Our driver has eight children

We have a new family driver named J. He was recommended by his neighbor who’s been my masseuse for 20 years.

He retired as a delivery truck driver cum pahinante from Mercury Drug. According to him, for 15 years he delivered medicines to far-flung provinces like Bicol and Baguio earning P3,000 per trip, sometimes P2,500, P1,700 depending on distances. He was not paid a daily wage but only on a per-trip basis. He said when the truck stalls, he doesn’t get paid for the extra hours or days.

Their company offered an early retirement two years ago. He grabbed it to get the lumpsum retirement pay of P70,000.00.

He is 37 years old and has eight children ages two to 17. Since he and his wife are still young, I asked if they still intend to produce more babies. He said not anymore because his wife already had a tubal ligation. This is a surgical procedure wherein the fallopian tubes are blocked or removed to prevent the sperms to fertilize the eggs.

A—-“Nung lima na ang anak nyo hindi nyo naisip agad na magpa-ligate? Nung anim na, pito, hindi nyo naisip?”
J—-“Malakas ho kasi ang kita namin nun, may trabaho pa si misi. Malaki apa ang kita ko sa trucking, panay ang byahe ko sa Baguio at Bicol”.
A—-“Bakit nitong pang-walo at saka nyo naisip na tumigil?”
J—-“Nawalan mam ako ng kita, akala namin tuloy-tuloy ang pasok ng pera. Ganun pala, biglang nawawala rin”.
A—-“Kung mayaman pala kayo kahit labindalawa mag-aanak kayo?”

This is what I call   IRRESPONSIBLE  PARENTHOOD.

Dapat, I will repeat, DAPAT…. DAPAT…. the OB-Gyne from the hospital or clinic or puericulture center that delivered her fourth, fifth, sixth baby counseled them about Responsible Parenthood.

DAPAT their parents most especially their mothers told them to stop manufacturing babies.

DAPAT the barangay, or their community, or the more educated people who knew them counseled them.    Ako, I ask even strangers how many kids they have.  Pag sinabing tatlo na,  I tell them to stop.

About his driving—-

1. 1.  Ikaliwa, ikanan mo, diretso, hindi kanan.
   2. Paki bukas ang pinto.  Paki bukas ang pinto.
   3. Paki lock,  lock, hazard yan
   4. Dito mo rin ako susunduin kung saan ako bababa.
   5. Hello, paki sundo na ako, kung saan mo ako ibinaba.
   6. After 15 minutes—- Hello, saan ka na, paki sundo ako dito sa entrance.
   7. After another 15 minutes —-Hello, saan ka na? Mam, lumampas ako.
   8. After 5 minutes—-Umikot ka ulit, tapos paki sundo ako dito kung saan mo ako ibinaba.
   9. After 10 minutes, Hello saan ka na?
   10. Mam, dito ako sa likod ng mall,  nakalimutan ko kung saan yan.
   11. After 10 minutes—-Mam, magpa-park ako kasi may bayad pala dito.  Pupuntahan ko kayo.
   12. Walking as if promenading under the moonlight.
   13. BILISAN MO!!!  bilis!
   14. I paid for the parking fee twice.
   15. Jo, paki karaga sa likod etong mga regalo.
   16. Mam, lahat ba yan?
   17. Syempre alangan namang iwan natin yan sa banketa!