Dogeaters

Joey makes a hasty getaway on a crowded jeepney, ominously named “Guilty Mother.” The passengers’ stares make him uneasy, particularly that of an old woman clutching a caged white chicken, which Joey interprets as an ominous sign. He senses the driver’s gaze on him and decides to get off at an intersection. There, he briefly considers going to a church to confess his sins but recalls Uncle’s warning about churches, where nuns allegedly kidnap children. Ultimately, he resolves to seek Uncle’s advice.

At Uncle’s place, Uncle chastises Joey for his reckless actions, worried about being implicated in Senator Avila’s death. However, his curiosity is piqued by the amount of money Joey took from Rainer. Uncle’s temper flares as he reminds Joey of his upbringing and care under his roof. After they drink and take drugs together, Uncle confides that he is dying. Initially anxious, Joey begins to feel more at ease under the influence of the substances, finding comfort in Uncle’s presence. Uncle inquires if Joey can identify the gunman from the assassination, but Joey is uncertain.

Uncle then offers Joey heroin, assuring him of its safety and suggesting he rest. Joey pleads with Uncle not to leave but eventually falls asleep. Meanwhile, Uncle plans to meet Sergeant Planas at a café.

At the café, Uncle approaches Sergeant Planas for help with a matter he claims is vital for national security. He seeks to meet Pepe Carreon, asserting that it will be beneficial for them both.

Joey is jolted awake in a state of sweaty confusion by the sound of a dog barking. Hearing men’s voices outside, Joey concludes that the dog is tied up to prevent his escape, signaling Uncle’s betrayal.

Uncharacteristically, Joey finds himself crying for his mother and apologizing to her. He then scours the shack for anything that might help him escape. He finds a butterfly knife and some canned meat. Disgusted and saddened by Uncle’s pornographic material, he destroys it.

Initially planning to use the meat to distract the dog, Joey, instead lashes out and kills the animal.

Joey slips into the night, intending to find Boy-Boy at Studio 54. Once inside, Joey waits patiently for Boy-Boy to finish his performance.

An excerpt from Jean Mallat’s The Philippines describes Filipino funerary practices in the event of the death of a child. Instead of the family being sad, they are happy their child died without sin.

Daisy is escorted through General Ledesma’s interrogation camp to where General Ledesma and Pepe Carreon are waiting. 

An interrogator named Dindo starts off with seemingly simple, straightforward questions. However, as the session progresses, the questions become increasingly personal and invasive. During the session, the radio plays an episode of Love Letters guest starring Tito Alvarez in the background. A TruCola advertisement interrupts the session briefly, during which General Ledesma makes a pointed comment about Daisy’s father, insinuating that his own actions were responsible for his death.

Daisy is pregnant with Santos Tirador’s child, and the focus of the interrogation shifts to Daisy’s connection with him, particularly his involvement in an attack against PC troops. When she remains unresponsive, Dindo shows her photos of Santos’ dead tortured body. Dindo and the Colonel rape Daisy, saying they plan to torture her and make her dance after.

In an interview, the First Lady discusses her commitment to her country. She removes her shoe to showcase her support for locally made fashion, and she tells the journalist that her favorite color is blue, which symbolizes harmony. As the conversation progresses, she begins to ramble about her beauty, abruptly asking the journalist if he finds her attractive.

The journalist attempts to steer the discussion toward Romeo Rosales, but the First Lady skillfully evades the topic. When the journalist brings up Romeo’s lack of political connections and the mysterious disappearance of his fiancée, Trinidad, the First Lady claims ignorance. She then suggests Romeo was found with the gun linked to Senator Avila’s murder and implies that Trinidad was an accomplice.

When the conversation shifts to Daisy, the First Lady refuses to discuss her, alluding to Daisy’s presence in the mountains.

The First Lady dismisses allegations of corruption, citing her unblemished appearance as evidence of her innocence. She expresses gratitude for her husband’s leadership, claiming that without him, the country would fall into chaos.

The journalist, overwhelmed by her dishonesty and evasion, brings up Senator Avila. The First Lady blames “the left” for his death, insisting she and her husband had tried to warn him.

