Pedal to the Metal
November 8, 2021
Lorenzo Ortega
As I was trying to get in touch with Kuya Ruben for his feature story on The Adversity Archive’s Padyak driver series, my calls and messages were answered instead by Kuya Ruben’s wife, Ate Amelia. I thought initially that Kuya Ruben was just too shy or uncomfortable to have a chat. I reassured Ate Amelia that Kuya Ruben’s story could be an inspiration to our readers and there was nothing to be worried about. I learned, however, that Kuya Ruben’s body was unbearably bruised and exhausted from the demands of his profession. Therefore, in his stead, Ate Amelia agreed to share the life of a padyak driver from a wife’s perspective. She also shared her own struggles as a cook, and the joys and dreams she has for her children.
According to Ate Amelia, Kuya Ruben has been a padyak driver for almost 13 years now. Even before the pandemic, Kuya Ruben’s daily wage has been insufficient to make ends meet. To help with the finances, Ate Amelia works as a cook and has been doing so for 5 years now.
"Kahit bago po nagka-pandemic, hindi pa po sapat kinikita namin. Pero okay naman po, nakaka-survive naman po. (Even before the pandemic, we were not earning enough. But we are still doing okay, still surviving…)"
Now life under COVID-19, Kuya Ruben and Ate Amelia’s circumstances has definitely not improved for the better. Ate Amelia shares that her husband has become way too thin since the pandemic started and that he would always complain about his body aching and the bruises all over his body.
Unlike other modes of transportation where most are run by motor engines such as tricycles or jeepneys, a padyak driver exerts much more physical effort. Padyak drivers like Kuya Ruben have to cycle long distances under the scorching sun whilst wearing masks and face shields. For all of Kuya Ruben’s strenuous physical labor, he earns 100 pesos a day which according to Ate Amelia is a good day for her husband because on most days he only earns 50 pesos.
"Minsan po ay hindi nga nakaka 100 ang asawa ko. Ako naman po, minsan nakaka 150 pesos sa pagluluto. (Sometimes my husband does not even earn 100 pesos a day. On the other hand, as a cook, I sometimes earn 150 pesos."
According to ASEAN, the daily minimum wage here in the Philippines range from Php 316 to Php 537. On a “good day”, the couple would earn PhP250 … a far-cry from the nation’s standard. This definitely means there are things the family must sacrifice in order to survive.
Ate Amelia shares that it pains her that her 20 year-old daughter was not able to go to college due to financial limitations. Although her eldest daughter is now married, she is still left with 2 children to look after. Her youngest who is in grade 11 aspires to become a policeman someday. Ate Amelia hopes that in the near future they would have the resources and means to actualize the dreams of her children, no matter how hard or challenging the road ahead may be.
"Siyempre po pangarap po namin na makapag-tapos sila at maging maayos ang buhay. Yan po ang pangarap namin kasi po tumatanda na po kami. Mahirap na po na hindi sila makapag-aral lalo na ganito ang sitwasyon. (It is our dream of course to see our children finish school and to have a good life. That is our dream because we are getting old. It’s hard to not have an education especially in this situation)."
When I asked Ate Amelia her thoughts on how the government is handling the pandemic, she did exclaim that there are greater things that need to be done especially to help educate her children and to provide more provisions to survive and ride out the storm of the virus. However, Ate Amelia also thinks that the current administration is doing all that it can within its power to help out people like her. And now with the upcoming elections, Ate Amelia shares that she would vote for the candidate who has the same iron fist stance on drugs and criminality.
"Gusto ko po yung pagpapalakad ng gobyerno kasi marami na rin yung tumigil mag-drugs. Sa isyu ng pandemya naman po, parang hindi ko naman po masisisi sila dahil malaking bagay yan. At sa susunod na eleksyon naman po, ibobto ko po yung matapang na kandidato at yung kinakatakutan dahil maraming masasamang loob at may anak na lalaki pa ako. (I like how the government is running the country because a lot of people stopped using illegal drugs. On the pandemic, I don’t think I can blame them (the government) because it’s a big thing. And for the upcoming elections, I will vote for a brave and feared candidate because there are a lot of wicked folks out there and I’m fearful for my only son)."
