Elesa

Chapter 17

Naglalakad ako ngayon papasok ng K.O.R building at sa sobrang sama ng timplada ko, hindi na ako binati ng butihing security guard.

Alam na alam na niya na ang the best way para makatulong sa akin pag ganitong once in a blue high tide moon ako dumating ng headquarters na mukhang susugod sa giyera.

And yes, I am on a warpath today.

Una sa lahat, pagod ako kahapon sa paglilipat sa bago kong condominium unit sa Grand Hyatt Residences. Inabot na kami ni baks ng alas dyis ng gabi sa pag-aayos bago bumorlogs.

Pangalawa, ang aga-aga eh tumawag ang isa sa mga big bosses ng K.O.R kasi meron daw emergency meeting regarding sa Kyria Ang at alam ko na ang balak kong total rebranding at changing ng format ang pag-uusapan.

Last and definitely not the very least, nabalitaan ko kay baks na ayon daw sa chuchu niya sa higher-ups, wala daw balak makipagbargain sa akin ang aming mga amo. They don’t want to change anything sa isa sa kanilang cash cow dahil baka mawalan ng kita ang mga stockholders.

Ang meeting ay sa top floor ng PBCom tower where our headquarters are located.

Fifty second floor ng gusali at namataan ko na ang kaibigan ko na nag-aabang sa tabi ng lift exclusively used by the excecutives for access sa higher floors ng building.

Hindi ko inimikan si baks, bagkos ay tahimik kong tinap sa elevator security lock ang i.d ko at automatic na nag-set ito sa fifty second floor at inintay ko na magbukas ang pintuan.

When it did, wala itong laman at akmang hahakbang na ako paloob pero biglang nagsalita ang aking nag-iisang tunay na kaibigan sa trabaho kong ito.

“Give them hell for me, sis,” bulong nito sabay abot ng isang white folder sa akin.

Napatawa naman ako sa bulong nya at ngumisi deviously as I shook my head slowly after accepting it, “I will do you one better, baks. I will bring them there.”

She raised her head and began walking away confidently as a way of saying na kayang-kaya ko nang mag-isa ito without her help like before.

Pumasok na ako sa loob at hinintay na magsara ang pinto.

When it did, huminga ako ng malalim as I steel myself.

This is the first time na haharap ako sa mga big bosses without Caileane by my side.

Usually, siya ang nagsasalita para sa akin at my behest since hindi ko pa gamay makipagharapan mag-isa sa aming mga amo to negotiate my standing sa kumpanya.

But now, dahil sa sobrang galit at bwisit ko, alam na ni baks kaya ko nang mamburaot mag-isa without her help.

She taught me well.

Huwag papatalo, don’t you dare give them an inch because if you did, you already lost.

Kailangang ako ang kumontrol sa meeting at hindi sila. She also drilled in my head that they need us more than we need them.

Iisa kami sa iilang money-maker ng kumpanya kung saan they are not hemorrhaging money just to keep on-air.

Aside from paying our keep, we are bringing in truckloads of money for them while only taking a pitiful percentage of what we earned for ourselves.

I let that last piece of fact burn in my heart as I try to keep a poker face dahil isa iyon sa mga pinaka-importanteng turo ng kaibigan ko.

Use your anger not as a way to vent out but as a tool to make others bow before you. 

It is not that nangangarapal kami or anything pero pag ganitong nasa tama kami at kami ung pinatutungo ng wala sa lugar, magkakalabasan na dapat ng mga alas.

Kaya pala urauradang pinakilala sa akin ni baks si Mila kahapon. Since Friday pa pala niya alam na may ganitong eksena na magaganap and she made sure na all set na ako come what may.

Hindi na ako nag-abalang mag-inarte dahil hindi niya sinabi agad sa akin. Alam na alam kasi niya na nawawalan ako ng focus pag galit ako.

Ang atensyon ko ay nandun lang sa isang single thing na kinakabwisitan ko and nothing else matters.

Wala ako magagawang productive at all sa oras ko as long as may iniisip akong problema.

If she told me immediately ng Friday, buong weekend akong magkukulong sa bodega ko at alam niyang kahit siya ay hindi ako mapapabalas sa kweba ko.

Kaya minabuti niyang hayaan ang human resource mismo ang tumawag sa akin kanina to inform but not trully letting me to face the bosses unprepared.

Dahil nga advance na niyang nalaman itong balak na last-minute ditch attempt ng mga amo namin para patigilin ang total rebranding ng show ko, she already gathered as early as Friday morning lahat ng kakailanganin kong mga papeles to defend myself and my creative independence.

Kaya pala hapon na umuwi noon si baks.

