i got my driver's license today. but that's not the story. the real story--stories, rather, are about three women who have touched me in one way or another. i'll probably never see them again in my life.


janice
janice is 26 years old and is working for a manufacturing company in makati. she's been with her boyfriend for 9 years already and it is not surprising to hear that they are already talking about the M-word. the unusual thing is that it's the guy who wants to get married already. janice, on the other hand, does not feel that they are ready.

the others thought that i'm older than her.


emma
emma is a single mother. when she was already in labor, they made her walk across the hospital barely naked and holding the IV. she gave birth in the general ward (not sure if this is the term) of the hospital.

she chats online to meet "men" who mostly want to have cybersex. she met her boyfriend because she was so irritated at the sleazy internet guys who keep asking her to have sex on the internet (as freaky and geeky as it may sound) and typed something like "wala na bang matinong lalaki dito? puro na lang sex!". her would-be boyfriend replied, and they've been "together" for 2 years.


lilibeth
lilibeth is the 3rd of 9 children from sorsogon. she's the breadwinner of their family and also the one who put her siblings to school.

she gave birth prematurely at 7 months. her daughter was put in an incubator for 2 months. she believes that her daughter, now 8 years old, is a gift from god. lilibeth strongly believes in the power of faith and family.

she went to japan, became fluent in nihonggo, and is now happily married to a japanese guy. she finds the philippines depressing and other countries clean, disciplined and efficient. in a few days, she and her family will fly off to japan to live there for good.

she thinks the right marrying age is 30.

(she also thinks that i'm pretty. hehe.)