Gloc-9

A loving father's recollection of his loving father's sacrifices

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte

Through a virtual interview, rapper-songwriter Gloc-9 relives childhood memories of his father, Orlando Pollisco Sr.

The iconic Filipino rapper, whose real name is Aristotle Pollisco, reminisces about his Tatay Orlando, as he revisits intimate details about.growing up in a poor family from Binangonan, Rizal.

Because his father worked as a mechanic in Saudi Arabia, the young Pollisco and his three siblings were left in the care of their Nanay Blessilda. "Kahit na malayo ang Tatay, lagi kaming nag u-update sa isa't isa - whether it be by letters or, at that time, voice tapes. Si Tatay ang tipo na kahit na nasa malayo, he makes it a point to check on us as often as possible. Syempre, hindi pa katulad ngayon ang accessibility pagdating sa communications noon, pero Tatay always tries his best to check on us."

Pollisco is usually known for his blunt and abrasive lyrics as Gloc-9. His growing up years helped him become one of the best-selling artists of the Philippines' contemporary music scene. "I can say that I grew up in a home and in a time where childhood was filled with interesting stories and experiences, dahil na rin yan sa fact na ang aking tatay ay isang OFW. At ang mga usong laro pa noon ay mga larong kalye. I also grew up in Rizal, which also helped me to have a deep understanding of Tagalog words. Malaking bagay yun sa pagsusulat ko ng aking mga kanta."

When times were really tough, Pollisco remembers his Nanay pawning or selling some of her precious jewelry because none of these could compare to her children's needs. "Ang lagi ko lang nakikita sa mga ganoong sitwasyon ay ang pagmamahal at kagustuhan ng mga magulang upang maitawid ang kanilang pamilya at mga anak sa panahon na bihira ang oportunidad upang kumita."

As brand ambassador for its loyalty program, Pollisco acknowledges what Cebuana Lhuillier has helped inspire through the years, as it was his Nanay's trusted pawnshop each time they went through a rough patch. It was also through Cebuana that his father remitted money from Saudi Arabia.

"I'm happy that  Cebuana has given me the opportunity to thank them - and more importantly, my parents. As a company, Cebuana embodies the spirit of 'diskarte' and 'pagbangon' that I was raised up with."

The Cebuana Lhuillier reward/loyalty program enables its customers to earn points with every transaction made. These points can be used to pay for Cebuana transactions, or even buy mobile phone load. Signing up online for the reward program is free. "The 24K program is a good idea with the pandemic going on. I personally use it whenever I need to transfer money remotely. And I love that I can save on fees because of the points I've earned."

Now that he is a father himself, looking back, we asked him what were some of the misgivings he had as a child that gave him a clearer perspective now on the struggles and victories of life.

"Ngayong ako ay may mga anak na, ngayon lang ako overwhelmed sa mga sakripisyo ng aking Tatay - sa pagtatrabaho niya sa malayo. Kapag aking ilalatag ang mga taon na sya ay nasa Saudi, yun din ang mga taon na nakita ko ang aking mga anak na lumaki at hindi ko kayang ipaliwanag kung gaano kahirap ang hindi ko masaksihan yun."