“Bahala’g saging basta loving.”

That’s the specific phrase my professor told our whole class when he asked our opinion with that certain quote.

Everyone reacted. Some agrees but many argued. Different opinions float in the air. Few of those who agreed explain their stands while others repelled. That simple asking of opinion suddenly became a hot issue in that moment.

When the song "Mahal Magmahal" by the Filipino ukulele band Esremborak first blew up and became a viral hit on TikTok many netizen was hooked. They played it repeatedly.

While walking down the street, a student wearing an earphones may seem cool but secretly the song behind being played is Mahal Magmahal.

A random stranger inside the jeep quietly stopped doomscrolling when the song appeared on its feed and silently listened to it.

A busy karinderya along the road loudly playing the song as its background music while their customers are also vibing it.

Some also used it for thirst trap on TikToks because of its comedic and lively rhythm. But on its deeper sense? Every Filipino doesn’t just like it because of its melody, rhythm or because it’s somehow funny — many liked it because they lowkey relates to it.

The song carries the deep meaning of how heavy it is to love without a solid financial foundation.

Mahal na ang bigas

Pati lata ng sardinas

Kung mamahalin kita ngayon

Sabay tayong magugutom

'Di sapat ang sahod ko

Kahit tapat ako sa 'yo

Anong silbi nitong pagmamahal

Kung lahat din ay nagmamahal?

Ayoko lang namang makita kang

Kinikilig habang sa hirap ay nagdurusa

When I first heard that lines, I’ve come to wonder what might be the thought process of the songwriter because the lyrics of the song may sound a little bit funny but speaks deeply to every Filipinos.

A simple song that reminds us — love alone is not enough.

Subscribe

The phrases

“Mahal na ang bigas.

Pati lata ng sardinas.

Kung mamahalin kita ngayon

Sabay tayong magugutom.”

hits differently because it doesn’t just speak about the reality of poverty but it somehow constructively warned us that…

If we push love beyond all odds — poverty will be our number one impediment.

Way back from that time when our professor asked our opinion which I mentioned from the very start of this article — I remember my classmate strongly standing his opinion about the quote, “Bahala’g saging basta loving.”

He said “Kung gihugugma ra man diay nimo ang tao tungod sa kwarta, dili na siya gugma.”

Basically, his point was that “love is enough reason to stay even in difficult situation.”

He is trying to persuade us na you don’t need to choose between “gusto kita” and “gusto kita pero financially stable ka ba?” kasi for him, when you love the person, di mo kailangan ng pera para mag stay sa relasyon. May pera man o wala, mananatili ka dahil sa pagmamahal.

But when I heard this phrase,

“Di sapat ang sahod ko

Kahit tapat ako sa 'yo

Anong silbi nitong pagmamahal

Kung lahat din ay nagmamahal?”

I was in awe because every lyrics of the song state facts that every young people who wants to enter romantic relationship should understand.

What’s the point of love if everyone is in love? What’s the difference? Kung lahat lang din naman pare-parehong nagmamahal out of scarcity.

Share

I believe a person that is truly in love wouldn’t settle for less. They will probably realize the weight of this phrase,

“Ayoko lang namang makita kang

Kinikilig habang sa hirap ay nagdurusa.”

In my own perspective, love is always there. Everyone tends to fall in love because love itself is a beautiful thing. It is inevitable and something innate within us. It makes us more human.

One of my hobbies is listening TED Talks episodes and I remember one of the TED Talks speaker said that…

Romantic love is one of the most addictive substances on Earth. Love is within us, it’s deeply embedded in the brain. Our challenge is to understand each other.

That phrase she said “Our challenge is to understand each other.” it means something deep. It means to love is to understand including the needs of that person whether it’s belonging, financial or even emotional needs

Love alone is not enough. You’re not actually in love if all that you have is — love.

Love is a decision. When you decide to love someone, it means you already think about the responsibilities and commitments. Meaning, you have already think about it multiple times and finally you come up with your final verdict and that is — to love at all costs.

And because love carries the weight of responsibilities and commitments, it also carries the weight of being a provider not just in financial aspect but in all aspect of life.

Maybe choosing between “gusto kita” and “gusto kita pero financially stable ka ba?” isn’t an issue because what most of the people need is someone who will say,

“I love you enough to stay, but I also love us enough to work toward a stable future.”

