Above All, Blood is thicker than Water

N: [In Ifugao province, lives a family that possesses a magnificent home where
happiness, empathy and faith form as the center of their bond. Not until Mr. and Mrs.
Mercado made their work as a center of their life and the Mercado Twin learn to adopt
the bad side of being competitive and developed attention seeking...]
[ In Mercado’s Residence]

Elleana (Valen): Ma! Look I got perfect score sa History, Math and Arts oh! Ang galing
ko talaga!

Alleana (Shermalyn): So am I! Saakin naman ay sa Filipino, English at Science. Do you

feel proud with my achievement ma?

Mother (Neislyn): *busy writing and did not bother looking at the twin's paper* Yeah!
Syempre naman. Ilapag niyo nalang diyan sa gilid.

N: {The twin put their papers in the table and walk away sadly*

Alleana (Shermalyn): *looks at her sister while walking* Paano ba ‘yan proud daw
saakin si mama *laughs mockingly* ano na Elleana?

Elleana (Valen): *annoyed* So? That doesn’t change the fact na mas mataas average ko
sayo last year.

Alleana (Shermalyn): *roll eyes* loser! *Walk out*

N: {Alleana proceeds to her room while shaking her head}
N: [The next day in School’s hallway]

Guidance Counselor (Jimson): *walks towards the twin who are busy arguing* Hi girls, I
heard both of you are running for valedictorian this coming graduation. Galingan niyo
pa.

Alleana and Elleana: Talaga Sir?!

Guidance Councelor (Jimson): Yes! So ipagpatuloy niyo ‘yan. Anyways I’ve got things to
do. Mauna na ako. *leave*

N: {Alleana and Elleana look at each then walk in opposite direction}

Elleana (Valen): Akala niya siguro magpapatalo ako sakanya , asa siya.

Alleana (Shermalyn: I am better, nasaakin ang atensyon ni Mama at Papa. Dapat mas
lamang ako lagi. Tsk pathetic

N: {As days went by, the twins kept on competing. Both are not aware of the fact they
hurt each other’s feelings.}
[Elleana's room]

Elleana (Valen): *talks to herself* I don’t know what to do, ang hirap kunin ng atensyon
ni Mama at Papa, puro sila trabaho trabaho trabaho. I am expecting na magdadamayan
kami ng kakambal ko but it turns out na gusto niyang mas angat siya lagi which is I don’t
want, hindi ako papayag. *Sighs* This is not good, makapag review na nga lang.

[Alleana's room]

Alleana (Shermalyn): *talks to herself* Akala siguro niya mas angat siya saakin just
because mataas yung average niya ng one-point last year. She is delusional, tignan lang
natin kung kaya niya pa akong angatan once na pinunit ko ang mga accomplishment
niya. *smirk*

N: {Dahil mas maaga ang klase ni Elleana, naiwan mag isa si Alleana sa kanilang Bahay.
Their parents attended ceremony for their work.}

Alleana (Shermalyn): *went to her twin’s room and criticize the works of her twin
sister* Eto na yung sinasabi niyang angat? This is nothing but trash, nababagay lang na
ito ay punitin at ibasura. Hmm eto kaya *raise Elleana’s painting* I heard malaking point
ang maibibigay para sa artwork na ‘to. *Laugh* let’s see.

N: {Umuwi si Elleana to get her artwork dahil naiwan niya ito sa pagmamadali}

Elleana (Valen): *enter her room and rush to find her artwork* nasaan na ba yon? I left
it here kanina. Gosh this is 50% of our performance task! *Realize that it might be her
Twin’s evil work* Please no... mapapatulan ko siya.
N: {Went to her Twin’s Classroom and excused Alleana to the Guidance Councelor}

Elleana (Valen): *holds Alleana’s arm tight* Nasaan yung artwork ko?!

Alleana (Shermalyn): What do you mean? *Aggressively push Elleana's hand* Ano
naman ang pakielam ko sa mga art works mo?!

Elleana (Valen): Ha! Kung may isang gagawa nun agad na papasok sa isip ko yang
pagmumukha mo! Sa sama ba naman ng ugali mo! Nasaan na?! Please kailangan ko yon...
*teary eyed*

Alleana (Shermalyn): Wow! What an accusation! Itong mukhang to nanakawin ang art
works mo? Ni hindi nga maganda yung gawa mo!

