Si Mike, Ang UP at Isang Kaibigan
A Bond Between Brothers Forged in the Halls of the Country's Premier Learning Institution
Mahal ko ang UP.
Masyado ko yatang na-imbibe ang University hymn na “UP Naming Mahal” kaya 16 years ako sa unibersidad. I entered UP in 1988, medyo napasarap ako sa pagtambay. Masarap naman kasi talagang tumambay sa UP. Baka sabihin nyo na-MRR na dapat ako, MRR naman na talaga ako pero mabuti na lang at dininig ng diyos at ng UP ang mga panalangin ko at ang mga pakiusap ko. Mula sa tourism nung freshman ako ay nakatapos ako ng kurso under the College of Architecture in 2004.
Nakakatuwang ikwento, pero ang totoo napasarap talaga ako sa pag-aaral sa UP. Marami kang makikilalang ibat ibang klase ng tao at mga kaibigan, pero isa sa mga naging kaibigan ko who was with me from the beginning till the end was Mike. Pareho kaming galing UPIS, but I was one batch ahead of him. Pero nauna syang pumasok ng UP kesa sa akin. He finished high school as an exchange student in the US samantalang ako, tumigil muna ako ng pag-aaral. Pareho kaming nagging miyembro ng UP Alpha Sigma Fraternity. In frat terms, senior ko sya; pero wala naman kasing seniority sa frat naming kaya kumbaga eh pantay lang kami. Nakilala ko si Mike na maloko at alaskador. Pero alam ko din na he has a serious side and genuine concern for the society and for the country. Matalino at madiskarte talaga sya kaya I was not at all surprised when he aimed for and won a congressional seat after serving one term as a councilor in the third district of Quezon City.
One time, nung nakita ako ni Mike na nakatambay sa UP, sabi nya:
“Ano bang gusto mong gawin sa buhay mo?”
“Bakit?”
“E walang nangyayari sa buhay mo eh…”
“Alam mo namang masarap tumambay at wala pa akong naiipon eh.”
“Ako na ang bahala. Tapusin mo, ako ang bahala.”
“Sigurado ka, ha.”
“Oo naman. Ayusin mo yung acads mo.”
So, inayos ko. At that time, tourism pa ko e, tapos nag non-major ako, tapos natanggap ako sa architecture. Sabi ko sa kanya nung natanggap ako:
“Medyo, mabigat kasi ang arkitektura e.” (Nahiya naman ako.)
“eh ano ngayon? Basta ayusin mo acads mo. Sabihin mo lang sa kin kung ano ang kakailanganin mo.”
So, sinabi ko kung magkano yung babayaran ko sa school. Binigyan nya ko, plus extra. Akala ko ok na yun. Akala ko makakalimutan na nya e. Nung second sem, kinontact nya ako. Sabi nya punta ka sa kin. Nasa Congress na sya nun. Pagdating ko dun, binigyan nya ko ng trabaho—part-time researcher, para may pang gastos naman daw ako. At hanggang matapos talaga ako tinulungan nya ko. At sa tagal kong nag-aral hindi yan uminda sa ‘kin kahit minsan. Pag tinatanong nya ko kung magkano tuition ko, binibigay nya na palaging may extra na panggastos. Utang ko talaga sa kanya kung bakit ako nakatapos. If not for his genuine concern, hindi talaga ako matatapos.
Hindi nya pinaalam sa iba yung tulong nya sa kin. Ganun din kasi syang klaseng tao kapag tumutulong. Ayaw nya na pinagsasabi. Gusto nya kayong dalawa lang ang nakakaalam. Kahit mga kaibigan namin hindi alam. Hindi ko nga din alam kung alam na ng wife nya. (So, sa nagbabasa nito, tayo tayo lang nila Mike ang nakakaalam.)
Ganun katindi ang utang na loob ko sa kanya. Kaya nung tinawagan nya ko nung tatakbo sya for senate, hindi ako nagdalawang isip na tumulong sa kanya. Sayang nga lang at hindi nakapasok sa magic 12 pero okay lang naman. Ang hindi ko talaga matanggal sa isip ko yung mga nakilala kong taong natulungan ni Mike. Ako kasi nun yung sumasala ng mga taong lumalapit kay Mike during the campaign. Minsan may lumapit sa kin, tinatanong kung pano daw sya makakatulong. Nagtaka ako, tinanong ko kung bakit. Ang sabi nya kung hindi daw dahil kay Mike hindi sya makakalaya sa preso. Sabi ko basta naman masabi mo sa mga kakilala mo at pamilya mo na iboto si Mike malaking tulong na po yun. Nag-abot din sya ng sulat para kay Mike na pinapasalamatan si Mike.
Madami pa akong nakilala nun. Meron ngang matandang babae from Laguna, si Nanay Lucy, hanggang ngayon nag-te-text pa din sa kin para kumustahin si Mike at sabihin na he’s always in her prayers. She also never fails to greet Mike on his birthday.
That’s how much Mike’s kindness has affected other people’s lives. I’m sure I’m only one of the countless he has helped. Kaya naman hindi din ako nagdalawang isip na mag-contribute dito sa blog. Para din makilala naman ng tao ang totoong Mike beyond the headlines and the politics.
The writer is a practicing architect working in a real estate company. He owes his professional life and his career to the friendly intervention of Mike Defensor.
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- Kay tamis ng ating samahan sa lungkot at kaligayahan. Tunay na kaibigan, kasamang maaasahan. Salamat at tayo'y may
pinagsamahan. Salamat, tunay kong kaibigan
(Salamat, by The Dawn)
Mike has always been dear to us since we were kids. He’s a good friend who came running when we needed him. Mike was the go-to guy even before he became Cong. Mike, and then Sec. Defensor. Many of us knew he was destined for public service. Mike was the consummate politician, a trait he developed since grade school. We thought he would go on to become president, if he didn’t disappoint the fickle Filipino public.But it seems he has. So much so that he is vilified by the media at every opportunity. His actions are always placed within the perspective of his relationship with an unpopular president. Justifiable, though harsh.
So we set up this blog. Some of us have worked with him and have seen him make what we thought were good decisions. But some of us were also there when we thought he made wrong ones. But that is how a man is made -- by the choices he makes.As his friends, the best we can do is stand by him and try to help everyone else see things from a different light.
On the campaign trail, the mayor running for re-election walks up to a house of his campaign adviser and rings the doorbell. When a small boy opens the door, the mayor introduces himself, “Hello there, little boy! What’s your name?”
“Little Johnny,” replies the small boy.
“Well, Little Johnny, I’m Mayor Hoffman. I’m running for re-election. Can I speak to your father?”
“He’s in the shower right now,” answers Little Johnny with a giggle.
“Oh! Well, is your mother in the house too?” asks Mayor Hoffman.
“Yes, she is. But she’s in the shower with my daddy,” replies Little Johnny with a snicker.
“Oh I see,” says Mayor Hoffman who pauses a moment thinking of what to say next. Then he smiles and says, “Little Johnny, can you go see if they are through now? I would like to speak to either one of them. It’s important.”
“I don’t think so,” replies Little Johnny with a big laugh.
Surprised to see the boy laughing heartily, the perplexed mayor demands, “What’s so funny, son? Is there something wrong with your parents?”
“Well, when my daddy asked for the Vaseline while they’re in the shower, I handed him the Super Glue.”
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1 comments:
so touching
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