguro ‘to, start muna ako sa simple. Just write what I’m aware of first,” Gelo broke the silence, and Piyo gave a hearty bark of approval.

“Alam mo Piyo, pinaka-thankful talaga ako na ‘andyan ka. Tingnan mo! Puro ako reklamo sa lahat ng bagay, pero never mo ako iniwan?” Gelo cherished his pup, giving him a few loving rubs on the head—just before hearing the church bell ring.

The pair felt each clang of the bell resonate within their souls, pushing them to run as fast as they could; yet Gelo was all the more ecstatic for it. He thought to himself, a new adventure!—an adventure that could give him an answer to his dilemma.

He could not stop the flow of poetic lines running through his mind, “Mamaya ko na lang isulat!”

“𝘚𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘯,
𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘥𝘴
𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢 𝘊𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘴.
𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘱 𝘸𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦,
𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘭—
𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘴𝘦
𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭,
𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵,
𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘦.”

“Huling araw na’t makakapag-wish na tayo ulit,” Gelo laughed. “Excited ka na ba, Piyo? Malamang sa malamang ang sagot diyan!”

They forced their way through the crowd. Surely, there were fewer people here than in the past few years. The nostalgia was heard once again, “𝘔𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴…” and Gelo fell into a deep prayer—a prayer that made him all too aware of something that was missing. It was not something tangible, like his phone, or even Piyo—the void continued to seep through the depths of his heart. This was the last night, yet he felt an overwhelming lack of resolution.

“Nakaka-miss din pala, ‘no?” Gelo muttered, as a wave of nostalgia embraced him like a comforting hug from an old dear friend.

Piyo, with his great love for his buddy, comforted him by snuggling on his lap. The boy smiled in turn and patted his head.

“Kung sila ‘yung tatanungin ko, ano kaya advice nila? Tawagan ko kaya si Luke?”

Gelo pulled out his phone to message his dear friend, but he was greeted by his previously opened Notes app. With his notepad cursor flickering in front of him, he fell into a moment of silence. He decided to continue writing his heart down instead of sending Luke a message.

“Mababasa kaya ni Lord ‘to?” Gelo was curious. “Ano kaya present ni God?”

He spaced out, as he stared at the altar. The Holy Table that had witnessed their Simbang Gabi adventures from start to finish served as a representation of remembrance, not just of the saints, but also of memories from the past.

“Naalala ko tuloy mga tanong nila dati,” Gelo muttered to Piyo as the mass ceremony went on. “‘Ano ang wish mo?’ It was the very question we used to hear after finishing the nine nights of Misa de Gallo—back when they were just teaching us how to add and subtract numbers… They forgot to tell us what can happen in our lives also. May mawawala na mga tao o bagay, pero may daragdag din na mga bagong experiences sa buhay.”

Piyo laid his head on the ground and gave Gelo his paw, as if asking to be comforted by those bittersweet words.

Gelo pondered on that statement of his, before a realization struck him. Instead of bothering Piyo again, he decided to fill his notepad with his feelings:

"𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘢 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘢 𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘶𝘭𝘪𝘵-𝘶𝘭𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘰, 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘮 𝘮𝘰 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘣𝘢𝘣𝘢𝘨𝘰. 𝘞𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘣𝘳𝘰 𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘶𝘩𝘢𝘺 𝘬𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯𝘨 𝘯𝘢𝘬𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘢’𝘺 𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪 𝘴𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘢𝘺."

These words made him realize something.

“Kahit papaano natin baguhin o isipin ang nakaraan, wala na tayong mababago. Kahit sundan pa natin ‘yung gusto ng mga ibang tao, hindi rin tayo matutuwa, kasi iba ‘yung tunay na wish natin.”

As Gelo explained, he saw Piyo lying on the ground, just staring at him blankly, as if he was asking to be carried, like a child to be comforted.

"Alam ko na ano magandang wish,” Gelo assured Piyo. “Bumalik sa nakaraan—parang time travel!"

