It's my greatest fear to lose any of my loved ones. Im pretty sure we all have that fear. Two out of my three brothers employs to a high risk job - one being a military a pilot and a pilot instructor and the other one a police officer . They have survived four years of military school, the other one another 2 years of flying school. Our eldest was assigned in Basilan at the wake of the abu sayaff crisis in Mindanao as his first assignment shortly after graduating from PMA in 1991. He also went to East Timor and Africa as a contingent of the UN peace corp for his career advancement and also to augment his income. My heart bleeds every time I see news of armed forces dying in battle because I would always think of my brothers. Im sure my parents have the same feeling especially my mother. My brothers job is in constant occupational hazard - Jumbo, my brother who is the pilot for the PAF chopper had 2 accidents involving these planes. Its a good thing hes now a pilot for the brand new Sokol choppers which is bigger and high tech acquired by the PAF recently. But nothing scared me more upon knowing that my other brother the one who is not in the military having a vehicle related accident. He was driving a motorcycle and having an idea about most situations of people involved in a motorcycle accident we had the scare of our lives. Manong, our eldest and Jingle are both in Manila so it was Manong who informed us about what happened to Jingle and he was the one who took him to the hospital and took responsibility over his younger sibling. Every time the phone rings and I would talk to him, I try to asses if there is stress in his voice, and every time my heart skipped a beat. Jingle had a car accident years ago and considering the the car was turned turtle no one would expect that the person involved was still alive but he was . At that time and I have to go to Manila and took care of the stuff that needed to be settled. I am the only girl and I felt responsible in coordinating the men of my life . Jingle, he is my favorite because we both went to UP and we have that kind of bond between us . A few months back he also had a broken bone because of same motor accident although not as bad as this latest one. I guess these boys are accident freak but they don't have to push their lucks. For now, our family are just so thankful that my brother has been blessed with a second life..I have to send both our parents to Manila so that they would personally see jingle and that to lessen their worries and also Nanay personally takes care of him in the hospital. It only proves that at the end of the day you have no one to turn to except your family because well, family is the the one constant in our lives .I would always hear mother's voice would crack each time I talk to her seeing his son hi through his pain especially after the operations. Tatay however would not stay in the hospital for long because he can't stand seeing his son through this but mother endures it all just to be with him in spite of her tears. But she is forever grateful that Jingle is alive considering the damaged in his hands and both feet and his facial bones. Thankfully as well there isn't any damage in his facial skin . As what mother wold always say, He is still gwapu...The damage is on his bones underneath his facial skin below the eye. He had some kind of face off operation on his face. As of late he's had 5 operations. The financial constraint our family has to go through, our eldest took it upon himself to finance almost all of the finances but thankfully with much help from some people. Like some of my brothers doctors are his friends. He decided to transfer him to the Camp Crame hospital so that he would be able to monitor him and also to lessen the cost. The operation for the face alone cost almost a hundred thousand pesos but theres just a lot of help that our Manong was able to make possible. He now works for the DILG and I could proudly say that whatever assignment or wherever he is , our brother is one with integrity. He has never abused his power and he was never corrupt. And maybe, a lot of his friends are willing to help because they know he's character.
Its been months and my parents had been away since my brother is still in the hospital. I would talk to them everyday. Mother would tell me all the little details, like how accommodating the doctors and the nurses, who came by to visit, our relatives and jingle's friends, what food these people brought. She would talk endlessly about her conversation with Jingle, who is by now filled with all the lectures of Mother - like, how he should quit smoking already since its been months that he hasn't smoke because of his hospitalization, like how he should be a good father to his son, Nathaniel. Mother would also talk about the mother of Nathan, - how much she cares about Jingle and how Jingle loves his independence and that he is stilll unwilling to give up his being single and refuses to live with her and that he just bowed to be a good father to his son. I guess i could say for now, who knows? People change right?...( and i wont be talking about his being a non- conformist, non traditional kind of person - entirely a different story that needs a blog of its own ) so Mother said that she will just let him be. He just need to be thankful for the life he has to share with us his family his job and of course his own family - his little boy. We are especially thankful to the prayers of our friends in our church, our relatives and friends. Truly you would know the people who cares the most in times of need .
Manong's sport is tennis so he would play with some people who become his friends like the doctors of Jingle, or a congressman , Patrick Antonio who made a very substantial financial help thru DSWD. The brothers and sisters of Jingle in his fraternity the Kappa Epsilon in UP Diliman. I now understand the importance of brotherhood or sisterhood of a fraternity . Jingle has always been a frat man during his 8 years or more in UP. My parents would get worried each time because of news of frat men getting into frat wars especially in UP. Its a good thing the school would always send notice to parents that the son is a member of this fraternity and since their frat is acknowledge by the university. I remember spending summers in Diliman for my other courses and I would have a glimpse of the life of my brother, Jingle - how he would always go to their tambayan even sleeping in that little room and up until he graduated he would still maintain ties with his brods and sisters. He would at some points stay with them in one apartment when they were still in school even if he graduated and already working . He would spent some Christmases and New Years with friends if he can't go home to Iloilo. So it's understandable how much ties he has with his frat brothers and sisters who would lovingly call him "brother love". As of this time they have also given a very substantial amount for his hospitalization. Some are based abroad but send their support thru members who are in Manila.
As of late, Jingle is still on his hospital bed, mother and father stays with him. As I called today, mother said that she and tatay are both reading a book (she is constantly reading her Bible and also she is now reading Dan Brown's Inferno - how ironic is that? She is probably just bored so she read Tatays book ) she is actually asking me about my schedule of arrival in Manila. I told her dont worry we will go out and have a good time when I am there....and Jingle is in his laptop surfing the Internet. Weeks from now he will be released albeit with metals under his feet. He will be sitting in a wheel chair until his feet recovers and heals. Mother is hopeful, he quits smoking, he'd be more responsible but generally happy for all her answered prayers. She is truly proud about Manong, for stepping up and being the eldest he is a really great son and brother. I'd be there in a week to see them all and give them a little treat since they really haven't been going out much. Truly some of life's adversities just bring families together. Mine not exempted!...
That's my brother, Capt. Nomar Alinsangan of the the Philippine Air Force on the cockpit.. Photo grabbed fr the Facebook page of Tropang Air Force...
