" first impression of her, look again, and very intently this time. You'd have to be proven wrong! Awfully dead wrong.
Ask any ten random people who had known her, this question: "Describe Ka' Dadang," and their answers shall crazily revolve around her being "Mataray", "Mabungis", not a friendly person, difficult to be a friend. But is it right?
Today, dear friends, I found the answer, and it is "
No!" A big resounding "
No!"
You, including me, must have been judging from her stern-looking face, but had you really tried to approach her and spark some friendly conversations with her (yes, remove that fidgety feeling that may arise from being close with this stern-looking woman), you would have found a whacky but determined person, who would have care less about her own life and job just to render selfless service to other people in need, especially in life-and-death situations.
We will talk about her flirting with death just to save lives, but let us first know Ka' Dadang.
Getting to know Ka' Dadang
Ka' Dadang is a single mother, a mother of two (13 and 14 years old), whom are the sources of her inspirations in life, in addition to her nurturing parents, who are still "alive and kicking" today. May Allah swt give them long happy life.
Her love story had ended four years ago, yes, but that became her stepping stone to make her life more meaningful to other people today.
Will she ever choose a different life? Will she ever want to rewind some parts of her life? She said, "No! I love the way life had mould me to be."
"Every life experience that I had," she said, "had taught me valuable lessons."
She is the kind of a woman who is "Mapagbigay," always putting herself and her happiness secondary to her loved ones'.
Thus, she left her husband in a happy note, personally working out the divorce paper herself, because her husband would not left her, and also because Ka' Dadang did not like to live being in a polygamous family.
Had she been affected with the divorce? "Yes, a lot." She said, "I avoided social life for two years and stayed with my two children to help me ease the pain."
She had not told any soul about her problem, not even her parents.
But until now, she and her husband are still in good terms with each other, separated, yes, but happy people still.
That experience, among many other bad but nurturing experiences, has made her what she is today: a very kind woman, soft spoken, frank, friendly, and have a knack at sending cold water to any person's angry heart.
Yes, she had wonderfully settled a lot of conflicts in Sulu. Should there be no Ka' Dadang, many conflicts in Sulu would have become full blown war and bloodshed and uncertainties. Her recent success was in Kalinggalan Kaluang. Just few days ago.
The two warring families were in the middle of it all, with three casualties, two wounded persons, burnt houses, destroyed coconut trees -- name it -- But Ka' Dadang had effectively negotiated a truce. Alhamdulillah, no more bloodshed for now, if both parties continuously respect the agreement Ka' Dadang provided for both sides, Inshaa Allah!
Saving a Wounded Boy "Terrorist"
Her most unforgettable memory of selfless service was when she saved the wounded 13 year old boy in Buhanginan, Patikul a year ago.
The boy, called Haiver, the son of a Barangay Councilor in Buhanginan, was wounded at the back from a Marine fire, mistaking the boy as a member of Abu Sayaff group.
Upon knowing the incident, she immediately sprang to action and asked the Red Cross to come with her and save the boy.
Her office, the Center of Humanitarian Dialogue, did not know of her decision. She did not inform her officemates.
"I threw the name of my office at the back, and worked only in my personal capacity just to help save lives," said Ka' Dadang.
Alas, since the ASG and the military were in heavy fighting that time, it was not easy to transport the boy to the Jolo town to get treated, besides the boy was considered as ASG terrorist. The boy had seemed to have already lost so much blood.
Ka' Dadang recalled that they had been stopped by at least five checkpoints along the way, but she angrily insisted that: "Even though, this person might be terrorist, but he still need treatment!"
She had successfully brought the boy to the hospital in the Jolo town despite many elegant and sly maneuverings of the military to get at the boy. The military had even offered to take the boy to the Trauma Hospital in Camp Bautista, but Ka' Dadang refused.
She instructed the Hospital to put the boy in a Private room, and instructed the boy's Patikul Police Guards not to let anyone get near the almost dying patient, except his family.
She had also asked the Mayor of Patikul to extend assistance to the patient. And it was granted.
She stayed with the boy during his operation and got blood donors for the boy, who needed continuous blood supply. The blood was almost completely drained from his body.
After being unconscious for 16 hours, the boy woke up, and looked at his angel: "Anti', di' ta kaw tuud kabayaran," said the boy crying.
The mother approached Ka' Dadang: "Magsukul, Inda', sin tiyabangan mu kami, magbuhi' balik ha anak namu," said the mother hugging Ka' Dadang.
The boy is now second year high school and already happily married to his fiancee, whom he had asked for marriage while he was laying dying at the hospital.
He said that time: "Tiyauna na kami, Ama' Ina', misan aku matay na, bang man in kami nakawin na."
The military had hit the boy at the back in the boy's own farm while he was trying to complete his dowry to his fiancee.
So you say that first impression lasts? Not all the time right?
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| Ka' Dadang and her Team of Selfless Civilian Warriors in Sulu. |