Go back to the past… He realized that his heart’s wish could be connected to his dream last night—his own voice speaking about the past and a wish to be cast.

Over the last eight days, Gelo had written about his daily Simbang Gabi adventures, meeting a motley cast of characters who had their own unique Christmas stories to share. He reminisced about them all and found a singular truth: 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦.

On the first night of Simbang Gabi, he never really expected to go through the adventures he did. Every person he met, every story they shared, provided him and Piyo valuable lessons.

“Alam ko naman na hindi ko na talaga maibabalik ‘yung past, but let’s give it a try, ‘no, Piyo?”

The pup happily growled, as if he could understand what Gelo was feeling.

“One last wish. Ibalik ‘yung past.”

Among now delivered his sermon, “Matuto tayong tanggapin ang mga pagbabago, sapagkat iyan ay blessing ng ating Panginoon. Kahit minsa’y tayo ay nasasaktan, ‘wag nating kalimutan na siya ay may plano para sa ating lahat. Kaya kung ngayon ay nakararamdam ka ng lungkot, tandaan mong ika’y hindi nag-iisa. Darating din ang panahon, mauunawaan mo na ang pinaka-the-best present na natanggap mo ay ikaw mismo na nasa present moment na ito.”

These words stunned Gelo, “Ang ganda… pwede ko rin ‘yan isulat.”

Gelo pondered further on the truth of Among’s words.

He began, “Ang dami mo rin palang matututunan just by talking to people and understanding their situation. From Luke, I learned how important it is to have hope; from Reese, never to lose my faith…” Gelo continued as he patted Piyo’s head, “Kay Ma’am Diane naman, to appreciate the memories we once lived. From the lovebirds, Lola Linda and Lolo Jose, to appreciate what you have instead of focusing on what you lack. Tapos, kay Eva naman, to move forward in life, honoring the past without being inhibited by it. And lastly, mula kay Bapa Rom, to never forget the true purpose of this Christmas season.”

Thus, Gelo began writing on his notepad again, but Piyo distracted him. The pup placed his paw on his phone screen, as if telling him to put it off and focus on the mass. Gelo realized his bad practice too late. “In the name of the Father, and of the Son…” He felt so guilty, yet his excitement reigned supreme.

“Ito na ba last misa natin?” asked Gelo with a hint of sadness. “Mayro’n pa next year!”

This was now their habit. In every Misa de Gallo, you will surely find this duo. They always love being around each other, and through all those years that have passed—they found a reason to be stronger, not just for the people they love, but for their life’s purpose.

“Not to be too philosophical, Piyo, pero I think I get it now. The purpose of presents, wishes, and life,” and Gelo disappeared once again into his Notes app, but this time with an unrelenting mask of seriousness. Piyo could only stare at him, wagging his tail.

“𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱. 𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯, 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘦𝘵 𝘨𝘰 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘯.

“I don't think wishing is important now. That’s not the purpose of Christmas or Simbang Gabi, at least not for us. Magkakaiba kasi ang Pasko para sa atin. For some, it’s the time for making wishes—to relive the past or to bless the future. For others, it’s about looking forward to presents,” Gelo paused, pondering about what he was about to say next.

“Pero, what if, instead of looking forward to the presents we’ll receive in the future, we realize that presents are already given to us now. 𝙊𝙪𝙧 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙩!” Gelo finally understood, and Piyo responded with his bark of approval.

“Tara na? Late night snack!” he continued.

The pair walked towards the street, filled with nostalgia. They embraced the cold breeze and welcomed it to warm their hearts. Eventually, Gelo sat down to eat some bibingka, throwing a piece to Piyo every now and then.

“Bukas na siya ipapanganak, ‘no?” Gelo broke the silence. He smirked, “Thankful pa rin ako sa kanya.”

Piyo responded with an “arf!”

