AN BOKSINGERONG DULING

Kan ako nasa elementarya pa lang, sikat kaidto an kawat na boksing.  Bareta kaidto an boksingrong taga Nabua, si Star Nabus.

            Alagad, nakahampang niya an mas mahusay na boksingero sa saiya. Mas halangkaw asin mas dakula sa saiya. Napaturog si Star Nabua sa ibabaw kan luna.  Poon kaidto dae na siya nagkawat nin boksing. An boksing nagluya man.

            Si manga aki, padagos an kawat. Maski na ngani bako ng sikat an boksing, nagpatahi sinda nin “boxing globes” na gibo sa maong. Igua nin manga maestro , an Physical Education an boot ipadagosan kawat.

            Sarong binatilyo, Grade VI siya an parating gana sa boksing. Bako mman siyang halangkaw. Bako mansiyang dakula alagad fermi siyang gana  sa boksing asin sa pustahan.

            An aki kaya, igua nin kadi-nan asin  gibagamit ini  tanganing Fermi siyang gana. Nagbale siya sa manga kawat nin boksing. Fermi siya an ganador.

            An saiyang deferensya, na ginibo niyang ‘asset’, saro siyand duling. Sa tataramon sa Nabua, siya kilas). Kun kaatubang niya an kalaban , an huna nakaheleng sa too (right) kaya piglilikay niya an parten too kan saiyang hawak. An naheheleng palan kan boksingero, iyo an parting wala (left).Tumba an kalaban. Kun nakaheleng  siya wala  (left) an huna kan kalaban iyo an walang parte kan saiyang hawak an puntirya. An defense niya saw ala. An puntirya palan iyo an too (right) kan saiyang hawak.. Kaya, tumba giraray an kalaban.

            Kaya, an sabi kan ‘coach’ (taga-sanay) sa saioyang boksingero, kun nakaheleng daa an duling o kilas na boksingero  sa wala, idefensa an toong parte kan saiyang hawak. Kun nakaheleng sa too, idefensa an wala.

            Kan mmag-abot an labanan, pighheheleng kan duling an walang parte kan saiyang

Hawak. Kaya ilinikay kan kalabban an too. Aram palan kan duling na boksingero an tugon kan ‘coach’ kaya pinatamaan niya an wala.

            Turog an kalaban.

                                                       -tapos-

Febrero ll, 2019

THE OTHER TIJAM FAMILY

According to Lola Vitong, my grandmother (maternal side), several decades ago before World War I, several business men from Manduriao, Iloilo reached the coastal town of Bulan, Sorsogon. They were selling mosquito nets (kulambo); blanket (kumot na prenela, otherwise known in Bikol as “tamong” and in Rinconada vernacular dialect as “isapoy”).  They were also selling pillow cases and other wares. They heard much of the Bicol Region from other merchants and they decided to come to the Bicol peninsula for good.

It is presumed that they rode in a large sailboat, large enough to accommodate them and their merchandise.  At that time, there were yet no commercial airplanes or any mechanized vessels.  Nobody can ascertain if it was still Spanish time or already American time.

The business men from Manduriao, Iloilo were said to be led by a certain Nicolas Tijam or their elders.  If he was accompanied by a brother or a sister, it was not known.  But he was the proprietor of the business.  He must be moneyed because his son by the name of Teofilo even own the first gasoline station in my town, Nabua, Camarines Sur.  Many of Nicolas’ offsprings also became professionals.  My lolo Felomino and his brothers Ramon and Jose; his sister Natividad who went with Nicolas were poor.

Felomino got married to Victoria Soliven, a sister of the priest in Bulan, Sorsogon, Father Pedro Soliven.  They were from Nabua, Camarines Sur.  Jose was married to a certain Purificacion (family name unknown); Natividad (unknown husband) settled in Daraga, Albay.  Sometime in the 50’s Jose visited them. Another brother who went with Felomino was a certain Ramon.

