Kuwento ni/ Story byEugene Y. Evasco

Guhit ni/ Illustrations byJan Rex B. Casiroman

Dear Frontliners

MAHAL NA MGA FRONTLINER/ DEAR FRONTLINERS

Karapatang-ari/ Copyright © 2020 Vibal Group, Inc. at ni/ and Eugene Y Evasco.

Reserbado ang lahat ng karapatan. Ang alinmang bahagi ng aklat na ito ay hindi maaaring isailalim sa reproduksiyon o magamit sa anumang uri, anyo, o paraan nang walang nakasulat na pahintulot mula sa mga naglathala.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without written permission from the publisher and the author.

Ang mga guhit ay pag-aari ng/ Artworks belong solely to Vibal Group, Inc.

Inilathala ng/Published by:

1253 G. Araneta Ave. Cor. Ma. Clara St.,Quezon City

www.vibalgroup.com

Kuwento ni/ Story byEugene Y. Evasco

Guhit ni/ Illustrations byJan Rex B. Casiroman

Dear Frontliners

Salin ni/ Translations byChris Martinez

4 5

Nakikita lang kita sa TV,Naririnig sa radyo,Napanonood sa mga video.

Hindi mo ako kilalaPero kilala kita.

I only see you on TV,Hear you on the radio,Watch you in videos.

You do not know meBut I know you.

6 7

Thank you for your advice.We will stay at home.

We hear your plea.We will not be stubborn.

Salamat sa iyong payo.Dito lang kami sa aming bahay.

Dinig namin ang iyong pakiusap.Hindi kami magiging pasaway.

8 9

Mama and Papa,Work from home.

Even if you know there is dangerYou still work outside.

Sina Mama at Papa,Sa bahay na nagtatrabaho.

Kahit alam ninyong may peligro Nasa labas kayo at nagtatrabaho.

10 11

Sometimes, it gets boring at home,But then I think of you doing your job.

I hope you get home soon.So you can lie in your own bed,Watch movies on TV,And be with your family.

Minsan, nakaiinip na sa bahay.Pero naiisip ko kayong nasa trabaho.

Sana’y makauwi na kayo:Nakahihiga sa sariling kama,Nakapanonood ng pelikula,At nakakasama ang pamilya.

12 13

Parang nagsasayaw ang iyong kamay Sa eskaparate ng mga paninda.

Kilala mo ang mga gamot at bitaminaNa kailangan naming mga bata.

Your hands seem to sway to a rhythmIn the groceries' shelves .

You know every medicine and vitaminThat every child needs.

14 15

Hindi ka naliligaw Sa mga kable, respirator, at suwero.

Kalaban mo ang mga mikrobyoNa nagbabantang sumalakay.

You never get lostIn the tangles of cables, respirators, and dextrose.

Microbes are your enemyAnd they are ready to attack.

16 17

Kakainin ko ang mga prutas at gulayNa ilang buwan ninyong inalagaan,

Naghahatid ng sustansiya Sa aming hapag-kainan.

I will eat the fruits and vegetablesWhich you cared for for months,

Bringing nutrition To our dining tables.

18 19

Natatakot ako sa hindi nakikitang kaawayPero masuwerte kaming nariyan kayo.

Mayroon kayong pambihirang suot.

Superhero kayo sa amin.Paglaki ko, gusto kong maging katulad ninyo.

I am afraid of an unseen enemyBut we are fortunate that you are around.

You wear this unusual armor.

You are a superhero to us.When I grow up, I want to be like you.

20 21

Sick people recover because of you. Even if you're tired, sleepless.

If only I could donate All the hours I've saved from oversleeping, I would give them to you.

Dumadami ang gumagaling dahil sa inyo. Kalaban ninyo ang pagod at puyat.

Kung puwede lang i-donate Ang naipon kong sobrang tulog,Ibibigay ko na sa inyo.

22 23

Dati may mahiwaga kang patpatPara inspeksiyonin ang mga bag.

