Capampañgan qng Disiértu

Saturday, April 19, 2008
Dayang Asu (The Continuation)
Here's what I found on the Net:

Tagalogs coined the term [dugong aso] out of bitterness over the (supposedly) treacherous role of Kapampangans -- the Macabebes in particular -- in the capture of the Tagalog revolutionary leader, Emilio Aguinaldo. But they coined it out of ignorance, because the real traitors in that sorry, sordid episode were not the Macabebes, who were mere foot soldiers, but the three key players: the Spaniard Lazaro Segovia, who had defected to Aguinaldo's camp and defected again to the American side; the Ilocano Cecilio Segismundo, Aguinaldo's emissary who had revealed to the Americans Aguinaldo's hiding place; and most significantly, the Tagalog Hilario Tal Placido, another defector from Aguinaldo's army, who led the entrapment of his former leader. It was the hapless Macabebes who later bore the full brunt of the nation's anger, but they were never defectors and definitely never traitors, because they had consistently been against Aguinaldo right from the beginning. Because of that event in Palanan, Isabela in 1901 -- or probably even earlier events during colonial times, when the Macabebes fought side by side with the Spanish Army -- Kapampangans have been called names, the most painful of which is dugong aso, which means that Kapampangans were so blindly loyal to their colonial masters that they would do practically anything, including betraying and killing their fellow Filipinos. Only Tagalogs could have coined this Tagalog term. They don't know, or choose to ignore, that it was the Kapampangans, not the Tagalogs, who led the first resistance against Spaniards when they landed in Luzon in 1571, and the first Filipino to die fighting invaders was a Kapampangan from Macabebe. And 300 years later, when Filipinos finally decided to end the Spanish regime, Kapampangans were among the first to revolt; even poets took up arms and shed their blood in the name of freedom -- which is why one of the eight rays of the sun in the Philippine flag belongs to Pampanga. And they call Kapampangans traitors? History is full of Kapampangans who helped this nation achieve independence, from Francisco Maniago of Mexico town who led the Kapampangan Revolt of 1660 that nearly sparked a nationwide uprising 230 years before the Revolution, to Agapito Conchu of Guagua who was one of the Trece Martires de Cavite; Francisco Makabulos of Lubao who liberated Tarlac and Pangasinan even after Aguinaldo had abandoned them; Maximino Hizon of Mexico who harassed American troops until his capture and exile; Isabelo del Rosario of San Fernando who smashed his violin right before his American executioners hanged him; Jose Alejandrino of Arayat who helped Rizal publish El Filibusterismo; Nicolasa Dayrit, Praxedes Fajardo and all those women who risked their lives supporting the cause of freedom; the poets Juan Crisostomo Soto, Aurelio Tolentino, Felix Galura, Mariano Proceso Pabalan y Byron and Monico Mercado who fought the colonizers with their pen as well as their sword.

Taken from:
Tantingco: Dugong aso no more
By Robby Tantingco
Peanut Gallery
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/pam/2007/05/22/oped/robby.tantingco.peanut.gallery.html

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posted by Tsinitoboy @ 3:23 AM  
Hiatus
For nine months now I've been a member of the Christian Voices Chorale (CVC) in Dubai. Though living & working in Sharjah, going to Dubai has been my weekly bustle to visit my brother, for my passion in music and service to God. I am in the bass section of the choir and being a part of that ensemble is something that I'm thankful of and I'm proud of it (though I'm a baritone and still longing to be a tenor but to no avail).