She did all the hardwork for me before I even know what the heck is going to happen at all.

Lahat ng ginawa niya ay nandito sa folder na hawak ko and all I have to do is slap them one by one sa pagmumukha ng mga excecutives para maglubay sila.

Finally ay nakarating na din ako sa top floor at paglabas na paglabas ko ng elevator ay bumungad sa akin ang nag-aabang na Chief Human Resource Officer in a pristine and crisp blazer and well kept hair na pinagmukhang pugad ng uwak ang ulo ko right now.

“I think this the first time we ever meet, DJ Kyria. Kahit lagi kang nasa department ko noon para magbenta ng iyong masasarap na pulvoron at juice,” magiliw na bungad ng maaliwalas na mukha ng excecutive sa akin sabay abot ng kaniyang kanang kamay na tinanggap ko naman agad out of surprise by her cordial demeanor, “Edna Suarez, Chief Human Resource Officer, nice to finally meet one of our brightest star in the company!”

Tumango naman ako at ngumiti ng kaunti, “The pleasure is mine. Now, are you my welcome wagon?”

“Well, kinda. May meeting pa kasi ang ibang executives at medyo na-extend ng very slight ang schedule. Don’t worry, it won’t take more than five minutes max. Hinihintay lang ma-approve ang minutes of the meeting.”

“I see...”

“Well, they also instructed me to inform you about the reasons for the meeting pero let’s skip that part,” sabi nito briskly na nagpakurap sa akin when she winked quickly at me, “After all, I am sure na “brief” ka na ng secretary ko on your way here. Or maybe someone else since pinag early lunch ko siya kanina pa. Silly me.”

So siya pala ang chuchu ni baks sa kaitaasan.

Nice choice, if I do say so myself.

Afterall, walang magdududa sa head ng h.r since in the grand scheme of things, labas ang department niya sa usaping pera when it comes to income.

“Anyways, as I assume you already know by what my “secretary” may have told you, nandito ka para pigilan sa binabalak mong reformat ng Kyria Ang. They will “not” take a no for an answer, DJ Kyria,” halos pabulong while barely moving her lips na warning niya sa akin as she suddenly changed her demeanor to an agressive one to show sa nakatutok na cctv camera na tapos na ang masayang introduction and onto the dirty business na siya as an executive, “I myself am “vehemently” against any change, but let’s not kid ourselves, wala namang bilang ang boses ko. Pero gusto ko lang ipaalala na once you entered the conference room “wala” kang kakampi sa loob.”

I grunted and sighed before glancing at the imposing room, “No need to tell me that.”

“And judging by your stance, mukhang hindi ka papayag magkamatayan man, am I right, DJ Kyria?”

“Nakakahiya sa kaibigan ko kung basta na lang akong gugulong at iiyak when she managed to wrest control of her show years ago on her own. I will not take this lightly and if I fail, I will make sure I will take this damn company down with me, that, I can promise,” maanghang kong wika sa executive na kaharap ko na nagpangiti naman sa kanya despite herself.

“Mukhang dapat kong ipatawag ang isa sa ating mga DJ so I can “stop” her from spreading such rebellious acts against K.O.R,” she said sarcastically before looking at her wristwatch and nodding to herself, “Right, that’s about five minutes already. Let’s get inside, shall we?”

Ngumiti ako at tumango, “After you, Madam Executive. After you.”

-0-

“As I said, we are here not to be as your enemies but to guide you, DJ Kyria,” impatient na paliwanag ng Chief Content Officer sa akin named Harvey, “Pero kailangan mo ding isipin na malamang sa malamang ay career suicide ang gagawin mo when you revert your show to its original formatting.”

Tumango naman ang Chief Compliance Officer na kung hindi ako nagkakamali ay Linda ang pangalan, “What Harvey said. Let me just remind you na hindi lang regional ang reach ng Kyria Ang. It is broadcasted not just nationally but abroad as well sa Filipino diaspora sa iba’t ibang bansa. You must think of the consequences should things go south.”

“The effect of this catastrophe in the making on our balance sheets is disastrous to say the least,” sangat naman ni Trey, ang Chief Financial Officer as he pointed the graph at the wall projector showing na almost sixteen percent ng total income ng kumpanya ay sa show ko nakaasa, “If we lose the base listeners of DJ Kyria, we will dip in the red, folks at sinasabi ko na ngayon na mahirap makaahon sa hukay when it’s above six percent losses. It could take years for us to be profitable again!”

Bumuntong hininga naman si Sir Charles, ang Chief Excecutive Officer at ang very same big boss na nakiusap na mag livestream ako noon.

