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.

KITE FLYING… AND MARRIAGE

Once there was a marriage ceremony. It was lavishly done.  There were dozen couples who acted as principal sponsors and three priests to officiate.  Ringing of the bells was continuous.  This is called in the local dialect as “repeke”

The church was filed and naturally the reception which followed after the marriage ceremonies was attended by so many.  The building was filled so many tables and chairs are even put outside.

Before serving dinner some of the principal sponsors were asked to talked on their words of wisdom to the newly wed couple.  One speaker said during the Japanese occupation (1941-1945), he lived in La Opinion, Nabua, Camarines Sur, the place of the bride.  He learned as a boy how to fly kites.

He said that flying a kite (boradol in Bikol), one has to learn “toros” (loosen of the string) and “kawikaw” (holding back of the string).  To make the marriage successful, the bride should know when to loosen her husband “toros” or holding back her husband “kawikaw”.  In other words, the wife shall not be not possessive or too loose of her husband.  She shall not be too possessive nor too lose.

If the wife knows how to “toros” and “kawikaw” the kite will fly … so is a married life.

THE MAN WHO FORGOT WHERE HE CAME FROM

“Be grateful for what you have.

Not regretful for what you haven’t.”

Anonymous

“Express gratitude generously and sincerely,

Received gratitude humbly and graciously;

Expect gratitude rarely, if ever.”

-          Dr. William Arthur Ward

“We live in the present,

We hope for the future.

We learn eternal truth from the past.”

Anonymous

DIALOGUE FROM THE PAST:

1.      Speaker No.1: “May I leave you now.  I have classes to attend.”

2.      Speaker No.2: “You may select not to come back.  Anyway, you don’t know where you came from.”

QUESTIONS:

1.      Was speaker No. 1 ever respectful?

2.      Was speaker No. 2 angry? What made him angry?

LET US KNOW THE PAST.

Mauro was a varsity player.  He played good in basketball.  He finished his college education as a scholar.  Soon he was accepted to a nationally organized team.  He was a standout.  He continued his study in Manila and his educational growth was recognized.  While he was a professional player, he also worked in a company.  He was like a star.  He even married a young professional lady … a basketball fan.

Meanwhile, a local company published in a national paper its need for a company manager.  Mauro thought that he was eligible for managership.  He had many friends who advised him to apply.  Mauro did not know that his friends wanted to get rid of him.  He was by nature boastful.

He applied and was accepted.  He became popular in the community.  He remembered that he was once a working student and now he is a manager.  He finished his studies due to his athletic prowess.  Unfortunately, he forgot his local friends.  And he detested him for this.  He even got a girlfriend who slept with him in the company premises, to the consternation of the employees.

He was by nature a loud mouth.  He wanted to lord over all, including the men who hired him.  He did not attend management meetings called by the men who hired him, even if they required him to attend.  To add insult to injury, while they were holding a meeting, he played basketball in a place visible to them.

He taught in the school where he graduated.  The school authorities thought that it was to their advantage.  They were wrong.  Almost always, his students did not get their grades on time.  Students used to go to his office for their grades.

One day, Mauro was forced to attend a meeting.  They have a visitor from the central office and did not want the visitor to know that he did not attend meetings.  However, he was really a loud mouth.  He monopolized the discussion.  The men who hired him, actually the board of directors, did not like his actuation.  And they were frank.  They told him about it.

Around 8:00pm, Mauro informed them that he’ll attend his class.  The president was candid.  He told him frankly that: “You may select not to come back anymore.  Anyway, you don’t know where you came from.”

THE BELIEF TO BE TALL

Juan was born in the middle of the past century.  At that time, life was full of superstitions and beliefs.  Most often than not, these are told by parents to let their children fall to sleep.

He has a brother, more smaller than him.  His name is Jose.  It seemed he would not grow up.  His height just simply stopped.  Others would play a joke with him stating that the Almighty God seemed to forget him grow.

Come Holy Week, his brother (Jose) was told not to take a bath for three days… that was from Holy Friday until the Easter Sunday.  This forms a suffering for him.

Another one was to climb a tree on Holy Saturday at 12:00 midnight in time for the resurrection of Jesus.  But, furthermore, he is asked to jump in order to get tall.

He dressed like a girl

Long time ago, many people in my town believed that in order for a family to have a baby girl, the child before him/her should be dressed like a girl and also have her/his hair long.  The total appearance should be like a girl.

Lope and Guadalopi already have five children – all boys.  The joke of the neighbors was that they were forming a basketball team.  They long dreamed to have a baby girl.  They believed on this and when Guadalopi was pregnant for the sixth child they wanted it to be a girl.

