DELLOSA, JUDITH A.
BSED 2B – ENGLISH
LIT 1 – PHILIPPINE LITERATURE
LESSON 4: LITERATURE AFTER EDSA SELECTED
ENGAGEMENT:
Selected Readings:
Pinay’s Letter from Brunei
PINAY’S LETTER FROM BRUNEI
by Elynia Ruth S. Mabanglo
I am a teacher, wife and mother.
A woman-kissed by perfume, powder and Isang babae—pupol ng pabango, pulbos at
silk,
Intimate with the washtub, pots, and bed.
Seemingly weary and bored,
I seek to go abroad.
Always the same man sits at the head of the
table,
He reads the newspaper each morning.
He waits for his coffee
And smokes,
While I am restrained by the crib and books,
I apply my lipstick and let the faucet drip.
He does not stir
Even if the pots burn or the children whimper. gripo.
In the bathroom, I hand him his underwear
and towel,
LIHAM NI PINAY MULA SA BRUNEI
ni Elynia Ruth S. Mabanglo
Ako’y guro, asawa at ina.
seda,
Kaulayaw ng batya, kaldero at kama.
Napagod yata ako’t nanghinawa,
Nagsikap mangibang-lupa.
Iyo’t iyon din ang lalaking umuupo sa
kabisera,
Nagbabasa ng diyaryo uma-umaga.
Naghihintay siya ng kape
At naninigarilyo,
Habang kagkag ako sa pagitan ng kuna at
libro,
Nagpapahid ng lipstick at nagpapatulo ng
Hindi siya nag-aangat ng mukha
Umaaso man ang kawali o umiingit ang bata.
I comfort him when he is edgy.
He has no explanation for
Why he stays out all night,
But his forehead is furrowed
When I leave on Sunday.
He does not like galunggong and saluyot
Even though the pay envelope is flat,
He seems to still want me to perform miracles Ayaw niya ng galunggong at saluyot,
Even if the rent money is always short.
I am a teacher, wife and mother.
A woman-weary of being a woman.
Designated by my genitalia
Assigned to the broom, the wash and lullaby
Even with a profession and salary.
Always the same daily routine-
The drudgery spread out in the length
Of the house and school
Of the kitchen and bed.
Do l have the right to sulk?
Where will I run when l am sad?
He has a beerhouse and massage parlor
hangout
My partner who craves,
I wait by the window.
My body blazes with my ambitions
My tongue has a cross and is barred to speak. Nasa bintana ako’t naghihintay.
My children ask for bread,
I turn up the volume of the radio.
It seems I am weary and bored,
I seek to go abroad.
It was then I dreamt I was wearing pants,
Hinahatdan ko siya ng brief at tuwalya sa
banyo,
Inaaliw kung mainit ang ulo.
Wala siyang paliwana
Kung bakit hindi siya umuwi magdamag,
Ngunit kunot na kunot ang kanyang noo
Kapag umalis ako ng lingo.
Kahit pipis ang sobreng inabot,
Ibig pa yatang maghimala ako ng ulam
Kahit ang pangrenta’y laging kulang.
Ako’y guro, asawa at ina.
Isang babae—napapagal sa pagiging babae.
Itinakda ng kabahaging
Masumpa sa walis, labada’t oyayi
Kahit may propesyo’t kumikita ng salapi.
Iyo’t iyong din ang ruta ng araw-araw—
Kabagutang nakalatag sa kahabaan
Ng bahay at paaralan,
Ng kusina’t higaan.
May karapatan ba akong magmukmok?
Saan ako tatakbo kung ako’y malungkot?
May beerhouse at massage parlor na
tambayan
Ang kabiyak kong nag-aasam,
Nagbabaga ang katawan ko sa paghahanap,
May krus ang dila ko’t di makapangusap.
Humihingi ng tinapay ang mga anak ko,
Itinotodo ko ang bolyum ng radio.
Napagod yata ako’t nanghinawa,
Nagsikap mangibang-lupa.
I send dollars and pasalubong.
I can now breathe freely
My lips are without keys, my mind is open.
I confess that I am lonely
Even if now, I make my own coffee.
Wait for letters at the gate and door,
On the phone my heart is replenished.
I cried in the beginning,
It appears that everything can be cured by pinto
reading.
This is the answer,
Leave the man to wash the sheets.
Noon ako nanaginip na nakapantalon,
Nagpapadala ng dolyar at pasalubong.
Nakahihinga na ako ngayon ng maluwag,
Walang susi ang bibig ang isip ay bukas.
Aaminin kong ako’y nangungulila
Ngunit sariling kape ko na ang tinitimpla.
Nag-aabang ako ng sulat sa tarangkaha’t
Sa telepono nabubusog ang puso.
Umiiyak ako nung una,
Nagagamot pala ang lahat sa pagbabasa.
Ito lamang ang sagot,
Bayaang lalaki ang maglaba ng kumot.

