The briefing was a blur of military acronyms and operational jargon. Isang seryosong babae, First Lieutenant Adela Ramos, took the lead. She talked about Operation Bangon Samar, about rebuilding communities, about logistics and deployment schedules. I tried to pay attention, I really did, but my eyes kept drifting back to Major Velasco.
He stood to the side with his arms crossed, observing everything. Hindi siya nagsasalita, but his presence dominated the space. He was the center of gravity. Napansin ko rin kung paanong ang ibang female volunteers at kapwa niya sundalo ay panay ang sulyap sa kanya. I couldn't blame them. The man exuded competence. It was infuriatingly attractive.
After what felt like an eternity, the briefing concluded. Lieutenant Ramos started calling out names and assignments.
"...Abrajano, Llantada, you're with the engineering team for site assessment. And Madrigal..." she paused, and her eyes found mine with a flicker of something I couldn't read. "You'll be with logistics. Report to Master Sergeant Bustamante at the supply depot."
Logistics? Supply depot? It sounded dreadfully boring, but at least it didn't sound like digging. Tumayo ako, ready to find this Sergeant Bustamante.
"Miss Madrigal. A moment."
Major's voice stopped me in my tracks. Napalingon ako. The tent was emptying out, but he had waited for me, standing near the exit. I walked over, my heart doing a stupid little flutter. He didn't say anything about my outfit this time. Instead, he held out a heavy-looking green duffel bag.
I looked at the bag, then back at him. "What's this, Major? A welcome gift? Naku naman, you really shouldn't have."
A corner of his mouth almost... almost twitched. "This contains standard issue gear. May ilang pares ng cargo pants diyan, shirts, at boots. The boots are size seven, sana kasya sayo."
My eyes widened slightly. Ooh! He knew my shoe size? How did he know my shoe size? Napangiti ako... Not until I realized na siguro ay nasa isa sa mga forms na pinirmahan ko. Yes, that had to be it. Hindi pwedeng inalam niya. Asa pa ako.
"You are expected to wear these starting tomorrow. Maputik at mabato sa camp, especially sa depot. Your shoes..." he said the word like it was a foreign object, "Hindi yan tatagal."
Kinuha ko ang bag mula sa kanya. It was heavier than it looked. "And here I was thinking you liked my shoes, Major. Balenciaga kaya ito."
"I like my volunteers to be safe and effective, Miss Madrigal. Your current attire is neither." he said flatly, the words cutting through my playful tone. He held my gaze for a second longer, his brown eyes unreadable before giving me a final, sharp nod. "Report to your station, Madrigal."
Hawak-hawak ko pa rin ang mabigat na duffel bag na iniabot sa akin ni Major Velasco, watching him walk away with his infuriatingly perfect posture. Napatingin ako sa suot ko, my pristine Balenciaga sneakers now had a light coating of brown dust. A tragedy in the making. Then, I looked at the bag in my hands. Standard issue gear. Ugh. Parang pinapahiwatig niya na isa akong malaking abala.
With a heavy sigh, I slung the duffel bag over my shoulder and started my trek to the supply depot. Hindi naman ganoon kalayo, pero sa bawat hakbang ko, nararamdaman ko ang mga matang nakatingin sa akin. I felt like a flamingo that had accidentally wandered into a flock of crows. Lahat sila naka-uniporme, blending in with the dusty, green-and-brown surroundings. Ako? I was a splash of maroon and white, a walking, breathing testament to everything this place was not.
The supply depot wasn't a building, of course not. Isa lamang iyong malaking, open-sided tent, almost the size of a small warehouse. Sa ilalim ng bubong na canvas, naglalakihan ang mga tore ng brown boxes, mga sako ng bigas na nakatambak na parang Jenga blocks, at mga crates ng kung anu-anong de lata. Sa loob ay mainit. Actually, sobrang init. Tapos yung alikabok ay sumasayaw sa bawat sinag ng araw na tumatagos sa mga siwang ng tent.
I saw a group of volunteers and soldiers working, their movements were efficient and practiced. They were sorting items, taping boxes, and loading them onto a military truck. And in the middle of this organized chaos, there was one person who seemed to be conducting the entire orchestra.
