PILIPINO VERSION

May kasabihan ang tao puwede magkaroon nang pitong iba ibang linia sa buhay. Duda ako sa kasabihan Ito, dahil mayroon akong kakilala na babae 17 gulag nag umpisa na mag trabaho sa Isang malaking samahan pang himpapawid bilang Isang mang gagawa maninilbihan sa mga pasahero sa aroplano. Hangang ngayon iyon pa rin ang trabaho sa idad 62 at siya ay mag reretiro na. Sa idad na Ito, para sa iba, bata pa siya at puwede pang mag trabaho. Sa panahon ngayon, manirap mag umpisa uli at mabigat at manirap lumahok at sumabay lalo na sa panahon nang pandemia.

Mayroon naman akong kakilala na bawat limang taon nag papalit nang trabaho pataas at paunlad nang paunlad. Ako mismo, iba iba ang pinadaanan. Nag umpisa ako noong bata pa ako bilang Isang aheente na nag be bents nang mga produkto kakanin. Pag katapos, nag trabaho ako sa kasino bilang Isang diler nang baraja. Hangang umaabot ako sa pinakamatas na puwesto na manedier sa Ida na 20 anyos. Nang makatapos ako nang pagaaral at nag ibang bayan sa Kannada, ako’y namasukan sa pinamalaking bangko nang Kannada.

Parang walang kataposan ang pagsulong ko sa buhay, nang ako’y nagtayo nang sarili tindahan nang alahas. Itong yuogto nang buhay ko, nag karon ako nang maraming oras para sa hilig kong pagiging taga kuha nang mga larawan at kuwento para malagay sa diaryo. Dito ako lalong nakilala sa iba ibang lipunan nang mga iba ibang lahi at kultura. Sa pag kakataon itoy’ lalo ako nabigyan nang biyaya na magkaroon pag kakataon makilala sa tatlong saga nang gobiyerno.

Noong nagaaral ako  sa mataas na paaralan katoliko sa unnibersidad sa Maynila, una kong pinili ang maging isang taga pamahalaan at paghatid nang balita. Dahil hindi malaking kita nang pera at mahigpit ang makipagsapalaran sa larawan nang industria, hindi ko tinuloy Ito. Binalak kong manirahan sa Kannada. Iyon panahon na iyon, madaling matanggap ang nakatapos nang negosyo komersial. Tinuloy ko rin ang kurso sa negosyo tagapamahala. Hindi ko natapos itoy, dahil pumunta na ako sa Kannada.

Pagdatin ko sa Toronto, dalawa ang pinasukan kong trabaho. Dito na akong natuto makihalubiro sa pamumuhay sa Kannada. Naging antibo ako sa iba ibang mga bagay nang buhay. Dito ko na rin tinuloy ang aking hilig sa pag susulat, pag kuha nang mga larawan at paglalagay sa mga diaryo. Nakasali ako nang  iba ibang grupo at iba ibang layunin bilang Isang aktibista. Gumamit ako nang ibang pangalan sa pagsusulat para bigyan nang proteksion ang aking pamilia noong panahon ng batas militar ni Marcos.

Noong 1987 pagkatapos nang alsa nang bayan mapayapa, akoy nag balak bumalik at mamuhay sa Pilipinas. Gusto kong makatulong sa pag babago at kaunlaran sa bayan. Hindi natupad ang balak kong Ito dahil malaking ang na dulot na pinasala sa bansa. Dito ako nag passia na pumunta sa Isang kuta nang mga nagrebelde laban sa  batas militar ni Marcos. Nakita ko at narinig ko ang daeng at dadamin nang mga taong pinili na lumaban sa pamahalaan. Tandang tanda ko pa ang unang tanong ko, “bakit hangang ngayon ay na dito pa kayo?” Balik na ang demokkrasia at kalayaan, wala na si Marcos. Ang sagot sa tanong ko, “anong klase demokkrasia at kalayaan ang sinasabi mo. At isa isa pinaalam na sa akin ang kanilang layunin at pagarap. Wala raw pinag bago ang pamahalaan. Ganon pa rin, nag iba lang ang pamumuno. Dito nag bago ang passia ko na manirahan uli sa Pilipinas at nag balik na lang  ako sa Kannada. Hindi ako tumigil sa pag subaybay sa mga pang yayari sa Pilipinas.