ACTIVITIES:

1. Analyze the selection using theme, language and diction.

First, I will focus on the Filipino Version of this poem because it was originally made in Filipino.
And to further understand the poem we must know the elements of poetry that is present in
this particular piece, this will help us understand the dynamics Ruth Mabanglo used to express
her insights about the topics relating to women discrimination.

Generally, aside from having Feminism as the poem’s main theme, it also presents the issues
faced by OFW in the past and today. Furthermore, Mabungla’s choice of words and rhyming
scheme. For example, the first stanza in this poem is made up of five lines with rhyming
sounds (the A sound) in every last word in each lines, this is applied by most of the poets to
render a pleasant effect to the poem which will make the recital experience more enjoyable.
And it amplifies the theme more and sets the mood of the poem. It gives the audience from
the start of the poem an unlikely ambiance of pain and sadness which could attract the readers
more to dig in into the work. The transitions also from stanzas to stanza are smooth. This is
seen as the poem started with a flashback and an overview of the persona, followed by the
presentation of the conflict and ends with the persona’s current condition. It also leaves the
readers hanging on what will happen next which enables the readers to analyze and find the
hidden picture of the piece.

Although made and published in the 1990’s, the theme in Mabanglo’s poem can be still
depicted in the present. The presented problems which consist of the lowered class of migrant
workers, economic instability of the Philippines and conflicts between home and foreign
workplace can still be pictured and experienced in the current society. Mabanglo’s piece
somehow exposes the truth that is denied and ignored by society.

And as a conclusion, with a careful analysis and understanding of this poem through the use
of feminist approach, we can conclude that the main purpose of this poem is to raise
awareness to the younger generation about the role of man and woman in the society. For
me it gives the millennials the courage to change the accustomed belief that is prevailing in
the society that women are for the household chores only. This piece wants to impart that
women are capable of things men can do. This writing also leaves a huge impact on the
readers about respect on one’s personal preference of career path choice. And lastly, this
piece breaks the rule of stereotyping between sexes. All opportunities offered to men should
also be offered to women to strengthen the voice of women and erase discrimination in the
society.

QUESTIONS TO ANSWER:

1. Identify and explain the theme reflected in the selection.

❖ Generally, aside from having Feminism as the poem’s main theme, it also presents
the issues faced by OFW in the past and today. And as you can see, in the last
part of Mabungla’s poem, the persona said the necessity of sacrificing her dreams
and wants, despite of the little she is earning and the weary work she’s undergoing.
This scenario embodies all of the OFW, their unselfishness, sacrificing their
dreams for the sake of their families.

2. What idea in the selection affect you most?

❖ The idea that affects me the most is that my mother is also an OFW, a selfless and
a more loving woman I know. I felt the pain in the heart of a mother in the poem
because of all her problems in life. It gives a clear explanation for those who don’t
 understand their parents who were working abroad just to give their needs. It made
me realized the worth of my mom who is working and sacrificing for us. It helps me
to open my mind that every mother has many responsibilities in her life so it won’t
be easy for them to do it all alone. We are here to help them in many ways like
making them happy and helping them in the household chores.

3. Discuss its relevance to present day conditions.

❖ While we’re still in the midst of pandemic, numerous people still choose to work
abroad but it’s much harder to apply now because of the protocols due to COVID-
19. Nowadays, women are stronger because they can do what men can. And for
me it’s alright if woman, like me will decide to work abroad specially in times like
these. We may have many reasons. Like it’s for the sake of our family. And in the
poem every woman can relate, in the reason that it was not easy for every woman
to go to abroad. In the poem, she didn’t think of herself instead she focused in the
needs of her family because her husband doesn’t want to help her. Also, she
wanted to make her husband realize all her hard works in their house because he
thought that her work was just easy.
The presented problems which consist of the lowered class of migrant workers,
economic instability of the Philippines and conflicts between home and foreign
workplace can still be pictured and experienced in the current society. Mabanglo’s
piece somehow exposes the truth that is denied and ignored by society.

REFERENCE/S:

http://www2.hawaii.edu/~mabanglo/tagLiham_brunei.htm