"Okay, team! Yung mga damit, i-segregate natin by gender and size! Yung mga pagkain, check the expiration dates bago ilagay sa family packs! Let's go, let's go! Bilis-bilisan ang kilos, baka abutan tayo ng ulan!" dire-diretsong sigaw noong babaeng sundalo. She's probably Sergeant Bustamante.
I observed her from where I was standing. She wasn't too tall, but she commanded attention. Her hair was cut in a practical, chin-length bob that bounced as she moved. And her smile could probably power a small village. It was bright, genuine and it reached her sparkling eyes. Para siyang walking, talking ray of sunshine.
I nervously walked closer. "Excuse me? I'm looking for Master Sergeant Bustamante?"
The woman turned to me, and that megawatt smile was suddenly directed at me. "Yep, that's me! You must be the new volunteer, Clara Madrigal, right? Welcome sa aming munting paraiso ng de lata at noodles!" She laughed, a happy, bubbly sound. Inabot niya ang kamay niya, which I shook hesitantly.
Her eyes did a quick, non-judgmental scan of my outfit. I saw a flicker of amusement, but she was kind enough not to comment on it. Instead, she just grinned wider. "So Miss Madrigal, eto ang task mo today." she led me to a long folding table na may nakalatag na mga donated clothes. "We need to sort these. Itong pile na to para sa mga damit pambabae, that one for men's, tapos yung sa dulo ay for kids. We have to check for damages, tapos fold them nicely before packing. Got it?"
It sounded simple enough. "Got it."
Kayang kaya ko namang magtiklop ng damit. Of course, I always pack things myself kapag kailangan mag-travel. I know all the techniques when it comes to folding.
"Perfect!" she chirped. "If you need anything, just shout! Mag-iikot lang ako." And with that, she was off, spreading her sunshine to another corner of the depot.
I stared at the mountain of clothes. Okay, Cion. You can do this. It's just like shopping, but in reverse. And without the shopping bags. Or the air-conditioning. Or the satisfaction of buying new things. I picked up the first item. It was a faded, floral duster. I held it up between my thumb and forefinger as if it were a contaminated specimen. I sighed dramatically and placed it on the women's pile. The next one was a man's t-shirt with a questionable stain. I wrinkled my nose and tossed it onto the men's pile.
I was sorting through a pile of children's clothes when it happened. I reached for a small pair of denim jeans. And my perfectly shaped, gel-manicured, almond-colored nail snagged on a loose zipper.
Shit!
Naputol iyong kuko ko. Split right down the middle. A horrified gasp escaped my lips.
"Oh, my God. This is a disaster!" I wailed, cradling my injured hand as if I'd been shot.
Naglingunan sa akin ang mga volunteers at sundalo na naroon. They looked at me, then at each other, stifling their laughter. Parang nakakita sila ng alien na nagta-tantrums. What the hell is their problem? I didn't care. This is a legitimate crisis.
Suddenly, Mia is already by my side, her expression a mixture of concern and amusement. "Hala, anong nangyari?"
"My nail, Mia! Look!" I presented my hand to her. "It's ruined now! Sumabit dito sa zipper. My god, it took my nail technician two hours to perfect this set!"
Marahan na kinuha ni Mia iyong kamay ko, examining the broken nail with surprising seriousness. I expected her to laugh, or to tell me to get over it. But she didn't.
"Aray, that looks painful... Pero don't worry, we have a first aid kit. We can put a band-aid on it para hindi na siya sumabit. And here..." she said, pulling a pair of worn-out work gloves from her back pocket. "You should wear these. Para mas protected yang nails mo."
I'm really starting to like this girl. She's all sunshine and common sense. Okay, Master Sergeant Mia Bustamante, you are officially on my list. After this whole mission, I'm definitely taking her for a full spa day at The Mandara. She deserves the best mani-pedi and a champagne facial, on me.
I took the gloves and slipped them on. They were rough and smelled like work. But they covered my nails.
"Thank you, Sergeant." masaya kong sambit.
