TAKING CARE OF THE VOICE

Kung wala tayong tinig, paano tayong makikipag-usap sa iba?

We will be using sign language. Can you imagine being speechless? We would be sensitizing our fingers and make them touch people when we want to call their attention. We would be using our eyes more often and be alert to things going on around us. We would use our sense of smell and smile when we are in front of food to show our gratitude to the giver; and most difficult of all, we would be waving our hands more vigorously to stop a jeepney or a bus or a taxi as we can no longer shout to call its attention. 

Yes, our voice is so important, not only for speaking but most importantly for singing. But did you know that last New Year's day I had to call the Barangay Tanod of Dona Imelda, and the Central Investigation Division of QC just so to stop a neighbor from blaring the loudspeakers of their karaoke? Yes, Folks, the men and women in that group were singing walang paki if they were disturbing the sleep and rest of people who retired late after celebrating the changing of the years. 

After that group near our house was stopped, immediately another group in a farther street started its blaring of songs again. There is no end to violation of our right to peaceful living, And why should we not complain about that, when what we want to hear are our own type of songs and not theirs. 

I happen to have been composing at that time and the aural intrusion was just too much. I had to call the authorities. It took four hours before a solution was done. 

Anyway, how do we lose our voice easily? Not by shouting on top of our voice. In the above situation, I was tempted to but the occasion stopped me and so I just called up the authorities. 

We could lose our voice through the pollution that we smell on the streets when commuting. One time, I sat on the terrace of a building doing my blog, and a few meters away was the street where diesel-fed jeepneys and all kinds of vehicles were passing by. After two hours, I lost my voice. Hoarse. My voice was hoarse and I was so scared that I could no longer sing. 

This made me search the internet as to how to protect my voice and I saw a lot of articles. Prominent among them was this one which advised the readers not to eat acidic foods, avoid milk, nuts (all the foods that I like really) and to concentrate on having fruits and vegetables only. ALSO, ALSO huwag magpupuyat. So that was why one time, I woke up also without my voice and that was because I had slept late. 

The Filipino people love to sing and the officials should glorify that by insuring that our environment is stress-free, pollution-free and has clean air. The department of environment and natural resources is at the center of this solution and by 2016 it has to stand stronger to 
deliver to us the best atmosphere and surroundings ever. 

Or else, they could be besieged with suits for dereliction of duty by advocates who just want a healthy planet after all.