The Sweetest Thing

This post is seven weeks overdue.

 

It’s about our first baby, Dylan Viktor and the story of his life story thus far.

 

Last February 11, Beng was admitted at the Philippine General Hospital as she already started going into labor (or at least wanted to go into labor). Her OB recommended she go through this acupuncture thing so that child birth can be induced. It’s actually pretty safe. Beng herself was a doctor so she kinda knew what she was getting into.

 

On our first day at the hospital, not much happened. Beng was in the Labor Room and I had to wait at the patient’s room, watching the live broadcast of the Lozada hearing at the Senate. The nurses on duty even joined me in the room as they too were interested in what was going on in the Senate.

 

On our first day, we were looking forward to a normal delivery aided by an epidural.

 

On the second day at the hospital, still no progress with the labor. Beng had to be brought back to the patient’s room as she was exhausted from spending the night at the labor room.

 

On the third day, frustration started to set in as still there was no progress with Beng’s labor. That was February 13. Beng and I kidded each other that the baby was just being difficult because it wanted to be born on Valentine’s Day. Beng was already back at the labor room that day.

 

By 12 midnight that day, I got a text from Beng greeting me “Happy Valentine’s”.  Two hours later, I got a call from Beng asking me to proceed to the Delivery Room. Her OB had decided she would undergo a C-section, something we hadn’t really expected (and something that I somehow feared).

 

But we did get our “wish” though, to have a baby born on February 14.

 

I was allowed to document on video the operation. It was quick. The footage of the baby coming out took less than two minutes. The baby was a feisty one, already crying as soon as its head came out.

 

Our whole 30-minute episode inside the delivery room was filled with worry and amazement. A friend told me that the first time you get to see your child, it would be the most amazing feeling. He was right. I don’t remember how many times I played back the less than two minute video of the delivery. I kept viewing the video clips and the photos over and over. It was the sweetest thing.

 

The baby was 3.5 kg at birth and was born at around 3:00 am. The OB just loved delivering babies at that unholy hour since according to her, she had the delivery room and equipment all to herself. 

 

Beng was knocked out from the anesthesia and she needed time to rest. As for myself, I had to attend the last meetings in preparation for the first Ayala rally on February 15. I had no sleep nor time to rest, but it didn’t matter. I did get asked jokingly on a radio interview on DZMM if I would still be joining the rally considering my wife just gave birth. I did join and speak at the rally. Beng understood, as she watched the rally on TV while cradling baby Dylan in her arms.

 

Back at the hospital, turns out the staff there watched the rally too and gave their feedbacks on the action, just as we were about to check out of the hospital. Let me just say that the doctors and nurses at the PGH, and the employees from the union, are simply the best at what they do. If only they can get the budget that the health sector deserves, a lot more people would be able to avail of good service at lower cost.

 

About the baby’s name, half of it was from me (Dylan), the other from Beng (Viktor). We kinda thought it would make for a good rock n’roll name, hehe. One ninang pointed out the significance of the name Viktor, which she said stood for “victory”. Indeed at the time of his birth, people sensed “victory” was not as unreachable as it had been just a year ago. We were riding a tide of protests against an evil regime.

 

Last March 14, Dylan Viktor was one month old. There was a little salo-salo at home. Beng cooked spaghetti even though she didn’t like anything that had noodles or pasta in it. I came home late though since we had to wrap up the Liwasang Bonifacio rally.

 

The baby is now probably almost 5 kg. He’s quite energetic and may I say “durable”. He’s not fragile, I mean. And it seems he just can’t wait to grow and move around. He does have a mean cry, quite loud.

And oh, it took him one week before he “learned” breastfeeding. Seems there’s a relation between having a C-section and the mom being able to immediately breastfeed. Dylan feeds a lot now. Beng affectionately calls him “Tabayoyong”, and endearing reference to his being “mataba”.

 

He is also undeniably cute, the explanation of course lies in….genetics. Hehe.

 

For the past seven weeks, we have been sleep-deprived. But all the troubles were surely worth it. Parenthood rocks!

 

And as parents, it is our hope that we raise our baby boy a good person; honest, decent and willing to stand up for what is right.

Sights and sounds at the March 14 Liwasan rally

The March 14 rally proved to be interesting not just because of the numbers and the sectors who were present. It was also a musical/cultural experience of sorts for the protest movement against Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

There was no Jun Lozada in the last rally since he was speaking in Bacolod and Iloilo. The expected presence of Jaro Archbishop Angel Lagdameo didn’t materialize as he was believed to be suffering from some pulmonary infection.

But then, there were the youth. Coming from various schools and communities, they showed up for this “huling hirit” just before the Lenten break. They provided energy that day.

There were also a good number of urban poor from various Manila communities who held their version of “Kalbaryo”, carrying wooden crosses symbolizing the burdens of the people.

Those who attended the rally included bishops and religious leaders from various faiths. There were the Concerned Citizens Movement dresssed in green, former secretary Josie Lichauco, Manay Gina de Venecia, Manay Ichu Maceda, Joey de Venecia, former NEDA chief Felipe Medalla, Grace Poe-Lamanzares, partylist representatives, and Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim.