Marahil sa mga naitulong ko at nagawa ako’y binigyan nang pag kakataon na makasama ang presidente nang Pilipinas sa pag bisitahin sa presidente nang Amerika sa loob nang “White House Oval Office”. Hindi ako makapaniwala dahil puro beterano ang mga kasama ko. Naka sama din ako sa Konggressio nang Kapitolio, “United Nation”, at sa “Boston” kung saan sila nanirahan. Para sa akin, Ito ang pinakamalaking tagumpay sa larangan nang pagiging manunulat, at pagkuha nang mga larawan. Ang pag punta ko sa “White House” hindi nag wakas doon. Na sundan pa Ito nang dalawang besses na “State Visit” nang dalawang magkaibang president.

Ang lente nang akin kamera ay nag bigay sa akin nang malaking karagalan at respeto. Ito rin ang nag bigay daan para sa mga sinulat ko. Malayo na ang narrating ko sa pamamagitan nang kamera at pag susulat. Kahit may pandemia hindi ako mapigilan para gawin Ito. Hindi naging dahilan ang pandemia para tumigil ako. May katapusan din ang pandemia, at marahil mapagpatuloy ko ang akin mahal na deborsio na walang katapusan.

It is said that a person can have seven career changes in his or her lifetime. I don’t know about this. I know of a woman, though, who started flying for a big airline when she was 17 and is now in the process of filing her retirement papers from the same airline at age 62. In total, she has had two career changes in the same airline. She’s still young and might look around for some part-time job but then again, jobs these days are scarce, competition fierce, all because of the pandemic.

On the other hand, I met a person in the 80s who admitted to not staying long in any job, five years at the maximum, and willing to take on any job that’s decent and can put food on the table. I myself have had several career changes ranging from a salesman in my teens to a casino dealer moving up to pit boss in my early 20s, a bank job at the biggest bank here in Canada.

Then I become a businessman, operated a store of fine jewellery. In between, my passion for photojournalism took a big lift. It made me known not only with the Filipino community but with other multicultural groups. I made a name as well with the three levels of gov’t. being heavily involved with politics. In my belt includes, being a kingmaker. That earns me, one of the first Filipino, male in greater Toronto highest appointment that Prime Minister gives. Member of immigration and refugee board of Canada determining refugee claims. And now one of the vice presidents of the National Ethnic Press of Canada. All these pale in comparison to my being a photojournalist and love of politics in my Philippine days.

Engish Version

I supported my undergraduate studies in a Catholic university in Manila, Philippines. Journalism was my initial choice but I realized early on that this would not meet my financial needs after graduation. In the Philippines, newsmen don’t make enough money. And I had ambitions to move to Canada. So, I opted for a business course which I finished and proceeded to take Masters in Business Administration but didn’t finish bec my papers to Canada had arrived. My first years in Toronto were defined by working two jobs and engaging in Filipino social activities. By integrating into Canadian life and keeping the Filipino culture, I discovered that I can write about the latest in the Filipino community while injecting a Canadian setting into it. Armed with a camera, I became a fixture in Filipino-Canadian weekend gatherings and receptions.  And became an activist during the Marcos era. I was forced to have a nom de plume during these times to protect my big family back home.

In 1987, I visited the Philippines with a tentative plan to return for good. I was inspired by the People Power bloodless revolution and the euphoria that followed the departure of the Marcoses for Hawaii. But it was not meant to be. There was too much damage done to my old country.  While everything looked hopeful, it wasn’t really. I ventured into one of the National People’s Army ( NPA), a rebel group organized during the time of Marcos and had grown into a big organization. During this visit, I interviewed the camp leader, asked why he was still doing what he was doing when the cause of the rebellion had left the country already. He replied that nothing much has changed, from his optics. It’s the same banana, just a different person offering it. The way I saw it, they were just waiting for a better offer from the new government and it was early days. This made me decide to return to Canada and wait for any good news relating to the NPA.

My being a photojournalist enabled me to get entry to the White House during President Cory Aquino’s state visit to the US. This, to me, was the culmination of my quest for photojournalism. I covered her visit not only to the White House but to the Capitol Congress, the United Nation and Boston where she and Ninoy Aquino settled with their children during their exile. It should be noted that Ninoy was assassinated as he stepped into the Tarmac from the plane which carried him home. My trip to the White House did not stop there. It was followed by two more State Visit with two different presidents.

My lens has provided the storyline of every venture I engaged in. And it’s evolving despite the years. The pandemic has halted temporarily my efforts to portray the Filipino struggle which has been more pronounced now than ever but this pandemic will go away and hopefully, I’ll be back with my camera and stories.