Of Aetas and Storytelling and ABS CBN

Weekend before classes start. Who would have thought 'd still be able to go up the mountains and do something worthwhile like say, storytelling to the aetas?

Saturday. June 7. woke up at 2:30 AM, took a bath, dressed up and checked my bag I've packed the night before. The cab service I hired the night before picked me up at around 2:45.
With no breakfast whatsoever, i was headed for Sgt. Esguerra Street to meet Miss Lia, a segment writer for ABS CBN's morning show, Umagang Kay Ganda (UKG).

Yup. Alitaptap Storytellers Philippines sent me to go with a UKG team for a book drive to the Aetas in Lopez, Quezon where i will be telling to the kids. As part of the the Buklat Aklat program of ABS CBN, the team will be doing a segment on the book drive, progress on the school that has just been built in the area and the storytelling as well.

Thinking it will be one of the usual volunteer storytelling stints im always up for, I had no idea that we had to travel 6 hours just to reach the place. Exciting. Scary. Plus, I didn't expect that i would be the only one from Alitaptap who would be going with them.

4:44 am. We, Miss Lia (writer) and Miss Lorena (the public service person of ABS) together with the driver and a cameraman left abs cbn after a quick breakfast at their cafeteria (aslo a quick tour of the place haha). We then headed for ayala where we had to pick up 2 Miss Karens who were the public affairs heads of STI (basically whenever you see STI in ADS on TV, Miss Karen and MIss Karen are the ladies responsible for that).

Having only slept 3 hours the night before--owing to the fact that i had dinner and a cocktail with Mico and Paul (the Yale guy)--i basically slept the entire half of the journey.

6:57 am NEWS reached us that Rudy fernandez died. Which was weird. As I am not really a fan of showbiz, I didn't feel anything for him unlike the 4 ladies i was with, who was shocked and what not.

8 am. we finished the scary counterflow the driver pulled off. We had n choice, the traffic to Lucena was bad since a bidge itnt he area gave way. Talk about what an ABSCN LOGO in your van can do for you.

9:50 am. Reached port of Antimonan where we had lunch.

11 am. After more sleep, we finally reached the place.

Really exciting. It has been a year since I last taught Aetas in the North, specifically in Zambales, for our community service that's why when Alitaptap asked for voulunteers, I immediately signed up. The only reason i had not to was the fact that there is a possibility that it would be aired on TV--an idea im not really a fan of. But who cares? I wanted to storytell!

And so I did.

I told the kids Pikpakbum and Tiktaktok and Ang Pambihirang Buhok ni Lola both of which making them laugh which was so nice to see and hear. The moment I started, all my anxiety went down the drain. Basta ang saya! Whenever they laughed, i felt so happy and even more motivated to continue with the story.

Sabi nag nung mga kasama ko: "akala mo to si JM tatahi-tahimik lang, yun pala pag nag-storytell e parang kalog." It was really flattering hahahaha.

Definitely an experience. It was also my first time to see how the media set up their segment, part of which is practicing the aetas how to say "SALAMAT PO SA ABS CBN." Weird.
I saw what was happening behind the scenes eliciting some issues i ahve with the MEDIA but i told myself, as long as we got to help, im good with it.

WHOO!

3:02 pm we left the place
I REALLY HAD FUN.
After another 8 hours of travel time, i reached home at 11:30 PM

This has been the longest time of travelling i had in just a single day. Moreoever, this has also been the farthest I've reached South of the Philippines.

Onga pala, this will be aired on UKG sa wednesday, June 11

What a busy, tiring but nevertheless fulfilling day.

UPLOAD pics later