There were also very interesting performances that day.

Peter Parker again took the stage for his anti-corruption rap. However, the real rap superstar that day was Gloc 9. The “Simpleng Tao” from Binangonan, Rizal just finished his exams in Nursing school when he performed to tracks on stage, Sumayaw Ka and Lando.

For me, the most interesting and surprising performance came from Music Front and their vocalist Arnold Morales. They sang two songs from the old 80’s punk group Urban Bandits. I first listened to them from my classmates in sixth grade. I did not know it was them until I heard the familiar intro to “Nagpapansin” and when they started singing “Lumilindol na naman….” . They ended their performance with the punk battlecry “No Future sa Pader”. Morales and company are contemporaries of punk group The Wuds who are frequent guests during protest action. This is was the first time though that Morales and friends were invited to perform at an anti-Arroyo protest action that we organized. I did hear one story that Rivermaya (with Rico Blanco) wanted to do a remake of Nagpapapansin and No Future sa Pader for their Isang Dugo album but sadly this did not push through. It would have bridged the previous generation of punk rockers with today’s generation, proving that “punk’s not dead”.    

 Datu’s Tribe gave a solid performance and I particularly liked their second song. This is their third time to perform. Salamat ng marami!

The Jerks got the young audience on their feet when they finished their set with the Dylan Thomas-inspired “Rage”. This is also their third time to perform.

Jess Santiago gave a powerful performance of an anti-corruption folk song I think was entitled “Salot”.

There were interesting performances too from UP Repertory though I think they tend to overdo the “soundtrack” of their tula-dula and that this becomes too distracting.

The Dulaang UP “war dance” was something you don’t see often at rallies.

The PUP Pep Squad was a refreshing sight.

Nanding Josef’s reading of Palanca-winner Joi Barrios’ poem “Nunal” was entertaining as it was sharp.

The DLSU students should be congratulated too for providing important support for the program. Same goes with Youth ACT NOW!

We hope to see new acts for future activities. I remember in 2000 and 2001, Slapshock and Radioactive Sago would perform in Mendiola. Fatal Posporos also would rock at the foot of Chino Roces Bridge (their vocalist is now with Cambio).

This is truly a great time to rock and roar for truth, accountability and change.

Music highlights of the February 29 Ayala rally

The February 29 Ayala rally produced some interesting music highlights. There were more bands and other cultural performers than February 15 activity. The fight against corruption and the Arroyo regime continues. This time the numbers were bigger.

First the rally estimates. Organizers reached an initial consensus of 75,000 as the figure to be announced to the media. The crowd was really big, filling up the main streets and the sidewalks. Scientific estimates by Agham friends calculate the rally to have reached 50,000 plus. Then there is also the “replacement factor” being mentioned by Prof. Gani Tapang which simply states that people come and go and that you can’t get an accurate figure of participants simply by looking at the photo at one given time. The rally lasted 4 hours and so people came and went throughout that time.

Now for the acts that day.

1. A lot of people were impressed and moved by the poem read by Armida Siguion-Reyna.

2. Punk legends The Wuds got the crowd on their feet with renditions of Nakalimutan ang Diyos and Inosente lang ang Nagtataka. Good to know that the younger generation of rockers still know where Pinoy punk’s roots are.

3. The Jerks delivered another solid performance as they sung Sayaw sa Bubog. I think they only sang one song, due to time constraints.

4. Rally first-timer Coffee Break Island sang their single Gahaman and did a cover of Woolly-Boolly.

5. Datu’s Tribe rocked the stage even if they were the last band to perform. I just regret not being able to really listen to their song since I was tied up with other matters.

6. The Spidey-clad Peter Parker, who has of late been heard over DZMM’s Tambalang Failon and Sanchez (the only radio program that plays his song), gave a spirited performance of an anti-corruption rap. The dude is also a Gospel rapper by the way.

7. Crazy as Pinoy did a fist-pounding cover of Stick Figgas’ “Liham sa Panuglo” which really energized the crowd of various classes and sectors. Everyone was bouncing to the beat. We hope the original authors of the song, Stick Figgas, will soon be able to perform in one of these activities.

8. Activist groups Tambisan sa Sining, Sining Lila, Sining Bulosan and Musicians for Peace provided scathing commentaries through original pieces and “spoofs” of popular songs.

9. Anak ni Aling Juana did a cover of a Mike Hanopol classic, modifying it by saying “Kahit na anong mangyari, OUST GMA kami”.

Our one regret is that there was not enough time to accommodate so many artists and performers. Music provided one of the highlights of the rally. It unified the crowd inasmuch as slogans and chants did. Lyrics became as piercing as the fiery speeches we are used to hearing on stage.  A principled stand mixed with youthful rage is truly a volatile combination.

Credit goes to Carlitos Siguion-Reyna and his crew who worked to keep the program together. A big thanks to all the artists who came that night and provided memorable moments in the protests.