Lola Vitong further added that Nicolas and Felomino were very close to each other.  The called themselves “Primo”, a Spanish term for “cousin”.  Both of them settled in Nabua, when Padre Pedro died and lola Vitong returned to her home town.

Nicolas Tijam who was married to Concordia Samarista has eight (8) children.  They were Dominador, Nicolas Jr (popularly known as Kulasito); Teofilo, Maria, Tomasa, Purita, Isidoro and Pura.

Felomino and wife Victoria has six (6) children namely, Amparo, Elisa, Guadalupi (Poping), Teofisto, Manuel and Abelardo.For easy understanding, the next page is a diagram of their roots.

Note:

1. There is no record as to the exact date of their arrival to the Bicol Region;

2. There is no record as to the parents of Lolo Nicolas;

3. The exact location of their origin came from Dr.Rufo Tijam Llorin (grandson of Nicolas).  He said he already reached the place.

4. Both Felomino and Jose became employees of the defunct Manila Rail Road (MRR) and now the Philippine National Railways (PNR).

5. According to the GSIS records of Jose Tijam (as supplied by Cielo Fernandez Mallari of the GSIS), the parents of Felomino,  Jose Natividad and Ramon were Benito Tijam and Barbara Trinidad.

Source:

• Dr. Rufo Tijam Llorin

Source of the information about the origin and sons and daughters of Nicolas and Concordia Samarista.

• Romeo Tijam Fernandez

Source of the information about the origin and the sons and daughters of Felomino Tijam and Victoria Soliven.

• William Yu Soliven

Source of the information about the names of sons and daughters-in-law of Lolo Nicolas.

NATARANTA

An estoryang ini hale ki Manoy Meniong (agom kan pinsan kong si Aurora). Halipot lang asin simple an estoryang ini, pero nagtata-o nin adal.  . ., na an simbag sa simpleng hapot, simple man . . . directa asin mayo na nin gayong burobod.

            Si Manoy Meniong sarong retiradong marinero (US Navy). Yaon sinda kaidto sa pinakababang parte kan barko. (An barko iguang sampulong eskalon). Sarong banggi daa, igwang biglang nagsilyab sa makina kan barko. Kuminurahaw an sarong marinero sa telepono kan barko.  An sabi niya.. . “Fire ! ! ! Fire ! ! ! Fire ! ! !  Narecibe kan sarong ofisyal kan barko an “emergency call.  Naghapot ini kan lugar na pinangyayarihan  kan kasulo.  “Where is the fire?  Where is the fire?

            Nataranta an baguhan na marinerong Pinoy.  Dae aram an tamang simbag sa English. An sabe niya. . . “Here . . . Here . . . Dae masabe na an kasulo yaon sa ibaba kan barko … .sa makina.

            Kinapos kaya nin English.

-Tapos-

Let take a break and watch a trailer from the movie ME BEFORE YOU.  A very nice touching movie.

A COUNTRY OF SERVANTS … BUT WHO'S TO BLAME?

Sometime in the end of March, 2009, the Philippine government protested against an article written by a certain China man  by the name of Chip Tsao, a Hong Kong-based journalist. He wrote that the Philippines do not have any right to fight against their ‘masters’, the Chinese, especially in the claim for the Spratly Islands or the Freedom Islands.

            The ire resulted to the protest by Filipino migrant workers in Hong Kong.  The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) also supported their protest.  As a result, the article in the internet was erased.  The author, the editor and the publisher were asked

to apologize.

            But, at first,   they did not apologize.  He even wrote a rejoinder stating that the Philippines did not understand what he wrote. He tried to make us appear that we can not understand his simple article. He did not know that English is the second language of the Filipinos.  It was like adding salt to the injury.  He was declared ‘persona non grata’ or undesirable person.  He was also banned entry in the Philippines.

            But, Chip Tsao went to the Philippine Consulate and publicly apologized.  There were Filipino migrant workers there.  It was a formal gathering with Chip Tsao  and the Consul General on the stage.  The Filipinos were civil.  His request for apology was granted. He even bowed in front of the Filipinos as a sign of his remorse.  Malacanyang also accepted his request for apology.