While we may have different visions on how our country must be governed, at the end of the day, we all still share the same dream, like the dream Kuya Ruben and Ate Amelia have for their children. At the end of the day, we are all riding in the same boat and there is no greater time to stand united than in these times of trial.
Throughout all the stories I have had the opportunity and pleasure to write for The Adversity Archive, I always find myself in the same recurring theme. I am continuously reminded of the Filipino people’s determination to surpass all challenges and shortcomings to alleviate not only their own personal lives but most importantly to pursue the dreams and aspirations of their children.
Truly, there is no greater pursuit than to pursue the happiness of others. And while it is of paramount importance to educate ourselves on our nation’s pertinent issues, perhaps your heart is nudging you to get involved and act upon what you have been reading.
If you want to get involved and be a blessing to our fellow padyak drivers, we highly encourage you to subscribe to The Adversity Archive.
Pagpadyak sa Bakal
November 8, 2021
Lorenzo Ortega
Translated by Kyle Uy Cana
Nang sinubukan kong tawagan si Kuya Ruben upang ibahagi ang kanyang istorya sa serye ng Adversity Archive ukol sa buhay ng mga padyak drivers, si Ate Amelia, ang kanyang asawa, ang tumugon sa aking mga tawag at text messages. Sa umpisa ay akala ko na nahihiya lamang or hindi komportableng makipag-usap sa akin si Kuya Ruben. Binigyan ko ng katiyakan si Ate Amelia na maaaring magsilbing inspirasyon sa mga mambabasa ang salaysay ni Kuya Ruben kaya wala silang kailangang ikabalisa. Sa paglipas ng mga araw ay nalaman ko na marami palang pasa at matinding pagod ang nararamdaman ng katawan ni Kuya Ruben dulot ng kanyang propesyon. Dahil dito, sa halip na si Kuya Ruben, sumang - ayon si Ate Amelia na mismong siya na ang magbahagi ng buhay ng isang padyak driver sa pananaw ng ilaw ng tahanan. Ikinuwento rin ni Ate Amelia ang kanyang paghahamon bilang tagaluto at mga pangarap niya para sa kanyang mga minamahal na mga anak.
Ayon Kay Ate Amelia, mahigit labintatlong taon nang nagtatrabaho si Kuya Ruben bilang isang padyak driver. Bago pa man ang pandemya, hindi naging sapat ang kita ng kanyang asawa para masagot ang kanilang pangangailangan. Upang makatulong sa kanilang pinansyal na kalagayan, naisipan ni Ate Amelia na magtrabaho bilang isang tagaluto at ito ay patuloy niyang ginagawa ng halos kalahating dekada na.
"Kahit bago po nagka-pandemic, hindi pa po sapat [ang] kinikita namin. Pero okay naman po, nakaka-survive naman po."
Hindi bumuti ang kalagayan ng sitwasyon nina Kuya Ruben at Ate Amelia sa biglang pagdating ng pandemya. Bahagi ni Ate Amelia na mas lalo pang nangayayat ang kanyang asawa simula ng pandemya. Palagi rin itong nagrereklamo sa sakit ng kanyang katawan at mga pasang makikita rito.
Hindi kagaya ng ibang mga uri ng transportasyon kung saan karamihan ay pinapatakbo gamit ang motor, tulad ng mga traysikel o mga dyip, ang mga padyak driver ay gumagamit ng pisikal na kalakasan. Para sa mga padyak drivers na kagaya ni Kuya Ruben, kinakailangan nilang magpedal ng mahahabang distansya sa ilalim ng nakapapasong init habang suot - suot ang kanilang masks at face shields. Ang kinikita lamang niya sa isang araw bunga ng pagod at pawis niya ay isang daang piso. Itong halaga, batay kay Ate Amelia, ay ipong nakukuha niya tuwing maganda ang araw. Kadalasan kasi ay kalahati lamang ng halagang iyon ang natatanggap niya.
