The father of Grace, hails from Cadiz, Negros Occidental, and her mother from Bais, Negros Oriental. When her parents got married, they decided to go to Cotabato, and in Cotabato, her parents had acquired five hectares of farmland. They were five siblings and were all born in Cotabato. Grace was the third child, her two older sisters were both married already, and her two younger brothers were both still studying in the high school. Her parents could not afford for her study in the college that is why she decide to go to Manila to work as a domestic helper. She was recruited to audition as a cultural dancer, and when she did audition and accepted, she decides to come home to let her parents know and at the same time, to ask money for her placement fee to the agency. She really dreams to go abroad as most of the Filipinos did. She thought that after the contract of three years she will return home to the Philippines and continue her studies in the college. She wants to be a professional, to be an architect. She dreams also that her two brothers could finished their study and be professionals too. She dreams also to give her parents a good life.
"Ay, Rosario, sugot ako nga iprenda ang duta kon segurado nga sa pagbalik sang bata mo, manggaranon na sia." ("Rosario I will agree to pawn our farmland if it's sure that your daughter will comeback rich!") Romulo said to his wife.
Grace heard what her father said, and she was the one who answered her father.
"Tatay, indi sa siling nga kon magkadto ko sa abroad, manggaranon na ko sa akon pagbalik. Ang akon lang nga sa sulod sang tatlo ka tuig, makasupot ako sang kwarta kag makapadayon ko sang akon eskwela kag nga maka-eskwela man ang duha ko ka manghud. Gapangabay ko sa imo, Tay, sugot na lang bala nga iprenda ang umahan naton. Hunahuna bala, dungog sang aton pamilya kon makatapos ako sang kurso kag amo man ang akon mga manghud." ("Tatay, not because I go abroad, I will come back rich. For me, I only wanted to earn and save money within the contract of three years so that I can continue my study to graduate a course and my two brothers. It would be the honour of our family if we finish a profession. Think about it!") Grace explained to her father.
Romulo did not answer. He is thinking.
"Kon ako lang ang pasugtan, indi gid ko tani gusto nga hilabtan ang duta, pero wala ko sang mahimo, awayon lang ko permi ni Nanay mo. Kon iprenda naton ang aton uma, ipangako mo sa akon nga gawaron mo gid balik, kay kon indi magawad balik ang aton uma, labi nga mabudlayan gid ta sa aton pangabuhi. Magutuman gid kita tanan." ("If it is to me, I do not like to touch, to pawn our farmland, but if I will not do it, your mother will always quarrel me. If we pawned our farmland, promise me that we can take it back, because if not, we will have more hardships. We all go hungry!") Romulo said to his daughter.
"Salamat gid, 'Tay! Salamat gid kaayo. Lipay gid ko kaayo nga makakadto na ko sa abroad!"
("Thank you, 'Tay! Thank you very much. I am happy that I can go and work abroad!") Grace was happy. She hugged her father and gave him a kiss and looked at her mother and said to her happily,
"Nakadungog ka 'Nay, maka-adto na gyud ko ug abroad. Nisugot na si Tatay nga iprenda ang aton umahan!" ("Did you heard 'Nay, I can really go abroad. Tatay agreed that we can pawn our farmland!")
"Nalipay sad ko, anak. Unya kanus-a ka man mobalik ug Manila? Kanus-a sad ang gawas nyo pa abroad?" ( "I am happy too, my child. When will you go back to Manila then? When will you go to abroad?") Rosario was also glad.
"Kon anaa na ug kwarta, 'Nay, molakaw dayon ko bisan ugma dayon. Kay mo training pa man mi, mga tulo pa siguro ka bulan antes mi makalakaw sa abroad." ("If the money is there already even tomorrow, I can go to Manila. First we must train for three months before we can travel to abroad.") Grace answered her mother.
"Kadungog ka Romulo? Lakwa na dayon ang pagprenda sang uma agud nga makabalik na dayon sa Manila ang imo bata!" ("You heard it Romulo. Work for it fast, so that your daughter can return to Manila very soon.") Rosario commanded her husband.
"Ano dumdom mo sa akon kilat? Kon ikaw abi ang maghulag, kadto didto kay kapitan, pabulig sa iya sa pagprenda sang aton uma kay Tony." ("What you think of me, lightning? Why not do it by yourself. Go to our village chief, ask his help. We will pawn our farmland to Tony.") Romulo said to Rosario. Romulo decided to borrow money from private person instead from the Bank. Borrowing money from a private person was easy and fast. In the Bank it takes time.
