THE ALWAYS MISSING TARUC

From school year 1950 to 1956, i had a classmate named Lamberto.  It was noted to be always missing in class especially during the early hours of the day wherein roll calls of pupils were done.  But, out of nowhere, he would report to the class.  Because of this, his reputation grew as always a missing person.  He was popularly known as Taruc, instead of his true name.

But, who was Taruc?  He was the founder  and supremo of the dissident movement in the 50’s known as Huks or Hukbalahap or Hukbong Mapagpalaya Laban sa Hapon.  They became outlaws because they fought against the Japanese army but was not recognize by other Americans or the Philippines.  They roamed the countryside from after the war to 1950’s.

Luis Taruc, the leader of the Huks was always hiding from military authorities.  He was always in the mountain and would only surface only if he battled with the military.  The Huks became a national threat to the country.

Luis Taruc, later surrendered to the then President Magsaysay who he learned was sympathetic to their cause.

Lamberto became our Taruc for six years.  His classmates and even his neighbours called him Taruc – Dont look for Lamberto.  Almost always they did not knowlamberto.  But try Taruc.

Where he is now, we don’t know.

ELACIO, THE TOWN’S FIRST PUBLIC ENEMY NO. 1

Behind our chapel, there lived a family of teachers.  There were two of them.  One was a spinster.  I would like to name them but if this story is read by them, they would surely deny it.  They strict, as they thought that everybody were their students.

They had a house helper named Elacio.  They called him as their “ataman”. One day, Elacio was bereft with financial problem.  He saw a sum of money.  He got this money although it was not his.

He was positively identified and would not come home even to sleep at night.  It was dark and there was yet no electricity. It arrived some fifty years, hence, the area nearby was also forested.

When darkness came, there was no Elacio.  The teachers reported the missing Elacio to the police.  He became the first public enemy no.1.  They hunted him.  There were no flashlights then.  Nobody owns a flashlights in the town.  They would use dried palm leaves of the coconut tree which they call as “bulbog”.  There were no roads.  The place was forested.

When morning came, they saw a man who was asleep atop the coconut tree.  It was Elacio.  He became the town’s public enemy no.1.  He returned the money but was brought to the municipio.  He was jailed for stealing money.

The story was never clear what happened to Elacio.

BODOY, THE WATER BOY

During the time of Pedro, the blind man, there also lived another fellow named Bodoy.  He was a big man.  But, he has an imbalanced mental capacity.  He would walk around the town and the children as well as adults cracked jokes.  He had a ready smile though.

One thing significant about Bodoy, was that he was never dirty.  Unlike other fellows with imbalance mind,   he would always wore sandals.  Most often thee are not pairs.

One day, Bodoy surprised all.  He volunteered for a fee carrying cans of water to houses – for laundry or for drinking purposes.  At that time, there was none of the so called ‘aquas potables’ or water system.

But, there were two wells in the town.  Both of them supplied drinking water.  One had a big and long wooden pump.  People claimed that water coming from it was sweet or delicious.  It came from the old water pump of San Roque.

There was also the artesian well located at San Esteban, just behind the church.  According to the inscription,  it was some 200 feet deep.  It was warm even in December.  No wonder people went there to take a bath even in the wee hours of the night.

For many years, Bodoy carried two cans of water – one in front of him and one at the back of him through a bamboo pole on his shoulder.

After many years, Bodoy bought a wooden cart.  He would deliver at least ten cans at twenty centavos per can.  He would come back and forth at least five times day.  At that time, the exchange rate was two pesos to a dollar.  So two pesos could buy a lot.  In fact, when i was in grade school, I would buy three centavos worth of school papers and two centavos worth of candies which I placed in the secret pocket of my short pants.

Bodoy became the ‘aquador’ or water carrier for many years until he died.  He became old, weak but died a natural death.

PEDRO, THE BLIND WOOD CUTTER

In the 50’s whom my mother’s young brother, Abelardo, was still alive, he had a friend, a blind man by the name of Pedro.  This refused to be a beggar.  He would approach some families to cut their fire wood.

He would feel the part of the wood where his sharp bolo would strike.  He would chop the firewood the whole day but would not complain.

Sometimes, firewood would be dried bamboo poles.  Sometimes, it would be ipil-ipil trees.  Sometimes,  he would slice coconut shells which will turn into charcoal.

But, the most challenging that he would do, which others could not do was cutting coconut trees.  Yes, living coconut trees.  Very few people with even clear eyesight could do this.

His procedure was cutting the tree from the top.  First, he would climb the tree and reach for the fruits and the palm leaves.  If he knew, by the sense of touch that all were dropped to the ground, he would climb beyond the coconut and reach atop the tree.

He would sit on the palms and cut them all.  If he felt that there were no more leaves, he would climb down.  He then would climb down.  He then would count his steps.  If he reached step 5, he would cut that section of the tree, feeling that the cut was diagonal, e.g. one side is slightly higher than the other side.  If he felt that the trunk would now fall, he would place his sharp bolo in the wooden cast called ‘sarongan’ and push the trunk down, calculating that it would not touch and hurt his knees.

He would do this procedure until the entire tree had fallen.  People would pay for his toil.  But, splitting the trunks into firewood was another contract.  This time, he would use an axe like a man with a perfect eyesight.  The trunk, if not split could be used into posts for fence, for wood bridge, for support of flooring, etc.

He died many years ago, but after having a wife.  His wife had a perfect eyesight.  They lived happily for many years.  There was, however, no information if they had children.

But, he died a happy man.  His funeral was simple but long.  The families which he served were there.

This is the story of Pedro, the blind man who refused to beg.  He wanted to earn his money through his sweat.

THE DISAPPEARING TEOPISTO

When my mother was still young and strong she told us of a story about his younger brother named Teopisto.  It was said that, Teopisto was named after a priest who once upon a time was assigned in the province of Sorsogon.  Later on, the priest became an Archbishop.

My lola’s brother was a priest in Sorsogon.  He later died of a disease.  So my lola and his children came back to our lowly town.

My mother said that she and Teopisto would play “hide and seek” when they were still young.  They were attached very closely to each other.  Teopisto was reported to hide at the back of their door.  My mother would seek for him.  He could not seem him even at the back of the door.

