Djoanna: My Friend Since Grade One

Djoanna and husband Omar

Djoanna, or "Dj", and I met last November 10 --- Dj's birthday, after almost 8 years of not having seen each other. She brought a new addition to her life that day, Hadjemir, her two-year old son!

I told her I wasn't used to seeing her look a bit plumper than before, the real proof of her motherhood. We really had a lot of some catching up to do that day as we talked over lunch and the whole afternoon before I headed for the airport at past 5 pm. But with Hadj around, we couldn't enjoy talking as we used to because her two-year old son, being a toddler, needed to be looked after while eating --- we had to distract him with the balloon and hat the food crew gave Dj while we were taking dessert! I was so glad that the manager of the restaurant where we ate agreed to my request to make my friend's birthday extra special. The prize was vanilla ice cream! Plus, around 7 of the food crew sang a happy birthday song for her --- twice! Dj was moved and was so happy, it seemed like we were in elementary again. We capped the day spending a lot of time in Book Sale, where we bought kiddie books for her son. Dj was a bookworm back in elementary. She was the one who introduced me to the world of reading. One thing I observed in her was that motherhood has really changed her. She prioritizes her son's needs now and foregoes what she wants.

Djoanna and I were classmates at Sta. Isabel College from Grades 1-4 , if I remember correctly. She was in a different section from Grades 5-6. She moved to St. Scholastica's College in high school and became a well-known debater. We continued writing each other, and since we both love to write, keeping up regular written correspondence was not a difficulty. I managed to visit her at St. Scholastica's during their foundation day, and she would also pay me a visit at Sta. Isabel occasionally, usually during our Intramurals or some days before Christmas break.

We met again in UP Manila in college, at the university lobby where the list of those who passed the UPCAT was posted. My mother saw her and her mother looking at the postings. We were both ecstatic! She was supposed to study Dentistry but ended up taking Development Studies. We found ourselves in the same college, and in the same youth activist organization, UP Kamalayan, where we would have regular meetings and rallies at Mendiola and in front of the Batasan. I stopped attending Kamalayan's activities when I formed part of the Executive Committee of the UP Organizational Communication Society (ORCOMSOC). I also got involved writing for the Manila Collegian while Dj continued on with Kamalayan and another student political group, plus her own Development Studies organization. Up to now, Dj is affiliated with a non-government organization helping Rural Development workers and farmers in the country.

I am very grateful that we met again after so many years of attempts to meet each time I was in Manila. She lives in Cavite and maintains a house in Mandaluyong where her office is accessible. She got married in 2006. Since my stay in Tanglaw University after college, she makes it a point to visit the centers where I live in, except when I moved here in the Visayas. But who knows, she tells me, if there are no more aftershocks here in Cebu, she might pay me a visit with her entire family!

It takes a lot of hard work to keep up with friendships with those you knew since elementary. I don't know what the real staying power of our friendship is, which has now been tested by time and distance. All I know is that our lives had to cross paths somehow, someway, so we can both be enriched by each other's lives.

Central Visayas Will Rise Again

Going to Bohol over the weekend last October 26th is now one of the most memorable outreach missions I have ever joined. It was far different from the places I had been to lend time and effort with a group of people I still barely know, having been here in Cebu for just seven months. It was different because Cebu City is also in the same sad circumstance of having to get back on its feet again after the 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit Central Visayas almost three weeks ago. But seeing Bohol and the extent of the devastation there is more overwhelming. I would say that the Boholanos really need more help than the Cebuanos.

We were fortunate to coincide with a group of doctors and nurses affiliated with the University of the Philippines-Cebu and with a group of Philippine marines who acted as our heavily-armed guards on our way to Tubigon, the port where we docked.  We took the 11:45 am cargo ship and arrived in Bohol at 3:30 pm. From the port, we had to drop some supplies for the families of some of the members of Opus Dei who were much affected by the quake. Most of these families are now living in tents just outside their concrete houses, spread out in the
farms and other open spaces near their residences. From Tubigon, a van brought us to Danao where we met the mayor, Hon. Naty Gonzaga. We arrived there a little before 6:00 pm . Our driver and his helper brought down more than 30 sacks of goods that contained rice, mineral water, toiletries, canned goods, milk and more. We also brought sheets of thick waterproof tents for those families who are still sleeping outside their homes. It was good to see so many army trucks filled with relief goods on the way to Danao. Amidst the sorry state of the two churches we passed by which have become literally 'hollow' churches since nothing was left inside i.e.  it's just the facade that remained, one will just be grateful to God for the generosity of our people which we have seen for ourselves. Of course, seeing several chocolate hills along the main road was in itself a treat for us!


We left Danao at past 9:00 pm after spending dinner with the mayor. All twelve of us, 3 college students, 7 young professionals and 2 of us from the study center, arrived in Tubigon at around 10:30 pm and boarded the ship back to Cebu. Staying overnight in the boat was another memorable experience since you will not be able to get some sleep. For one, we were just seated the whole time, and the sea air was just too cold, we were shivering. This is because we weren't prepared to leave Bohol at midnight and spend the night traveling.

We were just so relieved to be back here in Cebu at 4:00 am  to get a good day's sleep and rest the whole Sunday of October 27. And really glad to support our fellow Filipinos in times when they needed it the most.

Special thanks to all our friends in Manila and abroad who have sent their donations over to help Bohol. As the new Central Visayas social media movement has said it succinctly, we are bent to rise again, "Bangon Visayas! Bangon SugBohol!"

Note: Cebu's old name is Sugbu, thus the syllable "sug" in the name "SugBohol" of the social media group. For pictures of ongoing relief operations in Cebu and Bohol, please visit  https://www.facebook.com/BangonSugBohol.