The First Lady’s evasions eventually overwhelm the journalist, and she becomes momentarily distracted, sketching moons and stars. When the interview ends, she apologizes for her husband’s absence due to a golf engagement.

Boy-Boy has set up a plan for Joey’s safety, but until it’s ready, Joey stays at his apartment. They watch the news together and learn that Daisy Avila has been released. Boy-Boy urges Joey, who is struggling with withdrawal, to quit using drugs. Boy-Boy blindfolds Joey and drives him to an unknown location. Inside a building, Joey meets Lydia, Rudy, and Edgar, all aliases. Edgar interrogates Joey about what he witnessed during the recent events. After Joey recounts his experiences, the group reacts with concern. Joey is blindfolded again and transferred to another vehicle, hidden under blankets, and told to stay still in case they are stopped.

During the drive, Joey falls asleep and dreams that he is overweight; he sees Uncle in the front row and soldiers dancing in soapy uniforms. He envisions being a shower dancer at Studio 54, booed by the crowd, then as a child with his mother, who transforms into Lydia. Andres Alacran appears, calling him a “bad boy.”

Upon waking, Joey finds himself in the mountains, led to a hut with armed guards. After a brief meal, they trek through the jungle to a camp bustling with people, including a beautiful woman.

The woman is revealed to be Clarita, Lydia’s real identity. Aurora, actually Daisy disguise, questions Joey about her father’s murderer. The chapter ends with the revelation that Daisy was released on the condition of self-exile but returned under a new identity. She mourns Santos and their stillborn child and in return, Joey shares a story about his mother that makes Daisy cry.

Delores organizes a farewell luncheon for Mrs. Goldenberg, the wife of the American consul. Together with Pacita, she shops at SPORTEX supermarket for the event. Freddie, recovering from a heart attack, stays home, leading to a dispute between Rio’s parents. 

The Gonzaga family, despite Delores’s distaste for Mrs. Goldenberg, maintains cordial relations with her due to the past assistance from Mr. Goldenberg. Mrs. Goldenberg is displeased about their impending transfer to Saudi Arabia, suspecting antisemitism as the cause. At the luncheon, Pucha flirts with the consul, amusing him but irking his wife.

Rio, experiencing her first menstrual period, impulsively decides to cut her hair short, to Pucha’s disapproval.

Rio reflects on the Gonzaga family history. Uncle Cristobal had financed a genealogy project, but Freddie’s lack of interest means Rio never learns about her paternal great-grandparents. She discovers that Lola’s mother was born out of wedlock to a missionary priest, a family secret that is strictly off-limits for discussion. Rio spends time in the bamboo garden with Lola Narcisa, where she discovers a snakeskin and is reprimanded by her mother for touching it. 

Raul’s life progresses with marriage, children, divorce, a second marriage, and a turn toward spiritualism. Abuelita Socorro passes away and is flown back to Manila for burial, leaving her estate to the church. Pucha endures an abusive marriage with Boomboom Alacran, eventually escaping and filing for divorce. She later remarries a modest man and stays in Manila.

Delores takes Rio to America. When Rio returns, she visits their childhood home against her father’s wishes, finding it dilapidated and abandoned, leaving her with feelings of sadness and loss.

As Rio travels, she struggles with a sense of belonging, feeling rootless. In a dream, she and Raul are luna moths, aimlessly flying, searching for their destiny, symbolizing their ongoing quest for purpose and place in the world.

Pucha writes to Rio in response to the book she’s written about her life and memories of living in the Philippines. Pucha is upset that she has gotten so many facts wrong, including that Pucha never married Boomboom Alacran, their Abuelito and Abuelita are still alive, Lola Narcisa is dead, Raul and his first wife are still together, and Rio’s parents never broke up.

The book ends with a reimagining of the Christian “Our Father” prayer as “Our Mother,” an ode to the Philippines, expressing sorrow and apology. “Kundiman” is a reference to traditional Filipino love songs. These songs historically held a dual significance: They were not only expressions of deep love for the country but also served as subtle and potent acts of resistance against colonization.