Bilog na Hugis Itlog - Sexbomb Dancers

Guys, I just remembered writing about this song to let you know how busy I was the previous weeks before Christmas. A team was tasked to survey the polling precincts in relation to the forthcoming Philippine 2010 Presidential election and beyond (because Senators, Congressmen down to th town level of Mayor and Councilors will be voted.) I was fortunate to be chosen as one of the site surveyors. So we go to COMELEC for the briefing and how to do's then off we go to the polling precincts.

We were just there to check the road condition, signal condition (of Globe, Smart and Suncell networks) lighting condition and if there is reliable power supply in the area. Well, I thought it was that easy. What went wrong? Oh boy! I was confronted with a lot of questions starting from school authorities to classroom custodians including the tricycle driver I hired to bring me to those places.

There I saw first hand, the fear/anxiety/doubts of my kababayans (Town-mates) towards the idea of automated election. There were few who quite understood what was going on. In fact, some claimed that they got idea regarding the election from this Sexbomb Dancers' song (applause). At least now we know that indeed some learn from the song. I'd say if one is keen enough to understand and perhaps arm himself/herself with a little knowledge on what automated election is about, there would be no need to worry.

That's what I did. Our survey work wasn't really full time. My preparations was full time. I searched for all the materials I needed in order to give a little bit of information I know about the automated election. Somehow. I was able to enlighten a few of them who were initially adamant on the subject.

There was mixed reaction, as I've said. Some teachers were very eager to have their designated classrooms be surveyed. There are those who hesitated. There was this one school principal who passed me to a subordinate and directed the latter to show me those rooms but later on requested that the subordinated wronged in assigning the room thus requested that I redo the survey. Oh boy. Too good I have the option not to do it since the principal signed my survey form anyway. If travel allowance permits, why not. Anyway, as I have read and as what I explained to those who asked me how is this automated election, I just told them, it's like taking the board exam where you will just shade the circle corresponding to your most worthy candidate then pass the paper on to a machine (or an election inspector will assist you on that -not sure) but that was basically what I shared with them. Comes tomorrow, my survey work will continue.

Prior to that, let me explain how my translation below will proceed. "Bilog" is a general term that refer to something that is circle or round or a shape that has no edge. "Itlog" is an egg. To my knowledge, before the word "oblong" (oval) came to being, Filipinos first referred to the egg whose shape is oval as oval. I say this because I used to refer to the egg when I encountered the word "oval" when I was still in grade school. The egg-shape stuck to my mind. Charged to experience, here now is my translation of the song Bilog na Hugis Itlog (Round/Circle that is egg-shape)

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May bilog, may bilog na hugis itlog (There is a circle, there is a circle that is egg-shape)
Mare, mare* (See details below)
May ikukuwento ako sa ‘yo, puwede? (I have a story to tell you, can be?)
Oo naman mare! Puwede! (Of course you can)
Simula na po ang automation (It's the start of automation)
Sa darating na twenty ten elections (This coming 2010 elections)
Sa automation bibilis (in automation, will speed-up)
bibilis ang bilangan (will speed-up the counting)
Kaya lalong dapat nating bantayan (So the more we should carefull watch)
Nasa balota na mga pangalan (in the ballots are the names that)
ng kandidatong pagpipilian (of candidates to chose from)
Alamin na po natin ang automation (Let us know the automation)
Paano nga ba’ng gagawin? (How to do it?)
Ano bagong instruction? (What is the instruction?)
May bilog, may bilog na hugis itlog (There is a circle, there is a circle that is egg-shape)
May bilog, may bilog na hugis itlog (There is a circle, there is a circle that is egg-shape)
Ang kailangan sa bilog (What you need to do with the circle)
ay simpleng-simple lang (is very simple)
Itiman, i-shade loob** ng bilog (Blacken, shade the inside of the circle)
Hanapin ang bilog sa tapat ng pangalan (Find the circle in front of the name)
ng kandidatong napupusuan (the candidate of your heart's choice)
Ang bilog, ang bilog (The circle, the circle)
sa tapat ng pangalan (in front of the name)
‘Yan ang dapat nating markahan (That is what we should mark)
Gets mo ba? (Did you get it?)
Gets ko na! (I got it!)
Gets na gets na talaga! (I really got it!)
Computer ang magbabasa ng ating mga balota (The computer will read our ballots)
Kung mali ang pagmarka baka boto mo’y mabasura (If your mark is wrong, your ballots may be invalidated)
Sayaaaang!
Balota mo’y alagaan (Take care of your ballots)
Boto’y makapangyarihan (Your vote is powerful)
Huwag gusutin o dungisan (Don't crumple or blemish)
Upang tiyak na mabilang (So it would be surely counted)
Ang boto mo, boto mo makapangyarihan (Your vote, your vote is powerful)
Pumili tayo ng tuwid ng may paninindigan (Let us choose rightfully and with conviction)
Tunay na lider na magsisilbi sa bayan (True leader that will serve the country)
Yan ang kailangan (That is needed)
Kailangan ng bayan (needed by the country/town)
Isang Presidente, Bise Presidente (A President, a Vice-President)
Mga Senador puwede hanggang dose (Senators up to twelve)
Isang Congressman, at isang Party List lang (A Congressman and one party-list only)
Huwag na, huwag nang dagdagan (Never, never add)
Isang Mayor, may Vice Mayor (A mayor, a vice-mayor)
At kung ilang Konsehal ang kailangan (and how many councilors neede)
Isang Gobernador, At kanyang Bise (One Governor and its Vice)
At kung ilang Bokal puwede! (And if how many Board can there be)
Hanapin ang bilog (Find the circle)
Sa tapat ng pangalan (In front of the name)
ng kandidatong napupusuan (of candidate)
Ang bilog, ang bilog (The circle, the cirlce)
Sa tapat ng pangalan (in front of the name)
‘Yan ang dapat nating markahan (That is what we should mark)
May bilog, may bilog na hugis itlog (There is a circle, there is a circle that is egg-shape)
May bilog, may bilog na hugis itlog (There is a circle, there is a circle that is egg-shape)
Ang kailangan sa bilog (What we need to do with the circle)
ay simpleng-simple lang (is very simple
Itiman, i-shade loob ng bilog (Blacken, Shade the inside of the cricle)
Ang loob ng bilog na hugis itlog (The inside of the circle that is egg-shape)
Huwag bibilugan (Do not encircle)
loob ang dapat itiman (The inside should be shaded)
Ang loob ng bilog na hugis itlog (The inside of the circle that is egg-shape)
Aw!!!
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*Mare is pronounced as "mah-reh" which is a nomenclature to a female friend/acquaintance who is the godmother of your son/daughter
**Loob means inside or interior or the space inside the circle.