Lesson 9: The Region in the nation (Short Story)

Background
• As a nation of some 7000 islands, part of the process of “imagining” ourselves as a nation is by way of our geographically
designated regions.
• The region not only points to a Filipino’s physical place of origin; it also defines one’s linguistic, historical, and indigenous
background.
• The Filipino People Map published in 1974 shows that while a vast area of the country was effectively Christianized, a good
number of concentrated locales remains indigenous in faith practices.(mostly in Northern Luzon and Central Mindanao)
• In the story “promdi@manila” by Genevieve L. Asenjo, a cosmopolitan woman from the province of Antique performs being a full-
fledged Manilena, but remembers people back home through an encounter with a townmate who ask for help.
• The “promdi” in Manila finds out by way of a used-up plot of survival, and discovers that she is not any btter.
• Asenjo’s story is curiously entitled “promdi@manila”, and in the original Hiligaynon, “taga-uma@manila.” The presence of the
character “@” already speaks of the milieu where the story is coming from– the character’s address, so to speak.
• Written in 2002, two years after the drawn of the new millennium, the setting of the story is shaped by digital information
technology.
• The internet and the cellular phone figure are important tools of communication in Juls’s story, and her access to both, during
that time, suggest s her mobility as one fully integrated in the city.
• Her integration is emphasized by the title alone. She is already at, that is, located in Manila, but the “@” here also implies her
being severed from it, from being, still, a “taga-uma,” a “promdi.”

Genevieve L. Asenjo
• An associate professor of Literature and Creating Writing in De La Salle University in Manila.
• Writes in Kinaray-a, often translate her own works into Filipino.
• A Filipino poet, fictionist, novelist, translator, and literary scholar in Kinaray-a, Hiligaynon, and Filipino. Her first novel Lumbay ng
Dila received a citation for the Juan C. Laya Prize for Excellence in Fiction in a Philippine Language in the National Book Award.
• In 2012, Asenjo is an Honorary Writing Fellow at the International Writing Program (IWP) of the University of Iowa.
• In 2009, she enjoyed six months in Seoul as Overseas Writing Fellow sponsored by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of South
Korea.
• John Iremil Teodoro describes her National Book Award-winning novel Lumbay ng Dila as “a Filipino feminist novel”
• These include a poetry collection, Pula ang Kulay ng Text Message, and two collection of short stories, Komposo ni Dandansoy,
and taga-uma@manila kag iba pa nga pakigsapalaran.
• She also has a picture book titled Sa Aking Pag-uwi.
• She describes her online work as an exploration of the “politi cs of possibility”.
• In an interview, she said “Nabubuhay ako sa ideya, sa imahinasyon, sa visyon, at sa mga posibilidad ng artikulasyon nito, lalo na
sa kongkreto at praktikal na mga aksyon. Isa rito ang lalo pang mapakita-kasi nahawan na ni Sir Leo ”

PROMDI@MANILA
• Julia''jun'' sebastian
- main character of this short story
- daughter of activists
-25 yrs old
- assistant creative director of harrison communications (HCBC building on ayala avenue)
• While listebing to cranberries's ''ode to my family'' in her laptop, she saw an email from Ate Jane, nurse in Cambridge Memorial
hospital, saying that her mother was found visiting philstar.com and inquirer.net searching for antierap rallies
• And then she recieved a text from Teray
• Teray
-their neighbor in antique
- a manicurist of her and her siblings
-spouse of Fred(a guitarist)-great singer
• When Julia ''Jun'' Sebastian is playing her laptop in a rented studio type room in Gil Pyat Avenue. Teray, who was their neighbor i
n Antique and also their manicurist texted her.
• Jul, who was the daugther of an activist is now experiencing the joys of life after suffering in the past.
• Teray wanted Jul to be with her while she escape her employer in Fort Bonifacio.
• Jul called Teray to say no because of his busy schedule, but she did not had the chance to say so because of Teray’s nonstop tal
king.
• Jul planned to be with Teray only till they reach Monumento and just let her ride a jeepney while he’ll watch his awaited film in the
cinema and do some work.
• They met on the morning of Baclaran church and talked during lunch at Jollibee.
• Teray noted her list of souvenirs for her family despite the hardships of life.
• Jul thought that her one trip to David Salon or a Dermclinic Is more expensive rather than those Teray wanted to buy for her famil
y. Jul went to a bathroom first because of her watery eyes. Jul got her ATM and HSBC card in her shoulder bag and boarded a ta
xi to SM Manila with Teray .