I remember that once I have stated that I rather not go to work than to miss a day of service, and now it seems that my words are being put to the test. For there are a few occasions that I had already missed due to work. The latest was last Easter Sunday, I was unable to go to the early morning service of our group then for I can't file a leave of absence and due to the company's new policy of late = 1day absent & AWOL = 3 days deduction in salary. So I've got limited choices: proceed with the service and risk being late and deducted one day or three days if worst comes to worst. So I chose to go to work and attended the Mass service that night here in Sharjah. What irony it is that I am in now, one that is working abroad always are expectantly filthy rich or plainly without monetary problems in which I'm the the direct opposite of that. For I am now in one of the deepest financial slump of life (due to a series of unfortunate events if you might ask). Now, in order to survive I've got a few options: one, I could resort to owing money to my colleagues (which I rather not); two, sacrifice a few of my expenses; and three, find a part-time job. I'd rather not go to option one since it is the primary reason why I am in this desert country and having debt just leads to a series of debts since paying your liabilities with your upcoming salary will just make you even more financially unstable for a person with meager eanings like me. Unless you combine this option with the other available options ( which will be easing my financial breakdown greatly but may eventually lead to physical or worse mental breakdown). Option number two, sacrifices. What are the things I should sacrifice? Actually I'm living a very frugal life here ever since I went here in the UAE; limiting my expenses only to the vital and unavoidable ones. I have only one unnecessary expense, cigarette smoking that is. But quitting smoking doesn't prove much of a help. For I am not a heavy smoker; I usually consume a pack for about a week add or less a day or two and sometimes I can go on for weeks without one. And a pack of cigarettes only costs 6dhs. Which will only save me 24dhs for a period of four weeks, not very much of a help indeed. You might be wondering how much now do I have in hand? To put that in consideration, admittingly I only have less than 300dhs in my pocket now. And my average weekly expense is worth 160dhs., with three more weeks to come before payday i need about 480dhs wherein I'm 180dhs deficit and the 24dhs from quitting smoking will not do much so I've got to look for other cost-cutting perspectives. Another expense of mine are my weekly trips to Dubai. Usually it costs me 100dhs each time I go there; wherein 67dhs counts for the total fare. As you can see, my trips to Dubai holds a majority in my weekly expenses (about 62.5%). As for the last option, find a part-time job. I now have a prospective part-time as a tutor though it still not that viable as of this time since we (the client & I) don't have enough time to go through it for we are both working full-time. But it will be great if my part-time job will be pushing through.

After thorough scrutiny of my available options I chose the second one and decided to take a leave from my weekly trips to Dubai and to the choir for a period of three weeks. Though it's a painstaking decision I had to succumb so that I may be able to save up lest I will face this ordeal again. As a consequence of my decision I shall be under probationary for a period of one month for the choir. That means I shall not be joining them during the mass service. The leave was effective yesterday (April 18) and it was the most boring day of my life. Though a rest day for me, I still woke up early in the morning at the ringing of my phone. Apparently, one of my choirmates was calling me to check upon my whereabouts for I am late for the service; my leave was unbeknownst to the other members for I only informed the council about it. I have not done anything productive the whole day. Surfing the net, eating & sleeping only caused me headache the whole day. The only advantage is that I had a long rest and I got to chat my family back in the Philippines. Choices & their consequences, why are they always very tough to decide on?

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posted by Tsinitoboy @ 12:31 AM   0 comments
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
DAYANG ASU KANU!? (DUGONG ASO DAW!?)

Ok, this is my first blog and I'm still contemplating on what language should I be using as my primary choice. I've got English (which is I'm using now), Capampañgan and of course Tagalog. Since I am only three quarters Capampañgan (my father is an half-blood; effects of reading HP books hehehe!) I'm opting to use English with some interjections from my native language with translation of course for the benefit of those who can't understand Capampañgan.

Enough with the introduction, let's get on with the real deal. "Dugong Aso" in English "Dog-blood" (sort of mudblood if you know what I mean) is a common deragatory term often bestowed upon the people of Pampanga. More often, it is used as an "in your face" insult to a Capampañgan. In my entire life I have never heard such words defaming my ethnological legacy until the time I worked in Manila. I came upon that infamous title thru a good friend of mine. He sincerely & plainly told me that all Capampañgans are "dugong aso". Me, being naive by that time asked him what does that mean and plainly again he answered "traitor". What!? At first I thought that it was a theory that we descended from dogs not from apes (with great diapproval from Charles Darwin hehehe!) but then it hit me. The word traitor circled around my head for a moment. And then the irony started to bug me as well, how come the very loyal canine be dragged about with this insult being branded to us and when did this came about. So I asked him why and the reply was "basta". I haven't done any intensive research about the origin of that insult but it seems that the stigma has been there for many generations, until the time that the present generation no longer remembers why they call us such. And so I'm left with a question, are we really a "Judas" race?
To be continued.....

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posted by Tsinitoboy @ 12:56 AM   5 comments
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