WHO AM I

Chapter 2

It was almost a year before the declaration of Martial law my mother gave birth
to me. In the middle Manila where we leave, my mother is a domestic dressmaker while
my father is newly enlisted Navy of Marcos Regime.

My mother told me about the story of overtaking one of the biggest channel in
the country headed by my father. Every body was scared on the Marcos Rules, the
warrant less arrest, turning over of majority of business from Spanish blood Filipinos to
Chinese Blood Filipinos. Marcos regime was the best access of all huge businesses of
Filipino Chinese in our country that exist now a days. Currently even my big boss is one
of the famous Chinese businessman in our country, one of Marcos friend.

With my mother as dressmaker and my enlisted father in the arm forces, he was
transferred to Philippine Coastguard in the early 80’s and assigned in Zamboangga, City
the far south of the Philippines. That time, smuggling of various goods from China and
South East Asia was rampant in the area. I was even had an experience while I’m just in
my 8th grade wherein my father allow me to board the PCG craft patrol he handles and
with my innocent minds notices how the inspections and passes they gave to them for the
business, I just realized it recently when I am already in the shipping industry.

Our family is ranged to be in the level of poor families based on statistics, maybe
some people in the other country wonders why we’re considered to be poor while my
father is a soldier and my mother is a skilled worker. Well, demand and supply we call it.
Labor is very cheap in the Philippines since the early 70’s. Our country is sick in
manufacturing people. Even the Spaniards in their old era tried to prevent the multiplying
natives of the Philippines but they we’re failed. We’re good in generating babies.

December 21, 1987, 4 days before Christmas….. the whole country was shocked
by the news on TV regarding the collision of MV Dona Paz and MTKR Vector near
Marinduque and Mindoro Islands mid of the archipelago. Filipino’s observes the
celebration of Christmas 40 days before December 25 wherein bonuses and 13th month
pays are already given to the laborers and employees, some of the passengers were going
back to their families for the Christmas vacation, some are still doing their business
getting the opportunity of the flow of public cash, while some are from the provinces
planned to visit their rich relatives in Manila for “aginaldo” (gifts).

The tragedy was very devastating recorded to be the worst maritime disaster of all
time with more than 4000 passengers and 25 crew on the gasoline tanker MTKR Vector
were killed.
 I was a graduating student in high school then and don’t have any idea of the truth
about the tragedy, never came into my mind that someday, I’ll go back to this tragedy and
review the accident because , this will going to be the vital part of my career, to
understand the behavior of the people in the office, read their minds, and doing the same
thing with the crew onboard, how to prevent pollution, how to learn to love the
environment properly and how to save lives without their knowing that I am already
doing it.

My mother is so religious that after the tragedy, the church call for prayers
responded by my mom and with me we were attended the masses at Quiapo Church, a
famous church in Manila with Black Nazarene, The church was build near the Pasig
River. The river that is called the Historical and Industrial equipment in Manila.