Di ito sabaw moment sa dyip gaya ng isang theme ng latest writing prompt ng Tagalog Trail pero ikukwento ko pa rin yung nangyari sa'kin dati sa etivaC ^{(slang for Cavite province)}. Jusmio marimar. 😂 Di ko talaga malilimutan yun.
Mga *college classmates* ko kasi karamihan puro taga-*South*, outside of Metro Manila (NCR). Di ko alam bakit, siguro kasi yung unibersidad na iyon e nasa Maynila, na nasa timog talaga na parte ng punong rehiyon. Nakatira ako sa *dorm* malapit sa *school* noon dahil wala naman kaming bahay pa na tinitirhan dati. *So anyway*, di ko na tanda kung *before* o *after graduation* yun basta alam ko malapit na Pasko nun. Naisip namin mag-inuman *and videoke* tas *sleepover* sa bahay ng isang barkada namin. Basta ang natatandaan ko lang malayo sa kanila. At syempre dahil wala pang may kotse noon, dyip ang sinakyan namin papunta sa bahay nila. Tawagin natin ang kaibigang iyon sa pangalang Juan (di nya tunay na pangalan). *First time* namin pumunta doon noon. Dati kasi sa isa pang kabarkada kami, pero *that time* naisip namin mag-iba naman ng *venue.*

This is not a brain fart moment in jeepneys like one of the theme of the latest writing prompt of Tagalog Trail but I will still tell you what happened to me before at etivaC. Omg. 😂 I will never forget that.
My college classmates were mostly from the South, outside of Metro Manila (NCR). I don't know why, maybe because that university is in Manila, which is in the South part of the capital region. I lived in a dorm near the school back then because we didn't have a house to live in before. So anyway, I don't remember if it's before or after graduation but I know it was close to Christmas. We thought of drinking and using the videoke then have a sleepover at the house of a friend of ours. I only remember their place is really far. And of course, since no one had a car back then, we rode a jeep to their house. Let's call that friend Juan (not his real name). It was our first time to go there back then. We used to go to another friend's house, but that time we thought of going to a different venue.

![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmeNBbPgsARmJKq5qc9TskNvoa1FvvVukPiyCaviTbNCka/image.png) _{Inside a jeepney with a view of another jeep.}

Dalawang sakay ng dyip yun mula sa kung saan man sa Cavite papunta sa kanila. Di ko na tinandaan kung taga-saan sya dahil bad experience kami. 😂 Basta sa pangalawang dyip doon kami nadali.
Isa o dalawa lang ata ang nakasakay noon nung sumakay kami. Malapit na rin 'ata gumabi no'n. Ewan ko kung bakit pero habang umaandar yung sasakyan at nagiging liblib na e parang nakakabahala pero dahil marami naman kami e di ok lang. Mga sampu 'ata kami no'n. Apat na lalaki, este bading yung isa, tas puro babae na. Maya-maya may bumaba 'ata tas bigla na lang may mga sumakay na mga lalaki. Tapos may hawak na mga baril. Jusmio. 😲 Tiningnan ko sa mata yung isang may hawak ng baril, nakita ko wala siyang balak gamitin yun kaya parang nakampante ako. Pero yung iba hindi ko natingnan kaya hindi ko alam ano *mood* nila. Sa tingin ko apat sila o lima, di ko na maalala. Yung dalawa pumwesto sa harap tinutukan yung driver. Yung iba katabi namin sa magkabilang upuan ng dyip.

It took two jeepney rides from somewhere in Cavite to get to their house. I didn't take note where he was from because we had a bad experience. 😂 All I know is it was in the second jeep where we got hit.
There were only one or two people on board when we got on. It was almost night too, it seemed. I don't know why but as the jeepney moved farther the place was becoming more isolated and it seemed disturbing but because we were many it was okay. There were about ten of us. Four males, er one of them is gay, and then the rest were females. After a while I think someone got off and then suddenly there were men coming inside. And they were holding guns. Omg. 😲 I looked into the eyes of one of those holding a gun, I saw he had no intention of using it so I felt complacent. But I wasn't able to look at the others so I didn't know what their mood was. I think there were four or five of them, I don't remember anymore. Two went in front and pointed their weapons at the driver. The others were next to us in both seat sides of the jeep.

