by Chester Cabalza
Todo pasa y todo queda,
Pero lo nuestro es pasar,
Pasiar hacienda caminos,
Caminos sobre la mar.
- Poem by Antonio Mercado
Lahat ay dadaan at lahat ay maiiwan,
Pero tayo ay dadaan,
Dadaang gumagawa ng daanan,
Dadaan sa ibabaw ng karagatan.
Roosevelt (Quezon City) - a young couple hugs each other while his girlfriend cries softly as the LRT couches move its way ahead to the next station. It was sunny. The panorama of light traffic below, from a birds eye view, has not hindered the petite girlfriend from weeping; and leaning to his broad shoulder, while she sobs quietly past the fast distance before a huge glass window of the train. Few passengers ride the new couches of LRT from the extended stations of the first light rail train in the country.
Balintawak (Quezon City) – the light rail transit stops as new passengers hitch but only two adults have come out. The door closes silently. Suddenly, the boyfriend whispers words to her ears. Perhaps saying “am sorry…” or maybe “…i love you,” to her. She mumbles words of endearment in return. As I look at them both, the young lass composes on her seat. She looks frail and worried. Still young, maybe 16 or 17 years old, perhaps a Korean national, postured with her K-pop fashion. While her boyfriend, in his 20s, an Iranian nursing student perhaps from Manila Central University, wearing the regular white hospital uniform, the usual sightings I see among commuting number of Persian students from MCU. I have thought that after the Korean invasion lately whose students wanted to learn English from Filipinos, now here come the Persians who would want to study nursing, dentistry, and medicine from us.
Monumento (Caloocan City) – noises reverberated. The young couple moves out from the couch. A tsunami of passengers buzzes in, like bees buzzing with their blaring conversations. This time, I’ve noticed new couples – showing public display of affection. Diverse stories pops up inside from the couch. An old lady says her rosary while eyes closed. Kids naughtily play with fellow kids. A group of guys chuckles loudly. My ears begin to swell from boisterous voices. From the window, I've viewed the Our Lady of Grace Parish, and as the train moves slowly, I try to appreciate sunlight inside the couch.
5th Avenue (Caloocan City) – a dominating Taoist temple is sighted from afar. A group of Filipino-Chinese ride the LRT, while conversing in their vernacular language. They talk about business, yup, business above everything else. In my serene moment, my eyes close and say a little prayer to my kid angel, as the train passes by the Chinese cemetery.
R. Papa (Manila City) – my wife tells story to me as we still see the vast portion of the Chinese and Laloma cemetery. However, passengers begin to increase. I see ladies with kids who prefer to sit at the segregated portion of the train - exclusively for them. Various people – professionals, students, indigent passengers, middle class professionals, hurriedly step inside the couches of the LRT.
Abad Santos (Manila City) – still in Manila. Thinking aloud of some inconveniences riding the public transport. Albeit, better it here than commuting the long and unruly road from Monumento to Baclaran. Below, the smell seems bad plus awful traffic would irritate your senses. Undisciplined folks from Monumento to Manila to Pasay – and the entire Taft avenue sometimes makes me complain about the incompetent mayors these three big cities have elected. The streets are dirty and it smells foul. Sometimes, you wonder why they can’t make the streets physically tidy and clean. To think that great universities of UP Manila, De La Salle, Arellano University, and more are plunked beside this highway. My love affair with these three highly-urbanized cities ceases to sustain my appreciation.
Bluementritt (Manila City) – more noise reverberate in our ears as PNR trains below the elevated LRT pass by. The public market is alive, and afar can be seen the Chinese Medical Hospital. Crazy lovers keep displaying their affection inside the train.
Tayuman (Manila City) – hospitals are more seen from above. There are passengers descending the couches who would go to the San Lazaro Hippodrome, now SM City San Lazaro; the closest link to University of Santo Tomas.
