One day upon arriving home, I found three young men talking with my mother. I soon learned that they wanted to board with us. My mother accepted them because they were all employed and had better chances of being good payers. She told them to come back three days later as we had to look for a new place so they could be accommodated. The place we saw was in Mayhalique, next door to where Manang Taliang and her family lived. It was a two-story affair and we occupied the downstairs past while the boarders occupied the upstairs. Manong Itong came to live with us and later also Autas, both cousins of mine. Elix, Siniong's brother also came to live with us and I was glad because he had such a jolly nature and his lightheartedness was contaminating.
November that year was a very busy one for us in school. We had to edit. We solicited contributions from the student body and their response was tremendous. But most of them were not good material and much as I hated to disappoint those budding writers, their manuscripts inevitably were-wastebasketed. Most submitted write-ups were poems and stories about love and very reminiscent of young lovers. I had a capable helper in the Associated-Editor, Mariano Familara, Jr. a senior. In the others I did not expect so much. I had two columns to takle alone, the editorial and a column we named "Junior Profile". The first instructor I interviewed for my Juniors Profile was Mrs. Dodson, I also had a short story in the Literary Section which I titled "Appearances are Deceiving." Our maiden issue was a hit. It was good reading material.
Aside from these undertakings we also had several dances scheduled. One was held on the 17th the date i well remembered because it turned out to be the turning point of my life. Everybody in the house knew about our social affair and Vestre had volunteered to be my escort. I thanked him but I just could not imagine myself going out with him. Siniong and I attended that dance and like the first time, we could not stay long because the place was so crowded. He suggested that we go again to the "Selecta". As usual, I ordered ice cream and chicken sandwich which is my favorite. We stayed about an hour and talked about a lot of things but especially my life in school and how i was liking it. He was very glad about my good showings.
When we finally left the "Selecta" Siniong hailed a cruising taxicab on Azcarrafa and told the cabman to dive to the Luneta. I was surprised and tried to protest but he assured me that we won't stay long. I trusted him so much and settled myself on the far corner of the cab.
Sitting side by side on the cement embarkment, I was feeling uneasy. Siniong was his casual conversational self but I sometimes found myself asking myself why i was out with this man at this hour of night, it was almost midnight, at the Luneta. It was there that he finally brought out the matter which I dreaded most. He took hold of my left hand and asked me why I hadn't given him a clear answer. I could not say anything, even if I had anything to say, I could not possibly say it. He must have understood because he kept silent. We got up and walked, passed the Manila Hotel and the Municipal Golf Links. He had my left hand in a grasp I could not extricate as he went on telling me how he loved me, how dear I've grown to be to him. All the while I was silent, what can a girl say in a moment like this?
We were able to flag down a taxicab only as we were nearing the Legislative Building. I was thankful because we would reach home quicker. I kept to my corner of the seat and stared out of the window. All of a sudden he had me in his arms and gave my left cheek a resounding kiss as he told me hoe he loved me. When he finally let me go, i was so confused and ashamed. It was strange that I was not angry, that I didn't rave and rant at his misbehavior. I just felt humiliated and cheap. I didn't say anything, nothing at all. I just wiped my tears away. He didn't ask me to forgive him either; he only reiterated that he had the best of intentions.
I didn't sleep that night. Just as I would fall off to dowsiness, the thought of that kiss would again jolt me to wakefulness. What was I to do? I kept asking myself why I didn't slap him and why I was not angry. I found only one answer - - that I was beginning to fall in love. The realization came as a surprise even to me. The next day I had to write him. In my own inexperienced way, I told him how I felt.
The following days I lived on clouds. The evening after Siniong got my letter, he came home. I was even more sure then that I had learned to love him. His arrival was enough to send my heart perform a somersault. It was not easy for me to hide my feelings from my mother and sister but if they noticed anything at all, they kept it to themselves. The following day I found his letter waiting for me in school. It was froth with endearments and farther assurances of his good intentions with his love.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Saturday, July 12, 2008
1939- How Pat & I Fell In Love
Editor's Note: I got a copy of my grandfather's diary from my aunt. (Thanks Tita Bing!) He wrote it in the mid-90's while he was doing security guard work around Tampa Bay and it's full of daily anecdotes and even more stories than the memoir that I'm working on now. This one is 304 handwritten pages and my brain goes a little numb and my fingers want to hide at the thought of transcribing it.
There are some good entries in here, and I plan to dip into it now and then to mix things up on the blog. He has very detailed remembrances of WWII in here and I plan to tackle those once I'm done with the memoir. For now, here's his side of the story going on right now from "Nanay" my grandmother's memoir that my sister is dutifully working on now.