            It is, however, my opinion that before accepting his request for apology, they should have asked him to explain why he wrote the article calling the Philippines as a ‘country of servants’.

            IF THE PHILIPPINES IS REALLY A COUNTRY OF SERVANTS, WHOSE FAULT IS IT?

            My opinion is that both the Chinese journalist in Hong Kong and the Filipinos were at fault. Chip Tsa was right and the Filipinos were only hurt. Consider this...

            1).During the regime of former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, a certain President                 of a maritime school (whose name I forgot) discovered a group of islands                   north of Palawan.  He called it Freedom Islands. The islands would disappear during high tide and surfaced during low tide.  He recommended sovereignty over the islands by the Philippines. But, many did not consider him seriously.  Some even regarded him as ‘mentally imbalanced’.  He was even called ‘the Commodore’ as a matter of joke.

                The islands are now claimed in part or in whole by Vietnam; China and the          Philippines. It was thought that the islands are rich with oil deposit.

           2). Again, during the regime of former President Marcis, he discouraged our             countrymen to work abroad. But, we did not listen. What was in our mind were             the abuses, especially the Armed Forces, during his term.

He even coined the term, ‘brain drain’. He wanted the talent of the Filipinos             to be used in the Philippines.  There were highly educated Filipinos like doctors,              Engineers; teachers; nurses and many others, all wanted to work abroad.

Today, only parts of the Spratly Islands are occupied by the Philippine              Government, with its local unit (the barangay) with its tanod of barangay police.               The governments of China and Vietnam showed their might by sending war                Ships to the area. They even built barracks on certain islands. If only we listened to the ‘commodore’.

3). But, former President Marcos was banished to Hawaii until his death. It’s a bloodless revolution.  Many claimed heroism. He was replaced by a series of                  presidents (men and women). His successors included former President Corazon Aquino (now deceased); former President Fidel V. Ramos; former President Joseph Estrada and nor President Gloria M. Arroyo.

But, even after the regime of Marcos, Aguino, Ramos, Estrada and now                  Arroyo, the culture of corruption among Filipinos remained.

Many Filipinos graduated in colleges and universities in ‘preparation to                   Work abroad’.  Many studied courses leading to white collar jobs.  But, the                     Jobs available are blue collar jobs.

4). A house helper is per se helper (in Tagalog, katulong; in Spanish,                    muchacha; and in Bicol, katabangaa0.  In order, perhaps, to appease these                   house helpers, the government changed their status or names to ‘house                   Managers. ‘  This, of course , is a cause of laughter.. In other countries,                     nobody called them , Managers.  To make their positions, sweeter, they                     coined again with the names of ‘kasambahay’.  All employers called them                    ‘domestic helpers.  I had one time a friend. , a parent at that, he did not want                    to use the term ‘domestic helper’.  They call their children, ‘DH’.

Let us remember what William Shakespeare said in his Romeo and                     Juliet.  He said, “What’s in a name? That  which we call a rose, By any other                     name would smell as sweet.”

The worst insult is to call them  ‘living heroes’ and when they return to the Philippines, temporarily or permanently, some air port personnel would extort them Are they really heroes?

5). Politics seemed to be more important than value formation.  Politics is                   practiced every day, even if elections is too far away. One can get more                   money from the government and remain scott free provided he or she belong                    to the party in power.

Senator Merriam D. Santiago, in disgust said in Congress that it was China which invented’ graft and corruption.  And the Filipinos, given bribe, learned very fast.

But, she apologized since it would affect the warm diplomatic relationship of both countries.  BUT, THE MESSAGE WAS ALREADY SPOKEN.

6). Some doctors even went back to school not to further their studied in                 medicine but to study nursing.  Their purpose is to work abroad. (The pay for a                   year in the Philippines could be earned abroad in only be earned abroad in only a month.).