Mahal Magmahal is absolutely true pero hindi Mahal Magmahal kung meron ka sa tamang tao — the one that carries the weight of everything, won’t settle for less and can’t help themselves na makita kang kinikilig lang pero nagdurusa sa hirap.

Share

Comment

Subscribe

I’m not distressed.

I’m just naturally me.

I loved.

I cared.

I valued.

And I think I give too much of me, reason that the people around me  might find it suffocating.

I’m an outgoing person. I have a vibrant energy. I’m loud. Not to brag myself but some people look for me when my presence is absent because I have this vibe that lights up the room.

They say I’m easy to love. With my personality, it’s not hard for me to find circle of friends. Surely, a lot of them want to include me in their groups — that’s all they say.

But what if they get to know the deeper version of me?

What if they get to see the messy me?

What if they saw me overthinking?

What if they found out that I’m dramatic?

What if they discovered that I’m a soft-hearted person and I get offended even in small things?

What if they uncover that I’m so sensitive?

Will they still choose me as their friend?

Will they still include me in their groups?

Will they still acknowledge me as part of their circle?

I doubt.

Who would have choose to have a

distressed.

over-thinker.

sensitive.

soft-hearted.

and dramatic person like me?

Of course, none.

However, once upon a time in my college journey, I found them perhaps we found each other.

Our personalities were completely different but we found solace in each other.

Subscribe

We’ve been friends for almost 4 years now. We have lots of laughters and memories together. But the thing is, I get to jump into conclusions.

And I messed up everything, just last night.

Ako yung type of friend na takot sa farewells. Kaya lagi kong iniisip dapat 1 step ahead ako lagi. And I used to it.

When I was in Senior High, before the graduation, the victory balls and everything, I did the same thing. Though hindi naman talaga ako “lumalayo” but I have this attitude na lagi kong pinapaalala sa kanila na “oy, ilang buwan nalang di na tayo magkakasama.” “much better na rin toh para di na ako magtiis kaka advice sa lovelife niyo.” Words that are like that.

I used to have this habit as a way of defense or coping mechanism. I thought there’s completely nothing wrong about it kasi iniisip ko, I’m just helping myself move forward one step at a time. Pero yung totoo, every time I’m doing that, I always told myself “why do I need to suffer in advance?” “why do I need to detach myself from them when we could still be friends in long distance?”

At first, I also don’t understand where I’m coming from. Until I realized, I’m not distancing myself from them because I got tired or dahil sa wakas makakalayo-layo na rin ako.

No. I’m not.

In fact, my heart screams in pain every time I do it.

But I think I’m like this kasi feeling ko “ako lang ang nasasaktan kapag nagkakalayo-layo na tayo.” kasi feeling ko “ako lang yung emotional.” kasi ako lang naman lagi ang “takot maiwan.”

Ang ending di ko namamalayan dahil sa takot kong maiwan, ako na yung nang iiwan.

Share

I thought that part of me was already vanished until last night I found myself again doing the same thing.

Honestly, I tried to shrink it into the unknown but it keeps coming back like yesterday’s ghost.

I do really hate “goodbye’s.”

Sabi ni Jill, sa isang segment episode ng Winnie the Pooh, “How lucky I am to have known someone and something that saying goodbye is so damned hard.” and that completely hit me.

I don’t have the intention to hurt the people that I loved and I valued. It’s just I have a very bad attachment issue and I’m always thinking a plan on how to escape it. And kung paano ito magiging madali sa akin. I know, it sounds selfish right? And for years, I don’t find that as selfishness, it’s more like of an easy way to protect myself from all unwanted pain when we finally take different paths.

Until that one friend awakens me from that illusion. I’m not escaping. I’m drowning my own self — thinking that it is the great escape not to get hurt.

Pero ang totoo, lalo lang akong nilulunod nito sa sakit at sa pangungulila.

Last night, I was speechless.

I don’t even know how to respond.

I was ashamed.

To my dearest Hestia & Jasphine,

I know, you two are busy, but I hope I can grab at least minutes of your time to please read this. And I hope maabot mo diri nga part, para mabasa ninyo ni.