"Nganong kinahanglanon pa man si kapitan? Ug modiretso na lang ta kay Tony?" ("Why we have to ask our village chief, we can directly approach Tony?") Rosario asked Romulo.
"Para maathag kag segurado ang tanan, kita na lang gani nga duha ang malakat, kuhaa didto sa baul ang titulo sang duta." ("So that everything would be clear and sure, take the title of our farmland and we go together!"}
When her parents went away, Grace also go to one person she wants to talk before she goes back to Manila and travel to work abroad. Her boyfriend Carlos.
THELMA ROSALES - Address : San Fernando, La Union Language spoken in Ilocano translated into English after the lines
"Nanang, napanan ni Tatang?" ("Mother, where is Father?") Thelma asked her mother that was busy cooking in the kitchen. Thelma just arrived from the river where she did their laundry.
"Adda idiay kampo mangal-ala iti igges idiay bulong ni tabako." ("On the field, picking up the worms from the leaves of the tobacco plants.") Cidad answered Thelma.
"Anya ti imbaga na diay kwarta nga kailangak?" ("What did he said about the money I needed?") Thelma asked her mother about the money she is asking, the money she needed to pay the agency for the placement fee.
"Dakkel ti kuwarta nga kailangam, anak. Napag-istoryahan mi kenni Tatang mo nga ilako na diay baka ken nuang tayo. Ken diay apiten na nga tabako ata ilako na kenni Fernan diay ili. Ada kuwartak a bassit nga naurnong ket no kurang pay ata, umayak met diay Maynila tapno makasaritak diay kakabsat ko, ni Auntie Lourdes mo." ("You need a lot of money. Me and your father talked about it and we decide to sell our cow and carabao. Your father will harvest the next day our tobacco plant and he will sell it to Fernan. I had a little savings and if it is not enough, I will go with you to Manila. I will borrow money from my sister, your Auntie Lourdes."
"Agyamanak met tapno makaapanak idiay abroad, isunga saan kayo nga agdanag, Nanang. Ibaga yo laengen ken ni Tatang no addaak idiayen, Makarang-ay tayo met laeng." ("Thank you, then I really can go abroad. Don't worry, Mother, our life will be better if I work already abroad, you can say, and explain that to Father.") Thelma tried to assure her mother of a better future for them if she can go abroad to work.
"Anak, dakami ni Tatang mo atta awan ti pangarap nga yumaman pay. Basta dakayo nga innem nga agkakabsat, makalpas laeng ti panagadal nyo, awan ti tutol mi kenni Tatang mo nga maka-apan ka idiay abroad, tapno makatulong ka met kanyami." ("Child, your father and me have no dreams to be rich. For us, it is more than enough if you and your five siblings finish school. We did not oppose your wish to work abroad because your father and me knew that you will really help us.") Cidad replied to what her daughter said to her.
"Talaga met nga tulungan kayo ni Tatang, Nanang. Ngem no bigat ata kailangan nga agsubliak idiay Manila ta aada ngamin practice mi nga sala." ("I will really help you and Father. But tomorrow I must come back to Manila. My group and me will practice the dances.") Thelma answered her mother, at the same time told her mother that she will come back to Manila the following day.
"Mabalin met siguro no maysa ka nga adlaw ng agsubli idiay Manila gapo na ngamin no bigat pay ti umay diay gumatang ti Baka ken Nuang." ("Maybe you can return to Manila in about two days because the person that will buy our animals will come tomorrow.") Cidad said to her daughter and at the same tasted the food she was cooking.
Thelma became silent for a moment and then later said. "Ket no kasta, Nanang, ata urayek met laengen diay kuwarta. Ah, agawid ni Tatang wenno ikkan na laengen te balon na diay?" ("If that so then I will wait for two days. Ah, Father will go home for lunch or we have to bring foods to him?")
"Ikkan na laengen kanon to balon na. Isu na no maluto daytoy ata mapanak laengen diay," ("I will bring foods to him, when the foods are ready.") Cidad answered.
"Umayak met Nanang. Tapno matulungak met ni Tatang ti panangala ti igges. Dakkel met ti maaramid ko ti duwa nga adlaw." ("I will go with you Mother, I will help Father in taking out the worms from the tobacco leaves. I can do a lot in two days.") Thelma said and take some plates and food container. "Diay kayo met nga manganen tapno adda kaddua ni Tatang." ("We bring foods for us three so that we can eat together with Father.")
"Ket sika. No diay kakabsat mo atta adda diay eskuwela ket adda met balon da isu nga no malemen ti awid da." ("If you like. Your brothers and sisters are in school and they will be home in the afternoon.") ****to be continued**** Remy Dorio