Sugmat by Corazon Almeriono: A Critical Review

In Corazon M. Almerino’s short story “Sugmat” depicts the life of a mother who is suffering
from peripartum depression after giving birth to a child.

The story began with the parents, Chona and Boyet who were living at California to work
as teachers in Special Education. Due to the chaos in the place, they decided to move to
Downtown since they have also decided to have a child. Every Wednesday morning, they
would stop by in the church to ask Birhen sa Guadalupe for their desire to have a child.
On the month of April, Chona didn’t had her period. With that, Boyet brought her to the
hospital to have her check-up and she was confined as 4 weeks old pregnant. In the midst
of their joy, Chona felt the pain and struggle of baring the child on her stomach.

After months of pain suffering, the time has finally come for Chona to deliver her child.
However, it was said to be premature interpreted by Dr. Bates. The name of the child was
Dodong, the child was blind and had severe complications but his situation was never a
hindrance from Chona and Boyet to love their child as it is. Boyet, the father of Dodong
was on the critical stage of life because of sickness. He had a Tumor on his Sigmoid Colon
which gave him less chances to survive. Boyet would feel the anxiety, and hopeless in his
stage of suffering with his illness and made him decide to die. Boyet desperately asked
her wife, Chona to kill him instead by overdosing him with pills and would not let anyone
touch his body to make his wife unconvinced with the said crime. However, his wife did
not agreed upon his favor that’s why Boyet was brought to his doctor to inform him about
Boyet’s desire to die. Chona was so desperate in begging for a second option in the
situation of Boyet, but there wasn’t any chance anymore.

Boyet finally passed away leaving the tape recordings for his son Dodong to listen to.

The critical proposition is supported by the Affective Literary Criticism which states that it is
a reader’s response to a story and emphasizes more to the given emotion after reading the
short story of Corazon Almerino’s “Sugmat”.

“We checked his eyes, and the results didn’t look good. The disease has severely affected the
retina.” This statement illustrates the painful truth that the doctor have said regarding the
situation of her son, I could feel the pain that Chona have felt though she was lucky to have a
child but at the very core of her, it wasn’t also at ease for her part.

“I want a second opinion!” Chona was begging for an another option for her husband Boyet to
survive with the critical situation. The unconditional love of a wife to her husband was totally
shown in the story to the extent of being desperate. Knowing the fact the losing a loved one
is never easy.

“Mobalhin na mi sa sunod buwan. Bag-ong dapit. Magsugod na ko og panghagpat kon unsa ang
akong dad-on, unsay ibilin, unsay tipigan, ug unsa ang angayng buhian.” Chona was in the
midst of mourning but chooses to move forward for the sake of her son Dodong. She decided
to bring the memories for the memories that they had with Boyet and his husband with their
child Dodong is the only thing that have left for her to reminisce and somehow use the tragic
experience as her stepping stone to move on and have a better life with her son Dodong no
matter how painful the situation could be.
In this short story of Corazon Almerino it gave me the significance of life. To my perspective,
life is not just about living at the very good moments, but living at the very tough moments.
In which we can learn and grow from it, out from our comfort. Our experiences can be a
medium to be better as an individual. Just like Chona, it was very hard for her to leave that
place of mourning for her husband who’s now gone but she chose to look at the side of
positivity for her son Dodong to give him a good life. It just means that no matter how brutal
those punches that life has given to you, your choice of pursuing to live every single day is
what matters to survive for tomorrow.
Therefore, ‘Sugmat’ is the story of reality of life. Showing how Chona chooses to live instead
of staying in the situation of hurt on the different challenges she have faced in.

Submitted by:
Andreaj Clyde Godin
HUMSS – Weber

Submitted to:
Mrs. Thaeney Dominguito
21st Century Literature Teacher