After sometime, Teopisto would reportedly come out from the back of the door, laughing aloud.

My mother failed to see young Teopisto.  It was said that he befriended an “anito” who would help him hide.

Do you think this story is true?

WHEN CHICKEN FLIES

All animal life is endowed with mysterious instinct

For its own well being and one of these is the ability

To sense a change in the weather

-Jacob M. Braude

In the 50’s, the former weather bureau, now PAGASA, did not have their instruments as sophisticated as today.  My region was said to be the typhoon path of the country as no less than nineteen typhoons pass through it every year.

Typhoons before were named after female Americans, such as typhoon Trix, Lorna, Jane, etc.

Since the then weather bureau could not be very well relied upon by the people, they turned to natural signals.

By nature, chicken walk.  They scratch for their food.  They were not similar to ducks which swim in the water nor birds that flies.  They are, however, classified as birds.

Ancient China bared that animals are keen to natural calamities.  They said that horses become restless when there was an impending earthquake.  Ants would climb to higher grounds before the rains and floods come. Eggs which were intended to be hatched become barren, etc.

The old folks believed that chicken flew above their homes or above the rice fields, typhoon would come.  So they would prepare their houses from the havocs of typhoon.  Weak houses are even tied to tress so they will be firm to the ground.

THE WOMAN GUARD

It was said that during the Japanese time, Japanese soldiers planned to establish their camp in the town (Nabua).  There was no garrison of the Japanese Imperial Army in the town.

It was said that when the Japanese Imperial Army was in route in the town, a small woman of barely four feet block the way to the church.

The group reportedly did not stop but proceeded to the next town and established a garrison.

It was believed that the woman was the Blessed Virgin who stood guard against the enemy and protected her deeply religious people.

MORE ON DWARFS

One afternoon, in the early 50’s, while I was still in the primary grades, there was a sudden commotion between the ‘kiosko’ of the Roman Catholic Church and the public central school.  They were shouting ‘dwende’

It seemed that only the children and woman saw the little creature coming from the concrete stairs of the school.  Several hundreds of the residents were around the school compound and the church yard.  The children were apprehensive that the old folks might step on the tiny people.  From what the children said, the dwarfs were laughing at the old people who could not see them.

At present, the school was no more even if the building still exists.  It was turned in a commercial area.  The school authorities were unable to establish ownership of the land.

Also, until this time, no similar incidents happen.  Nobody knows if they leave the place.

OUR FRIENDS, THE DWARFS

1.  IN THE GLASS OF MILK

When my son was still a kid, my wife told me that one day she saw him giggling alonge.  She was playing with somebody else.

She was told, in a childish language, that he saw a small boy swimming in his glass of milk.  The creature was too tiny that he can be accommodated in a glass.  The tiny boy went even to his ears.  He played there.

We did not take him seriously.

2.   THE NURSE AND THE DWARF

When the same first born child was still a kid, we hired him a registered nurse who would take care of him while my wife is in school.  She was a grade school teacher.  The nurse would come in the morning and goes home every afternoon.

One day she did not report for work.  We learned later that she was sick and brought to a hospital in a nearby town.  She did not want to return to us anymore.

Later, we were told by her that the little creature wanted her as his wife.  In the hospital, unseen by all but herself, she reportedly saw our friendly creature at the footside of her bed.  He would not leave her.

We do not know what happened to her later.

3.   MY WIFE AND THE DWARF

Our friendly creature was at home in the 1980’s.  My wife told us that while she was changing her clothes way back from school, the dwarf was heard to be giggling and calling her ‘mama’, ‘mama’.  He apparently did not want him seeing her change her clothes infront of him.

Also, another day, after washing the clothes, she hung them infront of the house.  She heard something popping.  What she saw amazed her.  She saw some multi-colored mushrooms and underneath were our friends.

It only disappeared when her sister called her.

4. ME AND MY FRIENDS.

Like any other husbands,  I helped my wife in her chores.  I washed our clothes in the evening.  I did this every night.

One evening, while doing my washing.  I saw the wooden floor needing some improvements.  A snake might just bite me.

The next day, which was Saturday, I bought a bag of cement, one cubic meter of sand and one cubic meter of stones and worked on the floor of the small ‘batalan’ or bathroom.

The following day, my wife told me that his small creature friends spoke to her thanking that their entrance to the deep of the earth was not closed.

There were three dwarfs, incidentally, they had their names.  One was Michael, the next was Stephen and the third, I cannot remember.  Some reported tem playing in the middle of the night under the talisay tree.

MY FATHER: SOME UNTOLD STORIES

‘He that is slow to wrath is
Of great understanding.’

- Old Testament


‘A father who will encourage
his children in pursuing as
many of their goals as
possible,  and will get his
kids bandwagon in such a
fashion can make a crucial
difference in their lives.’

- Alan Loy Macinnis


INTRODUCTION

At the young age of twenty-one (21), my father, LOPE BAGASBAS FERNANDEZ (1916-1990), aka ‘Oping’ married my mother, GUADALUPI SOLEVIN TIJAM, only eighteen (18), aka, ‘Poping’ (1920-2000).

LOPE was the second son of the late Eusebio Francia Fernandez, a farmer and the late Raymunda Regaspi Bagasbas.  Both were residents of San Ramon, Nabua, Camarines Sur.  The place was estimated to be 10 kilometers from downtown Nabua, Camarines Sur.  Poping was the third daughter of the late Felomino Tijam of Manduriao, Iloilo and Victoria Federes Solevin of San Nicolas,  Nabua, Camarines Sur.

A. PRE-WAR LIFE:
According to my cousin, William Yu Solevin, eldest son of Amparo Solevin (daughter of Felomino and Victoria) and Jackson (Ricardo) Yu, a Chinese, Poping was selling bars of soap in the public market of the town while Lope was also selling ‘maritatas’ (various articles needed at home like cooking oil, candies, sangkaka’, which was made of sugar cane juice, ashes of coconut palm and the soft part of the trunk of papaya tree, boiled to make it sticky, etc.

