What did the people of Pinamiyagan, President Roxas, Capiz teach me about life? Lesson II: On Remembering

Me: Kap, hindi naman ako artista. Hindi rin ako politiko. Isa po akong volunteer sa Balay Mindanaw. Wala akong pera. Wala akong malaking tulong na maibibigay ko sa inyo. Bakit palagi ako sinusunod ng mga tao at mga bata dito kung saan ako mag-punta?

Kapitan: Masaya kami Maki kung may ibang tao na makapunta dito sa amin. Kahit na hindi kami mabigyan ng Balay Mindanaw, okey lang sa amin. Ang pagpunta mo rito, at pagtira mo dito ay isang biyaya na sa amin. Masaya kami kasi may mga tao, sa ibang sulok ng Pilipinas na nakaalala sa amin.

It struck me. Pinamiyagan was unknown place for most of us. We did not even know that barangay Pinamiyagan is in Capiz and was deeply affected with typhoon Yolanda. Media did not know this. A grain of people of the Philippines only knew that. They were close to be forgotten.  The world knew Tacloban well. Not Pinamiyagan.

That is why I am telling their story. At least, my 50 average views of this blog would know Pinamiyagan. Thanks to Balay Mindanaw for remembering them.

However there are things in life we rather do not want to see. That is our

tendency as humans.  We grew tired of seeing faces of people who suffer. 

We have forgotten to open our eyes to more pain. Or perhaps we choose to

forget the sufferings of people because we have enough suffering for ourselves.

Tacloban, Leyte is enough, and forget Pinamiyagan, President Roxas, Capiz or

           other places who are suffering because of the typhoon.

This is the second lesson of God. He is reminding me that it is not only in Tacloban, Leyte He is present. He is also present in Pinamiyagan, the unknown barangay for most of us.  Perhaps, He is reminding me to remember Him, not just in my prayers and in the mass. He wants me to remember Him through these people who lost almost everything in life.  He wants me to remember Him through these people who were not remembered by all, who were not given attention by the media, and who were suffering alone. He wants me to remember this nameless faces in our society. 

We have forgotten that God prefers to embrace those unheard cries. 

“…may nakaalala sa amin…” is enough for them to start all over again. That is the power of remembering. That is why God remembers Noah after the flood. God remembers the cries of people who suffer alone. Heaven remembers the tears of Pinamiyagan when everybody seemingly shut their eyes because they grew tired of seeing  pain. Now I know why God is in Pinamiyagan and He sent me to go there. So that I can remind the world about them.

Anyway, if you happen to read this, you do not need to send relief goods to them. They are starting all over again as a community. I am just writing this to tell the world that people of Pinamiyagan teach me lessons in life. I am writing this to tell the world that there is such barangay Pinamiyagan in Presisdent Roxas, Capiz, Philippines who was struck by a super typhoon, destroyed their homes, and they are starting all over again, even they have received lesser help.

Balay Mindanaw Panay Team

Remembering them is enough help.