One day while visiting Pat and her mother in a Boarding House opened by them in Azcarraga near UE (University of the East), I asked if she has already enrolled in school. She said "not yet because mother has not yet sold her sewing machine." I asked for her report card. She just finished 2nd year H.S. in the Nueva Vizcaya Vocational H.S. and she intended to enroll in the National Univ. H.S. Dept. in Sampaloc, Manila.
To my great amazement, I never saw a card like that before, which was full of 90+ grades with no grade below 85%. Her general average was around 95%. Almost perfect! She said she was correcting themes written by 3rd year students under Miss Veragara, her English teacher. I was surprised!
I told her that I will pay for her initial enrollment fees because it was just a few days when enrollment will be closed. Her mother agreed. The only amount needed was 5 pesos ($2.50) and she got enrolled. We were both very happy.
At that time in 1939 my girlfriend was Martha. My other girlfriends: Elay, Edith, Tonie and Olive had all graduated as nurses. I could no longer visit them in their hospital schools as before and we stopped communicating with each other.
God knows that my only interest in helping Pat was because of her high grades and I said: SAYANG if her intelligence will not be exploited. I could foresee that she would make good in school and have a bright future. And she was very eager to go to school!
On the first week of her schooling she took an exam for the H.S. Newsletter Editor-In-Chief. She was the first one who submitted her theme to the amazement of the aspirants, but hers was declared the winner by Leon O. Ty, a very famous newspaper writer.
This made Pat very popular considering the fact that nearly all the contestants were fourth year students. Her picture was in the papers as Editor-In-Chief! Her mother was very proud of her and all their boarders celebrated her victory. She was given scholarship benefits as a H.S. student and at the same time as a Normal School (College equivalent) student to become a teacher.
Many boys tried to date her. One of their boarders was after her. She told me all about her problems. I realized she would be in trouble and unable to continue her studies if she fell in love with somebody.
In the beginning I pretended to fall in love with her so that she would not fall in love with someone else. I tried to protect her future. She responded to my letters and ultimately we became sweethearts. Her beautifully written "Story of My Life" can better tell what actually happened, except the fact that I was just pretending to court her. God knows! JBS
Martha was a H.S. graduate and more beautiful than Pat. Although not as intelligent I suppose because she never answered my letters, nor encouraged me beyond the flick of her eyelashes and smile on her lips!
There was a point when I could pretend no longer. I gave up Martha and went full speed for PAT! This proves that LOVE can really grow. My favorite song was:
Love in bloom
This is the past dear,
A spark then a flame
The moon was to blame
The world was all in tune-
This is the present,
The flame still aglow
My darling and so-
I blame the stars and the moon
This is the future, you at my side
A groom and a bride,
A home for more than two
My beloved one, this is the past
The present and the future
I'm only living just
For you-
JBS
Our bundle of love letters from 1939 to 1941 can better tell the full love story between Pat and me. I've given each of my children copies of those same love letters.
Neither Pat or I had any objection to anybody seeing seeing these letters which are in the Abra Provincial Library as a part of my five volumes of the story of my life entitled "Anak Ti Abra." The Librarian, Mr. Bianes said that many read those love letters.
There are some good entries in here, and I plan to dip into it now and then to mix things up on the blog. He has very detailed remembrances of WWII in here and I plan to tackle those once I'm done with the memoir. For now, here's his side of the story going on right now from "Nanay" my grandmother's memoir that my sister is dutifully working on now.
One day while visiting Pat and her mother in a Boarding House opened by them in Azcarraga near UE (University of the East), I asked if she has already enrolled in school. She said "not yet because mother has not yet sold her sewing machine." I asked for her report card. She just finished 2nd year H.S. in the Nueva Vizcaya Vocational H.S. and she intended to enroll in the National Univ. H.S. Dept. in Sampaloc, Manila.
To my great amazement, I never saw a card like that before, which was full of 90+ grades with no grade below 85%. Her general average was around 95%. Almost perfect! She said she was correcting themes written by 3rd year students under Miss Veragara, her English teacher. I was surprised!
I told her that I will pay for her initial enrollment fees because it was just a few days when enrollment will be closed. Her mother agreed. The only amount needed was 5 pesos ($2.50) and she got enrolled. We were both very happy.
At that time in 1939 my girlfriend was Martha. My other girlfriends: Elay, Edith, Tonie and Olive had all graduated as nurses. I could no longer visit them in their hospital schools as before and we stopped communicating with each other.