My father was tall and good-looking.  Brown complexion.  He was known as ‘palikero’ or playboy even in his married life.  No wonder, he charmed many young lass, Poping who was the very young.  It was love at first sight.

From the records of the family, and as researched by the writer, Lope and Poping were married in 1937.  According to William, aka ‘Nonoy’, ‘Poping’ mother, Victoria did not want her daughter to be far from her.  She was still too young and knew very little of house chores.  They also have no house of their own.  By that time, they were living in barangay San Nicolas, Nabua, Camarines Sur.  Felomino and Victoria were living in the house of the Federes family (note that Victoria’s family name was Federes).  Nonoy William himself was born in barangay San Nicolas, Nabua Camarines Sur.

When Atty. Eugene Solevin (Poping’s uncle) was appointed as Municipal Judge (Juez de Paz) of Bato, Nabua and Iriga, he urged her sister, Victoria to help him in their house.

Nonoy William informed this writer that Victoria also urged Lope and Poping to live with them in Bato, Camarines Sur, (rented the house of the Corralde’s).  At that time, there were very few lawyers yet.  Judge Solevin and wife Benita Fordan were childless, so they informally adopted Teofisto (another nephew) to live with them.  With Judge Solevin’s help, he supported the schooling of his nephew who later became a University Professor.

Even if they lived in Bato, Camarines Sur, Lope and wife Poping needed to visit the family in San Ramon, Nabua, Camarines Sur.  Barangay San Ramon was in the boundary of Nabua and Bato.  So it was easy for them to travel.

While they were living in Bato, Jackson (Lope’s brother-in-law) continued as a sales agent of the soap factory in Sto. Domingo, Nabua, Camarines Sur.  Nonoy William told me that his father, Jackson, was no stranger in ‘langtad’ (the forested part of Nabua) as he would sell soap in these area.  He had many men, accompanying him.  They were all knowledgeable in martial arts.

Jackson as a soap sales agent and his wife, Amparo lived for a while in Talisay, Camarines Norte.  Lope stayed close by.  The second child of Jackson and Amparo (named Angelina) was born in Talisay, Camarines Norte.  She was born in 1937.  Incidentally, Victoria’s husband, Felomino, an employee of MRR (Manila Rail Road) died in Talisay, Camariens Norte.

Judge Solevin suffered ailment of his feet.  It was the result of placing his feet on a basin of cold water.  He did not want to get sleepy when making a court decision.

According to Patricia (Pesing), Lope’s youngest sister, they would stay long in San Ramon.  They would bring their eldest son, Avelino.  Pesing and young Avelino were playmates.  Their age was closer to one another.

With the support of a cane, Judge Eugenio Solevin walked with it.  But, long before his death in 1944 (Japanese time and nearing the end of war), he was able to buy a residential lot in San Miguel, Nabua, Camarines Sur (infront of the Nabua High School).  The lot was originally owned by a certain Leon Ferandez.  According to William Solevin, the Ferandez lot extended from the road going to San Nicolas (now owned by a certain Tang Panong Fajardo up to the place of Regalado’s).  No wonder, the immediate neighbor of Judge Solevin was a certain Eutiquio Ferandez.  A brother or a cousin of Leon and heirs Severo Ferandez and his sister Constancia Ferandez Obrero.
 
B. World War II:

Taken over by the Second World War, the family of Eusebio (wife Raymunda died in 1941), decided that the whole family, including Lope, Guadalopi and son Avelino evacuated to the forested area of Nabua.  The place was so popular by the name ‘langtad’ (barangay San Roque).  They went to this place to avoid the Japanese Imperial Army.  The land which was heavily forested was owned by the family of Balatan.  Eusebio was the family’s ‘encargado’.  The family preferred to live in ‘langtad’ because it was abundant with fruit bearing trees like ‘carson’ or ‘tipong’ (young coconut), palay, camote, wild pigs, mountain deer, monkeys, etc..  There were also fishes in the rivers.

However, as the war went on (according to Nonoy William, the Japanese ordered that all civilian Filipinos return to their homes, last, they will be considered as ‘guerila’ by the Japanese.  The families of Eusebio, including Lope and Poping (she was pregnant at the time.)  They went home and the second son was born and was christened as Virgilio.  He was born in 1943.

They stayed long in San Ramon, Nabua, Camarines Sur until the next son was born.  The fourth son was christened as Romeo.  The second son died while still an infant.

After liberation, Lope and family returned to San Miguel, Nabua Camarines Sur.


C. My Father’s short Stint in the Military:

Note:

See story No. 521: A Collection of Jokes and Short Stories; written by Romeo Tijam Fernandez; 2013; Book 5.

With Certificates:

a. Certificate of the United States of America honoring him (my father) signed by William J. Clinton; President of the United States of America.

b. The Unites States of America honoring the memory of Lope R. Fernandez, signed by William J. Clinton; President of the United States of America.


FURTHER NOTED:  Lope used ‘R’ instead of ‘B’.  For a long time.  ‘R’ stands for Regaspe, his mother’s middle initial, instead of ‘B’ which stands for Bagasbas.  Bagasbas was the family name of Lola Rayminda.

 
D. Contract Worker of the Bureau of Forestry:

There was a time when my father, Lope, felt miserable.  He turned to be hot headed.  In the 1950’s, he was jobless due to the closing of some transportation companies where he was either the conductor or the inspector.  But my mother understood him and she was patient.  He had no stable job to feed his family.  All of them were in school.  He said that they were so poor that they cannot left something to them, except education.

But in order to help my father, my mother opened a store selling fried bananas (called in vernacular as ‘sinapot’ and in Bicol-Naga ‘baduya’); ripe avocado; boiled corn and pomelo.  She was more known for her ‘kos-kos’ or flavored scrapped ice.  Cost per glass full was five centavos (regular) and ten centavos (special).  Her stores and the earnings of my father saw us until college.

My father had many friends in town.  Some of them were college graduates and employees of the Bureau of Forestry.  But, unlike his friends, he was unable to apply to a government job.  He had no civil service eligibility.  Much more, he finished only elementary grades.

At that time, there were openings as laborer in the construction of roads going to the town of Balatan (known before as Siramag).  He applied and was accepted.  But, when the project was finished and there were no more projects, he was again jobless.