Ngayon, may mahiwaga kang sandataPara malaman ang temperatura.

Para kang paborito naming guro:Nag-aayos ng pila,Pinakakalma ang mga tao,At nagtuturo ng wastong distansiya.

You used to have a magic stickTo inspect our bags.

Now you hold an amazing weapon, To check our body temperature.

You are like our favorite teacher:Making sure we fall in line,Keeping us calm,Teaching us physical distancing.

24 25

You were there with GrandpaDuring his last hours.

We were not allowed to visit him.We never said our goodbyes.

Ikaw ang nakakita kay LoloSa mga huli niyang oras.

Hindi man lang namin siya nadalaw.Hindi man lang nakapagpaalam.

26 27

Tinulungan ko sina Nanay at TataySa pagluluto ng turon at lugaw.

Sana’y magustuhan ninyo Ang padala naming meryenda.

I help my Mom and DadCook fried banana rolls and rice porridge.

We hope you enjoy The snacks we sent you.

28 29

Lagi naming maaalalaAng iyong pagsisilbi sa bayan.

Hindi kami titigilSa pangangarap ng ligtas na lipunan.Wala na dapat pang buhay na masayang.

We will always rememberYour service to the nation.

We will not stopDreaming of a safe and healthy community.No more lives should be wasted.

30 31

Kapag matapos na ang lahat ng ito,Makikita rin namin ang inyong mga mukha.Makikilala ka namin, mayayakap, at mahahagkan—Tanda ng walang hanggan naming pasasalamat.

When this is all over, We will finally see your faces.We will meet you, hug you, and kiss you -A gesture of our never-ending gratitude.

TUNGKOL SA ILUSTRADORSi Jan Rex B. Casiroman ay nakapagtapos ng BS Computer Science sa ICCT Colleges ng Cainta. Hindi man tungkol sa sining ang natapos niya, pinangarap pa rin niyang maging isang pintor. Dahil sa tiyaga at pagpupursigi, siya ay naging ilustrador. Bilang isang ilustrador, tinitingnan niya ang higit pa sa panlabas na anyo ng isang tao.

TUNGKOL SA AWTORSi Eugene Y. Evasco ay manunulat, mananaliksik, editor, tagasalin, at kolektor ng mga aklat pambata. Kasalukuyan siyang propesor ng panitikan at malikhaing pagsulat sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Diliman. Naging bahagi siya ng Hall of Fame ng Carlos Palanca Awards for Literature noong 2009, dalawang ulit nagwagi ng Grand Prize sa Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY), Makata ng Taon 2000, National Children’s Book Award, at saka National Book Award para sa Young Adult Literature. Kasalukuyan siyang fellow ng UP Institute of Creative Writing at naging research fellow noong 2016 sa International Youth Library sa Munich, Germany.

Eugene Y. Evasco is a writer, researcher, editor, translator, and collector of children’s books. He is currently a professor of literature and creative writing at the University of the Philippines Diliman. He was entered into the Hall of Fame of the Carlos Palanca Awards for Literature in 2009, and is a two-time Grand Prize winner of Philippine Board on Books for Young People (PBBY), Makata ng Taon 2000, National Children’s Book Award, and National Book Award for Young Adult Literature. He is a fellow of the UP Institute of Creative Writing and was a research fellow in 2016 at the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany.

Jan Rex B. Casiroman finished his bachelor’s degree in computer science at the ICCT Colleges in Cainta. Although he finished a course not related to arts, he still dreamed of being a painter. With hard work and perseverance, he became an illustrator.

Ang kuwentong ito ay pagkilala at

pagpapahalaga sa mga modernong bayaning

humaharap sa pandemya. Isinulat ito sa

paraang liham ng iba't ibang bata upang

ibahagi ang kanilang saloobin at karanasan.

Layunin nitong ipaalala ang halaga ng

tungkuling panlipunan, bayanihan, at

pangangalaga sa buhay at kalusugan.

1253 G. Araneta Ave. Cor. Ma. Clara St., Quezon City

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