Elleana (Valen): Umamin ka din! Nanggaling na mismo sa bunganga mo! Where the hell
did you put my artwork? Umayos ka Alleana!

Alleana (Shermalyn): Wh-what? Wala na! Pinunit at tinapon ko na! *looks away*

Elleana (Valen): *cries* A-ano?... I didn’t know na kaya mong bumaba sa level na yan
para lamang manalo at mapahiya ako kay mama at papa. This is not you, Alleana. Hindi
na kita makilala. I am so disappointed right now! Kakambal ba talaga kita? This will
never be you!

Alleana (Shermalyn): *feeling guilty and started to cry* I’m sorry...

Councelor Jimson: Anong kaguluhan ‘to? The two of you! Go to my office right now!
Students! Go back to you calssroom!
N: {The three proceed to the Guidance Office}

Councelor Jimson: What happened? Bakit kayo nagsisigawan sa Hallway? Hindi na kayo
nahiya sa ibang nagkaklase?

Alleana and Elleana: *with bloodshot eyes, they look at each other*

Councelor Jimson: So hindi kayo magsasalita? *sighs* go back to your classroom.

N: {After the two left. Counselor Jimson call the Parents of the Twin and ask them to
kindly go to school, at his office}

Guidance Counselor: Hi Mrs. Mercado, I’m so glad to finally meet you. Where is your
husband?

Mrs. Mercado ( Neislyn): Good afternoon, sir, I’m sorry my husband is not here, may
inasikaso lang po syang important matters. Bakit nyo po ako ipinatawag? Is there any
problem with my daughters?

Guidance Counselor: Both of your daughter are Smart and active in academic. They are
one of the prides in this university but I’m disapointed because walang gustong
magpalamang sa kanila. My problema ba kayo sa bahay niyo?
Mrs. Mercado (Neislyn): Po? Sir wala naman kaming problema sa bahay and yet sir hindi
naman sila nag aaway sa bahay sir.

Guidance Counselor: I want you to spend your time to your family. Kausapin niyo ang
mga anak nyo dahil kung mag papatuloy ang ganito baka masanay sila na nag
babangayan kahit sa maliit na bagay lang.

Mrs. Mercado (Neislyn): Sige po sir kakausapin namin sila to settle that problem sir.
Thank you so much for your concern and help sir we will make sure this problem is to
be okay

Guidance counselor: Oh Yes thanks also to your time. God bless you.

N: [In Mercado’s Resident]

Mrs. Mercado (Neislyn): Hon? Nasaan ka? *Search for her Husband**Found him* Hon
alam mo ba kakagaling ko sa school ng mga anak mo, ipinatawag ako ng principal nila.

Mr. Mercado (Jerpaul): Ha? Bakit? *Patuloy sa pagkalikot ng loptop na

pinagkakaabalahan*.

Mrs. Mercado (Neislyn): *sighs* Ewan ko sa mga batang yan, habang lumalaki sila di ko
na alam kung anong nangyayari sa kanila as they grow older umiiba na yung ugali nila.
Ahay by the way ikaw na bahala kumausap sa kanila. I have a lot to prepare in my
presentation and I’ll make sure na ako ang mapropromote.

Mr. Mercado (Jerpaul): Sabi ko naman kasi sayo before na let me work for us, mag
focus ka nalng sa mga anak mo.
Mrs. Mercado (Neislyn): You know na ayaw kong gawin yan because I want to proove
myself to my dad na I can be successful without him that hes wrong nung mabuntis ako
ng maaga with our twins. Bakit hindi nalang ikaw yung mag stop para matutukan yung
anak natin, since mas mataas yung sallary ko sayo plus kapag napromote ako may
sallary is 2x more than your sallary.

Mr. Mercado (Jerpaul): So, nasa akin pala yung problema and you are passing your
responsibility to me as a mother?

Mrs. Mercado (Neislyn): No! hindi ko pinapasa ang responsibilities ko sayo as a mother.
Since there's a time na mas busy ka sa trabaho mo then take charge naman ngayon kasi
if you noticed, ikaw ang wala ng time sa kanila kaya ganyan na yung ugali nila. Pag uwi
mo ng bahay deretso ka agad dito sa working office mo to continue your job, hindi mo
man lang sila kinakamusta.

Mr. Mercado (Jerpaul): I have no choice kasi its my part as a father to work hard and
earn more para sa inyo para di mo nalang ako palaging minamaliit.