He applied to the Bureau of Forestry.  But, not as an employee but as a contract laborer.  His job was planting trees in the mountains of Minalabac, Camarines Sur.   He stayed long, in fact for many years.  There atop the mountains, he slept with lowly people.  He was caught by several strong typhoons.  Always, he thought of his family.  On one occasion, he waded in a waist-deep and shoulder deep water from the town of Minalabac passing through the shoulder-deep flood water in Milaor just to see his family in Naga City.

Regularly, he went back home every week and be back to the mountains of Minalabac in the afternoon of Sundays or early mornings of Mondays.  It was better that way than going to Naga City everyday of every two days.  As a tree planter, there were sacks-full of seeds deposited at home.

The seeds were of Narra trees, butterfly trees, etc.  They planted forest trees and took care of them until they sprouted (not like today).  Students and or government men today, planted seedling and did not care if they grew or not.

Then, there were complaints of planters against their Supervisor.  My father was suspected as the brain of the group.  The written complaint was in English.  He can write but in Tagalog or Bicol languages.  However, many laborers looked upon his as their leader.  Many were unschooled.  But, he was the only elementary graduate.  Some even were familiar at home.  Some ate at home.  Some slept at home.  Perhaps, other persons wrote the complaint for them.  But, if he was really the brains, we would be proud of him.  We could have supported him.  There were many irregularities in the bureau at the time.

He resigned. He was jobless again.

E. As a Bus Conductor/Inspector:

In 1952 (I was in Grade II), my uncle, Abelardo (I called him Bado) bought a second-hand passenger bus.  Papa Lope became its first conductor.  The car stayed with us for several years.  I did not know why it was sold.  My father was jobless again.

My father found out that he can be a good bus conductor. He loves his work.  He loved his job very well.  He served the following transportation companies either as bus conductor or inspector:

• ALATCO Transportation Company
• PANSIT Transportation Company
• VICTORY LINER
• And some other small bus companies
which I could not remember


All these bus companies are no longer existing except for VICTORY LINER.  Previously, it had the Naga-Legaspi route.  Now, they are concentrated to the Manila-Ilocos Norte route.  All these transportation companies had no Social Security System before or any form of insurance for their employees.  Papa Lope received no pension.

I still could remember when I was still in the grade school.  Our house was a little one kilometer away from the ’parada’ or town’s parking area.  As a young boy, it seemed to me that the ‘parada’ was too far.  It must be because of the narrow road.  The road was still made of asphalt, with pot holes everywhere.  The width was still eight meters.

I was to go home from the town center when a fast-running bus passed my way.  It was running too fast, even exceeding the allowed speed limit.  I was at the right side of the road.  Our elementary grade teacher instructed us to always walk at the right side of the road.  Until now, I observe the instruction.

When evening came, my father told us that I nearly got hit by their bus.  I was unaware of it.  As told by Papa, the driver reportedly told him ‘ligison ko na lang’.  But, Papa told him that ‘iguin ko yan’ (he is my son.)  I escaped being ran-over but I knew that the car was over speeding while I was on the right side of the road.

Papa always came home from work (as a bus conductor) between 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm.  By that time, there yet no electric services.  It was very dark at night.  The only light came from the moon or stars or fire flies.  There were glitters of light in every house or from sari-sari stores.  But, all came from kerosene lamps.  Only very few have ‘petro max’.

F. On Wine and Cigarettes:

Papa Lope was not addicted to liqueur.  He drank only by the necessity of event.  Only for socialization.  But, he would buy cigarettes (brand B-29).  But, he was not addicted to smoking.  What he did was chew the tobacco of the cigarette (a term in Bicol as ‘nagmamama’).  Sometimes, he would chew ‘buyo’ (a kind of green leaves);  bettle nut and ‘apog’ (white powder material resulting from pounding of sea shell).

G. Typhoons and Floods:

In our younger years, we stayed in the ancestral house of our grandmother.  Before and until now, the place is a low land.  When it rained hard, the rain water from Mt. Mayon flows to the low land of Albay and Camarines Sur.  Likewise, the rain water from Iriga (we call it Sumagang) also goes to the low land of Buhi, Iriga, Nabua and Bato.  Unfortunately, the rain water from the Bicol River and Lake Bato goes to our place, infront of the Nabua National High School.

During the typhoon and floods, we took refuge either in the house of the Fajardo Family (Tang Panong and Yang Idang)  or to the house of my father’s second cousin, Severo Ferandez.  We call the house of the Fajaro family as the White House because it is entirely painted with white (until now).

Usually, the rain water was waist-deep (in the sala) or more than eight feet outside the house.  Papa Lope did not know how to swim.  But, he would carry us on his shoulder either to the two houses.  He would walk in the flood water.

H. Circumference of Mt. Mayon:

Computation of numbers was very easy for my father.  And he patiently, taught us (especially additional, subtraction, multiplication and additional).  I learned mathematical computation from him.

When I was in grade school, he was hired by the ALATCO Transportation Company to prepare its monthly income to be submitted to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).  He would consult the stubs of ticket for each month and we would help him by adding the fares.

I. Love of the ‘Estribo’ (Baggage Compartment):

His expertise was as a bus conductor and/or Bus Inspector.  Even if he was already retired and even with his ailment (diabetes), he felt lively if he saw the car ‘estribo’.  He felt young and alive and seemed wanted to jump to or from the ‘estribo’.

Now, the doors of passenger buses are in front.  Before, from the front seat up to the last seat were open.  He loved to jump from the ‘estribo’ even if the car was in motion.  Even running at 5 to 10 kilometers per hour.

J. My Father was a Joker:

Another remarkable trait of Papa Lope was his tendency to make fun of others, especially, his young nephew and nieces.  Edna Gornal (Daughter of Aunt Mancing), now a public school teacher would recall that during her high school days my father would make fun of her and her brothers and sisters.  They would felt hurt but Edna would just smiled at them.  She explained that they were only jokes.  Papa Lope did not want to hurt them.

K. He Was A Sickly Man:

In the 60’s, he was brought to the hospital.  By this time, the family moved to Naga City.  Our eldest brother was working with Singer Sewing machine.  Another eldest joined the US Navy.  He was treated with hernia.  He said it was painful while urinating.  But, in the hospital, he never complained to us… only to our mother.  He did not want to disturb us from our schooling.

