Haven't thought of that...

Almost 24 hours into living in the South again made me realize I won't be able to see my friends here anyway because of Oplan Balik Alindog: Full Throttle's 9pm lights out requirement and the fact that most of them have 9-5/10-6 jobs.

I'm available after lunch, before dinner, though. Coffee/tea anyone? :)

That's the dream!

Growing up in the South led me to dream this dream: To be an Alabang wife/mom.

I've always imagined living in the South. Yes, even though the babydaddy knocked me up and was practically forcing me to live way up North, I was still fantasizing of kissing my scruffy husband goodbye as he hurries off to work, taking my 2 kids to DLSZ/San Beda Alabang early in the morning, going home to an awesome house near Alabang Town Center and just lounge at the terrace while watching my neighbors' household help walk their dogs or water their plants. There's something about the South that has stuck with me and now, more than ever, I can't seem to shake it off. I have a feeling that this dream finally has the chance to come true. Not that I've finally found my dream scruffy South guy; - technically, I did but he doesn't like me like that - it's more of I've let go of the lie I've been telling myself that I can totally settle actually growing old somewhere North of Metro Manila...that I can settle with less than what I want (and deserve, if I may say so myself).

I won't be disappointing my 10-year-old self, after all... Maybe...

The Newsman's Village

The Fourth Estate Subdivision - formerly called The Newsman's Village - along Sucat Road (now Dr. A. Santos Ave.) has been home to me for 23 years even if the last time I actually lived there was some 2-3 years ago. It witnessed all my firsts: first tooth, first Holy Communion, first heartbreak. I was forever in love with the place even without the knowledge of its (apparently) wonderful history. I just knew that our family was among the first ones to settle in this housing project for the National Press Club employees and that we were pretty popular that side of town. My appreciation for the place and one certain individual grew even more when I read FES' history from the souvenir they handed out during the reunion just this morning.

I will not tell you all of FES' history because it might bore you and I don't think you'd want to know when water became available to the homeowners or who the first Homeowners Association president was. But I will tell you this: The Newsman's Village was the first ever housing project to have ever been approved by Malacanang. President Macapagal wanted to help his countrymen so much then that this project became irresistible to him. Macario Vicencio, then National Press Club president, pitched this project to Pres. Macapagal not only for his fellow journalists but for the whole newspaper production team (writers, photographers, advertisers, even those who delivered newspapers to the stores) to have a chance to get their own house and lot. Long story short, it got approved and this idea of housing projects was then adopted by both government and private companies alike but Lolo Mac didn't get the recognition he deserved for coming up with this idea. Then started the long and proud history of Fourth Estate.

I didn't know 'til now that all the people I mingled with while I was living there were all part of the Philippines' (and Paranque's) history. I've interviewed Rod Reyes for INPRINT in college. I've greeted Mac Vicencio good morning for 3 years (at the very least) before he died. I've been "blessing" (mano) the hands of Dr. Jimena Alegre and Jose Monasterial. Heck, I'm even directly related to the late Emmanuel Tejada and Rodrigo Villa! Seeing their names and reading about their contributions to the society and to Philippine journalism was so surreal, I had to pinch myself to make sure I was awake. I was walking the same streets these wonderful people walked on!

I also have new-found respect for Lolo Mac Vicencio. I used to study in the school he established in the 80s and I admired him not only for building a school that caters to the youth of Fourth Estate but also for personally taking part of our education then. I remembered him as the old guy in our school clinic, forever hooked to the oxygen tank by his bed, asking me how my day went whenever I go there. Now, my respect for Lolo Mac shot up. He was the true pioneer and without him, I wouldn't have lived in the place I love most. I salute him. I still feel the way I did when I first read the history, which was 10 hours ago.

I've said this hundreds of times before and I'll say it again: I am a South girl and I am not afraid to admit that. Being part of a community of journalists - and great ones at that - is something I will forever be proud of.

The Originals Reunion made me admit to myself that I am a South girl.

I guess it's safe to say that I've always been a South girl. Not those connio South girls who speaks annoying Taglish. Not that kind. I'm from the dirty, dirty South.

I used to live in a place where no one would care if you walked outside with just your wifebeaters and a pair of jersey shorts on, no one will judge you by the way your toes look like, and no one will give you deathly stares if you buzzed the doorbell too long.

I used to live in a place where I knew everybody and everybody knew me. I could walk, drunk, in the middle of the night with just my underwear on and no one would touch me. If anything, they'd come to my rescue and carry me to the house, make me wear something comfortable, tuck me in and make me breakfast when I wake up in the morning.

Even if that place looks not a thing like I left it, everything about it is familiar. Even if the people's changed, they are still who I know them to be. It's still home.

I may be living up North now and waaaaay further North in the near future but my heart will still belong to the South.