Mrs. Mercado (Neislyn): Hindi kita minamaliit!

Mr. Mercado (Jerpaul): Minamaliit mo’ko and nasasaktan din ako specialy sa times na
isinusumbat mo sakin yung pagkakaiba ng sallary natin.

Mre. Mercado (Neislyn): Di ba totoo naman! You’re just so sensitive.

Mr. Mercado (Jerpaul): Yes, but you *dinuro ang asawa*, you are so insensitive. Hindi
mo man lang maisip na nanliliit ako every time na sinasabi mo ang mga bagay na yun
sakin. Tapos ang gusto mong mangyari is ako ang gumawa ng mga responsibilidad mo
bilang ina para lalo mo pang maliitin! No that will never happen, never!

Mrs. Mercado (Neislyn): Youree so selfish and how dare you na sabihin sakin yan, they
need you as their father and all this time ganon yung iniisip mo sakin. Wala akong
masamang meaning talking about our salary. I’m just telling you na magpaubaya ka muna
because I have a goal to prove to my dad na mali siya... mali siya sa mga sinasabi niya.
Mr. Mercado (Jerpaul): *Nanggagalaiti sa galit* alam mo sa ating dalawa ikaw! *point at
his wife* Ikaw ang selfish kasi puro yan nalang kasi ang nasa isip mo! *About to slap his
wife*

Mrs. Mercado (Neislyn): *Sinampal si Jerpaul* How dare you to tell me that! Alam mo sa
lahat ng tao, ikaw yung inaasahan kong makakaintindi sakin. But hindi pala plus you're
thinking na minamaliit kita namimissinterpret mo nalang ako lagi, hindi naman mahirap
yung pinagapagawa ko say.I just want na maging Ama ka nmn sa mga anak natin they
need you as their father also hindi lng sa mga bagay na naibibigay mo *crying*.

Mr. Mercado (Jerpaul): *natauhan at hinawakan ang braso ng asawa* I am sorry, I was
being insensitive. Please forgive me... *sighs* Let’s talk to our daughter *comforts
Neislyn*.

N: [ After Mr. Mercado comforts his wife, he proceeds to call the twin who are angry
with each other and comand them to go to their dining room]

Mr. Mercado (Jerpaul): Alleana... Elleana... Anong problema? Pinatawag ang Mama niyo
kanina sa School. Kinausap ng Counselor ang Mama niyo about sa naging away niyo.
What happened mga hija?

Elleana (Valen): *starts to cry* I have no problem, Papa... kaso dati yon.. not until you
and mama focus on your work *accusing look*. Hindi ko mawari kung multo lang ba
kami dito sa Bahay, aside sa plastic na mga compliment niyo eh ang kakambal ko na
napakalaki ng galit saakin to the point na kaya niyang sirain yung mga pinaghirapan ko.

Alleana (Shermalyn): *looks at Elleana* I am deeply sorry for what I have done Elli,
*hold her twins' hand* it is just that I am triggered, though walang magandang dahilan
para gawin yung bagay na yon. To you mama and papa *accusing look* ginawa niyong
Buhay ang trabaho niyo. Kailangan pa naming magpabida para lamang mapansin niyo.
Mrs. Mercado (Neislyn): First, I want to apologize to both of you, for being an
insensitive mother. I didn’t mean to make you feel na mas mahal ko ang trabaho namin
kaysa sainyo. Gusto ko lang na maibigay o maipafeel sainyo yung mga bagay na gusto
niyo without us worrying na baka maubos ang pamana saamin. Patawarin niyo sana kami
ng Papa niyo mga anak. *already crying then looks to her twin*

Mr. Mercado (Jerpaul): Tama ang mama niyo, I apologize because I think I failed as your
father. *look down*

Elleana (Valen): Pa, don’t say that. You did not fail to be our father so do you ma, yes
you two made us feel neglected but we know that you are doing things that feel right.

Alleana (Shermalyn): Yes, ma and pa, we are wrong for looking at each other as
competitors, na gusto namin na may mas angat. We are at fault too.

Mr. Mercado (Jerpaul): Mga anak we will be better, I will be better for our family.
Nagkakamali tayo at natututo. Magsisilbi itong lekyson para saatin. Hayst I miss this
peace.

Neislyn, Valen, Shermalyn: so am I *laughs*

[THE END]