I Keep on Coming Home to Manila*

*Hango sa kanta ng bandang "Hotdog" 

I left her (Manila) 6 years ago with utmost disgust & hatred towards her. Leaving alone people who desserted and betrayed me back in high school carrying the hard cross of vengence over them and the place that gave me misery.

Back in college, it was even hard for me to go back to Manila (or Cavite perhaps). Cursing the place as many as possible. The people even, I hate the most. Plastik, or not sincere. The lifestyle, bent on poverty and playing with the nouveau riche or sometimes with what I dreaded…the conyo kids. And the fast-paced lifestyle that I cannot cope with anymore. Because of my decision to stay away from Manila as much as possible, there were some family issues occured and of course I felt uncomfy everytime I go to the metropolis. I’ve got that regionalistic stance against Manila and the Tagalogs before.

But times change, and so are the people. After college, I have a lighter stance against Manila. Acknowledging the fact that I have to come back here every year and it’s our nation’s capital. It may be noisy and dirty but it created a spirit of a Filipino dream amidst the chaos. Realizing that this is a hodge-podge of culture of Pilipinas, peoples converge here to attain a dream…alliviate themselves from bondage.

And as my succeeding trips after my Cebu fiasco days goes by, I learned how to appreciate Manila and its environs and the people even better. I grew up with this place, it has changed drastically. Hindi ko rin maitatakwil na dito rin ako lumaki, I’m also a Cavitenyo, Manila Boy and my primary Filipino language is still Tagalog despite fluency in speaking Ilonggo and Cebuano. I learned to appreciate it even better by seeing the unseen Manila, the heritage and appreciation of its culture.

Now, I opened my eyes again for her. Now I felt that I’m completely Pilipinas. I have Ilonggo-Ilocano roots with Mindanaoan relatives and grew up in Cebu and Cavite. I felt like Manila, a hodge-podge of colourful cultures. I appreciate myself even more…I’m now set to conquer my dreams!