I was then a second year college student when Papa Lope was brought to the then Provincial Hospital.  My obligation was to provide him company in the hospital.  But, even at his sick bed. He would keep on reminding me of my studies.  He asked us not to worry about him.

Operation for other illnesses was already familiar to him.  Being brought to a hospital was alright to him.  In the 50’s, he was operated with acute appendicitis.  And now, he was sick with diabetes, which he inherited from his elders.  Majority of his children and grandchildren have this dreadful illness.

Already old and with diabetes, he should not have engaged to tedious work.  But, he wanted to show that he was still strong and capable of doing hard work.  It was reported by his daughter-in-law, Zenaida, which he carried or even dragged a bamboo pole from an estimated one kilometer from our house.

Zenaida, even reported that he like to wear dark pants.  He had no more control of his urination.  She said that one time, he came home… with wet pants.  Nobody noticed that he urinated in his pants while in the ‘sentro’ of Naga City.

L. He Was Also A Good Samaritan:

In 1983, we started building our house through the SSS Housing Loan scheme.   There were times that I planned to see a movie.  The pay before was only P0.25 per person.  But, upon approaching the ticket seller.  I stepped back.  I thought that the P0.25 could still be used in the purchase of a kilo of nails.  Many times, I stepped back from the ticket seller and did not see the show.  To further economize, I helped my laborers straighten nails.

I was really broke (no money).  I needed it so badly to pay my laborers, just for a day or two.  I approached him.  We were at the Plaza Kinse Martires.  He lent me P4, 000.00.

But, later, to my surprise, he told me not to worry paying him of the P4,000.00.  I thanked him.

M. As A Volunteer-Teacher:

San Ramon, Nabua Camarines Sur had an elementary school.  At the time (after the war), there were very few graduates in Education.  Many had only Teachers’ Certification (ETC).  The Naga College (Naga City) and Mabini College (Iriga City) had many of these teachers.

After the war, many Filipinos (under graduates) were more knowledgeable than today’s college graduates.  They could talk and write.

If my father could be believed, he told us that he only reached Grade VII but was allowed to teach (for a short time in La Opinion Elementary School).

I now dedicate this short poem to him:

“Usually parents who are lucky
In the kind of children they have.
Have children who are lucky in
The kind of parents they have.”

- Author unknown



-end-

LIGHT INSIDE THE CAN

My mother told me that during the Japanese occupation (l94l-l944), many unarmed residents throughout the country had many ways to evade the enemy.

While Filipino soldiers and guerilla fighters had their guns to protect themselves or fought the enemies, there were civilians who were neither fighters nor members of the armed forces.

One of them was my father.  My mother told us that he was a business man selling different items in the market like ‘panutsa’ (locally known as ‘sangkaka’).  She told us further that our residential house was at the side of the national high way, where the Japanese soldiers and cars passed by.  It was also in front of a secondary school.  Also, because classes were suspended during the war, the front of the school were tall grasses.

We were told that when ever news reached them that Japanese soldiers were approaching, my father ran to the school compound and hid behind the tall grasses. The Japanese ‘captured’   able bodied men to work for the.  (forced labor and under the threat of the bayonets).

My Uncle Manuel (whom I called Daddy) worked as a checker when the Pili Air Port was constructed.  He was fair-skinned and a teacher.  Perhaps it was because of this reason that he was not a common worker but a checker.

At home, almost all the houses extinguished their lights (gas) so that they could not be seen by the passing Japanese soldiers.  But, for mothers who have small children (like Manoy Velino and Totoy) they found it very difficult to search for something in the dark.

They placed their crude gas or oil lamps inside a kerosene can or others with similar shapes.  Thus light did not scatter to the whole house.  Light went upward.  They could also control lights going up by covering a part of the can.

The Japanese could not see the light the light as they passed by.  Many lives were saved by this practice.  My family was one of them.

THE TALE OF TWO MARRIAGES

MARRIAGE NO. 1:

FLYING KITE

Marriage is likened to playing kite.  How the comparison was told, the following are the stories:

My brother and I received a wedding invitation.  It was from our cousin, Imelda Francia Ferandez Salcedo.  Imelda’s mother was the youngest sister of my deceased father.

The marriage ceremony was officiated in my home town.  It was attended by relatives and friends of both the bride and the groom.  Reception was held lavishly.  There was a dozen of sponsors.  Three priests officiated the wedding ceremony and the church bells continued ringing for several minutes.  In my hometown, the continuous ringing of the church bell was called ‘repeke’ and denotes big celebration.  It was indeed a big reception.

The church was filled and not all people had a seat.  The rented auditorium was also filled that the space outside the building was occupied.

Before serving the meals, some of the sponsors were asked to deliver their words of wisdom.  The bride and the groom listened ardently.  One of the sponsors’’ talk caught my attention.  He said that during the Japanese occupation (1941-1944).  He lived in La Opinion, Nabua, Camarines Sur, were the bride also grew.  During the said period, he learned how to fly a kite.  He learned that flying kite was likened to a married life.

He said that in flying kite (boradol, bicol dialect), one has to study the significance of ‘toros’ and ‘kawikaw’.  According to the speaker, ‘toros’ means loosening of the kite while ‘kawikaw’ meant holding it back.  Both the bride and the groom should know the art of ‘toros’ and ‘kawikaw’.  For failure to loosen and holding back the kite, it will drop to the ground.

In other words, both the bride and the groom should not be too possessive or too loose in their relationship.  The success of their marriage will depend upon the ‘toros’ and ‘kawikaw’.

The words of wisdom.

January 2015

MARRIAGE NO. TWO:

FISHING

I am now retired from my gainful employment.  But, I can still remember the days of my youth.  I still remember that after graduation from the elementary grades, we skipped schooling (this was applicable to us, three elder brothers) to help financially our parents.

