By: Telly Gonzaga-Ocampo
Maleta!
In my younger days while I was in college, the Cebu airport was still in Lahug and our airport was still in the old site at Cogon District of Tagbilaran along Lamdagan St. The plane fare from Tagbilaran to Cebu was at P4.50, while the boat fare of Sweet Lines, Inc. was at P2.50 for the same route – Tagbilaran to Cebu and another P2.50 for the trip from Cebu to Tagbilaran. And this was already an occupancy at the upper deck.
There were two airline companies serving the Tagbilaran to Cebu and Cebu to Tagbilaran routes. These were the Philippine Airlines and Filipinas Airways. Ug sa akong kabatan-on, misuway-suway pud ko ug sakay sa eroplano. We, then, wore high-heeled shoes during our flights. We felt that flying was a formal activity and high-heeled shoes would complete the package. What we cherished most during the trip was that cup of ice cream served during the travel.
At that time, the most “sosyal nga maleta” for a trip had Samsonite as its brand. If you carried a Samsonite overnight bag, you would become a head turner. How I dreamed I could own a Samsonite overnight bag at that time and I really worked hard on my savings to acquire one.
I’m almost 80 now ug wala pa gyud ko makapalit ug Samsonite bag. My cousin from the states reserved for us a trip to Rome leaving to us a Samsonite travelling bag. This was in preparation for that vacation. But the trip to Rome was not realized due to my husband’s illness. However, the Samsonit travel trolley became my souvenir. It’s still with me now.
Unsa kaha pod ang brand sa mga maleta nga, matud pa, ug allegedly, maoy gisudlan sa daghan nga mga kwarta nga giapud-apud sa mga buaya? With the bags of maletas delivered to “big politicians”, I’m wondering what could be the brand of those maletas. But honestly, that is not the question at hand. Ang tinuod nga pangutana mso kini: KINSA MAN GYUD ANG MGA NAKADAWAT SA MGA MALETA SA KWARTA? PILA MAN GYUD ANG ILANG MGA NADAWAT?
Mura ug dili katoohan noh? Pero tugotan nato nga gisagulan ug bakak ang mga taho kabahin sa mga maleta nga gipang apud-apud, labi-labi na pud ug sa 120 ka bakak walay 100 nga tinuod.
If you go deeper into our laws, it would seem that these have been crafted to allow people to become poorer and forever begging for ayuda. Just imagine, with the increased value of the dollar vs. the peso, the rich are converting their money making themselves richer, quick and fast. And poor Juan de la Cruz, continues to count the few bills placed inside the wallet – as if trying to ask: ”Muabot pa kaha ni sa sunod tingsweldo”?
It is sad to note that those who are in power do not count their money from their wallets but from the MALETA UG MALETA UG MALETA.
One hope that we have is to eradicate them from the list come election day – from the barangay level to the national “kingdom”.
IKAW, UNSAY BRAND SA IMONG MALETA?