Pagsulat sa Filipino - Lakbay-Sanaysay

“Summer capital of the Philippines,” ganito binansagan ang lugar na Baguio City. Sa aking mga paglalakbay, isa ang Baguio sa aking mga hindi malilimutan. Tatlong beses na akong nakarating dito: ang unang dalawa (Septyembre 2007 at Mayo 2016) ay kasama ang aking pamilya at ang huli ay field trip sa aming paaralan (Oktubre 2016). “Hindi nakakasawa,” sabi ko sa aking isipan nang makarating muli ako.
            Malamig ang klima rito, batid naman ito ng nakakarami; ito na siguro ang pangunahing dahilan ng mga turista sa kanilang pagbisita. Subalit bukod sa malamig na klima, tunay na marami pang maipagmamalaki ang Baguio! Isa na rito ang Burnham Park, ang itinuturing puso ng Baguio. Dahil hindi iyon ang aking unang pagbisita, masasabi ko na may mga nagbago. Lalong dumami ang tao, mas pinaganda ang ilang anyo ng istraktura, at higit na kasiya-siya kumpara sa aking huling pagpunta. (Trivia! Ang tanyag na parke na ito ay ipinangalan sa Amerikanong arkitekto at taga-plano ng lungsod ng Baguio na si Daniel Hudson Burnham. Makikita ang kanyang rebulto sa mismong liwasan.) Hindi makukumpleto ang paglalakbay kung hindi ko mapupuntahan ang Mines View Park na matatanaw ang bulubundukin ng Hilaga; Philippine Military Academy (PMA), kung saan makikita ang mga pasilidad ng paaralang military at museo na bukas sa publiko; at Strawberry Farm na tanyag ang Baguio bilang pangunahing prodyuser sa bansa. Sa aming paglilibot, may dalawang bagay akong napuna – una, parami nang parami ang mga turista ang nagbabakasyon sa Baguio at – pangalawa, pakapal nang pakapal ang taong naninirahan dito (napansin ko ito nang matunghayan ko ang mga bahayan na hindi ko napansin sa pinakauna kong pagbisita).
            Kung may nagbago mayroon ding nanatili, tulad ng likas na katangian ng mga Pilipino – ang pagiging magiliw sa panauhin; mabait na pakikitungo ng mga tindera, kutsero, at drayber; at syempre ang lamig ng panahon sa Baguio lalo na sa gabi. Dito ko naranasan na huminga na tila may “fog” o ulap (ito ay dahil nagiging water vapor ang malamig na nalalanghap natin sa tuwing humihinga tayo nang palabas). Hindi ko ito pangkaraniwang nararansan dahil ibang-iba ang klima sa Laguna kung saan ako nakatira. Tunay na naramdaman ko na ako ay naglakbay nang malayo mula sa aking pinagmulan.
            Sa aking paglalakbay at pananatili sa Baguio, may tatlong bagay akong hindi malilimutan: ang lamig ng lugar; ang “night market” sa Harrison Road na malapit sa Burnham Park kung saan maraming tindahan ng ukay-ukay, RTW na mga damit, subenir, kagamitan at kasangkapan, at sari-saring pagkain; at ang mga taong nakasama ko sa paglalakbay. Dito ko nakasalamuha ang ilang mas bata na kasing kamag-aral ko at sila ang naging  pangunahing taong nakasama ko sa paglilibot sa Baguio. Ako ang kanilang naging kuya habang kami ay naroroon. Nakasama ko rin ang isa kong kaklase sa hotel na aming tinuluyan, at dito lalong lumalim ang aming pagkakaibigan. Hindi ko lamang siya lalong nakilala, nakilala ko rin nang lubos ang aking sarili sa aming mahabang pag-uusap at pagsasama.

            Talaga naman na di-malilimutan ang paglalakbay ko sa Baguio. “Hindi ako magsasawang bumalik,” ang tanging nasabi ko sa aking isipan nang kami ay lumisan. 


Pagsulat sa Filipino sa Piling Larangan, September 2017








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