During the school days, we helped our parents in tending our ‘sari-sari’ store.  But, we spent our free days (Saturdays and Sundays) enjoying fishing.  We lived in a residential area fronting or town’s secondary school.  At the back of the school building were ‘gabi’ plantation (bil-ang in Nabua dialect or ‘lin-sa’ in Bicol – Naga).  In between the gabi plantation were shallow canals.  The place had plenty of fresh water like ‘pampano’ and ‘atas’ (Puyo in Bicol-Naga).  We caught by hand (we called process as ‘upog’) the boundaries between the gabi plantation were wide and deeper bodies of water.

The story is focused on this wide bodies of water which were abundant with fish of various species.  There were plenty of ‘atas’ or ‘puyo’.

One Saturday, we went fishing.  Our cousins told us that there were plenty of ‘atas’ in the fishing grounds.  We got our fishing rods and sinker and plenty of earth worms for our bait.  But to our surprise, we already spent at least two hours fishing and we caught nothing.  For several times, the fish seemed to pull our bait but when we pull up the rod, there was no fish.

Meanwhile, several meters away from us, there was an elderly woman.  She, too, was fishing.  To our surprise, whenever she pulled up the rod, there was fish.  She had a basket attached to her waist and there was already a number of fish inside.  We asked her of any technique on fishing.  We even asked her if there was a magic.  She told us that she had a long experience in fishing and told us that she learned many lessons.  These are:

1.      Be calm.  Don’t get too excited.  Treat fishing as a hobby.  Make your fishing your happy experience.

2.      Do not raise your pole quickly or you lose your fish.  If your sinker or bait goes to the right, let it be.  If your sinker goes to the left, or away from you or near you, let it be.  If you feel that the bait goes to any of these direction, it meant that the fish had already swallowed your bait and you can raise the pole.  Presto, you had your fish.

3.      Fishing is just like the relationship of husband and wife.  If any of the two felt that there is something wrong in their relationship, do not raise hell immediately.  Give yourself the time to discuss the matter with your partner.

4.      If after your friendly dialogue, your partner does not stop, raise the wall.

Remember that there was a saying that went this way:

‘It would be a fine world if all

man showed as much patience

All the time as they do

while they’re waiting for a

Fish to bite.’

END

IS THERE AN ‘ASWANG’?

Old folks believed that ‘aswang’ was real.  They said that there are two kinds of ‘aswang’.  One files which they call as ‘kakak’.  The other walks, they call them as ‘para-asot’.  Sometimes, they would appear as a big dog or a pig, etc.  nevertheless, the two are allegedly ‘aswang’.

When I was still employed with the Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) in 1971, I used to prepare my lesson plans a night before.  I had seven subjects, so I need to prepare seven lesson plans.  I spent most of the night preparing my lesson plans for the class the next day.

It was then around 11:00pm and I heard a score of dogs barking at the road.  When dog barks, one reason is that somebody is around.

I went out of the house and saw an old woman of about sixty years old and she was surrounded by at least ten loose dogs.  They were barking but could not come close to the woman.  The old woman wore a colored but faded dress locally called ‘bata’ with a white shawl made of ‘katsa’, white cloth used in bagging salt.  The woman was with a bamboo cane which was taller than her.

The old woman could not walk ahead with so many dogs around her so I drove them away and went back to the house.

The next day, Tinong, the brother of my sister-on-law, slept in the house.  He said that at around 4:00 am, he went to the comfort room.  Inside was a small window where he could see the things outside.  He incidentally saw the same woman, standing by the road and facing a house where a dying man lives.  The house was some one hundred meter from the house.

In the morning, he told us the story.  And how he described the woman coincided with the woman we saw before.

When our neighbors learned of this, they told us the woman used to pass their houses for one week already.

The next night, my brother Edgar and his friend Elyo, who just lived in front of us decided to wait for the woman to appear.  At 11:00pm, they saw her at the distance under the street light.  She saw them also so she did not proceed.  Reportedly, they were suddenly afraid and their hair stood straight.  They managed to run away.  My brother went to his friend’s house while the latter wen to our house.

The old woman was never reported to pass by our house again.  Reportedly, she passed through the other road but stood no longer in front but behind the house, where ‘gabi’ plants abound.  There was no road.  It was also swampy.

Several months passed and we learned that the woman lived near the cathedral.  Her main means of livelihood was candle vending, leading ‘novena’, bathing and changing the clothes of the dead before burial.  He was observed to enjoy smelling the dead.

Question:

What do an old woman for more than a weeks and during an unholy hours stand infront or at the back of the residence of a sick man some five kilometres away from her house?

THE THREE SAINTS

When I was young, my grandmother, who was a devoted catholic, told us that for many times, in the evening, the image of St. Michael (San Miguel), the Archangel would disappear from his chapel only to be seen moving just like any human beings, with another patron saint. Santiago.

Both images rode in a horse.  She said that her old folks believed that the two (San Miguel and Santiago) would roam around the town with another patron saint, San Esteban.

Their purpose was unknown but the religious believers said that they were on guard of their respective communities.

The old folks were heard that sometimes, San Miguel and Santiago would be seen with another patron saint, a woman, the Carmelite, whose image was taken care of by a family.

San Miguel, the Archangel was known to be the leader of the three.

2nd Lt. Francisco L. Salcedo - A Humble Man

‘Sense shines with a double huster

When it is set in humility.

An able humble man is a

Jewel worth a kingdom.’

-William Penn

When Uncle Esko died on June 15, 2011 it was a shock to the whole family.  He was a resident of la Opinion, Nabua, Camarines Sur.  Two days before he died I visited him in the hospital.  He was still very lively and there was no sign of his foreboding demise.

I was finishing our souvenir program, an album regarding our 2010 family reunion.  Uncle Esko sat by the side of his hospital bed and he identified all persons in the picture.  His mind was very active.

A week later, after he died and after several of the children arrived from abroad, his remains were brought to the church for the final rites.  Interestingly, the church was full of relatives and friends.  They were all there to pay their last respect.

The officiating priest of the mass, Msgr. Raul S. Pan, retold a story about 2^nd Lt. Francisco Salcedo.  It was the first time that I learned about it.  The story was also known to Archbishop Leonardo Legaspi who called an account of an incident.  Uncle Esko was not very fond of telling stories about his life.  He was a very humble man.

