Who Run the World? Mens!


Last year, in December, I went to the Filipino Reader Con held at the Ateneo de Manila University. I went alone because I didn't really know anyone who was interested and it was just as well. I won a book during the raffle draw and got to buy a few more from the display; I made a few new friends; I met a handful of local authors and book collectors; and, most especially, I had so much fun and learned a lot during the panel sessions and the book discussions. It was a really good experience.

One author that I found interesting was Beverly "Bebang" Siy, well, mostly because she just cracked me up with her antics and witticisms. She was the moderator in one of the panel sessions I decided to take part in. She was wearing a white dress and she had a little bouquet of flowers. She said something about her engagement and fast approaching, at that time, wedding.Thus, the white dress and the little bouquet. She looked like a bride. As I was listening to the panelists as well as Ms. Siy, I resolved to buy books written by some of them. And, later, as I was roaming around the tables displaying various books, I realized that I couldn't buy all the books I wanted because... well, what always deters me from buying books are the prices. They can be pretty expensive, especially Filipino ones, or at least the really good ones. And, I had just enough money to buy a few books.

Recently, a friend of mine lent me her copies of Bebang Siy's books, It's a Mens World and It's Raining Mens. As I've always wanted to read them, I finally did with such hunger and gusto as can only be compared to when a girl who's feeling down devours chocolates and ice cream! To say that I loved both books is an understatement! I enjoyed every page because it felt like every page reached out to me and either tug at my heart or just hit me smack in the head. Bebang Siy's life experiences may be different from mine, but reading her just felt like reading about myself. I guess one of the reasons for this is that Bebang Siy and I are the same age so that the things that she mentioned in her books were so familiar  to me, also I am familiar enough with Manila that it was quite easy to imagine the scenes she described. And, God, the restaurant she said she frequented with her father and sister was also my father's favorite restaurant and, yes, you guessed it, he used to take us there a lot! The feelings, emotions, and realizations that she was talking about in her books were spot on! And, because of these and so much more, I think I can say that Bebang Siy has become one of my super heroines! She's inspired me. She's rekindled a fire in me that was slowly waning and I was ready to put out.

I would really like her to know how reading her made me feel and I hope this reaches her because I really want her to know that she has inspired her readers and I want to thank her personally for what she's done for me. I'm thinking of writing to her. And, because she writes in Filipino, I think it's but right that my letter be in Filipino, too. :-)


********


Dear Bebang Siy,

Hello! Ako si Diandra. Nagkita na tayo pero baka hindi mo na ako maalaala kasi marami kaming nasa audience noon. Ito 'yung panel discussion na ikaw ang nag-moderator noong Filipino Reader Con 2013. Basta, sa harap ako nakaupo noon at ilang beses din naman tayong nagka-eye contact at nagkangitian. Hindi ko kasi maalaala kung suot ko ng tama ang belo ko noon, e. Minsan kasi, sa balikat ko lang nakapatong ang belo ko imbes na sa ulo na siya namang tamang paggamit nito. Siguro, kung suot ko ng tama ang belo ko noon, mas madali mo akong maalaala. Pero, naka-shades ako noon, sigurado ako this time kasi tiningnan ko ngayon lang ang picture namin ni Eros Atalia. Ganu'n ako, e. Naka-shades kahit walang araw o nasa loob ng building kasi I'm cool like that, y'know! Hehe:-) Joke lang. Nagshi-shades ako kasi kapag masyadong maliwanang, inaatake ako ng migraine at saka mas confident ako kapag naka-shades kasi hindi ako ganu'n ka-kumportable na makita ng mga 'di ko kilalang tao ang mga mga mata ko kasi feeling ko mababasa nila ang iniisip ko. Yup, I'm cool like that! Ha!

Anyway, ang dahilan ng pagsulat ko sa'yong ito ay gusto kong magpasalamat sa iyo. Salamat sa mga libro mong It's a Mens World at It's Raining Mens. Salamat sa mga kuwento mo. Salamat sa pagpapatawa at pagpapaiyak mo sa akin. Salamat kasi sa simple mong paraan ng pagsusulat ay mas naka-relate ako at mas madali kong na-realize ang sa tingin ko ay gusto mong ipa-realize. Salamat kasi napag-isip-isip ako ng todo dahil sa mga kuwento mo. Napag-isip-isip ko ang buhay ko, mga pangyayari sa buhay ko, at kung ano pang mangyayari o gusto kong mangyari sa buhay ko. Salamat kasi you took me down memory lane, 'ika nga, sa mga kuwento mo. Magka-edad pala tayo kaya relate na relate talaga ako sa mga bagay-bagay na kinukuwento mo. 'Yung mga laro, 'yung mga uso, 'yung mga chichiria, 'yung mga kino-collect, 'yung mga lugar, 'yung mga trip dati. Feeling ko talaga, mas malakas ang trip natin noon kumpara sa mga kabataan ngayon, e. Well, obvious naman kasi ang trip lang naman nila ngayon ay naka-depende talaga sa mga computer at mga gadget. Salamat kasi andaming mga bagay na tini-take ko for granted kasi nandiyan lang naman pero dahil sa mga kuwento mo ay na-appreciate ko ng bongga. Salamat sa pagiging babae at sa pagsusulat mo tungkol sa pagiging babae. Isa kang tunay na inspirasyon, salamat. Salamat sa pagdagdag ng kagandahan sa mundong ito kung saan sangkatutak din ang mga tao na ang tanging mission sa buhay ay maghasik ng kapangitan at ka-evil-an! Salamat sa pagsusulat mo. Huwag na huwag kang titigil, ah. Basta, maraming-maraming salamat.

