Photo from PABLO's IG

KELAN

It's a question that all of us ask ourselves. When? When will things start to get better? When will our suffering end? When can we say that we made it? All these questions could go on for our entire lives without answers. So why have these questions at all? Even that question doesn't have an answer.

Life is a constant uncertainty. Even a simple, seemingly routine act such as going out of our house could set out a domino of events that may change our lives forever. Everything could end in just a blink of an eye, and we shouldn't focus on things we can't control. Life is supposed to be enjoyed, but how could we if we are facing struggles at every turn? Questioning life is the one thing we have the freedom to do that no one could actually take away from us, yet even this gloomy act became something hopeful because of Pablo's lyricism.

Kailan ba ako magiging payapa? (Kailan?)

'Di na nga yata

Ako ang taya simula pagkabata

Habulan sa utak ko na mahilig gumala (Uh)

Kahapon ay hindi na lumipas, 'di ko rin alam kung meron pang bukas

Pilit nga na nangangapa sa laman ngang wala naman nang lunas

Naging matalik na kaibigan ng dilim, liwanag ang kaniyang lihim

Sinubukang alamin saloobin, tumingin sa salamin

Ngayon ano'ng aking gagawin? Ito ay kapit sa patalim

Paano mo haharapin ang takot mo kung pagtingin sa salamin nakangiti ikaw pa rin?

When will there ever be peace? We must have asked this question ourselves many times and got frustrated when we couldn't get an answer. It feels like our minds are in a never-ending race, chasing a thought that had long passed or would never ever be. In this song, Pablo acknowledges that some people find peace in the darkness. These are the people who allow the darkness to swallow them whole because, in the darkness, they find solace and safety. Although we would indeed encounter people throughout our lives who would do everything they can to destroy us from the inside out, often, it's ourselves that causes our downfall. 

'Di mo na kailangan na magkunyaring iba

Alam naman natin na mas komportable ka

Sa walang sana, walang dismaya, makatotohanan lang, walang iba

Buksan mo ang iyong isipan, kakitira'y gawing kalawakan

Ang katotohana'y 'yong nahahawakan, tuparin ang napanaginipan

That's right, play hanggang sa dulo, uh, mayday, panay peligro

But someday, maitotono ko rin ang buhay ko na 'di sintunado, sing

Kelan is the song that acknowledges the truth that life would never be easy, but also gives us the push we badly need. Due to Pablo's brilliant lyricism, he can create songs that pull out the darkest memories from our past and force us to face them head-on. He will make us cry, break our hearts, throw our minds back into that abyss we tried so hard to escape, but he won't leave us there. He would walk through hell with us and help us find our way. He is like the deity of truth that humans would see as cruel because he would force them to face reality, but in the end, they would realize that it was exactly what they needed.

Kailan ba tunay na sasaya?

Maging malaya sa takot at pangamba

Ah, nah, yeah, yeah

Dami nang pinagdaanan

Na 'di ko inaasahan na malalagpasan

Ah, nah, yeah, yeah (Yeah, ayy)

Ipipikit ko ang aking mata't

Mananalangin sa mahabaging Ama

Ah, nah, yeah, yeah, yeah, woah (Kailan?)

Kailan ba tunay na sasaya?

Maging malaya sa takot at pangamba

Ah, nah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah (Yeah)

This chorus is both sad and full of hope. The question of when will we ever be happy and free of our fears is a terrifying thought because no one will ever be able to figure out the answer. All we can do is hope and pray for a better tomorrow that might never come, but Pablo and his power with words balanced the sadness with the assurance that there's something better out there. His faith, as he once said, helped him in so many ways and it shows in almost all the songs he wrote, whether be it for the group or for himself. For many people, the realization that God is looking out, helping people in ways that we may not even imagine, is the only reason they are still fighting.

Kailan ba ako tunay na sasaya?

Tuluyan nang nawawala'ng aking pag-asa

Ipipikit ko ang aking mga mata

Mahabaging Ama, kailan ba?

Oh, kailan ba? Kailan ba? Kailan ba?

Kailan?

Even in his darkest hours, it's God who held Pablo's hands and carried him through the light. We all need to see what he saw in that moment. If not because of God, the people that truly care for us. A loving mother, a caring father, a supportive sibling who is loyal to a fault, or a friend who would always be there when you need someone, anyone who truly cares for us is our light, our guide. Having just one person is enough to know that there's still a reason to keep going.

For us, Hatdogs and A'tin, we are blessed because we have Pablo who understands what we're going through. A person who would always know the right words to say to give us hope. With him, we know that we are not alone. It is unfair for us to put the responsibility on his shoulders, but it's the truth. Whether you're a Hatdog, BBQ, Berry, Mais, or Sisiw, you would be lying to say that Pablo's lyricism had never touched your heart one way or another. He is our savior even if he doesn't know it.