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One-on-One with Loy M. Palapos

Valentine Girl

      This column’s Valentine Girl has no boyfriend yet; but she knows the pain of a broken heart. At 19 she has experienced being loved by her parents and brothers and sisters, her relatives, and friends. It used to be a beautiful world, untarnished and pristine.

      This must be truth to the assertion that one can only truly appreciate the best if he has undergone the worst; that tasting the bitterest is only possible of you have tasted the sweetest. Sensing both extremes makes a better person.

      Jane Annalie Arquillano Aro (JAA) is that girl. After what she has lived through, she could be teary-eyed in one instant, and bubbling with laughter the next. But despite the twists and turns of her life, she has no regrets. She is now a much better person with high hopes that her dreams will be fulfilled.

      Jane was born in Cebu City on February 1, 1991. She spent her childhood years in Cagayan de Oro City, her early teenage years in Albuera Leyte. Now, she is in Bohol. This is so because of the job of her father which brought the family to a number of places.

      Presently taking up Business and Information Management at AMA Computer Learning Center, she works partime at Island City Mall (ICM) as a Ticketing Clerk. An Aunt in New York spends for her and a brother’s education. He is enrolled at PMI. In order to augment her allowance for some other needs, she decided she has to work while studying.

      And that’s when she turned teary-eyed being asked about her parents. They are living separately. Her father is in Carmen; her mother and a brother are in Albuera Leyte. A sister and a brother are in Manila. One family in four different places. Not a fitting subject on Valentine’s Day?

      Not necessarily. One look at Jane and the world would smile with her. She is beautiful. Last December she was selected Miss ICM from a bunch of pretty girls; then was judged Miss Alturas Group of Companies from a bevy of feminine pulchritude representing the 18 Companies of AGC.

      Asked whether she already has a boyfriend, she answered in the negative. Has she turned into a man-hater? No, she has some suitors (pa-text-text, pa-joke-joke, pasumbingay, some sounding serious), but not one of them has earned her nod. But she knows the right man may come along at the right time. Yet, she definitely is not looking for him.

LMP: Nganong sige man ka ug balhin?

JAA: Tungod sa trabaho sa akong parents.

LMP: First nag-trabaho sa Cebu, then nag-trabaho sa Cagayan de Oro, sa Leyte, then karon Bohol. Unsa man ang trabaho sa imong papa?

JAA: First sa Cebu ahente siya sa Pepsi, then pag-abot sa Cagayan akong papa Supervisor sa Nestle, unya naay problema gamay sa balay na transfer mi sa Leyte. Nakabalay ra mi. Si mama tua sa Leyte ug si papa diri sa Bohol.

LMP: Pila mo ka managsoon?

JAA: Lima.

LMP: Ikaw ray nia?

JAA: Akong manghud pod.

LMP: Kinsa man ang kauban ninyo dire?

JAA: Akong papa nga naa sa Carmen.

LMP: So your mother is in Leyte, tua niya ang tulo nimo ka igsoon?

JAA: Ang kinamanghuran naa niya kay ang duha tua sa Manila nagtrabaho. Akong manghud akong uban diri.

LMP: Why did you enroll at AMA?

JAA: Kay gusto man sa akong Tita nga computer course akong kuhaon.

LMP: Sa imong bahin, di ka moangay ug computer?

JAA: Dili kaayo.

LMP: Nganong misugot man ka?

JAA: Kay sa una gipa-eskwela sa akong Tita ang akong manghod, pero mi balibad siya, mao to nga wala siya paeskwelaha. So, gusto ko nga sundon siya karon para maka tiwas ko sa akong pag-eskwela.

LMP: That’s good reason. Bahala’g unsa kursoha basta makaeskwela ka. Your father is in Carmen uban sa imong isgsoon?

JAA: Nag uban mi ug saka sa akong manghod sa Lamdagan.

LMP: Gaeskwela pod?

JAA: Gaeskwela sa PMI.

LMP: Unsa man ang gikuha?

JAA: Nautical.

LMP: Unya nag partime ba pod siya?

JAA: Oo, sa ICM-HRD.

LMP: Nganong nagtrabaho man ‘mo at the same time nag-eskwela?

JAA: Dugang sa allowance, Sir, kay may time nga madelay ug padala si Tita.

LMP: Asa man diay imong Tita ‘ron?

JAA: Sa New York.

LMP: You are renting a room?

JAA: Yes, Sir.

LMP: Kanang imong manghod kamao ba pod, dili ba bugoy?

JAA: Dili man pod, naanad na siya daan sa Leyte pa. Gi-train na siya ni mama.

LMP: Unsa ang imong course?

JAA: Business and Information Management, a 2-year course.

LMP: What year are you in now?

JAA: 1st year.

LMP: Determined ka nga mahuman ang imong kurso?

JAA: Yes, Sir.

LMP: After that asa ka magwork?

JAA: Sa ICM, kay dinhi man ko nagpartime, dako na ko ug utang kabubut-on sa management.

LMP: Unsa man ang imong pangandoy sa kinabuhi ‘ron?

JAA: Makahuman ko ug eswkela ug matabangan ang akong manghod.

LMP: So, you’ve never lost hope. Would you consider yourself as a fighter?

JAA: Dili siguro sa tanang higayon. Wala pa man ko kahibawo ug asa ko padulong ug unsa akong buhaton. But I am sure I will persevere no matter what obstacles are on my way.

LMP: Is it the same feeling sa imong maghod?

JAA: Dili kaayo.

LMP: Mas affected siya sa nahitabo sa inyong pamilya?

JAA: Mas affected ko. Sila, okey ra man.