He can be kind and fatherly pero as a veteran businessman, mas pinapahalagahan niya ang health ng stocks ng kumpanya at masasabi ng mga shareholders about the profits and nothing else.

“I know na matagal ka na naming DJ, Kyria and I personally saw you and your show grew over the years of your stay at my company magnificently. But this is also the perfect time for you to realize na parte ka ng isang grupo. Kyria Ang and DJ Kyria may just be one DJ and her show, pero realistically speaking, madaming mga non-performing shows ang naka-asa sa show mo,” lumingon siya sa Chief Operating Officer called Dina at tumango as she moved on to the next slide showing Kyria Ang at the top and to my pleasant surprise, almost two dozen regional shows na under nito, “As you can see, covered ng kinikita ng Kyria Ang ang mga regional subunits natin sa buong pilipinas. If something goes amiss, maaapektuhan silang lahat and that may result to job loss.”

Ay wait, teka lang, stop in the name of baks.

Bakit parang kargo de konsensya ko pa mangyayari sa nakasilong sa payong ko eh samantalang ung kumpanya naman mismo ang hindi namimigay ng mga payong in the first place para lahat meron?

Eto na nga ba sinasabi ni sis eh.

Yung tipong gagalitin, sisisihin at next surely is...

“Kyria Ang exceeded all our expectations through the years, DJ Kyria. Unlike other shows besides DJ Caileane’s, upward lagi ang trend ng statistics ng surveys ng show mo year on year. Isa nga ito kasama ng Power Fact Workout sa gagawin naming new face of K.O.R this year kasabay ng eleksyon,” sunod agad ng Chief Advertising Officer sa C.E.O smoothly as if to butter my biscuit obviously.

...pupurihin.

How pathetically predictable.

It’s also quite sad na kung sakto pa din ang prediction ni baks, it only means one thing.

Ganoon pa din ang corporate environment ng mga executives, save for one, years after si sis naman ang nasa kinauupuan ko ngayon noon.

Kung nagagawa nila ito sa ibang DJs, well, ibahin niya ako. Hindi ako basta na lang nakabuntot kay Caileane.

I am on the receiving end of her lessons and tips kung paano ihandle ang ganitong mga sitwasyon.

May ibang DJs na nagsasabi na bad influence daw si baks at wala akong kakapulutang matitino mula sa kanya at all and while I admit that very few of her advices, especially pertaining on how to get a love life, ay medyo tagilid, I can safely say na wala akong napulot na hindi ko napapakinabangan sa kanya when it comes to life hacks and workplace strategies.

“Remember sis, block everything that is useless sa goal mo. Kung ano ano pa sasabihin ng mga damuhong mga iyon sa iyo to put you down but don’t let them kawawain ang iyong dangal at puri, just show them your pukingina feslak. Dedma walking lang, Elesa!”

“...so we need you to sign these papers stating that you will be willing to forego the reformatting of Kyria Ang until we deemed to see it fit in exchange for a pay rasie...”

Napakurap ako sa papel na ibinaba sa akin ni Edna na tinitigan ako knowingly as if to tell me it’s my cue.

And boy am I ready for this.

Tinitigan ko lang seriously ang papel sa harap ko for a second and smiled serenely.

“Since no choice na din naman ako at hindi na din ako nakapagsalita at all, there is only one thing left to do,” kinuha ko ang ball pen na inabot kasabay ng kontrata at ang akala ng mga obob ay sa papel na binigay ako na pipirma but then I opened the folder I am carrying immediately and pulled out the piece of paper na hinanda ni baks para sa akin at doon ako pumirma, “Resignation signed and effective immediately. It’s nice working with you all people.”

“Wait, what?!”

“Hah?! Bakit?!”

“DJ Kyria, what the hell is the meaning of this?!”

Tumingin ako sa mga naeskandalong C.E.O at executives at ngumiti snidely, “Unless hindi na uso ang paper resignation, then I guess I have to explain what that paper is. Ayoko na sa kumpanyang ito kung ganito din ang gagawin niyo sa akin. Ilang taon akong nagtyaga dito and I guess when all has been said, done and computed, quits na ako sa company.”

“You can’t just resign like this! This is against the contract you signed!” gigil na sabi ng Chief Financial Officer but as if on cue, nagtaas ng kamay ang kanina pang tahimik na head ng Human Resource Department to get our attention.

“Actually, about that, according dito sa pinahalungkat niyo sa aking contract ni DJ Kyria, or rather, Elesa Villarin, signed two years ago as per part of her livestream acceptance, it is stipulated here that as part of the agreement between her and our company, she is allowed to immediately render her resignation should she wish to do so if and only if she haven’t requested any pay raise in a span of fiver years.”

Checkmate.