A story goes that a Filipina Midwife could not find a decent job in the                  Philippines with a living salary to augment her husband’s meager salary.. . . and to provide proper education to their children. She went abroad, leaving her youngest daughter still in Grade IV.  Now, the same daughter is already a mother of one. The mother (now already a grandmother) is still working abroad.

Chip Tsao, instead of calling the Philippines a country of servants,                    Instead, should call the Philippines ‘a country of martyrs’.

7). What will Chip Tsao feel if:

a). We announce to the world that we learned graft and corrupt                                          practices from the Chinese;

b). That the Philippine tri-media said that so many illegal items                                          entering the Philippines came from China;

                       

                        c). That the highly anomalous NBN-ZTE deal involved Chinese business men and corporations;

d). That we have not seen or heard of any young Chinese (boy or                                          girl) died and buried.  Filipinos jokingly said that they are                                           mixed with siopao or they are not reported but their names and                                            identities are assumed by illegal entrants.

THE COUPLE

“Growing old is no cause for hysteria;

 the rose bush does not scream when petals begin to fall.”

            Ernesto and Francisca were deeply in love with each other. They professed their so – called ‘undying love’ starting seven years before they got married. They spent seven long years knowing each other’s likes and dislikes. They saw nothing that would hinder them to get hitched.

            They were deeply in love that a mere sight of one’s roof of the house was enough to be happy. At that time, Ernesto and Francisca had their respective jobs. They were not lucrative. But, they loved their jobs. They lived in a very simple life style.

            While their combined incomes were not enough to buy all their needs, the prices of prime commodities on the hand continued to rise. But, the prices were not yet prohibitive compared to prices of today. To them, what was important was that they loved each other. They saved on housing as they were renting a house. They lived with their parents. A noted writer by the name of Dr. William Arthur Ward said:

“ A house is built with walls and beams;

a home is built with love and dreams.”

            They were full of love. They were full of dreams. They joked that loving and dreaming are for free. They did not cost them any money. But, love could not live with love and dreams alone. While their love was ecstatic, they forgot what the all- time popular writer William Shakespeare said in his underlying novel, merchant of Vanice. He said that:

“Love is blind and lovers cannot see;

their pretty follies that themselves commit.”

            After so many years of married life, they had four children. The once prosperous community was later deeply populated. The population as four or five times its original number. While the government had birth control and family planning programs the Catholic Church had one. They believed that birth control was a sin and immoral as it kills unborn child. They clergy obey the church teaching of “GO and multiply” (Later study says that it did not mean pro-creation, but “Go and multiply” meant converting pagans to Christianity. Multiply the number of convertion.

           

            There were less jobs. Many were jobless and prices of prime commodities soared like its population. There were increase in salary but it was insignificant compared to the purchasing power oft the peso.

Meanwhile, years went by and the couple had gray hairs. Ernesto was retired from his job while Francisca has still a couple of years left. They had less and less money compared to the spiraling prices of prime commodities. Their seven –year’s study one’s attitudes came to naught. Francisca’s attitude changed. She was no longer lovable. Her children tagged her silently as the monster mother. Her attitude toward Ernesto also changed. She believed that the later was already starting to be senile and useless. She would easily raise her voice as if Ernesto was her student. William Shakespeare once said:

“Speak low if you speak love.”

            She would force what she wanted while his ideas were that an old man going senile. She would talk in front of her children to show how smart she was. Ernesto, on the other hand admitted that he was already old but not yet senile. In age, there is no going down but up. Their married life was in danger. Philosopher and writer Robert Louise Stevension stated that:

“Marriage is terrifying, but, so cold and forlorn old age.”

            They were not poor. Yet, they were not also rich. Only that sometimes, they had no money. Their income was no match to the global rise of prices of prime commodities. Ernesto learned a better lesson. A person can change attitude if his or her morale is low and weak. The want for money can change one’s attitude. They love money, not money itself was the roof of evil. A thinker said:

“When poverty (want of money) comes at the door:

Love creeps out at the window.”