The story started when the replica of the Holy Cross was stolen from the main church of the town proper.  It was a metallic cross with the Lord nailed to it.  According to the church record, it happened in December of 1968.  But, the cross was recovered but already broken into pieces.  The fingers of the Lord were already separated from his hand.

Accordingly, Uncle Esko, still a sergeant at that time saw two men.  They were carrying a bag which was bulging.  They were asking where the rail road station in Nabua was.  He doubted the man because there was no station in Nabua.  The station was in the next town.  He doubted that the two were thieves.  He apprehended one of them but the other one escaped.  His captive still attempted to run away too.  But, Lt. Salcedo got hold of him.  He placed his gun near the fellow’s ear and pulled the trigger.  His captive no longer attempted to escape.

There were two military officers, but the other officer did not go after the escaping thief.  He was stunned.

Uncle Esko belonged to a special force of the defunct Philippine Constabulary (PC), the central intelligence service.  That’s why, when he was buried, it was with full military honors.  Being a CIS man, he was buried at high noon.  When he was still alive, he was the eyes and ears of the military … of the government.  But, I never saw him in uniform.  He acted like a simple ‘estanbay’ sitting by the store.  He gambled, in truth, he was listening to their talks.

When he was still young, he told me that he was able to cause the construction of his old wooden house by accepting for every jump with a parachute from an airplane.  It was a military training.  According to him, they were paid P100.00 for every successful jump.  The value of the peso in the 50’s was still high.  He jumped 14 times.  He belonged to a parachute brigade.

Going back to the story, he learned that the stolen cross was brought to several places, looking for a buyer and the two finally reached La Opinion, Nabua.  Uncle Esko was very instrumental in recovering the stolen cross and the apprehension of the thief.  My cousin, William, confided to me that there were two thieves, instead of one as Msgr. Pan told the church goers.

His wife even informed me that when the Archbishop called for a meeting for a new cross to be blessed.  It did not start until Uncle Esko arrive.  According to the Archbishop, the recovered cross with its broken fingers were deposited in the church museum for public viewing.

Uncle Esko was survived by his wife, Patricia Ferandez Salcedo and seven (7) children.

THE BELIEF TO BE WISE

I was in the first grade when my Uncle Manuel died.  He was the brother of my mother.  The whole family was in grief.  At that time, there was no funeral parlor.  There was not even electricity yet.

I was affected so much with his death.  I was his favourite nephew.  He did not marry so regarded me as his son.   I even call him ‘daddy’.

The old folks in my small community had a very unique belief.  It is said that to be wise, books used in school be placed in the pillow of the dead.  I went to school for three days without books.

There was no embalming of the dead before, so he was buried after three days.  The funeral procession was long as he was a teacher English in a local Chinese school.  My books was taken out only in time for the burial.

Today, after several decades, this practice will be too unbelievable.  Nobody perhaps will believe this anymore.

THE MAN IS …. DETERMINED

“Progress is inevitable only

When we have the will and

Determination to make it so.”

-          Author, unknown

His four daughters are now married and all of them have their own families.  But, what I am to write are things they do not know.  All daughters were not yet born when these happened.  In fact, the subject of this story began when he was still young.

He was born on January 31, 1939.  Their parents were poor.  His father was a bus conductor.  His job was not stable.  His mother was a plain house wife, but tended a small variety or ‘sari-sari’ store.  Also, this was not stable.  He was the eldest of six children … all male.  The six and their parents ‘crowded’ in one mosquito net.  Their house was a one-room nipa hut.  Their kitchen, called dirty kitchen, which was also an annex was also made of nipa shingles.  Their roof, most always leaked and it was normal that you see thick papers, known as ‘karton’, to prevent rain water from dropping inside the house.  The walls of the house was also made of ‘salsag’, bamboo made like a flat lumber through a very sharp bolo.  It looked like a wood board called ‘tabla’.  The floor was also made of bamboo splits and tied securely by ‘rattan.’  You can see the ground through the splits of the bamboo.  Young men used to go under the house, termed in bicol dialect as ‘naninirip’ and look mischievously at any young girls above.  The floor was at least a meter or more distance from the ground.  Sometimes, it was there that they took care of their chickens.

He was born two years before the Japanese Imperial forces launched a surprise attack at Pearl Harbor, in Hawaii.  Since the Americans had bases in the Philippines, the country was occupied by the Japanese on December 7, 1941.  Other Asian countries had also the same fate.

Though poor, he was in good health.  He was full of humor.  And, he was full of smile.  He was at least two years old when the Japanese occupied the country.  He was already seven years old when the Japanese forces surrendered to the Americans.  But, when he reached the age of nine or ten, he found out that he could not stand or walk.

His right leg could no longer bend.  He felt excruciating pain in his right leg.  A physician, Dr. Nemecio Belmonte, who lived in his hospital-residence, and just a stone throw distance from where our subject lived diagnosed him and he said that the veins of his right leg tightened and had to be operated.  But they were poor.  They could not afford hospitalization.  And, Dr. Belmonte could not operate.  It was not his specialization.  He also lacked the necessary tools.  But, he said he could be operated at the Camarines Sur Provincial Hospital.  The hospital was at least one hour ride by public transportation.  By that time, transportation was still difficult.  There were fewer cars then.

He was not a polio victim.  Though, at that time, there was polio out-break in Samar Island, in the Visayas.  Transportation by sea was at least three to four hours.  The last province in Bicol is Sorsogon.  His father was a bus conductor for Naga, Legaspi City and Sorsogon.  It was a wonder that he was not a victim.

He suffered too much pain.  His uncle, Tiburcio or Tiboy, was an enlisted man of the AFP.  He found out that his nephew was suffering too much pain.  It was he who convinced his parents that his nephew be brought to the hospital.  It was he who paid the hospital.  The doctors at the CSPH operated on him.  They took at least two or three inches of veins from his buttocks and transferred the same to his legs.

The operation was successful.  After recuperation, he returned to school as if nothing happened except that his leg was one-half inch shorter and smaller compared to the other leg.  But he was strong.  He was very energetic.  He was very good in class.  His stamina showed no trace of his operation.  This stamina was shown in many ways such as the following:

1.       When he was still young, he and his companions, composed of his two younger brothers, Virgilio and Romeo using two sticks to produce sound; cousin William and close relatives Jose ‘JoeFer’ Ferandez and Mario Ferandez Obrero, with harmonica formed themselves into a singing group called ‘combancheros’ and sung songs in the neighboring barrio of San Nicholas.