“What do you think? Did we find our true purpose? Kahit alam nating mahirap bumalik sa past, we still managed to accept the fact that living in the present is a must.”

Piyo simply stared at him, smiling with his tongue out, but Gelo seemed to understand what he was trying to say.

“I know, I know. Even if we didn’t, it’s something that we can look forward to. In a life full of uncertainty, there’s an endless possibility,” Gelo paused at the pleasant sound of his words. “Ang angas no’n! Rhyme ‘yun! Pwede ko siya isulat sa future!”

Both of them laughed in their own way.

***

As Piyo slept beside him, he drifted his pen along the paper. Gelo continued to write the end of his Simbang Gabi story. He looked back at the various people he met over the last eight days.

“Who knew so much could happen in just over a week, right, Piyo? All those people, their stories, I learned a lot from them; and for that, I am very thankful,” he sighed, making Piyo flinch. “Sorry, tapusin ko lang ‘to. Nililipat ko lang mga sinulat ko kanina, tapos matutulog na rin ako.”

Gelo connected the pen to his mind, and he let it all out—the memories from the past, reminiscing from his unexpected meeting with his old friend, Luke, to the meaningful conversation he had with the old poet Bapa Rom. Without them, he wouldn’t be able to write this poem.

~~~

“𝘍𝘶𝘭𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦.”

𝘈 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥,
𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦.
𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘦𝘳,
𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘫𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳.

𝘈 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘥,
𝘛𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘸𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥.
𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘥,
𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘭𝘥.

𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵—
𝘐𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵,
𝘛𝘰 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘳𝘵.
𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥.

𝘖𝘩 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘴𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘦,
𝘛𝘩𝘶𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘱 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦.
𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘴𝘢𝘺, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶.
𝘚𝘰, 𝘐 𝘱𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦.

𝘚𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘰𝘦𝘮 𝘐 𝘸𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘦,
𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩, 𝘐 𝘲𝘶𝘰𝘵𝘦.
‘𝘉𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘵, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵.’
𝘚𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘶𝘴, 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵.

𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱, 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘭𝘦𝘦𝘱,
𝘚𝘰, 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘢𝘮, 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱.
𝘈 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘦 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘬,
𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘮 𝘐 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬.

𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘺𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥,
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘴 𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘦𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘥.
𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘷𝘦, 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺, 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘧𝘢𝘤𝘦,
‘𝘊𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳 𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦.

𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘧 𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴,
𝘐𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴.
𝘚𝘰, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴, 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘐 𝘱𝘢𝘴𝘴,
𝘗𝘪𝘺𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘎𝘦𝘭𝘰 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶, 𝘔𝘦𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘊𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘮𝘢𝘴.”

~~~

Gelo's poem had ended. It was already twelve o’clock at night, and he realized that it was already Christmas. He carefully woke Piyo up.

“Merry Christmas! Look, natapos ko na tula ko.”

Gelo read his piece to Piyo, as the pup stared at him, smiling with his tongue out. He would wag his tail every now and then, showing his support as Gelo’s proudest buddy!

“What do you think?” Gelo asked.

Instead of a reply, the Great Dane simply jumped at him, licking his face and barking simultaneously. Somewhere in the middle of this wet assault, Gelo had another realization. His greatest best friend ever, Piyo, was already a gift given by God. At this moment, he thought that the gifts we always received were not something that we asked for, but they were something that we needed. For Gelo, Piyo was the guiding compass that helped him meet those people, muster up the courage to talk to them, and learn valuable lessons in life. Being together for them was a gift that they never wished for, but it was something that they will both carry on in their lives.

This pair could always look back at the past to reminisce about those meaningful experiences, or they could look forward to their next Christmas adventures in the coming year. But for now, they were not focused on anything that has already happened or something that could happen. On Christmas Day, they chose to enjoy and appreciate every moment of the present.