            In his younger age, Ernesto learned lessons on ages. He learned that age can change one’s attitude; from his study, he learned that when a man or a woman turns twenty years old and over. It is time for beginning. By this time, he/ she is a fresh college graduate and had newly landed on a job. Most people also get married and become parents.

            He learned from school that when a man or a woman turns thirty or over, he or she becomes demanding as it is time for building a career. At this age, a man or a woman realize how much is to be done. He or she felt that their children or grandchildren, who themselves turn thirty years old or over asks for, advise less and less at time that he or she wanted to give it more and more.

            He learned that if a man or a woman turns forty years of age or over, he / she usually finds out that he / she should solidify his career. He / she now is middle-aged.

            He also learned that id a man or a woman turn fifty years of age or over, he find out that interesting things changed, in his/her body and attitudes begin to happen. These changes are different from the changes during adolescents. He / She is nearing retirement.

            He learned that if a man or a woman turns sixty years or over, his/her career wind down, but not yet senile. Some old men or women at this age find their mind still sharp.

            This is the travail of Ernesto. He thinks that his wife considers him as senile. He is not. His travail has connection with his wife winding down.

-end-

June 23, 2008

THE OTHER FACE OF THE FAULT FINDER

“Old age is when you realize other people’s

faults are no worse than your own.”

-          Edgar A. Shoaff

“ To grow old is to pass from

 passion to compassion.”

  

-          Albert Camu

“… To view each loved one

  blotted from life’s page,

 And he alone on earth as I am now.”

-  Lord Byron, Childe

        Harold’s Pilgrimage

In story No. 185, The Man Who Was Born To Criticize,  150 Finger Tip Short Stories, pages 97 – 100, by this amateur writer, we pictured the character, Bentoy, as somebody who found pleasure to be out – of – convention, or always against the tide. He was jobless all his life. He was employed many times, but his employment were for a very short period of time. His supervisors always interpreted his actions to be over bearing. For many times, he wanted to picture that actions of some officials were erroneous and his actions were the correct one. And he did many things which were the functions of other people. (For example, he checked the attendance or checked who were late for work, while these were the functions of the Personnel Officer or the Human Resource Officials.)

His tendency to always criticize almost anything, right or wrong, started when he was still young.
But, old age overtook him. He mellowed as years went by. Of course, he still found pleasure to criticize (it was his form), but, his other face was found to be soft, especially to the unfortunate.

            For example, his driver saw him with a plate of food one noon time. He was asked where he would take the food. He said that he would bring it to the house in front of them. The home owner was not even a relative. He was just a neighbor. Nobody at that time was there except an ailing former teacher, a middle – aged man who suffered a stroke and could not walk without the help of a four-legged cane. His wife was also a teacher and at the moment was in school, she could not stop teaching or else they will have no money for his medicine. His children were in school. They had no house help.

            Nobody prepared lunch while there was always bread or cold rice and viand on the table. So, Bentoy brought a plate of hot food for him.

            Bentoy was financially stable. His wife is a government retiree and they have some properties else where. So he lent some money to neighbors who were in dire need. The interest was minimal (not as a means of livelihood but as a reminder to pay back). He did not require his borrowers to pay back immediately.

            In another instance, he saw that their maid had swollen foot and needed immediate operation. He brought the maid to the hospital. He foot the bill. After the operation, she needed rest. Bentoy sent her home to recuperate . . .with pay. Reportedly, he even gave some money to another patient needing money for medicine. The patient was not even a relative.

            Come Christmas, he served meals for his neighbors and anybody who visited him. And there were many.

            Criticized? He still indulge but not much compared to when he was young. What made him change? An unknown author said: “He who cares only for himself will be a very niggard in manhood and a wretched miser in old age.”

            Also he thought pensively of: “Before flaring up at another’s faults, one should take the time to court ten – ten of his own.

-end-

January 19, 2009