By LOUI GALICIA
ABS-CBN Europe News Bureau
A physically challenged Filipino has proven that there is life after losing an arm.
Joebel Gurang is the star guitarist of Pinoy scholars studying at Wageningen University in Wageningen, The Netherlands.
There are about 80 Filipino scholars in the Netherlands. They came from the Philippines and other countries to take up their Masters or Doctorate in Philosophy degrees in the different universities here. Gurang, who is studying Masters in Communications, is one of them.
In a recent gathering of Pinoy scholars at the Philippine embassy in The Hague, the guests and students themselves stood in awe as Gurang strummed his guitar, providing the accompaniment to a musical skit that the Wageningen scholars presented.
Gurang lost half of his right arm when he was 11 years old due to a New Year’s Eve accident involving firecrackers. He doesn't want to discuss it anymore.
"I got this sadly from the New Year’s celebration back in 1988. I was eleven then. It’s a long story. It got amputated kasi medyo grabe ang itsura (because it looked horrivble)," Gurang said.
But four years after the accident, he developed an interest in the guitar. His physical disability didn’t stop him from trying this seemingly impossible venture.
So from the age of 15, Gurang studied how to manipulate the world’s most popular musical instrument, to the point that he was able to master the chords and most importantly, strumming with his half right arm.
"I don’t know, maybe I just like playing music siguro (I guess). At saka I think I’m enjoying it naman at saka masaya dahil nakakapagpasaya (I think I'm enjoying it because it's fun and it provides fun)," Gurang said.
The vibrant Pinoy scholar had always strived hard to become a role model for all with physical disabilities.
"Maybe I just got motivated with my environment dahil (because) I felt that I have lots of energy. Pero alam ko ang limitation ko (I know my limitations). Para bang gustong-gusto kong gumalaw, pero limited nga dahil sa aking sitwasyon but maybe the energy just got me into it and inisip kong gumawa ng mga bagay-bagay beyond my physical abilities (It's as if I want to move but my movements are limited...I thought about doing things...)," Gurang told ABS-CBN's Balitang Europe.
He made it a guiding principle in life to attain what is beyond his means and has only that sad incident in his youth to thank for because it made him what he is now.
When Gurang plays the guitar, he uses his right arm to strum the chords and does this with a breeze.
In fact, he has invented a device which allows him to play the guitar as if he has a right hand.
"Meron akong nilalagay na gadget which I invented actually. It’s a simple machine na nanggaling sa isang container ng alcohol. Nilagyan ko para makakapag-strum ako and siguro mukha namang wala ring pinag-iba dun sa tunog kapag dalawang kamay na ang tumutugtog. So I think it’s a matter of knowing your limitations and doing something that you would like to do," Gurang said.
(I attached the gadget that I invented...It's a simple machine that came from an alcohol container. I attached it so that I can strum and well, it's not different from strumming when you have both hands.)
Gurang said he cut the top and bottom of a green alcohol plastic bottle, the good size of two lady’s bangle bracelets and attaches it to the amputated arm, which he then uses for strumming.
The music generated is heavenly.
The representative of a Manila-based commercial bank watched Gurang perform in veneration. He even took video clips of Gurang’s performance via his mobile phone.
"I’m trying to learn how to play the guitar but it’s been very difficult for me. But with what I saw, I think I will have a stronger faith in myself that I would be able to do it," Tito Rabago said.
"I thought he started early but when I found out that he started at the age of 15, it must have been difficult for him and yet he was able to come with such a skill today and he amazes me," Rabago added.
Gurang is truly amazing because even if he has already worked for non-government organizations and the Department of Social Welfare, his quest to help and to inspire continues.
"I think na-prove ko na lahat. I’m just here because nakikita ko na may kulang or gusto ko pang makapag-serve ng mas quality sa atin sa Pilipinas and at the same time, gusto ko pang makapag-reach out sa mas marami dun sa trabaho ko kasi I am a development worker," Gurang said.
(I think I've proven everything already. I'm just here because I see that there's something missing or I want to serve more in the Philippines and at the same time, to reach out to more Filipinos through my work because I'm a development worker.)
"Mahirap magkipagtrabaho na nagbibigay ng serbisyo sa tao na mali ang approach mo dahil buhay ng tao ang naapektuhan (It's hard to work in public service if you're approach is wrong because people's lives are affected)," Gurang added.
As a development worker, Gurang works with poor communities in the Philippines in order to help them realize their potentials and also identify the really needy or the poor communities.
"Dun kami nakikipag-work para makabangon sila sa kahirapan and we formulate with them various programs and projects. Nung nasa DSW ako, yung anti-poverty program. Nung nasa isang NGO ako dati, isang child-focus program."
(We work with them to help them recover from poverty. When I was in the Department of Social Work, there's the anti-poverty program. When I was in an NGO, it was the child-focus program.)
Gurang hopes to be a symbol of strength and determination in order to inspire a lot of those with physical disabilities who had given up on hope.
"Ang makapag-inspire din ng mga katulad ko [na] dati na sa tingin nila eh medyo malayo ang bukas, na sana ma-inspire sila para mag-strive further (I hope to inspire others like me who think that's dawn's so far away, I hope to inspire them to make them strive further)."
After succeeding in his battle for the betterment of knowledge in The Netherlands, Gurang plans to go back to the Philippines to share his blessings as well as to impart his wealth of mind.
"I think babalik din ako sa Pilipinas doing the same thing but this time with more quality and mas makaka-serve ng mas maraming tao and also mas focused din sa talagang nangangailangan din at saka makatulong and share knowledge sa mga kasama ko na development practitioners."
(I'll return to the Philippines doing the same thing but this time with more quality and I hope to serve more people and have a more focused approach to those who are really in need and to help and share my knowledge to my colleagues.)
Gurang also hopes to strum a new chord in stopping "brain drain" in the country and sustain the flow of "brain gain."
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