Day 123: Forty Years on a Borrowed Lot

Dialogue

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1. 1
   A

   O, Attorney, ano'ng sabi ng huwes? Puro Ingles, pangalan ko lang ang naintindihan ko.

   So, Attorney, what did the judge say? It was all in English; my name's the only thing I understood.

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2. 2
   B

   Mang Emong, hindi po pabor sa atin ang desisyon. Paaalisin po kayo, pero puwede pa tayong umapela sa loob ng labinlimang araw.

   Mang Emong, the decision didn't go our way. You'll be evicted, but we can still appeal within fifteen days.

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3. 3
   A

   Paaalisin? Apatnapung taon ako roon. Ako ang nagtayo ng bahay, at kinarga ko pa ang mga anak ni Don Vicente.

   Evicted? I've lived there forty years. I built that house, and I used to carry Don Vicente's children in my arms.

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4. 4
   B

   Sinabi ko po iyan sa huwes. Pero "by tolerance" po ang tawag ng batas: pinayagan lang kayo, kaya puwedeng bawiin.

   I told the judge that. But the law calls it living there "by tolerance": you were only allowed to stay, so the permission can be taken back.

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5. 5
   A

   Pinayagan? Sabi ni Don Vicente, "Emong, sa iyo na 'yan habambuhay." Hindi ba batas ang pangako ng patay?

   Allowed? Don Vicente told me, "Emong, it's yours for life." Isn't a dead man's promise the law?

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6. 6
   B

   Kung may papel po sana. Salita po ninyo laban sa titulo nila, at titulo ang tinitingnan ng korte.

   If only there were a piece of paper. It's your word against their title, and the court looks at the title.

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7. 7
   A

   E 'yung bahay ko, akin ba 'yon o sa kanila na rin?

   And my house, is it mine, or is that theirs too?

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8. 8
   B

   Sa inyo po ang bahay, hindi ang lupa. Puwede po nating hilinging bayaran kayo, pero walang garantiya.

   The house is yours, the land isn't. We can ask that you be paid for it, but there's no guarantee.

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9. 9
   A

   Kung mag-apela tayo, mananalo ba tayo? Oo o hindi lang, Attorney, matanda na ako para sa "siguro."

   If we appeal, will we win? Just yes or no, Attorney, I'm too old for "maybe."

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10. 10
    B

    Hindi ko po alam, at ayokong magsinungaling. May butas po ang desisyon, at may paraan pang manatili kayo habang nakaapela.

    I don't know, and I won't lie to you. The decision has holes, and there are ways for you to stay while it's on appeal.

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11. 11
    A

    Labinlimang araw. Iapela mo, hindi dahil mananalo tayo, kundi para malaman ng mga batang 'yon na may tumutol.

    Fifteen days. File the appeal, not because we'll win, but so those kids know someone stood up to them.

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12. 12
    B

    Ihahain ko po bukas na bukas. Ihahatid ko na po kayo; gusto kong makita ang bahay na itinayo ninyo.

    I'll file it first thing tomorrow. Let me take you home now; I want to see the house you built.

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