'PAGTATAYA'
Understanding the Concept 'Pagtataya'1. PAGTATAYA OR COMMISION is an authority to act in behalf of another; that which a person is authorized to do for another; the state of being authorized to perform certain duties or tasks; an entrusting, as of power and authority, to a person or body; the act of committing or doing. It is an act of being there for others to help them without expecting anything in return.
2. PAGTATAYA OR COMMISION is an act of giving up something. Giving up does not only mean letting go of material things like money but it is more of giving up time. The time we gave during our Practicum is not considered as a waste of time. In fact, it was a nice and proper way of using our time. The time is worthy to be shared to the people who need us and who are willing to accept us. PAGTATAYA is also God’s way of sharing his time, his life to us. "As we had that exposure we are like expressing our love to other people just like the way God has loved each one of us. The moment we have spent there like eating lunch with them and having some conversation with them were manifestations that we are extending our lives with them. I felt grateful and blessed that even though there are so many trials that came along my way, God is still there sharing his time with me." ( Nova Amor T. Camposano, BSA 3B – summer 2008) 3. The root word of the word PAGTATAYA is TAYA. In Bisaya dialect, the word TAYA has two different meanings. One meaning of TAYA is to bet. “Bai, taya ta ug last two.” (Friend, let us bet in last two.’) Another meaning of TAYA in Bisaya parlance means TO RUST. “Bai, puno na ug taya ang imong sakyanan.” (“Friend, your vehicle is already too rusty”) The Filipino language seems to adopt the first Bisayan definition of the word TAYA which is to bet. “Itataya ko ang aking buong kayamanan sa sabong bukas” (“I will bet all my riches in the cockfight tomorrow”) However, the word TAYA in Filipino has a broader meaning than used in Bisaya and it is often synonymous toa the word PAG-AALAY which literally means TO OFFER. “Itataya/Iaalay ko ang aking buhay para lamang sa aking minamahal” (“I am willing to offer my life for the love of my life.”) Having this as that starting point of my discussion, I will now give my own understanding and reflection on the word PAGTATAYA. Reflection PAGTATAYA for me is also just like betting. In beating, the gambler is full of uncertainties in the decision that he have made. There is always that equal probability of winning and losing. And the gambler will only know whether he wins or loses after the game is played. After the game is played, the gambler now has no power to change his mind about the decision he had made for the game is already decided. The result of the game might made him happy or sad. Same is true for us who engage in the practicum. We are always full of uncertainties about this activity. We, as students, are uncertain whether the people who we try to live with are happy with us living with them. We are also uncertain if the things that we do for them or the project that we implemented would really be helpful and be appreciated by them. The teachers are as well uncertain whether their students really learn something from the activity which we call PAGTATAYA. But inspite of all these, we still gamble. We still are willing to take the risks and carry the costs if we lose. This is the essence of the word PAGTATAYA, that is to help without hesitating, to give without counting, and to risk just to fulfill a noble mission even if there is the chance of losing. PAGTATAYA is also just like to acknowledge the presence of rusts to something valuable for us. When some metal is covered with rusts, we can no longer anymore see its luster unless we try to clean it. When a metal is becoming rusty, our attention is drawn to that particular metal because it is already a sign that we have to clean that metal before the rusts totally destroy and degrade it. This is also applicable to our PAGTATAYA experience. With PAGTATAYA, our attention is being called that some of our brothers and sisters need us. That is the reason why we visit them in their respective sites and check their conditions. And with this experience, it serves as a sign for us that we have to do something and we have to do it NOW. But the question is, what do we have to do and why? This is now where experience and social analysis enter. We try to live with them for us to know the problems that beset them for us to give the appropriate assistance. We try to analyze and understand their situations if why are they becoming “rusty” (i.e., degradation of their dignity due to poverty, injustices and similar social evil)? After that, we try to clean them, that is helping them uplift their lives and regain the dignity which is inherent in everyone of them. And so we implement projects which we think could somehow help them. This again captures the essence of the word PAGTATAYA, that is we do our best to somehow help our needy brothers and sisters. We try to somehow minimize (if not totally eliminate) the effects of social structures which makes them “rusty”. We show our care and concern for them. Lastly, I could also grasp the essence of the word PAGTATAYA from its Filipino definition which is more of offering. In PAGTATAYA, we try to share what we have to those who need them. We give some assistance, we give our time, and also give our attention to them. But the most important thing is we try to give ourselves to them just like what Jesus did for all of us. We lend them a hand for them to hold to that they may rise from their current situations. And we do this together. They too offer something for us. They help us to know ourselves better and find the true meaning of our lives here on earth. They help us in our journey of following Jesus because it is with them where we know God better. The word PAGTATAYA may be hard to technically define. It is broad and requires different perspectives in order to be fully understood. Same is true with our lives. Our lives are hard to define and understand because it is too broad. There area so many things which puzzle us about it. But just like in PAGTATAYA, we don’t really need to technically define it. All we need is follow the inner voice within us of doing what is good and what is just. (James J. Bernal, BSA 3B – summer 2008) |
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