(Chapter by Darryl Suba; Cartoon by Aaron Dwight Lachica; Graphics by Sean Nabong/ The Pioneer)

23/12/2024

✨ 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗮𝗯𝗶 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗚𝗲𝗹𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗶𝘆𝗼 ✨

🕯️ 𝗗𝗮𝘆 8: “A Cup of Christmas”

“‘Wa, dapat masaya, mag-celebrate, but do people truly understand what it means when Jesus was sent down to Earth?”

👇 Tap ‘See More’ to uncover the full story!

— — —

“Karimla ne, Piyo? Manyaman kanyan minum mapali. [It’s cold, right, Piyo? A hot drink would be nice right now.]”

The eighth night of Simbang Gabi commenced, and Gelo and Piyo decided to warm their empty stomachs with hot batirol served by the best in town. It was only a few streets away from Pisamban Maragul, so they wasted no time and hastily walked towards the cafe.

As they walked, it seemed as though every step they took was guided by God's divine providence.

“How come we only thought of going to the cafe now? Kung kailan second to the last night pa talaga natin naisip.” Piyo thought to himself, with a bit of regret. It was chilly yet not freezing. Ironically, it was the kind of cold that brings warmth and calms down every anxious thought.

“Merry Christmas! Malaus kayu! [Merry Christmas! Welcome!]” a short cheerful man greeted the two as they entered. He was wearing a Christmas hat and a white mustache, resembling Santa. The store was bustling with customers who had also attended the eighth night of Misa de Gallo. “Ume kayu keni, atin pang bangku. [Come, through here, there are still seats.]”

The owner’s hospitality already made them feel warm enough even before ordering their drinks. “Dalawa pong hot batirol sa amin. Thank you po!” Gelo announced to the Santa-like owner of the shop.

It was indeed Christmas—from the people bustling around and about the cafe, to children’s laughter and shared stories, the cafe was filled with holiday cheer. The decorations were also a great addition to highlight this festive season: swirls of garlands hanging from the ceiling, Christmas ornaments styled on each table, and the big parol hanging outside the shop with a manger beneath it.

This caught Gelo’s attention.

“Two hot batirol for Gelo and Piyo!” called the owner.

Gelo, being Gelo, couldn’t resist asking the owner about the manger underneath the parol when he reached the counter.

“Hello po, ako si Gelo! Pwede po bang magtanong?”

“Awa naman, 'nak. Nanu ita? [Yes, sure. What is it?]”

“Ah, 'wa pu, [Oh, yes,]" Gelo began, realizing the owner spoke in their mother tongue—a dwindling rarity these days. "Apansinan ku mu pu, atin k'ong sabsaban ki'lwal. Kutang ku mu pu sa' ot apagdesisyunan yeng ilage karin? [I just noticed that you had a manger set outside. I just wanted to ask why you decided to put it there]?”

“Ah, iyong bang sabsaban, Gelo kamo? Halika, dito tayo,” the owner said, as he accompanied Gelo back to their table. “Oh, sino ‘tong kasama natin? Napaka-amo ng mukha, ah!” He glanced at Piyo.

“Ah, iyan po si Piyo, best friend ko,” Gelo replied proudly.

“Hello, Piyo. Aku naman i Bapa Rom. [Hello, Piyo. I am Bapa Rom.]”

While introducing himself to Gelo and Piyo, Bapa Rom had made himself a third party at their table, ready to answer any questions to be shot at him.

Looking around the busy shop, Bapa Rom still managed to sit with them, as conversing with the younger generations was one of his favorite things to do! It excited him, and to be asked especially about Christmas ignited the passion in his heart.

“Balu mu ba, Gelo, nung nu ya mibait i Cristo? [Do you know where Christ was born, Gelo?]”

“Opu, ken pung sabsaban! Simap pu miglage kayung sabsaban ki’lwal, knowing ali ya pu common design? [Yes, in a manger! How come you decided to put a manger outside, knowing it’s not a common design?]” When Gelo asked, he always asked boldly but with respect.

