Yahoo. It's my Dad's Birthday today and suddenly I felt like I have to blog about this very important occasion in my life. Why important? simply because he's my dad, my dear Papa or whatever you want to call it, thing is he's my Father.

So let's start (well I believe from this moment you've guessed already what this post would be about right? Well if you don't, damn. read the title.)

Well first we call him Papa, Papa as in Papa ketchup - Yeah not the Papa as in Pa/pa. Those were only for elitistas/hacienderos/whatever and we're not like that but in the near future maybe (haha, taas ng pangarap Ü). Until now I'm still confused why we call him that because we call our mom, Mommy Ü. What a combination. Weird. (ewan ko pauso ata nila yan eh.)

My Dad is an engineer. The one who designs and constructs houses, buildings, infrastructures etc. I can say my Dad is really good on his field of work. He was a consistent honor student since nursery until college, beat that. And even on his job he received some plaques and special mentions for his honorable works. If I'm not mistaken I think he was even featured in our provincial newspaper. I idolize my Dad for being so good in Math. Yes he's really good in Math that I wonder why I didn't inherit even 5 percent of his intelligence in Math (Darn it. naubos na ata ng ate't kuya ko, wala ng natira pagdating sa kin, my brother is also good in Math btw). Despite the fact that he graduated in college with so many UNOs in his transcript of records he told us that he didn't want to be an engineer because he really wanted to be a doctor but because his parents couldn't afford it he was forced to take an engineering course. I still remember the way he used to tell his stories on us. His college adventures most especially. Cue: author must speak in tagalog for her to tell the wansapanataym in da pilipins story Ü

Tuwing napupunta sa pag-aaral ang usapan, shempre di pedeng di isisingit ni Papa yung mga adventures slash misadventures nya. Madalas nya ikwento sa min kung gaano kahirap daw daw ang buhay nila noon. Maswerte na daw kung makapagulam sila ng isda isang beses sa isang linggo. Noon daw nasa kolehiyo sya 25 pesos lang daw ang ibinibigay sa kanyang pera ng kanyang nanay. Ang masakit dito eh sa Maynila pa sya nag-aaral kaya dun sa 25 pesos nyang baon kasama na doon ang pamasahe nya at pambili ng pagkain minsan pa nga daw nawawalan sya pambili ng pagkain dahil sa gastusin sa eskwela kaya ang nangyayari daw eh nagbabaon sya ng bigas sa kanyang boarding house. Naaalala nya pa daw noon kung gaano kahirap magdala ng ilang kilo bigas simula Laguna hanggang Maynila. Madalas yun lang daw laman ng bag nya - bigas. Teka siguro nagtataka kayo kung pano naman ang ulam dahil puro bigas yung kinuwento ko. Pagdating daw sa ulam eh wala syang problema dyan, nanjan ang toyo, kalamansi, asukal, kape, asin at ang pinakamalupit sa lahat - kendi. Oo kendi as in candy, imadyinin mo na lang yung Viva candy, yung caramel candy ata yon na kulay dilaw ang pabalat, tapos dudurugin sa kanin...hmmm sarap?. Wala daw syang pasttime noon dahil hectic ang sched nya. Kelangan nya maglaba,mamamlantsa etc. Tuwing sabado't linggo daw ay umuuwi sya ng Laguna para makatulong sa kanilang family business. Pagtatanim at pagbebenta ng bulaklak kasi ang ikinabubuhay nila noon(up to present). Madalas daw habang nag-aaral ay nagtatanim sya, nagagamas, sa pilapil - multitasking, ganun palagi at hindi ko alam kung pano nya pa nagagawang mangUno ng subjects sa ganung kalagayan. Usapang pagsisikap at dedikasyon. Ganun daw talaga kahirap ang buhay nila noon kaya kahit daw di naman gaano kasigla ang bulsa namin ngayon eh isipin daw namin na maswerte na daw kami ngayon dahil kahit papaano naman eh nakakapagliwaliw pa rin kami at nakakain pa rin daw kami 3x a day minsan sobra pa nga. End-of-story. Moral lesson: Wag magkwento ng mahaba dahil tutulugan ka ng awdyens mo.

But He was telling it like he was just telling some jokes, with a big smile on his face (labas pa ngipin)- but we knew how he really feels that time.

I wonder what would our lives be if my father really became a doctor. Would we became rich? And if we became rich? Would we ran out of problems? Would our lives be easier? I guess not.

Going back to business, My father was married to my mother of course (I don't wanna give in their names for confidentiality purposes). They first met in Manila while my dad was studying in FEU. Then they were married on the 1st of December year 1982. Then my sister Charisse was born, next was my brother Christopher and the youngest was me Tin Ü. I can proudly say that we're a happy family despite the financial hardships that we are facing right now. We have a strong relationship with God so I know we can do it...just give us time.

Anyhoo, For me he's such a hero for doing all those hard works for us - his family and for helping other people - He's the greatest Dad in the World. And I salute him for that... Happy Birthday Father Dear! We wish you to be happy and contented in life. May you attain all your goals. We wish you good health. P.S. Please take good care of your health and try to relax sometimes ok. Everything will be just fine - thanks to you. Thanks to God. God bless us. We love yah Papa. You're the best Dad ever Ü .

Labels: World's Greatest Dad