I love you two. I really don’t have the intention of hurting you because of my indecisive thoughts and actions. I’m sorry if sometimes I’m difficult to handle. My impulsive personalities, my sensitivity, my overthinks and all my dramas. I’m so sorry loviesss if you get to handle that with so much care. You are not supposed to carry me, we’re supposed to carry each other but your Hannah seems to be lost in the other side.

I told you this multiple times, but I will say it again, sobrang thankful ako kay Lord na meron akong kayo. I’m so much blessed with the unexpected friendship we have built in this lifetime. Kung papilion man ko ni Lord ug another circle of friends;paulit-ulit ko din kayong pipiliin.

My Jasphine, I’m sorry if you have to handle all my overthinks. I’m sorry if you have to listen all my rants and fears specially sa school stuffs. And thank you for staying, for listening, for advising. And thank you for calling me from time to time just to check up on me.

And to my Hestia, I’m sorry if I made you feel that I’m always right. Thank you for enlightening me — the version of me na I really thought there’s completely nothing wrong. Hestiababe, you don’t know how thankful I am to have you because for years, no one made me realized these things. Thank you din sa explanations, as an anxious type of person explanation matters even after a decade.

The Lord knows very well what do I need in friendship. He gave me the two of you. You both played different roles in my life. I’m so happy that I have friends where I can freely grow! I love you two with the love of the Lord.

At last, I’m sorry. Please don’t leave me.

Love,

Hannah

Subscribe

Comment

Share

Hi! I’m Hannah a fourth year college student taking Bachelor of Secondary Education. I am now a graduating student, waiting and excited for that final moment—the graduation.

As the time runs fast towards that awaited moment, there’s this tiny voice lingering inside my head “Sigurado ka na ba? Nakakatakot na maging guro ngayon.” I don’t know if it’s only me.

I am now currently a Field Study 2 student at a third big public High school here in Davao. And as I stay longer here, I vividly saw the reality of the profession I’m about to enter.

These are my realizations since Day one that I started my Field study. One, schools supposed to be a safe place away from home; the second home students can run into when their own home doesn’t feel safe anymore. Second, if the students’ home cannot provide the love and care that their parents must have given them. It is the school’s duty to let the children feel secure and loved. Third, if no one believes them at home. It is the school that should believe the dreams they have. These are few of the lists that the school can offer to the young children.

Sadly, in our present time school isn’t that safe anymore. Shootings are happening everywhere across Philippine schools. Students became killers/murderers at the very young age. And the most saddest thing, I heard a lot of teachers telling “Hinihintay ko na lang na mag retiro ako, kasi nakakatakot na maging guro.”

The place where once become a shelter to many, now slowly became a graveyard.

Subscribe

I remember when I was in Grade 4, I had a classmate who don’t want to go home. Our teacher talked to her and it turns out she doesn’t want to go home because she’s being molested in her so-called “home.”

School becomes her escape, a shelter, perhaps a safe place. But now, there’s no even difference between school and home—both aren’t safe anymore. If streets, roads and even the neighborhoods aren’t safe, pity for all the young children there’s no safe place for them anymore.

I aspire to become a good role model teacher, the one that my students could admire in the future. But could I still impersonate, practice it, if there’s this tiny fear inside of me? Maybe I am not the only one, maybe there’s so much aspiring teachers out there who feels the same thing.

The point is, how can we teach them good values? How can we influence them to be a good citizen? How can I Pass On the passion that I have if I am/ we are so caught up with fear? This might also be the fear of many teachers out there—fear of being killed by a random student bringing a gun or a knife in the middle of the class.

Share

What the government doesn’t clearly see is that, the students are slowly controlling the authority of the teachers, the authority of the school because they are scared of being killed. So instead of speaking up and correcting those students, the teachers choose silence to prevent aggressive actions—crimes.

Students have so much courage to do this thing because they know there’s no law for them. And if there is, it is not that strong to put them in jail. This is what the government should address on. The president should put this into consideration because this is not just a mediocre issue of the country. It is a big deal!

Ika nga ni Dr. Jose Rizal “Ang Kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan.” Subalit kapag ang isyung ito’y hinayaan at hindi kaagad sinulosyonan, magiging kriminal na ang mga kabataang dapat ay pag-asa ng bayan.

Love,

Future teacher Hannah

Share

Comment