God knows that my only interest in helping Pat was because of her high grades and I said: SAYANG if her intelligence will not be exploited. I could foresee that she would make good in school and have a bright future. And she was very eager to go to school!
On the first week of her schooling she took an exam for the H.S. Newsletter Editor-In-Chief. She was the first one who submitted her theme to the amazement of the aspirants, but hers was declared the winner by Leon O. Ty, a very famous newspaper writer.
This made Pat very popular considering the fact that nearly all the contestants were fourth year students. Her picture was in the papers as Editor-In-Chief! Her mother was very proud of her and all their boarders celebrated her victory. She was given scholarship benefits as a H.S. student and at the same time as a Normal School (College equivalent) student to become a teacher.
Many boys tried to date her. One of their boarders was after her. She told me all about her problems. I realized she would be in trouble and unable to continue her studies if she fell in love with somebody.
In the beginning I pretended to fall in love with her so that she would not fall in love with someone else. I tried to protect her future. She responded to my letters and ultimately we became sweethearts. Her beautifully written "Story of My Life" can better tell what actually happened, except the fact that I was just pretending to court her. God knows! JBS
Martha was a H.S. graduate and more beautiful than Pat. Although not as intelligent I suppose because she never answered my letters, nor encouraged me beyond the flick of her eyelashes and smile on her lips!
There was a point when I could pretend no longer. I gave up Martha and went full speed for PAT! This proves that LOVE can really grow. My favorite song was:
Love in bloom
This is the past dear,
A spark then a flame
The moon was to blame
The world was all in tune-
This is the present,
The flame still aglow
My darling and so-
I blame the stars and the moon
This is the future, you at my side
A groom and a bride,
A home for more than two
My beloved one, this is the past
The present and the future
I'm only living just
For you-
JBS
Our bundle of love letters from 1939 to 1941 can better tell the full love story between Pat and me. I've given each of my children copies of those same love letters.
Neither Pat or I had any objection to anybody seeing seeing these letters which are in the Abra Provincial Library as a part of my five volumes of the story of my life entitled "Anak Ti Abra." The Librarian, Mr. Bianes said that many read those love letters.
Jose B Sibayan Documentary
I've been talking to my cousin Brandy and she's going to be working on the final cut of the documentary on our grandfather this weekend. She wants to bring it for the Barrio Fiesta next weekend and she wants it to be completely done.
It's been a long time coming and we're all very proud of her. We're coming together as a family to get the last bit of funding that she needs for the editor and to print DVDs. If anyone wants to donate to the effort, you can contact me here or Brandy here. I'll also have DVD copies for sale, as well as a trailer, up as soon as possible.
It's been a long time coming and we're all very proud of her. We're coming together as a family to get the last bit of funding that she needs for the editor and to print DVDs. If anyone wants to donate to the effort, you can contact me here or Brandy here. I'll also have DVD copies for sale, as well as a trailer, up as soon as possible.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
PAAT Barrio Fiesta 2008
The Philippine American Association of Tampa's annual Barrio Fiesta is coming up on July 20, 2008 from Noon to 6 pm. Admission is $5, free for children 5 and under.
This is the organization that my grandfather founded back in the 1970's and this year they are dedicating the Barrio Fiesta to him. We're planning on making it a mini family reunion, so come out if you can! Brandy is finishing up her documentary on Lolo and she will be showing it there, along with copies for sale, but more on that in a separate post.
I hope to have copies of Lolo's memoirs available by then as well. We'll see!
This is the organization that my grandfather founded back in the 1970's and this year they are dedicating the Barrio Fiesta to him. We're planning on making it a mini family reunion, so come out if you can! Brandy is finishing up her documentary on Lolo and she will be showing it there, along with copies for sale, but more on that in a separate post.
I hope to have copies of Lolo's memoirs available by then as well. We'll see!
Update From the Editor
Just a quick update for you guys. After the blistering pace of updates a couple of weeks ago, I haven't been able to get anything up for a while. Sorry about that, I got a full-time job and started working on a project with my brother and the blog got sidetracked.
However, the Barrio Fiesta is coming up in two weeks and I want to have my grandfather's memoirs completely transcribed for him by then. So I've given my grandmother's memoirs to my sister to work on. I'm going to spend a couple of hours a day, at least, working on Lolo's memoirs.
I have a pretty good-sized chunk typed up already, but it's an incomplete story. I'll probably put it out in pieces anyway, so I'll put that up by the end of the week.