“Ing kanaku naman kasi ‘nak, ala iyan keng nung nanu ing usu ampo ing ali—nanu ing sasabyan da’ng ‘aesthetic.’ Ing importanti kasi, ing mensahi na ning display. [To me, Gelo, it’s not about what’s popular or not—what they deem as ‘aesthetic.’. What’s important is the message behind the display.]”

“Shh, Piyo…” Piyo was now barking vehemently, causing the table to shake. But the Great Dane couldn’t stop as if he was pointing something out to his friend.

“Pasensya na po kayo sa kaniya, Bapa Rom. Ano ba iyon, Piyo?” Wiggling his tail for successfully getting Gelo’s attention, Piyo ran to the part of the shop where frames were hanged. A wall of… poems?

Well, that’s unusual, Gelo thought to himself. Why would the owner hang poems along with the Christmas decorations and not just stick to the Christmas theme design—and why did Piyo lead him to just look at these?

Unbeknownst to Gelo, Bapa Rom had followed them. “Ayba, ikit nala pala ning asu mu reng sinulat ku. [Oh, it seems like your dog saw my writings.]” One could hear the glee in his voice, like a child receiving an unexpected gift. Glancing at the frames, poems were written in English, Filipino, and Kapampangan. Gelo was amazed at the eloquence of the owner in all three languages!

With intent interest, the student journalist finally said, “Wow, writer kayu pu pala! [Wow, I didn’t think you were a writer!]”

“Awa, aside from making drinks, yan ing buri kung gagawan. As you can see, ngening Christmas season, dinisplay kula reng sulat ku na makapatungkul king pasku. [Yes, aside from making drinks, that’s what I like doing. As you can see, this Christmas season, I decided to display my works, which are all about Christmas.]

Inquisitively, Gelo scanned the frames better, and true enough, they were all Christmas-themed! Ang galing naman ni Bapa Rom, he thought—how could someone write so much about a season?

“Ini, iya pin ‘yang paburitu ku. [This one right here. It’s my favorite.]”

~~~

“Kilub na ning Sabsaban”

King siping da ring ayup
Meakit ing kababan lub
Kilub na ning sabsaban
Mebait ing aring sasamban

Ot ali king palasyu,
Nung tune yang anak ning Guinu?
Ali ya migkera kareng guintu,
Uling mibait yang kalulu

Ing kalam tinipa ibat banua
Lapo-lapo ing grasya
Mag-umpisa nyang meabie ya
Anak ning Guinu, samban taya!

Patune king pangaku,
Ing Messiah dinatang ya
Apin yang tune regalu
King daratang a pasku

["Inside the Manger"

Beside the beasts at rest,
Humility manifests,
Inside the manger bare,
The King is born to bless and care.

Not in a palace grand,
Is He truly God’s own hand?
No throne nor riches claim,
For poor and humble He became.

From heaven, glory streams,
Grace flows in endless beams,
It all began that holy night,
The Son of God, our guiding light.

Fulfilled, the promise true,
The Messiah came for you,
The greatest gift we’ll ever know,
This Christmas, love will brightly glow.]

~~~

“Palage ku asagut ne ning poem ing kutang mu nandin, Gelo, [I suppose this poem can answer your question earlier, Gelo,]” said the owner, now leaning on the counter, back to his original post.

Gelo, though he was still processing the poem, managed to ask, “Nanu pung wish yu ngening kapaskuan? [What’s your wish this Christmas Season?]”

What an innocent question, the owner said to himself and gently answered, “Hmm, ing wish ku mu naman, itang anggang ali pasku kilalanan de reng tau i Jesus ampo tanggapan de bilang Lord and personal savior. Makalungkut mung isipan na minsan akakalingwan da reng tau ing tune kabaldugan ning pasku. [Hmm, my only wish is for people to recognize Jesus, even if it’s not Christmas, and that they accept Him as their Lord and personal savior. It’s sad to think that sometimes people tend to forget the true meaning of Christmas.]”