"Minsan po ay hindi nga nakaka 100 ang asawa ko. Ako naman po, minsan nakaka 150 pesos sa pagluluto."
Alinsunod sa ASEAN, ang pinakamababang pang araw-araw na sahod sa Pilipinas ay nasa saklaw ng Php 360 at Php 537. Tuwing “mapagpalad ang araw”, nakakaipon ang mag-asawa ng Php 250… wala pa sa kalingkingan ng halagang itinalaga ng ASEAN. Tunay itong nangangahulugan na maraming sinasakripisyo ang pamilya upang mabuhay.
Bukod pa roon, ibinahagi ni Ate Amelia na kumikirot ang kanyang puso sa hindi pagtapos sa pag-aaral ng kanyang bente anyos na babaeng anak dahil sa pinansiyal na limitasyon. Bagaman kasal na ang kanyang panganay na anak, may dalawa pa siyang anak na kinukupkop. Ang kanyang pinakabatang anak na nasa labing – isang baitang ay nangangarap na maging isang pulis. Hangarin ni Ate Amelia na magkaroon sila ng sapat na mapagkukunan ng ipon sa madaling panahon upang maabot ang pangarap ng kanyang mga anak, kahit pa man makaranas sila ng mga hamon sa buhay.
“Siyempre po pangarap po namin na makapagtapos sila at maging maayos ang buhay. Yan po ang pangarap namin kasi po tumatanda na po kami. Mahirap na po na hindi sila makapag-aral lalo na ganito ang sitwasyon.”
Nang tinanong ko ang pananaw ni Ate Amelia ukol sa pamamaraan ng pagtugon ng gobyerno laban sa pandemya ay napabulalas siya na marami pang kailangang dapat gawin lalo na sa pagtulong upang mapag - aral ang kanyang mga anak, pagbigay ng mga pangangailangan, at pati na rin pagplano upang malipasan ang virus. Gayunpaman, naniniwala si Ate Amelia na ginagawa ng kasalukuyang administrasyon ang lahat ng kanilang makakaya upang tulungan ang mga mamamayang tulad niya. Sa darating na halalan, bahagi ni Ate Amelia na iboboto niya ang kandidatong may parehong kamay na bakal laban sa droga at kriminalidad.
“Gusto ko po yung pagpapalakad ng gobyerno kasi marami na rin yung tumigil mag-drugs [magdroga]. Sa isyu ng pandemya naman po, parang hindi ko naman po masisisi sila dahil malaking bagay yan. At sa susunod na eleksyon naman po, iboboto ko po yung matapang na kandidato at yung kinakatakutan dahil maraming masasamang loob at may anak na lalaki pa ako.”
Bagaman maaaring iba’t ibang pananaw ang hawak natin hinggil sa pamamaraan ng pamumuno ng gobyerno, sa kahulian ay pareho ang ating pangarap sa hangarin nina Kuya Ruben at Ate Amelia para sa kanilang mga anak. Sa huli, lahat tayo ay nakasakay sa iisang bangka lamang at walang mas hihigit pang panahon sa ngayon upang magkaisang tumayo sa kalagitnaan ng paghahamon.
Sa lahat ng mga nailathala kong salaysay para sa Adversity Archive, palagi kong nahahanap ang aking sarili sa paulit ulit na tema. Palagi akong napapaalalahanan sa determinasyon ng sambayanang Pilipinong makaahon sa mga pagsubok at paghihimagsik, hindi lamang para sa kanilang personal na buhay kindi para rin makamtan ng kanilang mga anak ang kanilang mga pangarap at hangarin.
Tila walang mas hihigit pang pagtugis kundi sa paghangad ng kasiyahan ng iba. Habang napakahalagang matutunan natin ang mga lumilitaw na suliraning panlipunan sa ating bansa, marahil ay hinihimok ka ng iyong puso na makibahagi at kumilos ayon sa iyong binasa.
Kung nais mong makibahagi at maging isang biyaya para sa ating kababayang padyak drivers, buong puso namin kayong hinihikayat na mag-subscribe sa Adversity Archive.