[VERSE 1]
Aking pamilya, nagsisik-sikan
Sa parisukat na papag, aming tahanan
Mga balat nagkiskisan, makahabol manlang ng konting idlip
Para sa bukas na kami ay magsisikap
Kahit mahirap, basta may sipag
Saktong pantawid hindi humilab mga tiyang kumakalam
Nakakawala ng diwa
Ang syudad na may kuko
Kuma-kaskas sa tulad naming lagi nang naka-yuko
Pero, kahit ganun paman ginagapang parin namin ito
Kahit na napapako kami sa krus ng mga pangako
Yung tatay kong nagkamali, pilit na nag babago
Ang penitensya, nagpapadyak kahit sunog na ang batok
Hindi magara ang suot, hindi mabango
Pero lima kaming napapakin nya sa kakarampot
Mumunting kakanin, di manlang namin matikman
Agad na sisingilin, pagka't rekado nito ay utang
Si ate at si kuya ay tumigil mag laro
Kapalit ng barya ang katawan nilalaro
Sa umaga uuwi, nakangiti "ito may kita"
Kala nila na hindi ko pansin, mga luha at mga pasa
Si nanay problemado, di madaan sa paglaba
Mas mahal pa ang sabon ng amo, kesa sa kanya
Sugatan na mga palad, namumula sa hapdi
Inang walang katulad, pinalit lamang sa washing machine
[HOOK]
Kahit ganun pa man ginagapang parin namin ito
Kahit ganun pa man ginagapang parin namin ito
Parisukat na papag oh aming tahanan
Kahit ganun pa man ginagapang parin namin ito
[VERSE 2]
Isang gabing tahimik, tila ba himala
Lahat kami ay nasa bahay, salo-salo sa hapunan
Minsan lang mangyari 'to, mahimbang ba ang tulog ko
Mga ngiting hindi pag-papalit sa kahit na ano
Mga pulis na naka-maskara
Pumasok sa aming tahanan at kami ay tinutukan
Pinaluhod at binantaan na papatayin
Kapag kami ay nag ingay, o pag kami'y hindi umamin
Pangalan ng tatay ko'y binanggit sabay tanong
Adik ka ba? (Hindi) Adik ka ba? (Hindi) Adik ka nga! (Wag po!)
Pilit nilang paratang
Sa tatay kong pagod pumapadyak na lamang
Para kami ay itaguyod kahit na gumagapang
Sunog ang batok sa maghapon, iyon ba'y kasalanan?
Mali na ba na humiling ng aming kalayaan
Sa araw-araw na pagkakulong sa kahirapan?
[Boses ng bata]
Tila ba bumagal ang lahat
Pinapanood ko si itay na dahan dahang bumagsak
At pag-lapag, pula ang ala-alang pininta
Nang kanyang dugo sa parisukat na papag, aming tahanan
Sabi ng pulis, linis nyo yan
Agad siyang umalis
Mga matang nakatitig lang sa numero
Mga matang hindi kami tinuring bilang tao
Pula parin ang papag kung saan siya namatay
Pulang mantsa na alala ng aking itay
--------------ENGLISH TRANSLATION--------------
[VERSE 1]
Our family squeezes together
On a rectangular pallet, our modest home
Sweaty skin rubbing side-by-side, just so we can catch a little sleep
So we can struggle on tomorrow
We may be poor but we work hard
Just enough to get by, just so our rumbling bellies don’t feel pain
This clawed city sucks your soul
Scraping against the backs of the likes of us who are constantly hunched over
Despite everything we crawl, inch-by-inch to survive
Even if we get crucified on the cross of promises
My father made mistakes but he’s trying his best to change
His atonement is to drive a pedicab until his nape is burnt
No fancy clothes, doesn’t smell good
But he’s able to feed five of us with a pittance
Just a little to eat but we can barely taste it
It must be paid right away because it’s cooked from debts
Elder sister and elder brother have stopped going to school
In exchange for loose change they sell their bodies
In the morning they come home smiling, ‘here’s what we earned’
They think I don’t notice the tears and bruises
Mom has a problem, she can’t make ends meet from laundering
Her employer’s soap is more expensive than she is
Her palms are bloody, chapped red from the pain
Mother without peer, replaced by a washing machine
Despite everything we crawl, inch-by-inch to survive
Despite everything we crawl, inch-by-inch to survive
On a rectangular pallet, our modest home
Despite everything we crawl, inch-by-inch to survive
On a fateful night, quiet as a miracle
All of us were home, sharing dinner
This doesn’t happen often, I will surely sleep soundly
With the memory of smiles I will trade for nothing
Cops in masks
Entered our home and stuck guns in our faces
Made us kneel and swore they’d kill us
If we made a sound, or if we didn’t squeal
They said my father’s name and asked
Are you an addict? (No) Are you an addict? (No) You are an addict! (No)
They tried to accuse
My tired father
Pedaling as hard as he can
Just to keep us afloat
Even if he’s crawling
Burnt neck under the sun all day
Is that a crime?
Is it a sin to long for freedom
From the daily fog of hardship
[Child’s voice]
It was as if everything slowed down
I watched my dad slowly falling
And when he hit the ground, the red memory
Of his blood on the rectangular pallet, our modest home
The cops said, clean that up
Leaving quickly
Eyes staring at nothing but a statistic
Eyes that didn’t see us as human
It’s still red, the pallet where he died
A red stain on the memory of my father