The child before the sixth was a baby boy.  In fact, all their children were boys.  The fifth son was himself a ‘carefully’ cared one since when he was born, his umbilical cord was tied around his neck and there was a white spot in his eyes.  In addition to this, the boy, Nonito, whom they called ‘Nonita’ had two hair cowlick (puyo) which they also believed that when the boy grew up he will be a mischievous son.

So at the age of two or three years, ‘he was dressed as a girl.’  He was powdered, with long hair, hair pins and a ribbon.  All clothes and shoes for him were for a girl.  He went to church and other functions like birthday parties of cousins in a girl’s dress.  So people would laugh at them but they also believed on the old saying that they too wanted the family to have a girl. 

But after nine months of pregnancy, Guadalopi delivered a bouncing baby boy.

WE PLAYED UNDER THE MOONLIGHT

‘Turubigan’ was our game when we were still very young.  I remember, I was not in school yet.  There was still no electric service in our town.  Our light came from a bottle of gin (a kind of wine) with a wick.  Our nose became dirty because of this.

       ‘Turubigan’ or water game was played at night by two groups of young people in our neighborhood.  My playmates were Leon, Emma, Manay Mating, Manay Erming , Manay  Nana, Saling, Mario, Juan and my brothers Avelino and Virgilio.

       We poured water on the road to make four squares least five feet square).  We have no chalk before.  Chalks were for teachers only.  Sometimes we made use of broken plates and cups to line the square..  Our road was not yet concreted like now.  The road was asphalted.  Water was very visible under the moonlight.  It made the lines dark.  And we did it along the road from 7:00 PM until midnight.  Cars were still few so we had so much time for our games.

          One group acted as ‘taon’ or guard of the square.  The other group tried to ‘escape’ from being caught or touched by the former until he or she reached the last square and the finish line.

       At 11:00 PM, my mother would call us to return home and sleep.  She, herself could not sleep without us at her side.  Our mosquito net was wide.  It was made of abaca.  We were eight in the family (six sons and our parents). We were lined up inside the mosquito net.

       The young today do not play our game any more.  Roads today are cemented and water splashed to make a square cannot be as dark and shiny as before.  Today, more and more cars various sizes pass by and to play along the road will be dangerous.

       I missed those days.

AN BADUYA (Fried Bananas)

Si dating kaibahan ko sa opicina  nag-estorya na siya nadestino sa Pili-sub-office.  Kan siya daa magutom, isinugo niya an sarong Lineman na magbakal nin ‘baduya’ (fried banana) sa saod (market place). An saod yaon lang sa likod kan oficina.

Labi na sa duwang oras, dai na nabuelta an isinugong Lineman. Gutom na gutom na siya. Ngalas siya ta kun siya mismo an nagbakal, mayo pa nin limang minuto, nakabuelta na siya.  Talagang harani an tiendahan.

Kan makabuelta na an Lineman, sinabi sa saiya na nalibot na daa niya an entering saod nin nagkakapera ng beses , alagad mayo siya nin nnaheleng na  ‘manduya’ (fried rice flour with the shape of a blue moon with decoration at its side. . . called g’giring-giting’). Iba man an saiyang dangog.

Iba man kaya an tataramon ninda Norma sa Ciudad nin Naga.  Iba man sa banwaan kan Pili.  Kadakol kan nag-eestar sa Pili na hale sa Rinconada (Baao, Iriga, Nabua asin Bato).

Sa Pili, an ‘baduya’ inaapod na ‘sinapot’.  Iba naman an ‘manduya’.

AN AKING NAPA-IHI SA LAMPASONG SURO

Vilay an gaha  sa saiya kan saiyang manga amigo. Nasa elementarya (Grade 1) si Vilay kan mangyari an insidenteng ini.  Siya sarong aki na amay kinahilengan nin  talento.  Bako siyang para-girong alagad aktibo siya sa klase.  Pigmidbib siya kan saiyang maestra na madunong sa haros s gabos na ‘subjects’ lalo na sa English.

            Kaidto, an tataramon na ‘may I go out’ sarong tataramon sa English na parating ginagamit kun napapaluwas sa klase an sarong aki tanganing magduman sa ‘toilet’ na an toyo mag-ihi o magbawas.

            Sarong aldaw, an maestra nakamalisya na kadakol kan naman kan nasabing ‘may I go out’ lalo na sa ‘subject’ na ‘arithmetic.An iba haloy na magbuelta.

