MAPA

 

Who would forget Mapa of SB19?

A song born of a random question from the group's leader, Pablo, while doing their laundry. That was how random it was. He just asked his members what they wanted to tell their parents, and voila! Yet despite its randomness, Mapa is now one of the most iconic songs ever made by a Filipino songwriter. Generations will pass but it will remain as a thank-you letter of a child to his or her parent. Throughout the course of our lives, there will be moments when we want to break away from our parents and feel the freedom of adulthood. At some point, we dream of not having to ask permission when we want to leave the house or do something we like, but the truth is, no matter how independent we think we are, we will always be our parents' children.

When we're alone in our own home, sick, and can't even get up to make our own food, we unknowingly call out to our mothers and would feel worse knowing she's not there. The moment life gets too hard and complicated, we long for our fathers's warm embrace as they tell us that everything will be okay. No matter how old we grow, we will always be that child who would run to our parents whenever we feel scared. And so this song will forever be a part of our lives. It will always be that song that can tell our parents how much we owe our lives to them.

Mama, kumusta na?

'Di na tayo laging nagkikita

Miss na kita, sobra

Lagi na lang kami ang nauuna

'Di ba pwedeng ikaw muna

Akin na'ng pangamba

Parents, or at least most of them, are the most selfless people in the world. They would rather live a simple and frugal life to ensure a good future for us. Some parents would choose hand-me-downs from their siblings and cousins just so they would have the money to buy us nice clothes and look presentable to people. Many of them would lie saying they've eaten or are not hungry when the truth is that they only have enough to feed us. Many times we would demand unreasonable things from our parents and without complaint, they would do their best to give us what we wanted, yet nothing was ever enough for us. Responsible and loving parents always put their children first, even if they were left with nothing, and they wouldn't even complain about it.

Dahil ikaw ang aking mata

Sa t'wing mundo'y nag-iiba

Ang dahilan ng aking paghinga

They are the eyes and the lights that guide us through life and help us navigate the world. They would do everything to protect us and would willingly give their lives if they must for us. They gave us lives and brought us into the world at the expense of their own health and safety, most specifically our mothers. She's the one who first taught us how to love and care for others. The person we run to when we're hurt and take all our pain away. She would stay up all night when we were sick and would cry silently when she couldn't get us to feel better.

Kaya 'wag mag-alala

Ipikit ang 'yong mata, ta'na

Pahinga muna, ako na'ng bahala

Labis pa sa labis ang 'yong nagawa

Mama, pahinga muna

Ako na

As we grow old, we would realize that our parents are getting older, too. It feels like the days are getting shorter while the nights are getting longer. Time is slipping away and there is nothing we can do. Parents are imperfect but many of them are trying their best to raise us as decent people. They would gladly lose a limb to give us a better future. They won't be as young and healthy as they are now. They deserve to rest, too.

Papa, naalala mo pa ba? Yeah

Nung ako ay bata pa, 'di ba?

Aking puso'y 'yong hinanda sa

Mga bagay na buhay ang may dala

Dala ko ang 'yong bawat payo

At hanggang sa dulo, magkalayo man tayo

Ako'y tatayo, pangako, tatay ko

It's our parents who first taught us how to choose our friends and who to trust. Before they let us go when we got older, they taught us to stand on our own two feet and be strong enough to survive life. Despite our parents' imperfections, they instilled important lessons in our minds that we will have as protections and guides through our lives. When they're gone, we will sit in a corner and realize that everything taught us was true. 

'Di ko na sasayangin pa'ng mga natitirang paghinga

Tutungo na kung sa'n naro'n ang mahalaga, woah-oh

At kahit na kailan pa ma'y 'di mawawala

'Pagkat dala ko ang mapa

Sa'n man mapunta alam kung sa'n nagmula, woah-oh

No matter where life brings us, or where we end up, our parents will always be a part of us. When the time comes that we are grown and able, we have to remember our parents. As their glory days fade away, ours are just within reach. Don't leave your parents to fend for themselves if you can, at least take care of them. Be there for them. Just seeing you, and knowing that you're doing good is more than enough for them. Most parents simply want their children's presence, don't forget about them.