Rhelyn Harder
- The heart-breaking poetry was dedicated to her mother and it went viral after uploading the video on Facebook
- With her eyes brimming with tears, she asked her mother to stay and kept asking herself whether her mom would change her mind not to leave them
- Her mother wanted to provide her family with a better life
- So, she secretly processed her paper so she could work outside the country
A high school student in Iloilo, named Iva Claire Milan Jamelarin, was asked by her teacher to write their own spoken word poetry and that will be performed in front of the class as a graded activity.
As she performed inside of the room, her classmates started to cry as they felt her sentiments she has for her mom, who happens to be an OFW. The heart-breaking poetry was dedicated to her mother and it went viral after uploading the video on Facebook.
The poem entitled, “Nay, ‘Yan ay Pangako” touched a lot of people and made them cry, especially those who easily related to her situation, like persons who have parents and relatives working abroad.
Eva Jamelarin, the mother of Iva, decided to go abroad when she was only three years old. She couldn’t understand why her mother had to leave. With her eyes brimming with tears, she asked her mother to stay and she kept asking herself whether her mom would change her mind not to leave them.
As she grew older, she never experienced being taken care of by her mother and her father, Ike Jamelarin, was likewise busy as a tricycle driver while managing their small piggery business. Iva and her three siblings were being taken care by their paternal grandmother.
On her part, Eva got pregnant at the age of 16 and life was so difficult because they had no enough money. Even though her husband’s family was so supportive, she wanted to provide her family with a better life. So, she secretly processed her papers so she could work outside of the country.
Because of her mother’s hard work and sacrifices, it truly gave her family a better life. Now, they already have their own house, a piggery business, and their own tricycle. As well as two older children who are ready to graduate this year with degrees in Education and Criminology.
The sad part was that the children were not close to her. Sometimes, they don’t even talk to their mother that it makes them feel like she has abandoned them.
Iva may not be that expressive of her true feelings about their situation, but she poured her sentiments in the spoken poetry that she made. To her mother’s surprise, seeing her daughter’s performance broke her heart; especially that the poem was dedicated to her.
After Iva’s spoken poetry went viral, on their Recognition Day, the school invited her to perform again. Without her knowledge, one of her dreams was about to come true as Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho covered the story and had prepared a special surprise for her and her family.
There are lots of moms working abroad and many would really relate to her story behind the heart-breaking spoken poem. After watching her video, a lot of netizens cried especially those who worked aboard and understood the young girl’s sentiments, and so with the children who cried because they knew exactly how it feels to be a child of an OFW like Iva.
https://www.facebook.com/ivaclaire.jamelarin/videos/2006379932988062/
Spoken Poetry
Nay, ‘Yan ay Pangako
Written by: Iva Claire M. Jamelarin
“Para ito sa inyong kinabukasan.
Titiisin kahit mabigat man sa pakiramdam
Tutulak palayo para makaahon sa kahirapan
Wala man ako sa inyong paglaki,
Sa aking puso, kayo ay mananatli
Masakit man sa akin ang malayo ay kakayanin ko
Sa kadahilanang ayaw kong maranasan niyo ang mga naranasan ko
Mahal na mahal ko kayo. Para sa inyo ‘to
‘Yan palagi ang tumatakbo sa isip ng OFW
Magtatatlo ako nang umalis ang nanay ko
Apat kami, at ako ang bunso
Sa mura kong edad ay kinaya ko
Dahil ang pangako ni nanay, “Babalik ako.”
Pinanghawakan ko
At panghahawakan ko
Dahil naiintindihan ko
Magtatatlo ako nang umalis ang nanay ko
Pinatulog lang kami at saka tumungo
Ang daming tanong na sa aking isipan ay tumatakbo
Tulad ng, “Kung ‘di kaya ako natulog, mananatili ka ba?”
“Kung nakita mo kayang mulat ang aking mga mata at lumuluha, tutuloy ka pa ba?”
“Kung nalaman ko bang mag-aabroad ka at makikiusap akong’ wag ka nang umalis, papayag ka ba?”
Pero kahit ‘di ako natulog
Kahit mulat ang aking mga mata at lumuluha
Kahit makiusap akong wag ka nang umalis
Ay wala na ‘kong magagawa dahil buo na ang ‘yong pasya
Nakita mo man ang unang tawa ko
Nakita mo man ang unang iyak ko
Narinig mo man ang unang salita ko
Nasaksihan mo man ang unang lakad ko
Ang unang pagkadapa at pagbangon ko
Ang unang beses na kumain ako
Pero wala ka sa unang araw ng pagpasok ko sa eskwela
Wala ka sa unang pagpupulong kasama si maestra
Wala ka nang unang sinabitan ako ng medalya
Wala ka sa pagtatapos ko sa elementarya
Hindi ako nanunumbat
Pero ‘Nay, kailangan kita.
Pero pipilitin kong intindihin
Dahil para sa’min kaya nandiyan ka
Ang hirap lumaki na wala ka sa tabi ko
Walang nanay na mag-aalaga sa’kin tuwing nagkakasakit ako
Walang magtuturo sa’kin tuwing hirap na ako sa assignments ko
Walang yayakap sa’kin tuwing may napagtatagumpayan ako
Pero ramdam kita dahil nandito ka, at mananatili ka sa Puso ko
Gusto ko ang mga pag-ugoy mo
Gusto ko ang pagsuklay mo ng buhok ko
Pagpili ng idadamit ko
Pagluluto ng ulam ko
Yakap at halik mo
Miss na miss na kita
Gusto ko na ulit makulong sa bisig mo
Ilang taon na ba kitang hindi nakakasama? Dalawang taon? Higit pa?
Kaya tuwing umuuwi ka ay sinasalubong kita ng mainit na yakap
Dahil gusto kong sulitin ang mga panahong muli kang makasama
Kapalit ng panibagong dalawang taon mo sa ibang bansa
Gusto kong magtampo
Ilang okasyon na ba ang wala ka sa tabi ko?
Kaarawan, graduation, bagong taon, pasko
Oo, nakukuha ko ang lahat ng gusto ko
Pero hindi materyal na bagay ang nais ko
Kundi ikaw, sa bawat okasyon at yakap ako
Kaya pipilitin kong palitan
Ang bawat butil ng pawis mo
Sasabayan ko ang sakripisyo mo
a darating na anim pang taon
Hindi na mabigat na maleta ang bitbit ng mga kamay mo
Hindi na passport at ticket papunta sa kung saang lupalop ng mundo
Dahil sasabayan kita sa hakbang mo
Hahawakan ko ang kamay mo habang paakyat tayo sa entablado’t makukuha mo na ang patunay ng mga sakripisyo mo
Sabay natin tatanggapin ang diploma ko sa collegio
Papalitan ko na ang mga papel na hawak mo ng diploma ko
Nay, ‘Yan ang pangako ko.”