            Si Vilay nakamate nin pag-ihi. Nagtindog siya asin sinabi sa maestra an ‘may I go out’.  Nadangod siya kan maestra alagad dae siya pinaluwas. An huna kan maestra, arog siya kan iba na gustong magluwas asin makalibre sa klase.

            Ihing-ihi na si Vilay.  Dae na niya mapupugulan pa. Mababasa an saiyang sulot na ‘medya peston’ Nagku-a siya nin lampasong suro sa sarayan nin suro, sig-gid asin samod. Nag-ihi siya sa suro. Suminobra pa an ihi kaya nabasa an salog.  Naheleng siya kan maestra asin inaggutan.

            Nagsimbag si Vilay. Sinabi niyang nagpa-aram siya tanganing magduman sa ‘toilet’ asin mag-ihi mayo nin naginibo an maestro. Inako niya na siya napasala.

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 is a country of servants.  He wrote that the Philippines do not have any right to fight against their ‘masters’, the Chinese. Especially in the claim for the Spratly Island or Freedom Islands.

       The comment resulted to the protest by Filipino migrant workers in Hong Kong.  The Department of Foreign Affairs (DPA) also strongly protested.  As a result, the article in the internet was erased.  The author, the Editor and the Publisher asked for an apology.

       But, at first the apology of Chip Tsao  was  not accepted , especially that he wrote a rejoinder stating that the Filipinos did not understand.  He did not know that English is the second language of the Filipinos.  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 in Hongkong.  There were many Filipinos there and he publicly apologized. It was a formal gathering with Chip Tsao and the Consul General on the stage.  The Filipinos were civil.  His request for apology was accepted.  He even bowed in front of the Filipinos as a sign of remorse.  Malacanyang also accepted his request for apology for the Filipino people.

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

       IS THE PHILIPPINES  REALLY A COUNTRY OF SERVANTS?  IF SO,

       WHO’S TO BLAME?

       My opinion is that both the Chinese columnist in Hongkong and the Filipinos were at fault.  Chip Tsao was right and the Filipinos were only hurt.  Consider this . . .

        1).        During the regime of former President Ferdinand Edralin Marcos, a certain President of a  Maritime School  (whose name I forgot) discovered a group of islamnds north of Palawan.  He called it Freedon Islands.  The islands usually disappeared during high tide and surfaced during low tide.  He recommended sovereignty by the Philippines.  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, Chiona and he Philippines.

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

       He even coined the term ‘brain drain’ He wanted the talent of the Filipinos used in the Philippines.  There were highly educated Filipinos like doctors Engineers, Teachers, Nurses, mid-wives and many others who wanted to work abroad.

       Today, only a part of the Spratly Island are3 being occupied  by the Philippine government. With its local government (the barangay).  In the islands are militia men (the AFP)the Tanod or Barangay Police. The governments of China and Vietnam showed their might by sending ships in the area.  They even have their garrison.  If we openly listened to the ‘Commodore’

       3).       But former President Ferdinand E. Marcos was banished to Hawaii until he died.  There was the bloodless revolution.  Many claimed heroism.  He was replaced by a series of Presidents (men and women).  His successors included former President Corazon C. Aquino; former President Fidel V. Ramos ; former President Joseph E. Estrada and now President Gloria M. Arroyo.

       But, even after the reign of Marcos, Aquino, 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 or technical jobs.

4. A house helper is per se a helper (in Tagalog, --katulong;in Spanish –muchacha and in Bicol – katabang) .  In order, perhaps, to appease these house helpers, the government changed their title or term to ‘house Managers’.  Nobody in other countries and even in the Philippines called them by the name of House Managers.  And to make the name sweeter, they coined the name as ‘kasambahay’ their employer called ‘domestic helpers’. Parents, who did not want to use the term ‘domestic helper’, call them as plain 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 airport personnel extort them. Are they heroes?

     5).       Politics seemed to be more important than value formation.  Politics is practiced every day, even if election is still too far.  One can earn more money from the government but remain scott free provided he or she belongs to the party in power.

       Senator Merriam D. Santiago, in disgust said in congress tjt 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 studies but to study nursing. Their purpose is to go abroad. (The pay for a year in the Philippines could be earned in only a month abroad.)

       A story goes that a Filipina midwife could not find a decent job in the Philippines . . .with a living salary to augment her husbands meager salary. – 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 and the midwife 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). It is of public knowledge that graft and corruption in the Philippines were learned from the Chinese.

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

c. That the highly anomalous NBN-ZTE deal involved Chinese business men and corporation.

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

       WHAT SAY YOU, CHIP TSAO?