He waved goodbye to some customers and continued, “‘Wa, dapat masaya, mag-celebrate, but do people truly understand what it means when Jesus was sent down to Earth? [Yes, we should be happy and celebrate during this season, but do people truly understand what it means when Jesus was sent down to Earth?]”

His words wrapped Gelo in an embrace. It was comforting to hear that there were still people who viewed this season beyond the festivities and gift-giving activities.

Reflecting on this, Gelo wasn’t aware that he was speaking his thoughts out loud, “So, you put the manger outside to remind the people coming here, or even those who are just passing by, of the real reason for this season—the greatest love, the greatest gift. Wow… and that is Jesus.”

“Wa, Gelo istu ka, [Yes, Gelo you’re right],” Bapa Rom let out a hearty chuckle, glad that he was able to converse with a youthful mind, praying that Gelo would also open up his heart to receive Jesus Christ this coming Christmas.

Piyo was now barking once again, and this time Gelo knew what it meant. “Muna na kami pu, Bapa Rom. Dakal salamat pu. It was nice meeting you! [We’ll go ahead, Bapa Rom. Thank you so much. It was nice meeting you!]”

“Salamat, anak. Magbalik kayung Piyo, ne? [Thank you, Gelo. Come again with Piyo, alright?]” bid the poet goodbye, petting the Dane one last time before they left the cafe.

On their way out, it was the manger underneath the parol that once again greeted the pair. Gelo was simply glad for being inquisitive and naturally curious, as he now understood why a manger was placed there: a reminder of the humble birth of their savior, Jesus Christ.

(Chapter by Rachel Nacpil; Cartoon by Aaron Dwight Lachica; Graphics by Reynel Gonzales/ The Pioneer)

22/12/2024

✨ 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗯𝗮𝗻𝗴 𝗚𝗮𝗯𝗶 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗚𝗲𝗹𝗼 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗶𝘆𝗼 ✨

🕯️ 𝗗𝗮𝘆 7: “Little Piyo’s Dreamscape”

“Our dogs are only a small part of life, but to them, we are their whole life.”

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“Piyo… no!” said Gelo, firmly, as the pup begged for a piece of bibingka with his eyes. The mass was about to start in thirty minutes, and Gelo stopped for a bite before heading in. Waiting for the delicacy to finish cooking, Piyo kept ramming at Gelo’s leg, his behavior starting to attract attention. “Piyo, buddy, no! Baka magdumi ka sa loob ng simbahan.”

Piyo boiled down, and sat beside Gelo’s shoe. “Bite lang eh…”

Gelo heard his dog’s soft, mournful bark.

From afar, by the entrance of Pisamban Maragul, Piyo spotted a stray dog—one he’d been observing these past few days. The dog simply sat there upright, waiting, watching the crowd pass him by, and with some of them occasionally petting him or planting leftovers beside him.

On the first day of Simbang Gabi, when Gelo closed his eyes to make a wish, Piyo noticed the stray dog by the doors of the church, doing nothing but sit still and stare about, as though a guardian of the parish.

On the second day, when Gelo was convincing his friend Luke to attend the Simbang Gabi, Piyo watched from afar as the stray dog lay himself down by the gates of the church, where cars would swerve to avoid him. Piyo swore he saw him sigh.

On the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth day, Piyo witnessed the stray dog’s tranquil figure, never making a sound to address any disturbances. Even as a couple of other dogs swarmed him, he didn’t flinch nor allow them to disrupt his elderly solitude. He was simply… there.

Finally, Piyo puffed up his chest, mustering up the courage to speak with the elder dog. Out of Gelo’s sight, Piyo crossed the road and ran to the two pillars at the entrance of the church. At first, he stared at him, his mouth smiling and his tongue hanging out. The stray dog, furry yet ragged, gigantic yet gentle, gave him a side-eye.

“Hi po!” Piyo wagged his tail. The stray dog made no response, and so Piyo drew closer, and tried again. He sniffed his tail, and once again greeted, “Hi po!”

