Buddy— si Budoy sa amin—was my constant companion. Hindi ko alam kung anong gagawin ko noon kung wala siya. You see, I didn’t have much in life. Yung sweldo ko bilang saleslady sa bayan, sakto lang talaga para sa mga pang-araw-araw. But Budoy, he never needed much. He was happy with the little things, and that’s what made him so special.”

We first met when he was just a puppy, wandering near the sari-sari store where I worked. Payat siya, but there was something about him—his bright eyes, his wagging tail—that made me want to take him home. Hindi naman ako makabili ng imported na aso, pero alam ko, si Budoy ang tamang kasama ko sa buhay na ito. So I gave him what I could—a home, kahit maliit, basta kasama niya ako, okay na siya. From that moment on, we were inseparable.”

Budoy was always there, kahit sobrang simple lang ng buhay namin. Kung minsan, kulang ang pera para sa dog food, but I’d make sure to save a little rice and ulam for him. No complaints, no fuss. He was just happy to be near me. ‘Di naman siya maarte—he didn’t need fancy things. He was content with an old slipper (tsinelas) as his toy. Alam ko, sa kanya, masaya na siya basta kasama ako.”

Every morning, he’d sit by the door, waiting for me to finish my cup of kape before we’d take a walk by the river. It became our routine, something we both looked forward to. Walang kapares yung saya niya when he’d race along the riverbank, splashing in the water, running back and forth like a kid who couldn’t get enough of life. Sometimes, when I couldn’t afford new toys for him, I’d throw an old slipper, and he’d run after it like it was the best thing in the world. Simple joys lang talaga.”

The funniest thing about Budoy was his love for sunbathing. Kapag mainit na mainit yung araw, he’d find a sunny spot near the bahay kubo, lay there for hours, and nap like he was royalty. It always made me laugh how something so simple could make him so happy. My neighbors used to tease me, saying, ‘Si Budoy, gusto yatang mag-paalala na ‘wag kang magreklamo, masaya sa araw at hangin lang!’ And they were right. Budoy was a reminder to find joy in the simple things.”

Pero kahit ganun siya kasimple, Budoy was also a protector. He may not have been the biggest dog, but he had the biggest heart. He always knew when I was feeling down, and he’d quietly sit beside me, resting his head on my lap, as if to say, ‘Kaya mo yan.’ And I knew he was right. As long as Budoy was with me, I felt safe. I felt loved.”

He had this way of brightening even the hardest of days. ‘Di ko talaga alam kung paano ko nalampasan yung mga problema ko noon, pero dahil kay Budoy, mas kinaya ko. Sa gabi, after a long day at work, lagi niyang hinihintay na umuwi ako, as if he was the one holding the fort while I was gone. Para ko na rin siyang anak.”

But the years passed too quickly. Before I knew it, Budoy had grown older, his energy a little less, his walks a little slower. But his love, his companionship—it never wavered. He was there for me, until the very end. On his last day, he rested his head on my lap, just like always, as if to say goodbye. I held him close and whispered, ‘Salamat, Budoy, sa lahat.’ I told him that he was the best part of my life, and I hoped I made his life as happy as he made mine.”

Buddy, si Budoy, was never just a dog. He was my family, my friend, my protector. We may not have had much in this world, but what we had was enough. I will always remember him, running by the river, basking in the sun, happy with an old slipper and the love we shared. Now, when I walk by that same river, I feel him there, wagging his tail, waiting for me to come home. He will always be my sunshine, my Budoy. Sa puso ko, hindi siya mawawala.