In her “Numipis na ang malong, mahal”, Maria Cecilia de la Rosa wrote an elegy to a malong – a multi-purpose fold of cloth that resembles a big pillowcase, only it is open at both ends. It is most often used as a blanket, bit can also be used a baby sling, a bed cover, an emergency curtain, and even as a towel, skirt, or a dress.
In a few well-chosen images and lines, she gives the possible perspective of what happens to two people when they cease to embrace what once bonded them: a cause they acknowledge to be larger than either of them. Their decision to leave had repercussions on their relationship, and the lines betray a sadness over what was lost, and what remained.
As for the short stories, they address diverse topics, and here the successful experimentation with language comes to fore.
Jenette Bongo dares to address the controversial and taboo issue of incest in her short story “Lip Gloss”, and the subjects are two women—a teenaged daughter and her mother. What’s startling about the story is not so much the act of incest, but the justification for it. It’s a short but tightly written piece.
Maria Cecilia de la Rosa’s “Ang Aming Kasal” is one of the best in this anthology. It provides a detailed look into the life of members of the New People’s Army (NPA) and the preparations two revolutionaries engage in for their wedding. The language is unpretentious, colloquial, and unlike many other stories cast in the same mold about the Philippine armed revolution, de la Rosas’ does not feature characters whose heroism or commitment to the cause are evident. Here, the characters are fleshed out people who are well aware of their own weaknesses, and that of their beloved. In describing preparations for such a ceremony, de la Rosa also succeeds in driving home the message that love blossoms even in the context of armed struggle, and the sacrifices, while myriad, are nothing when the lover never loses sight of why such sacrifices are necessary.
Abegail Pariente ‘s “XES Transit” Pa-Fairview, Isang Gabi”, funny and clever, as four different narratives that appear unconnected are revealed to be linked. It’s like an indie short film written instead of filmed. The narratives flow seamlessly as the characters tell their experiences themselves as if to an avid audience. It’s funny, biting, and observant, and it’s arresting because the story is told from separate perspectives, and each voice is distinct, each character’s often depraved motivations and immediate goals are defined.
Two of the essays are autobiographical and political in nature.
The first is by Ipe Soco, titled “Hindi Kwentong Pambata”. Here, Soco shares what has so far been the biggest secret about his life and what happened to reveal the truth. He pays tribute to the woman he grew up to know as his mother, and rages against those who abducted her in 2006. On the afternoon of June 26, 2006, Ipe’s mother Gloria Soco along with Prudencio Calubid, his wife Celina Palma, Antonio Lacno and Ariel Beloy were abducted by members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. They have since remained missing, and their disappearance is attributed to the reign of terror of the so-called “human rights butcher” Brig. Gen. Jovito Palparan who was recently arrested after two years in hiding.
Ipe’s writing is barely controlled anger, and his essay reads like an oral testimony of one forced to relive nightmares again and again, and there is no relief to be had. In his essay, he channels his grief and rage towards the collective pursuit of justice – for his missing mother, and for all victims of enforced disappearances in the Philippines.
