The Irony of Sitio Kaunlaran (Prosperity)

On the way attending a wedding more than a year ago, I noticed a place that is very familiar with me. A part of me that I tried to deny for a certain period of time until it had surfaced into my very face once more. 

Yes, it was that Sitio...where I had been and promised myself not to be anywhere near anymore, ever again. A motivation that pushes myself to the limits to always strive the best way I can.

Before the car totally passed by the area, I had the courage to took a picture of the path way of the place called Sitio Kaunlaran. I wasn't sure then what I would do with the picture, not until I decided to blog about. It was still the same place almost 18 years since we left that place. And I know for sure that what's inside the area remains to be almost the same as it was since there was a time that I passed by as well in the area when I was jogging and reach that place. I told a running buddy to come to the direction where I am going...then I told a story.

And it goes something like this...

Sitio Kaunlaran (Prosperity) is actually an irony of what it is all about. It is a land where hundreds of families tried to build a dream home in a land not their own. A Squatter's haven that is. I was a young boy on a 4th grade when we moved to this place. My mom would always tell us someday soon that place would gonna look better. Different  from its current state then. Most of the houses were made of coco lumber. NO electricity, no water supply and the roads are not cemented which can be so muddy as it can be during rainy seasons...and yes flooding too was a reality in our area. Being from the civilized Makati, this was horrible but somehow we had lived with it as we need to vacate the city for some reasons. 

I have so much memories about that place. I was a kid when I arrived, I admired my dad on how good he is in building our own house. He was able to build as well other houses including some of those of our relatives. I was amazed on how pieces of woods can form a house and a home. How a carpenter be so perfect in building houses but not a home. I spent my adolescent years in this place. I had my first crush with the young pretty girl from Mindoro...Bunining. We had great neighbors, and my family soon enough was able to build relationships with them. If there is one thing I can vividly recall from this place is that people who are at the bottom are the most sincere and genuine creatures. It was a very peaceful place at first but soon enough there were news of murderers and their victims. It was infiltrated by people who had brought dilemma to the society.

Just like any other land being squatted, there is always as well threat from demolitions, good thing it never come near us. To say that this place is occupied by the poorest of the poor could be an exaggeration as there are professionals as well living in the area. Some are employed like our soldier and policeman neighbors and is able to have enough food 3 times a day.As for us? It was not always the story. There were days that we do not have enough resources and life was at its hardest during those period.  

Honestly speaking, I didn't know how we were able to survive that challenge. We never had television for more than four years. Our light at night would be an improvised lamp which would last only at a limited time so best to do homework at school until there is a natural light. There was even a point wherein our house become very weak and as it battles through storms, we would be struggling to keep it standing. But, of all this...me and my sisters never complained. Perhaps in those trying times we had to make sure that we taught ourselves the value of staying positive that someday soon things would change and a new beginning will unfold. 

True enough...we had managed to get out of Sitio alive. I can still clearly remember the last of the day that I was there. I was looking at our house. I was looking at the house of our neighbors...I was looking as far as my eyes can see. I know, I will surely miss the place but definitely I had this strong conviction that never again I will go back there.  

I would say that Sitio Kaunlaran was a teacher of that young boy. He was stuffed of so many important realizations from the place that once had embraced him and his family when they needed a home to comfort them. It was not the most pleasing one, but its beauty lies beyond what the superficial world could offer. In the looks of the shabby houses...Sitio offers you to come in and just like a very hospitable host it will offer the most of what it can provide you which should keep one thirsty to reach for one's supreme potential. THE GIFT of DREAMING and MAKING IT HAPPEN.

Truth is, I left Sitio Kaunlaran some 18 years ago. But it had never left me.