The big stray dog stood up and peered at him, “Sa lahat ng nagpunta rito, sa’yo lang ako nainis nang ganito.”

“Oh, sorry po.” Piyo let out an apologetic chuckle. “Matagal ko na po kasi kayong nakikita rito. Ito lang po yung pinupwestuhan niyo lagi. Ako po si Piyo.” He showed him the ‘P’ in his red collar. “Kayo po?”

“Silas,” the stray dog answered, toneless and dry. His voice sounded deep with a baritone, as though he had been alive for years. “Anong gusto mo?”

For a while, Piyo felt unwanted and irrelevant. But he tried his best to reach Silas. “Matagal ko na po kasi kayong napapansin dito. Gusto ko lang po sana magtanong.”

Silas approached Piyo, now with curiosity for the little pup. “Madalas, lahat ng lumalapit dito pinagtitripan lang ako; minsan naman, nang-aagaw ng pagkain. Pero ikaw naman, gusto mong magtanong?”

Piyo nodded greatly. He made himself comfortable and sat down, hoping Silas would do the same.

Silas tilted his head in wonder, then proceeded to sit beside the little dog too. “Okay. Ano’ng tanong mo?”

“Hindi po kayo nangangalay kakaupo nang ganito? Kasi kahit pagkatapos po ng simba, dito ko pa rin po kayo nakikita.” Hearing himself, Piyo apologized for being so blunt.

Silas inspected the red collar around Piyo’s neck. It seemed new and clean. It had the crisp condition that all fresh collars had. “Nasaan ang amo mo, Piyo?”

“Ay nandu’n po. Si Gelo po. Bumibili po ng bibingka.”

“Piyo.” Silas pierced his eyes at the baby Dane. “Kapag ba sinabi ni Gelo na maghintay ka, maghihintay ka? Sabihin nating wala kang kasiguraduhan kung kailan siya babalik, kung gaano ka katagal maghihintay. Gagawin mo ba?”

Piyo remained silent, ruminating. Because he didn’t want to disappoint the old dog, he thought of a clever maneuver, “Para sa inyo po ba, ano po? Kung kayo po?”

“Kung ako?” Silas gave up a short laugh. “Piyo, ano sa tingin mo ‘yung dahilan kung ba’t lagi mo akong napapansin sa iisang lugar gabi-gabi?”

“M-May hinihintay po kayo?”

Silas nodded. “Nakalimutan ko na gaano na ako katagal nandito, pero ito lang ang alam kong gawin pagkatapos mawala ni Ella.”

“Ella?”

Silas’ eyes wandered off to the middle of the road, beyond the gates of the church. “Siya ang unang taong nakakita sa’kin. Kapag pumupunta siya sa simabahang ‘to, alam kong dito siya laging pupwesto kasama ang pamilya niya. Katabi ko siyang nakatayo habang nagmimisa, at kahit sa Ama Namin, ipapatong niya ang kamay niya sa ulo ko. Sa kanya ko lang naramdaman paano maging parte ng isang pamilya. Sa buong buhay ko, sa kanya ko lang naranasang magkaroon ng tahanan. Piyo, ilang buwan ko na siyang hindi nakikita, kaya tuwing may Simbang Gabi, dito lang ako sa tabi ng pinto, naghihintay, pinagmamasdan ang daloy ng mga tao—kung saan kami huling nagkita.”

Piyo made an attempt to comfort Silas, yet he noticed his paw move away. “Babalik pa po kaya siya? Hindi po ba kayo nagsasawang maghintay?”

Sighing, Silas lied down on the concrete ground. “Alam mo, Piyo, hindi naman ako umaasang babalik pa siya ‘uli sa akin, eh.”

“Huh? Eh, bakit nandito pa rin po kayo?”