Mia just smiled her sunny smile. "Walang problema. It takes time to get used to this. You're doing great, Miss Madrigal."
"You can call me Cion." sabi ko.
"Why Cion?" she curiously asked.
"Well, Clara Concepcion's my first name. Mas sanay ako sa Cion." I explained. Tumango naman siya saka ngumiti.
I watched her walk away. Well, finally someon here has some common sense. Yung mga ibang sundalo, kung makatawa akala mo joke? This is an actual crisis. My nail is ruined! And this Master Sergeant saw the problem, and fixed it. That's what you call proper service. This is exactly how it should've been handled.
Just as I was about to resume my work, a cheerful voice cut through the air.
"Special delivery para sa pinakamagandang master sergeant ng Philippine Air Force!"
A tall guy in another sergeant's uniform appeared, holding two plastic cups of what looked like samalamig. He had a goofy, infectious grin and his eyes were crinkling at the corners. He walked with a bounce in his step, like a golden retriever happy to see its owner. He made a beeline straight for Mia, his eyes practically sparkling as he looked at her.
"Ken!" Mia exclaimed, her own face lighting up. "Ano yan? Palamig?"
"The one and only! Buko pandan. Your favorite..." he said, handing her a cup. "Pampawala ng pagod."
"Napaka-very good mo, thanks!" Mia said, taking a sip. "Ahhhh! This is heaven."
It was only then that the guy, seemed to notice me. His eyes widened slightly as he took in my designer workout clothes and the layer of dirt I had accumulated.
"Oh, may bago pala tayong kasama! Hi, ma'am!" he said with a charming grin.
I turned toward him. "Hi!" maligayang bati ko.
Mia beamed with pride, gesturing toward me like she was introducing a celebrity guest. "Ken, this is Clara Concepcion Madrigal. Bagong volunteer natin sa logistics. Anak siya ni Senator Ramon Madrigal."
Ken smiled as he extended a hand. "Wow! Nice to meet you ma'am. I'm Sergeant Kendrick Real, at your service."
"Cion lang." sabi ko, shaking his hand. His grip was firm but warm, the kind of shake that said friendly but knows when to mess with you.
"Welcome sa depot, Cion. Dito ginagawa ang mga himala. Like turning sunog na noodles into full meal packs and keeping our master sergeant from yelling every five minutes."
"Excuse me? I don't yell." Mia objected, hands on her hips.
Humalakhak nang walang humpay si Ken, clearly enjoying himself. "Oh come on, Sergeant. This morning alone, narinig ka ng buong camp. Bilisan niyo diyan! Check the inventory twice! Akala ko nga may fire drill na."
Mia gasped in mock offense. "Excuse me, that's called leadership!"
"Leadership? More like megaphone-in-human-form."
I couldn't help it, natawa ako. The kind of laugh that escaped before I could even stop it. Mia turned to me, eyes wide, pretending to be betrayed.
"Cion! You're laughing at me? I thought we were friends!" pabirong asik niya.
I raised both hands defensively, still chuckling. "I'm sorry! Pero... medyo may point siya."
Ken leaned on one of the supply crates, grinning. "Ayan, may kakampi ako. You see, Sergeant? Even the Senator's daughter agrees with me."
"Oh, wow. Ganging up on me now?" she said, crossing her arms but smiling nonetheless.
"Sige nga, next time Ken, ikaw ang sumigaw sa mga tao, ha?" hamon ni Mia.
Ken shook his head. "Hindi pwede, Mi. Sensitive ang lalamunan ko. Artistahin ang boses ko. Yung tipong pang-harana lang, hindi pang-command."
I smirked. "Oh? So, may career ka palang singing before?"
He grinned. "Meron! Pero sinipa ako ng karaoke machine kasi flat daw ako."
Mia burst out laughing, clutching her cup of buko pandan. "Ay totoo yan! Alam mo ba Cion, noong last Christmas party? Kinanta niya Perfect tapos nagmalfunction yung mic halfway through. I swear, pati mic sumuko."
"Fake news! Yung mic lang talaga yung may problema, hindi ako." paliwanag naman ni Ken.
