In pursuit of the rainbow

Congrats to young Bryan Gelon Gestopa for his Nursing Associate graduation at West Coast University in Los Angeles as Magna Cum Laude. Dodong Gelon is the eldest son of nurse parents Elmer and Dahlia, and grandson of the late Atty. Gerardo Gestopa, former Mandaue town councilor and pioneer City Assessor, whose surviving spouse is Eduvegis Ermac. Gelon is of the elite academic achievers aspiring for the Cabahug Medal that he missed by a whisker, overtaken by three local Summas; nevertheless, he earned the City Mayor's Medal; no less an enviable honor.

Incidentally, many Mandauehanons now in Uncle Sam's land of milk and honey, are settled in California, in Florida, and elsewhere. It must be the climate or job location, they claim. For instance, one's nephews Junjun just moved to Minneapolis from L.A., Alex is in L.A. and their sister, nurse supervisor Jasmin in Phoenix, Belen Sanchez and son, Letlet and Oscar Bontuyan, Lingling and Bob Callelero, are also in Arnold Schwarzenegger and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi "country", and Atty. Aleta Cabilao somewhere in Texas.

While Atty. Bimbo Suico of the "Tawag ng Tanghalan" fame is settled in Fort Myers, Florida, but his siblings and relatives are in California where they celebrate the Mandaue Fiesta with similar pomp and splendor in church rites and social shindigs. Cousin Dr. Romy Ecarma and wife Nita are in Louisville , Kentucky . His sister nurse Edith Ecarma and hubby Atty. Perry Rodriguez have also moved to Florida , though Edith's cousin Aida Ecarma Palacio is in San Francisco.

Undeniably, almost all migrants have a common denominator, that is, searching for the greener pasture, or in pursuit of the elusive rainbows. Not only for themselves as they are not destitute, but for their children's brighter future through education in preparation for life's better opportunities, like Dodong Gelon.

Another common denominator is the nostalgic homesickness hounding them no end. It's never trite for them to feel that there's no better place like home, but then, they console themselves that pragmatically, home is where the heart is. Especially to the passionate Pinoys, not necessarily steeped in just sheer sentimentalism, wherever is the secure haunt of their family and kin down the line, their second home is where their hearts are.

Most Filipinos in foreign climes are not abandoning the quaint 'Pinas despite its flaws and inadequacies, or Mandaue for that matter, as their first love of home. They hope that "kon swertehan nga buligan sa Ginoo nga makatigum ug hamugaway na ang panginabuhi, apil ang mga bata", they'll return home and retire in the Pearl of the Orient Seas .

Here's an amusing and gratifying news tidbit… With the advent of the world without borders where distance is no longer a hindrance to fast communication, Mandauehanons abroad are up-to-date on happenings at home. Because of modern IT and Internet facilities, some request for "buwad danggit", "buwad bolinaw", or "buriring" when in season, or "bibingka", "mahariyal", without any hassle, serving as consisting link with their native hearth and roost.

 No wonder, goings-on here, like government news, recent elections, inter-family matters, celebrations, say, the Mandaue fiesta, are being kept tab that easy. In fact, this humble column finds readership in few friends, such as, Bimbo Suico and Elmer Gestopa.

 Unlike that old ballad "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" with the undertones of romantic pessimism and let-down who may still be "waiting to find a little blue bird in vain", Filipino migrants are optimistic to balance "bitter" and "sweet", with "bittersweet" and "pleasure and pain" oxymoronic merge of memories as verities in life to take in stride.

To the homesick for their roots while in pursuit of their rainbows, and propped up by their innate Filipino values, they shall find - and/or some have already found - their aspired rainbows. To them, aiming high and hitching to the stars isn't, after all, an unattainable dream. And, pragmatic enough to have realized that the miracle of serendipity is just that, a miracle. Thus, to young Dodong Gelon and those like him who are gifted with brilliant minds, they have a reason and spiritual onus to thank for and count God's blessings.

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