Bambang (Manila City) – herein, Sta. Cruz, Jose Reyes Memorial Medical Center, San Lazaro Hospital, and can also be a link to the oldest university in Asia, the UST.
Doroteo Jose (Manila City) – this time students from the university belt are riding. Some carry with them shopping items from Isetann Shopping Center, others just roam around Quiapo, the major link to the University Belt. This also serves as the connection to the LRT 2 purple line - the most clean and convenient light rail trains in Metro Manila!
Carriedo (Manila City) – lovers and faithfuls of the Nazareno deem this is their destination. The direct link among pilgrims of the Quiapo Church; and a colorful world of flea market and stand by among culture enthusiast and wannabe photographers – this is the station to be. Nonetheless, this also serves as the connection to the Pasig River Ferry Line via the Escolta Station.
Central Terminal (Manila City) – my eyes move faster than usual. Sunny day as it is, I feel amused to see a ferry plying the now navigable waters of the Pasig river. Images of the China town and the old beauty of Manila can be seen from the moving train above. A lot of landmarks can be seen to and from this station - Ermita, Arroceros, Pasig River, Intramuros, Manila Metropolitan Theater, the Clock on top of the tower and the life size murals of Bonifacio beside the Manila City Hall, Office of the Ombudsman, National Museum of the Philippines, Department of Labor and Employment, Philippine Veterans Affairs Office, SM City Manila, Mehan Garden. This is also the closest link to the University Belt which includes schools such as Colegio De San Juan de Letran, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (PLM), Mapua Institute of Technology, Lyceum of the Philippines University. This also serves as the connection to the Pasig River Ferry Line via the Lawton Station
United Nations (Manila City) – the heart of Manila lies in this station. It looks urbane and cosmopolitan. Sometimes cheeky and sultry – however, it could also be deceiving. This is the best way to the US embassy. Smart students from Manila Science high school often sighted here. Other passengers would probably go to Rizal’s park, Luneta, DOT, the Manila Ocean Park, or perhaps to Pearl Manila Hotel. Most students who ride from this station are from academic institutions like Adamson Univesity and Emilio Aguinaldo.
Pedro Gil (Manila City) – new lovers come inside the couch. Chatting and tweeting their sweet romances. Medical students and medical personnel from UP-PGH Manila dominate the passengers, looking tired and toxic, perhaps weary from graveyard duty.
Quirino Avenue (Manila City) – soon the air shifted as we arrive in this station. Party people from last night’s gig from Malate, ride this public transport. Then kids ferrying from Monumento get excited as they come down the ride, excited to their destination at Manila zoo.
Vito Cruz (Manila City) – then young couples and students get ready as they approach DLSU’s neo-classical façade. They descend hurriedly, perhaps some of them late from their class at Arellano University School of Law, or perhaps at La Salle. A renovated university mall can be seen from the inside couches, besides the happily imposing McDonalds, where most students around the vicinity hang out.
Gil Puyat (Pasay City) - high rise skyscrapers from Makati City can be peeked from the large glass windows of this popularly known Buendia station. I’ve noticed passengers going to the southern province step down here.
Libertad (Pasay City) – now bored on board while my eyes reads all the Spanish poems translated into either English or Filipino. The old lady finishes saying her rosary and her long prayer. She’s now preparing herself to her final destination at Baclaran church.
EDSA (Pasay City) – the crossing beeps my sanity the way traffic is handled on the ground. A lover besides us begins to quarrel as they go down to the EDSA station. The girlfriend wants to go to SM MOA while the boyfriend wants to go to Greenbelt or Megamall via the MRT. I hope they would mend their differences as soon as they go out the couches.
Baclaran (Pasay City) - after an hour of travel above the winding and elevated rail, passing by three cities with their own distinct landmarks, sights, sounds, and smell. Finally, the final destination to attend mass at the miraculous Baclaran church would be accomplished. And after the mass, perhaps i would write ethnography about my Baclaran musing…
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