He was determined to have a close relationship, even at his young age, among young relatives.

2.       When he was more than twenty years old, he and his neighbor and close relatives, JoeFer, for several times, the two climbed the ceiling of the Nabua High School.  They used no ladder but the over-sized ‘kabilla’ or round bar which were protruding at the sides of the building.  The height of the ceiling was about more or less 30 feet or as high as a full grown coconut tree.  The two gathered piles of ‘ipot sa guano’ or the wastes of the bats, which lived in the ceiling of the school.  These droppings were considered first class fertilizers.  No wonder our vegetable gardens were producing healthy vegetables.  He was determined to show that if others could do it, he also can.

3.       In the 50’s, there was a very strong typhoon and flood. Flood water was waist-line deep.  He discovered a big snake sleeping in our wooden box of old shoes.  It was at least 3 to 4 feet long and 4 inches in diameter.  Then the snake woke up.  It swam toward us.  My brother saw the danger.  The snake must have been from the Nabua High school which was just in front of us.

With a long and sharp bolo, my brother killed the snake.  It was also during the typhoon when his forefinger was wounded … slicing it into two.  He just tied the fingers with a clean white cloth.  He was trying to open a can of black peas for our lunch.  We have no viand at the time.  Our uncle gave us two canned black peas.  He was a sales agent of black peas in the region.

4.      When he was strong enough to go on mountain climbing, he and a close relative, Epifanio Soliven Raynera went to the hills of Balatan Town to a place called ‘langtad’.  The place was heavily forested and there was no road … not even a foot path or a trail were usually a carabao pass.

To reach the place, they had to hold trunks and branches of trees or even tall grasses.  They had to climbed stiff cliffs, even if with his right foot operated and his right leg shorter than the other.  The healthy Epifanio was behind him grasping for his breath.

He was determined to show to everybody that he can do it.

5.      When his younger brother saw how poor they were, he decided not to enrol in high school.  Instead, he convinced his mother to buy ‘kuskusan’ or ice grater and they would sell halo-halo.  He also stopped schooling for one year and helped their mother.

His younger brother took upon himself to apply in the US Navy.  Our survey at that time showed that 9 out of ten houses, have their sons enlisted in the US Navy.  He accompanied him to Cavite City.  He was never weary waiting for his brother at the gate of the base.  He had only few pesos in his pocket.  He also told us later that for several times he skipped taking a snack.

He told us that the longer an applicant gets out of the base … the better.  It meant that one passed the examination and was now a step ahead.  He never complained the whole day even he was under the scourging heat of the sun.

Meanwhile, the folks in Nabua lighted candles in practically all barrio chapels in the poblacion or town center and prayed that the applicant pass the examinations.

Accordingly, when my brother came out of the gate very late afternoon, he had his hair cut very short and already with a big smile.  It meant he passed all the examinations and was ready to take oath as an enlisted man of the United States Navy.

Until the end, he was ready to assist any brother towards the family’s welfare.

6.      Long before his death in 1993 (of heart attack), he talked earnestly with his cousins notably Diogenes Mesola (US army retired) about gathering all relatives, a family reunion, in San Ramon, Nabua, Camarines Sur.  He never saw it realized.

But, in the year 2000, more than 200 relatives came.  Some did not even know they were relatives and saw each other for the first time.  It was considered their first Family Reunion.

Even those who were living abroad came.  From then on, the clan gathers every three years, in the place where their known elders originated.  It’s now the 6th Grand Family Reunion and they look forward to the next family gathering.

My birthday is January 28.  His was January 31.  We both love to celebrate our birthdays together on either birthdates, depending if either is available to both of us.

He was determined, to his last breath, to realize the success of her daughters.

My brother, Avelino.

July, 2014

THE TALL STORIES OF MANOY ESTOK

Tall stories is defined as a false, exaggerated, improbable, high flowing and grandiloquent stories. But, even if they were false, at our age, we thought that they were true. The delivery of the story was very convincing.

Romeo Villaluz alias “sawa” or snake, was my classmate from the first grade to the six grade. His house was at the back of our Parish Church. He was full of stories. While all of the stories were convincing, they were false.

But, we enjoyed listening to those false stories. He was a good story teller. And he believed all these stories told to him by his elder brother whom he referred to as “ Manoy Estok.”

Here were some of the stories which because of our innocence we believed as true:

1. His “Manoy Estok” always stayed out of the house very late at night. Their small house was just behind the Parish Church of Nabua. Because there was no electric system yet, there were no street light. There was total darkness. The church (the building) was made of stone (2 x 1 and one foot thick) which was carefully cut. There were bricks which we called as “ladrillo” . Both the cut stone and the bricks were made through a forced labor by Filipinos. They were slaves of the Spanish conquistador. The Church was built sometime in the 16th century.

2. His “Manoy Estok” told him that the big snake was so mysterious that it gave out from its huge mouth gold coins.

3. His “Manoy Estok” also told him that somewhere at the foot of the altar was a hidden door leading under ground,

Because of these stories, their alias or “bansag” was :”sawa”.

It was only when we reached the secondary school that we learned that the stories were false. It was the way so that they will not stay out at night and study their lessons for the next day.




-end-

OUR LIFE AND THE CAT

Wise men said that life is like a wheel.  Sometimes one is at the top but sometimes he is at the bottom.  Today, he may be down financially or full of problems.  But tomorrow, he maybe at the top.  He has no more problems.

The poor, through perseverance and lots of luck may become rich and the wealthy may become poor.

Let us observe the life of the lowly cat.  Other say that cats have nine (9) lives.  Whether this is true or a fallacy, we don’t know.

The life of the cat is like ours.  Let us hold the cat upside down and drop it to the floor.  Before he reaches the floor, it maneuvers and lands standing.

It is true that we will remain poor, but if we do not do something for us, we will remain poor.  But, like the cat, before we touch the ground, let us maneuver and stand erect.