“Piyo, ito ang dapat mong maintindihan. Para sa atin, buong buhay natin ang mga tao. Pero para sa kanila, maikling oras lamang tayo. Kaya ‘pag may isang taong nagbigay sa’kin ng pansin, dala-dala ko na ‘yun habang buhay. Hindi naman madalas na may yayakap sa’kin sa umaga o may tatabi sa’king matulog sa gabi, ’di tulad mo. Sapat na sa’kin na sa maikling buhay kong ‘to, may nahanap akong taong kayang magmahal sa’kin kahit sa konting sandali lamang.” Silas’ tears were beginning to stream down, and he was trying his absolute best not to get caught by Piyo. “Sa totoo lang, hindi naman ako nandito para maghintay kay Ella. Nandito ako dahil dito ko huling naramdaman ang pagmamahal ng isang tao.”

Piyo approached Silas’ face, sniffing his emotions. “Ayos lang ho ba kayo?”

“Alagaan mo si Gelo, Piyo. Darating ang araw na mawawala ka, at doon ka niya mas kakailanganin. Kaya ipakita mo sa kanya na mas masaya ang mga ala-ala ninyo kaysa sa pagkawala mo. Maikli lang oras natin, Piyo. Ibigay na natin ang lahat, ha? Wala tayo dito sa buong buhay ni Gelo, kaya iparanas mo na sa kanya ang pagmamahal at saya na kaya niyang alalahanin hanggang sa pagtanda. Konti lang ang oras natin sa mundo. Gamitin natin ‘to nang tama.”

As he listened to Silas’ words, Piyo noticed that his voice seemed out of breath, dragging every word from the pit of his mouth just to communicate. Silas was old, worn, and ragged. He did not have much time left in his bones. As he lay on the ground, Silas dreamed of his days with Ella. How her palm felt, how she smiled when they saw each other from across the road, and how painful it was to never see her again.

“Alam mo na ba ang dapat mong gawin, Piyo?” asked Silas, his whole body trembling.

“Opo. Teka, okay lang po ba kayo?”

“Oo. Oo. Nasagot ko ba ang mga tanong mo? Oras na ng misa.”

“Lampas pa nga po sa hinihingi ko ang mga sagot niyo, eh,” Piyo giggled softly.

“Osya. Mukhang may naghahanap na sayo. Magpapahinga na ako. Paalam, Piyo.” Silas remained on the ground, his eyes slowly drifting away.

“Paalam po, Silas…”

“Piyo!” Gelo called out as he ran towards the pup.

Piyo gazed at Gelo as the boy ran closer and closer. Silas’ words had reminded him of his first few days with Gelo. They couldn’t get along well. Piyo was all sorts of danger in his room, messing up the bedsheets and the display of figurines. He looked back, reflecting on the growth he’s had with his human. He realized that not a lot of dogs had the kind of opportunity he did. Piyo was the reason he could sleep well every night and have the most exciting dreams. Piyo was the reason he came home with a lighter heart. THe pup may not be able to take away Gelo’s sadness, but he knew he could make it all easier for him to bear. He didn’t need to receive anything in return. Gelo himself was Piyo’s wish, and when his time finally comes, he will look back with a sense of fulfillment in his life, knowing that he was able to make Gelo smile with every day that he was given—knowing that his wish had already been granted before he even asked for it.

Piyo sprung up to reach Gelo’s chest. As the boy carried his little pup into the church, he was attacked with aggressive licks and a flutter of wet nose-bumps. “Yo, woah! Hey, ano nangyari, Piyo? Everything okay?”

As they sat down on one of the pews, Piyo immediately snuggled himself atop Gelo’s belly. When the bell had been rung and the churchgoers finally stood up, the pup was the only one among the crowd that didn’t move. “Yeah. ‘Wag ka muna aalis.”

(Chapter by Angelo Louis Alfaro; Cartoon by Aaron Dwight Lachica; Graphics by Jobert Aguirre/ The Pioneer)

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