LMP: I learned there was a contest, nahimo kang Miss ICM?

JAA: Yes, Sir. It was a learning experience. I was a bit nervous.

LMP: How many contestants were there?

JAA: Five girls and five boys.

LMP: You represented ICM sa Ms. AGC?

JAA: Yes, Sir.

LMP: Pila ka contestants?

JAA: 8 girls and 8 boys.

LMP: You won?

JAA: I never expected it. Maybe, the judges saw something in me.

LMP: Sa imong tan-aw, what was the reason why you won?

JAA: Kamao lang siguro ko mo dala sa akong kaugalingon. I tried to feel confident and relaxed during the entire contest.

LMP: Sa question and answer, wala ba ka kulbae?

JAA: Wala man pod ko kulbae, at least nakaanswer ko.

LMP: What was the feeling nga kaduha ka makadaog? Did you feel that you have achieved something?

JAA: Yes. It was only later I realized I did something I can be proud of.

LMP: Would this prove sa mga tawo nga sa imong tan-aw you are beautiful?

JAA: Oo, makaingon jod ko.

LMP: Do you have a boyfriend?

JAA: Wala, Sir.

LMP: Nganong wala man?

JAA: Concentrate sa’ ko sa pag eskwela.

LMP: Daghan interesado?

JAA: Naa pod. Pa-text-text, pa-joke-joke, palipad hangin, duna’y uban nga medyo serious.

LMP: Naa, pero wala pa kay gana?

JAA: Wala pa gyod, Sir. Wa pod ko mangita ug boyfriend. If he comes to my life, then I would know kon mao na. But now, no time for a relationship like that.

LMP: How do you handle them?

JAA: Sa text ra man mi magka estoryahay, Sir. Mangutana sila kong available ba ko ana nga time.

LMP: Naay mga invitation pero all of them imong gibalibaran. If it is an invitation personal gyod, aduna naba kay giubanan?

JAA: Naa na, Sir.

LMP: What happens kon ang laki, makamatikod ka nga lain ang tuyo, nga makiggirlfriend nimo. Unsa man ang imong reaction?

JAA: Malain ko kay ang akong tumong kay makigamigo ra man. Ako mismo ang mulayo.

LMP: So, wa pa gyod miabot kon kinsa man? Naghuwat ba ka nga muabot o di pa gyod ka?

JAA: Waiting pod. Lamas sa kinabuhi (laugh). Apan wa gyod, Sir.

LMP: Let’s talk about your job. Unsay imong trabaho?

JAA: Ticketing Clerk sa ICM Screenville.

LMP: Have you met problems sa imong trabaho?

JAA: Yes, Sir, sa mga customers. Mga customer nga ilang sayop pero ikaw ang gi-blame tungod kay naa sa ilang perception nga customers are always right. 

LMP: Example sa sayop?

JAA: Ang ticket booth namo, Sir, naay duha ka window, sa pikas lain nga movie sa pikas lahi pod. Lahi man na sila ug ticket. Klaro kaayo sa poster ug signage. May customer nga mobayad sa una nga window, magexpect na gyod mi nga mao na nga movie ang iyang tan-awon, pero inig sulod na kay magbagotbot kay lain nga salida. Ako ang kasab-an.

LMP: Ikaw rang usa ang Ticketing Clerk?

JAA: Ako ra, Sir. No need for another one.

LMP: Giunsa man nimo pagsulbad ana nga situwasyon? Nasuko kay laing ticket ang gihatag.

JAA: Pasabton nako siya Sir, nga mao giduha ang window kay lain-lain ang movie. Unya hatagan na mo sila ug option, kon last full show na dili na mi mohatag ug refund kay kon maprint na ang ticket sold-out na gyod na. Naay uban nga moinsist mao nga mo refund ‘mi.

LMP: Sige ba ni nga mahitabo?

JAA: Dili man pod kanunay, Sir.

LMP: Another problem gawas ana?

JAA: Madelay ang movie, maong dugay makastart kay dugay moabot ang reels.   

LMP: Ikaw ang mablame?

JAA: Dili, Sir. Kinahanglan nga makahibawo mi para mainform namo sila, pagpalit sa ticket.

LMP: Wa pa mahitabo nga giaway ka ug customer nga mihilak ka?

JAA: Wala pa pod, Sir.

LMP: Pagdeal sa ticket sa mga Senior Citizens, wala ba kay problema?

JAA: Wala kay deritso ra man na sila.

LMP: Are you happy with your life now?

JAA: Dili pa ko makaingon, Sir, kay naa pa man ko’y mga pangandoy sa kinabuhi. Happy siguro ko kong buo pa ang among pamilya.

LMP: Sa imong tan-aw moabot pa nang panahona?

JAA: Moabot, apan di pa ‘ko katag-an kon kanus-a. Pagkakaron I take things in stride. And pray for better things to come my way. I have never lost hope that success is just within my reach. Bahala na si Lord!
                                     
         Jane is just one among many young Boholanas who want a better future. Her courage to face life and all its ramifications is typical of an individual who doesn’t subscribe to sentimentality and the down-side of existence. That she knows what she wants and how to get where she wants to be, aligns her with those who don’t let themselves be overcome by the atrocities of circumstances. Rather, she wishes to carve her own niche and become a better person as the days pass.

         Wistfully, she looks forward to the day when her family will be together again. When that would be, she does not know yet. But she will do something to make it happen. With prayers, with more tenacity.

         Our Valentine Girl is very young, innocent, and a true beauty, not just physically but deep down inside her entire personality. Next time you get your ticket for any of Screenville’s four theaters, the girl you are dealing with is Jane, the young Lady trying to find her place in the sun.   

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