"Sure..." Mia said, smirking. "Kasalanan ng mic. Classic excuse, Real."
Pinanood ko silang tuluyang nag-aasaran. "You two are ridiculous." I muttered, shaking my head.
Ken turned to me with a mock bow. "Thank you, ma'am. We take pride in that."
Siniko naman siya ni Mia. "Ayan ka na naman. Nambobola ka nanaman ng bagong volunteer."
"Uy, hindi ah!" Ken shot back quickly. "I'm just being friendly, Mi. Besides..." he added with a grin, "Di naman ako mang-aabala ng anak ng senador no. Baka ipatapon pa ako sa Mindanao."
Sabay sabay kaming tumawa sa komento niya na iyon. It wasn't even that funny, but maybe it was the way he said it.
When the laughter faded, bumalik na rin kami sa kani-kaniyang gawain. Mia started barking orders again, habang si Ken ay tumulong sa pag-lift ng ilang heavy crates like they weighed nothing. Ako naman, tahimik na nagpatuloy sa pag-aayos ng mga damit, folding one piece at a time, mas maingat na ngayon.
As the sun began to dip, napansin ko kung paanong nag-iba ang ilaw sa loob ng depot. The golden light turned softer, casting long shadows across the stacks of boxes.
Mia stretched her arms, nag-crack pa ang likod niya. "Okay, team! Wrap up na tayo for today!" she called out.
A wave of relief washed over the volunteers. Lahat halos sabay-sabay huminga ng malalim, yung tipo ng pagod na masarap kasi may natapos ka talaga. Ken gave me a lazy salute before helping carry the last few boxes into a tarp-covered corner.
I wiped the sweat off my forehead as I walked back towards my tent. The sky shifted into deep orange, nang makarating ako sa loob. I immediately stretched my arms and legs. Gosh! That was worst that my morning pilates. Kinuha ko ang towel at toiletries mula sa bag, sabay labas ng tent. I didn't even care about the cold water anymore. I just wanted to wash everything off.
Just as I was about to head toward the shower area, a voice suddenly rang out from the center of camp.
"Debriefing in fifteen minutes! All volunteers and personnel, report to the main tent!"
Napahinto ako. Syempre may debriefing pa. I let out a long groan, rolling my eyes to the heavens. "Of course! Hindi pa pwedeng maligo kahit lagkit na lagkit ka na."
Sa kabilang banda, narinig ko si Mia sumigaw pabalik, "Copy that! Coming in a minute!" habang tinatali niya ulit ang buhok niya. Si Ken naman, naglalakad na bitbit ang clipboard, tumingin sa akin at ngumiti.
"Sorry, Cion." sabi niya, bahagyang nagtaas ng balikat. "Welcome to military time. No rest for the sweaty."
Napangiwi ako pero napangiti rin. "You're kidding me, right? I was two seconds away from redemption!"
He laughed. "You'll live. Debrief na muna, tapos ligo after. Promise."
Napairap ako, clutching my towel tighter. "And if I don't go?"
Ken smirked, tilting his head. "Then I would suggest that you start digging your own grave, Cion. Because the Major is about to haunt you."
Napangisi ako doon. Haunt me? The idea sent a stupid, thrilling shiver down my spine. Ken thought he was scaring me, pero ang totoo, I kind of liked the sound of it. Major Velasco, haunting me? Following me around? His brown, intense eyes focused on me all day? God, yes please. Sign me up!
"Haunt me? Wow, that actually sounds fun."
Ken stopped mid-step, tumingin sa akin nang parang hindi makapaniwala. "Huh? Anong fun? You realize we're talking about Major Velasco, right? The same guy who can silence an entire platoon with one eyebrow raise?"
Ngumisi lang ako lalo. Napailing si Ken sa reaksiyon ko.
"Hay nako, Cion. You've crossed to the dark side." sabi niya saka humalakhak.
I just smirked, feeling a new sense of confidence. "Maybe I have, Ken. Someone has to keep the Major on his toes, right?" I gave him a mischievous wink. "Don't you worry about me. I'm not just going to be another volunteer. And I'm going to be his favorite headache."