26 November 2011

Dya Koling

hindi naman siguro kaila sa inyo na umattend ako ng national consultation seminar a few days ago. masarap na experience kahit masakit sa ulo. pero, paano nga ba ako napasama dito?

naimbita ako ng quezon city hall para sumali sa isang focused group discussion sa mga sex workers dito sa manila. kung paano nilang nakuha ang number ko, hindi ko alam. pumayag akong sumali. unfortunately, hindi natuloy ang nasabing discussion. pero hindi naman sya cancelled, na-reschedule lang at a latter date. the same people who invited me is also organizing the national consultation seminar-workshop for drafting a proposal for the hiv funding from global fund round 11 (whew! nosebleed!) and tinanong nila kung pwede ba akong makasama dahil isa nga naman sa mga sobrang at risk sa sakit na ito eh kaming mga pokpok. national convention daw, so participants from all over the philippines ang kasama.

wow! pambansang seminar para sa mga pokpok! nakakatuwa! na-excite ako at nag-confirm. una, dahil maganda ang layunin ng nasabing conference. pangalawa, dahil gusto ko ulit ma-experience mag-check-in sa isang magandang hotel. pangatlo, naintriga ako sa kung ano ang itsura ng mga pokpok sa ibang panig ng bansa. so, suma total, excitement at curiosity lang ang talagang rason kung bakit ako pumayag na sumama. not to mention na walang gagastusin. kahit pamasahe eh ire-reimburse. ayus!

pagdating sa hotel kung saan gaganapin ang seminar, nagulat ako. hindi na-meet yung expectation ko! akala ko puro mga sex workers ang kasama sa seminar. but when i got there, halu-halo! may katamtaman, may panget, may transgender, may lola, may tatay, may mukhang durugista... walang pogi! fine, sige, meron naman, pero kakaunti. nawala yung enthusiasm ko, pero dahil nandun na rin naman ako, tuloy pa rin.

but as the seminar started... dun na nag-sink-in sa utak ko kung ano ba talaga itong seminar na pinasukan ko. so hindi lang pala tungkol sa sex workers ito. tungkol ito sa lahat ng most at risk people sa hiv. nandyan ang mga men having sex with men, mga transgenders, mga sex workers, at mga injecting drug users. may kasama rin kaming mga plhiv (people living with hiv) or, in layman's term, mga taong positive. nakakatuwa. it's such a good mix with different c0ncerns and different issues, but we all came together for one cause... to cease, or at least lessen, the spread and the effects of the dreaded virus.

the seminar was really draining, pero sobrang saya! nakakatuwang makipag-interact sa iba't ibang uring groups from all over the philippines. here i am doing some hiv advocacy keme keme, thinking that what i am doing is serious and enough, and yet makikilala ko itong mga taong ito who's been doing the advocacy for like 5 years, 10 years, or more! nakaka-inspire.

natapos ang nasabing seminar after 3 days. at bagama't hindi maganda ang balita na cancelled na ang global fund round 11, hindi pa rin kami nanghihinayang sa naging output ng seminar dahil alam namin mapapakinabangan ito sa iba pang paraan. at ang mahalaga, mas nakita namin ng malinaw ang problema ng bansa tungkol sa hiv. so kahit hindi man suportado ng global fund, at least alam na namin kung ano yung kailangang tumbukin.

habang kumakain ng huling pananghalian, nilapitan ako ng isa sa mga organizers ng seminar. si Miss Vivian.

v: how did you find the seminar?
me: sobrang nakaka-culture shock! pero sobrang saya!
v: that's nice. and nakakatuwa nga kasi ang active mo sa pag-participate. most of the participants thought na matagal ka na sa ganitong environment.
me: nagrurunong-runungan lang! ahahaha!
v: anyway, yung fgd natin, next week ha.
me: para saan po ba yun?

at ipinaliwanag sa akin ni Miss Vivian kung para saan ang focused group discussion na gaganapin for sex workers. apparently, there's an international group who is also interested in funding hiv awareness campaigns in the philippines, pero isa sa mga requirement nila is magkaroon ng solid representation ang freelance sex workers since isa sila sa mga sobrang at risk sa sakit.

me: ahhh... nice! ang galing naman nun!
v: kaya nga eh, though dito sa manila wala pang informal network ang mga flsw (freelance sex workers), may mga ganitong groups na sa cebu, davao, at baguio. and i think angeles din.
me: matitigas kasi ulo ng mga flsw dito sa manila eh.
v: kaya nga eh. so, napag-usapan namin (ng grupo ng mga organizers) to invite you for another seminar next week. this one naman is leadership training and organization building for sex workers in the philippines. kung pwede sana eh ma-tap mo yung mga flsw na kilala mo sa manila so you could form a group, and kung sino yung mga makakasali sa leadership training will be the core members of the national network, and we think you have the capacity to spearhead it.

dito na lumaki ang mata ko sa tuwa. me, spearheading a national organization? hindi ako makapaniwala that there's this group of professionals seeing the potential in me to be a leader.

me: sure! count me in! kaso, baka hindi ko kayanin.
v: don't worry. tutulungan ka namin.

and simula nung minutong iyon, lumaki ang apoy sa dibdib ko for what i think could be my calling... to be an advocate of sex workers in the philippines!

9 comments:

  1. nakakatuwa naman ang transformations at pag-angat ng social consciousness 9aminin mo man o hindi)na nangyayari sa buhay mo ngayon. boy shiatsu, ikaw na!

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  2. Wow...that is awesome. I think you have the potential to make a big difference in the lives of the sex workers in Manila. It is important for people to realize that HIV disease is very serious and people should take the necessary precautions to stop it from spreading. Great job BoyShiatsu.

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  3. that's a great leap ahead, Kenn, wishing you well on your endeavors ☺

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  4. This would definitely open doors for you.
    I wish you luck sir!


    Oh, and i might join the group ;)
    (i'm not a sex worker... but i would like to extend support or help if needed.)

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  5. oh i have a close friend who was part of that consultation-workshop. i asked him about it kanina, if it was the same conference. yes daw. and he knows you, i think. =)

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  6. i am a researcher and i appreciate your involvement in this issue...good job.

    isa lang issue kung saan ako natawa, yung tanong mong, paano nakuha ang number mo? hehehe, obvious ba?

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  7. Carry on Ken.
    -Emong

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  8. Sabi ko na nga ba; you're very capable of doing great things! Mula nung sinimulan kong basahin ang blog mo (siyempre newest first ang nabasa ko, so medyo lately ko lan ito nabasa), I've been getting the vibe that you're not just a "pokpok." You're smart, articulate and fun. You're an interesting person. :)

    Stay awesome!

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