Kalsada is place where gays truly belong.

Mark, 23, laughed with his friends when they teased him how – as a young gay boy – his father used to palo (hit) him.

“Concerned lang siya sa akin (He’s just concerned with me),” he justified, adding that he feels no bitterness towards his father now as an adult. In fact, having graduated from college already, he wants to find employment overseas “so I can look after my parents.”

“Is it hard having strict parents?” he was asked.

He was quiet for a while. Then: “Hindi ako masyadong gala (I choose not to go out often),” he said, thinking his choosing not to leave the house won’t aggravate his parents.

“Pero dito sa kalsada, naging siya siya (But here in the streets, he becomes the real him),” a neighbor butted in.

Mark laughed again, and then said: “True!”

source: Speak Carabao

Age doesn't matter when you're starving.

Diesel St., Palanan, Makati. - "Dalawang taon na akong nagbibenta ng tinapay (I've been selling bread for two years now)," Chris said. "Pero dati, panadero ako; ako gumagawa ng binebenta (But before, I was a baker; I made what's being sold)."

"Malakas ba ang benta (You earn well)?" "Ayos lang;

kahit paano may napapadala ako sa magulang ko sa probinsiya (It's okay; at least I am able to send money to my parents in the province)." Then, as he was wrapping bread for a buyer: "Onse pa kapatid ko; dose kami magkakapatid; pang-anim ako. Kailangan tumulong (I have 11 siblings; there are 12 of us; I'm the sixth. I need to help out)."

"Teka, ilang taon ka na ba (Wait, how old are you again)?" he was asked.

"Sixteen."

"Ang bata mo pa pala (You are still very young)!"

He smirked. "Walang bata sa gutom. Kaya kayod lang nang kayod (Age doesn't matter when you're starving. So just work)." source: Speak Carabao