![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmRwvzV3Yuf8Qt85jGcoM6MUf6emnUbPJ8SQvBUY1DasnX/image.png) _{[source](https://unsplash.com/photos/1el2EFdS2oc)}

T*ngna holdap na pala yun. Sa buong buhay ko di ko pa naranasan yun before nung araw na iyon. Hay nakupo. Ano pa ba magagawa namin pag ganun e nasa gitna kami ng kawalan, wala halos mga bahay sa tabi ng kalsada. Tumatakbo yung dyip pero kinukuhanan kami ng mga pera at cellphone at pati bag. Aysusmio.
At syempre kagaya ng mga eksena sa telebisyon, may *action* at dramang nangyari. Habang kinukuhanan kami ng mga gamit, siyempre ang ingay namin. Tapos ang humablot nung gamit ko ay yung natingnan ko sa mata. Kaya makapal mukha ko nagmakaawa ako kunyari na ibalik yung bag ko kasi andun yung mga ID ko, etc. Panay sabi ko ng, "Kukunin ko lang mga ID ko kuya!" habang hinahatak ko yung bag ko. Ganyan eksena. 😱😵 Ayaw ko bitawan. Syempre dedma sila sa mga pagmamakaawa namin pero naghihilahan talaga kami nung isang lalaking may baril. 😂 Ayaw ko ibigay yung bag kasi andun mga damit ko pamalit haller! Ano gagamitin ko pamalit kinabukasan, ano side A side B ang *underwear*? Juskopo. 🤦‍♀️ *So I think* dahil ang ingay ko na rin at ayaw ko bumitaw, yung isang lalaki lumapit tapos... hulaan nyo ano'ng ginawa sa'kin? 😂 Ready na ba kayo? 😆 Perstaym na may gumawa sa'kin no'n. Alam nyo ano ginawa? Bigla na lang ako nakarinig ng isang malakas na "PAK!"

F*ck it turned out to be a holdup. In my entire life, I have never experienced that before that day. Oh my. What else could we do when we were in the middle of nowhere, there were almost no houses along the road. The jeep was running while they took our money and cellphones including bags. Omg.
And of course just like the scenes on television, action and drama happened. While they were taking our stuff, of course we got noisy. And the person who grabbed my stuff was the one I looked in the eye. That's why I was brave to pretend to beg him to return my bag because it had my IDs, etc. I kept saying, "I'll just get my IDs man!" while pulling back my bag. That's the scene. 😱😵 I didn't want to let go. Of course, they didn't listen to our pleas, but I and the same guy with the gun were busy pulling in opposite directions. 😂 I didn't want to give the bag because my change of clothes were in there come on! What would I use the next day, what, I would use my underwear then reverse it? Omg. 🤦‍♀️ So I think because I was noisy and didn't want to let go, the other man came closer and then... guess what he did to me? 😂 Are you ready? 😆 It's the first time someone did that to me. Do you know what happened? All of a sudden I heard a loud "WHACK!"

![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmWGEkaHgvgpoBPzfvArdwWDyURtmUEfCtYYAmRJBYrt3f/image.png) _{[source](https://wranglertjforum.com/attachments/2ff9-2f39-2fb3-2ff939b387a1da4765433b3d61614b7db1-jpg.295777/)}

Hala biglang nakatingin ako sa kaliwa ko. Sinampal na pala ako. Lakas ng sampal huy. Parang na-shock 'ata ako nun dahil di ako naka-react ng ilang segundo. Binitawan ko 'ata bag ko dahil dun sa ginawa, hayup sya.
Sumunod na napansin ko na lang eh tumigil na 'ata yung dyip at pababa na silang lahat. Lalaban pa sana ako kaso pinigilan ako ng mga kasama ko eh. Wag na daw ako lumaban dahil may baril sila tsaka may kutsilyo pala yung isa. Mabilis lang yung mga pangyayari pero pag andun ka sa *moment* syempre parang hinde. Tapos no'n umandar na yung dyip *after* makababa ng mga hayup. Nakuha na nila yung bag ko tsaka mga gamit ng mga kabarkada ko. Haha pusangina lang. Kaya mag-iingat kayo sa Cavite, lalo sa mga libliban jusko. Kilala pala ang Cavite as pugad ng mga drug lords at drug addicts wala ako kaalam-alam noon. 😂

What the, suddenly I was looking to my left. Apparently I got slapped. That was a strong slap huh. I think I got shocked because I didn't react for a few seconds. I believe I let go of my bag because of what he did, the monster.
Next thing I know the jeep had stopped and they were all getting off. I would still have fought if my friends didn't stop me. They told me not to fight because they had guns and it turns out one of them had a knife. Things happened quickly, but when you're in the moment of course it doesn't seem like it. After that the jeepney started moving after the sons of b*tches got off. They already got my bag and my friends' belongings. Haha WTF. So be careful in Cavite, especially in remote areas my god. Apparently Cavite is known as a nest of drug lords and drug addicts, I had no idea back then. 😂

![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmewjNLYBJhKa11nGMxNYvxrWxkuMK7nJc8aiyMTK3K1Ha/image.png) _{[source](https://unsplash.com/photos/KuF2iCw5meY)}

