RIZAL @ 151; “YT” @ THE
PLAZA
CITY OF CALAMBA – After Rizal’s sesquicentennial, a nondescript old model car negotiating
the pavements of his cradle town almost always gets curious second looks from
observant eyes. More so from jogging enthusiasts when the car is parked in the
early morning on weekends within the Plaza, the two-hectare park under the
vigilant watch of Rizal’s tallest monument in the world.
The area has become the regular circle of
“The Plaza Joggers/Runners.” City Councilor Luis Vergel “Bong” Baroro joins its
members from all walks in life. See photo below taken by Negrense Jose Maylando
“Botchok” Villanueva, jogger/tennis enthusiast, a resident at nearby Villa de
Calamba.
The Jogger onlookers: Danny Decena showing the biblical fish; Konsi Bong Baroro (6th R-L)
The car is YT. It is a Mitsubishi Lancer,
’86. An old car with fading wash-over psychedelic design painted over its
original dirty white color. The psychedelic design was to cover dents and
scratches allover.
YT is Jejemon
text for whitey. Whitey is shortcut for Dorothy
White Bangs, the name given by its acknowledged owner. This foreign
sounding lady means dirty white bangas. Bangas
in our dialect connotes dents and scratches on a car.
This nondescript motor vehicle has long
been inviting this septuagenarian Calambenio to present an issue out of it. The
time has come this month of June.
June is the 6th month of the
year in the Julian and Gregorian calendars and one of the four months with a
length of 30 days (en.wikepdia.org). June, dubbed the wedding month, also gives us
the Fathers’ Day on its third Sunday. Typhoon season usually starts in June in
our country; and ironically, the opening of our school calendar also begins.
Historically, the month of June provides
every nationalistic Filipinos a double whammy in national celebration – Independence Day
and Rizal Day.
In both occasions YT fits in. Her
psychedelic design invokes both spiritual and nationalistic fervor. The
biblical fish and the Holy Spirit in a flying bird are revealed upon close
scrutiny. The color combination in our national flag accentuated in the bird’s
tail cannot be missed by the human eye. Above all, on her front hood is the punch
line: “Pilipino Dangal ng Saling Lahi.”
Who else among Filipinos past and present
epitomizes such punch line but our very own Dr. Jose P. Rizal?
Calamba once again has been dotted and indelibly
marked in the world map when Rizal @ 150 his tallest statue was officially
unveiled by no less than the bachelor president of the Republic of the
Philippines, His Excellency P-Noy.
Today, Rizal @151 views with sullen eyes
just across the street the very seat of governance in his place of birth amid
the background of Mt. Makiling.
Could Rizal be invoking the legendary
Maria Makiling to lead scrofulous and unscrupulous city hall employees and city
residents into the straight path of governance? Would he not be looking at how
each lowly casual employee performs assigned duties and responsibilities,
including performance of those regular employees and consultants (?), and most
in particular those at the helm of the city administration? Could they be
counted in adhering to this 114th Independence Day theme: Pananagutan
ng Bayan para sa tuwid na daan (Sacrifices of the Nation on the Straight
Path)?
Would Rizal be proud of
Calamba today? A timely question,
indeed, to all Calambenios with the next local elections just around the corner.
Photos by Botchok
Botchok
shot Rizal at the back with Maria Makiling as backdrop, with his camera of
course.