Alam mo, may mga nabasa na rin akong mga libro, na sinulat din ng mga magagaling at magigiting na Pinoy na manunulat, na medyo kaparehas ng sa'yo ang peg pero wala pang naka-touch sa akin ng ganito o nagkaroon ng ganitong impact sa akin. Madalas talaga akong mapatango at mapasabi ng "Oo nga, 'no?" o kaya "Oo nga naman." kapag nagbabasa. Pero, noong binabasa ko 'yung works mo, itong "Oo nga, 'no?" at "Oo nga naman." ay nadagdagan ng buntung-hininga at "Hay." at "Diyos ko!" at, minsan pa nga, "Nye!" Ganu'n. Ang galing lang. Ang galing mo!

Dati, sa PGT, naging sikat 'yung comment ni Ai-Ai na "Binuhay mo ang katawang lupa ko!" at pagkatapos kong basahin ang mga libro mo, gusto ko ring isigaw ang, "Bebang Siy, binuhay mo ang katawang lupa ko! Pati na rin ang kaluluwa ko!" Pero madaling araw kasi noong natapos ko 'yung pangalawang libro kaya pinigil ko na lang. Ewan ko ba. Simple lang naman ang mga kuwento mo, 'di ba? Pero, iba. Iba ang epekto sa akin. Iba ang hatak sa akin. Sa totoo lang, kahit ako, hindi ko ma-explain kung bakit ganu'n na lang ang pakiramdam ko. Ngayon nga, habang sinusulat ko ito, may bumabalot sa buo kong katawan na kung anong excitement na hindi ko din alam kung saan galing at feeling ko ang dami ko pang gustong sabihin sa'yo pero hindi ko rin alam kung ano. Basta, salamat talaga. 'Ayun na lang. Salamat. :-)

And, by the way, hindi ko alam kung tapos na ang kasal 'nyo ni Poy o hindi pa pero gusto kong sabihin na perfect ang plano 'nyo. Binabati ko kayo! At, ito na naman ako, nagpapasalamat ako sa'yo kasi ang napili 'nyong charitable institution ay ang kaguruan ng Filipino Department ng MSU-Marawi! Taga-MSU kasi ako. Nasa baba lang kami ng Filipino Department. Sa English Department ako. Oo, guro din ako. English, Public Speaking, Literature, at Communication and Gender ang mga tinuturo ko. Kilala ko din sina Sir Flores atbp., at kaibigan ko si Bb. Tiburon (sa kanya ko nahiram ang mga libro mo) pero, pramis, bibili ako ng sarili kong kopya. At balita ko, may bagong labas ka na naman daw. Excited na akong hiramin 'yun kapag nakabili na si Almayrah! Biro lang. Excited na akong mabili 'yun!

Hanggang dito na lang ang fan letter na ito. Pasensiya ka na. Hindi ko lang talaga mapigilan.


Gumagalang,

D


P.S.
Hello din kay EJ. :-)

********

And, to those who read this blog (I can't say I know who you are, but I do think I know some of you), please get copies of Ms. Siy's books! Read them and be touched by her magic. :-)


Comments

Dilip Mutum said…
Hi, Coming back to your blog after a long time. Have not been blogging much myself but now back. Will try to get my hands on the book even though it is clearly targeted at women readers ;-)
BabyPink said…
Thank you for the visit, Adam! Just like the old days, huh? Hehe:-)

It'd be interesting for men to read such books, too. So, I'd recommend them to you. The only problem is that Ms. Siy writes in Filipino. So... :-)
Anonymous said…
hi ma'am d! thank you for sharing this. hanapin ko yang mga libro. excited much!


d.e.
BabyPink said…
You're welcome, D.E.! Please do! And then, tell me what you think. :-)
Comment via Facebook said…
Yehey! When I read your blog post, I said that the title "It's Raining Mens" is familiar. When I saw the picture, it painted a smile on my face. I saw a copy displayed at NBS Centrio, Mama. And, it really caught my attention and intrigued me. Thank you for a very nice blog entry, Mama! Sana I can have my own copy.

~ Elijah G.
BabyPink said…
Oh. My. God! The Bebang Siy herself replied to me after reading this entry! Yehey!!! :-)

OMG, Diandra/Baby Pink! Nakakaiyak ang iyong blog etry na may liham para sa akin. I am so happy to meet you, te! hahaha! ang liit ng mundo. si Sir Flores ay isa sa pinakamatalik kong kaibigan! Si Mam Mye ay lagi naming kausap dahil sa pagpa-publish niya ng aklat sa Balangay ni hubby. email mo ako please beverlysiy@gmail.com! paano ba kita makokontak?
Comment via Facebook said…
Asked if she's read Bebang Siy's books:

Not yet, my precious. E pano, si Dear Alex ang hinanap ko sa National Bookstore na out of stock! Haha! Looking forward to reading Ms. Siy, In shaa Allah. Natawa ako dun sa sinabi mong you're the one wearing shades kasi nagsusuot ka ng shades anywhere because you're cool like that. Yes, you're so cool like that!

~ Doc Ai
Anonymous said…
Congrats and you finally got to read the book that makes you so happy the same as the way your blog was written. ..Indeed it takes a good book to move the mind, heart and soul of an intellectual reader, like you. I also dream, travel, and experience the life of a rouge, high profile, simple and ragamuffin fellow in reading...congrats too for perfectly getting my time and attention of reading your blog..Aja...read more ... in reading we will discover our inner life....congrats bati and salam.....bati abet datu-dacula.
BabyPink said…
Thank you for your kind words, Bati Abet! Yes, let's read more! :-)

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