Kung di kayo naniniwala, may Facebook groups pa ng memes about etivac na puro adik at drug pushers at mga kriminal. 😆 Sila-sila mismong tagaroon (at tagalabas din) nagpo-post sa group, ginawang meme yung pagka-kriminal ng ibang mga Caviteño.
*Anyway*, nakarating naman kami ng ligtas dun sa bahay ng kaibigan namin. Parang natameme kami ng konti at nawalan ng gana sa buhay dahil sa nangyari sa'min. Grabe yun ah. Lahat kami nawalan ng gamit tas natutukan pa ng baril. Ako lang ang *"special"*, ako yung naging bida ng palabas. 😂 Pero merong isa inupuan nya yung cp nya kaya hindi nakuha. Pagkasabi ng holdap ginawa na daw nya yun agad. 😂 Ewan sino mga naghiraman ng pera para makauwi kinabukasan. Basta ako okay lang pero nagulat din kasi sila sa ginawa sa akin kaya pinag-uusapan pa rin talaga namin minsan yun *up to now* kapag nagkikita kami. Na-shock siguro sila. 😂 Ang sinasabi ko naman, aba dapat nga magpasalamat din sila sa akin, kung di ako ang naging "*star*" ng *show* lahat ng gamit namin limas. 😂 *At least* na-*distract* sila lahat sa akin kaya merong mga naiwang ibang bag.

If you don't believe it, there are even Facebook meme groups about etivac being full of addicts, drug pushers and criminals. 😆 Locals themselves (and outsiders too) post in that group, turning the criminality of other Caviteños (locals of the province) into a meme.
Anyway, we arrived safely at our friend's house. It's like we were quite speechless for a while and lost our appetite for life because of what happened to us. That was the worst. We all lost things and also got guns pointed at us. I was the only "special" one, I became the star of the "show". 😂 But there was one of us who sat on his mobile phone so no one got it. After they said it's a holdup, he did that immediately. 😂 I don't know who borrowed money from who just to get home the next day. As for me I was okay but they were really shocked by what happened to me that's why sometimes we would still talk about it 'til now whenever we get together. They must have been shocked. 😂 What I always say is, well, they should be thanking me too, if I wasn't the "star" of the show, all of our things would've been gone. 😂 At least they were all distracted by me so there were other bags left behind.

![](https://images.ecency.com/DQmNiGbKUWpwvAhQsAZBUBADhddCch7L31Sit9ZaBLmDJDt/image.png) _{A jeepney full of passengers.}

Sa totoo lang na-trauma ako sumakay ng mga dyip after n'on. Kaso wala namang ibang paraan para makabyahe kung saan saan kundi mag-dyip. Kaya no choice sinanay ko ulit sarili ko na sumakay ng dyip kahit natakot na ako.
Buti na lang talaga nasa isa ko pang bag yung pera ko noon pati *cellphone*. Yung mga mahahalagang bagay andun sa isa ko pang bag eh, buti na lang. 😂 Kaya okay lang talaga ako no'n pero nakaka-*trauma* pa rin yung nangyari. Kaya *never* na kami nag-*get together* doon kila Juan. 😂 Mahirap na baka maulit pa nangyari. Ako pa naman e mahilig mag-*public commute*. *Never* ako bibili ng kotse dahil pampadagdag lang sa *traffic* at polusyon. Kahit may mga kotse na mga ka-*batch* ko e ang meron lang ako ay bisikleta. *Proud* na ako do'n. Haha. Nako ayun lang naman ang kwentong dyip ko. Ma-*action* ng konti at may konting drama rin. Hahaha. *Deserve* ko ng *jacket* dahil *best actress* ako. 😂 Hindi naman ako yung umiyak. Yung iba naiyak after, ako e nagalit kasi wala na ako pamalit ng damit. 😂 Minura ko pa nga sila nung nakababa na sila at nakaandar na yung dyip. Mga walanghiya. Kayo ba, naholdap na rin sa dyip (o sa iba pa)? 😆

To be honest, I was traumatized to ride jeeps after that. However there's no other way to travel anywhere but by jeepney. So no choice, I had to get used to riding a jeep again even though I was traumatized.
Fortunately, my money was in my other bag along with the cellphone. The important things were in my other bag, good thing that was the case. 😂 So I was really okay but what happened was still traumatizing. That's why we never got together at Juan's place again. 😂 Better safe than sorry. As for me I'm someone who likes to commute in public vehicles. I will never buy a car because it will only add to traffic and pollution. Even though my batchmates already have cars, what I have is a bicycle. I'm proud of that. Haha. Anyway that's it for my jeepney story. A little action and a little drama too. haha I deserve a prize because I'm the "best actress". 😂 I'm not the one who cried. The others cried after, me, I got angry because I didn't have a change of clothes. 😂 I even cursed them when they got off once the jeep started. Shameless people. How about you, have you ever been holdupped in a jeep (or anywhere else)? 😆

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By the way since it's International Women's Month, let me answer that question from the [Hive PH community contest](https://ecency.com/hive-188409/@hiveph/march-blogging-contest-womens-month): "A warrior, caregiver, or strategist: Which among these roles best describes you as a woman?" After everything you've read above, I can say the role that best describes me is a warrior. I may not know martial arts or have deadly skills yet but I would definitely always fight for what is right. If you've been a long time reader of mine for sure you would agree too. Haha.
XOXO, @artgirl
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