However, the Barrio Fiesta is coming up in two weeks and I want to have my grandfather's memoirs completely transcribed for him by then. So I've given my grandmother's memoirs to my sister to work on. I'm going to spend a couple of hours a day, at least, working on Lolo's memoirs.
I have a pretty good-sized chunk typed up already, but it's an incomplete story. I'll probably put it out in pieces anyway, so I'll put that up by the end of the week.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Bangued - Your Ultimate Online Guide
I was just doing a little online research about Bangued and came across a very cool website called, you guessed it, "Bangued - Your Ultimate Online Guide." It has recent pictures and videos of places like Victoria Park, the Valera House, the Torrijos House, churches, buildings, the Abra River and more.
It's one thing to copy Lolo's words onto a computer and posting these blogs. Actually seeing the places he's talking about, even if it's only online, really brings the words to life.
I've added a list of links to the sidebar of the website and added them to it as well. Take a look when you get a chance, lots of interesting stuff to see there. Here's a sample:
It's one thing to copy Lolo's words onto a computer and posting these blogs. Actually seeing the places he's talking about, even if it's only online, really brings the words to life.
I've added a list of links to the sidebar of the website and added them to it as well. Take a look when you get a chance, lots of interesting stuff to see there. Here's a sample:
Nanay - Part 3
III.
The following days were blank ones for me. I even became lax in my studies as all sorts of things came into my mind. First it was Vestre then Siniong. And added to this was our very serious financial condition. I contemplated to tell my mother about Siniong’s revelation of his love but I was also afraid. I didn’t know why. The following Sunday he came again and stayed for lunch. My mother must have noticed something because I could not act natural. The moment I saw him coming, something simply went thump-thump-thump in my chest and my hands and feet went cold. He did better, though. He simply said, “Hello, Pat.” and went to my mother. They went into a pow-wow until it was time for lunch and she had to invite him to dine with us.
Later that afternoon he invited my mother to go to the Luneta. He knew very well that she wanted so much to go there for a breath of sea air as our apartment was rather stuffy and hot. Then he matter-of-factly asked me if I wanted to go along. At first I intended to stay but then I realized that if I refused, my mother might make conclusions. So I went. I noticed Vestre’s envious eyes as we left the house. I knew he was at the window looking at us but I didn’t want to look up, because one of the reasons why I went with Siniong and mother ws that I didn’t want to be left alone in the house since my sister and her husband had gone out earlier.
It was around that time that my mother had to dismiss two boarders because they hadn’t paid for three months. We again looked for a smaller place and a cheaper one, too. We found one at Calle Gastambide which had only one advantage and it is its nearness to my school.
It was in this place that my bro-in-law left my sister for good. He said he was going for a vacation and also to visit his mother. My sister never thought that he would not come back anymore. One week after he left, my sister gave birth to a baby boy, October 22, 1939 to be exact, at the Mary Chiles Hospital. I wrote by brother-in-law about it and we expected him to come running home to his child. Weeks passed but he didn’t show up. Finally at the end of her rope, my sister bundled her son up and went to her husband’s home town. What took place there we never knew, but when she came back a week later, she was in tears and showed us a written agreement entered into by herself and her husband whose contents were to the effect that they were separated with mutual consent. My mother was sorry for the child but we were thankful because we got rid of an ingrate at last.
My birthday was approaching and as it neared I was getting restless because I promised Siniong he would have my answer on my birthday. I told him so when we went to an excursion in Montalban and he tagged along. I’ll never forget the trip. We were having that excursion in connection with our lessons in Biology so that we could gather specimens where there were plenty. We had our class organization sponsor it so we could hold a dance also. Siniong knew about it when my mother and I were discussing what I was to bring along and he arrived at home. He suggested that since we were holding the excursion on a Sunday, he could come along and he said he would take care of the “baon.” We shopped together that afternoon in Quiapo market for some pork chops, eggs and bread. I was glad that my mother didn’t suspect anything yet otherwise she would not have consented to our going together.
I was seeing Montalban for the first time. Seven Meralco buses brought us there and everyone was in high spirits. About noontime, we had gathered all the specimens we needed and the dancing began. The N.U. Band furnished the music. Siniong suggested that we have our lunch first since it was already almost twelve o’clock before we went to the dance hall. We selected a nice slab of white stone near the water’s edge for a table. I was getting nervous because the moment I dreaded most was nearing. I could have objected to our eating alone and could have suggested going with the others but I somehow didn’t. It seemed as though he had me in tow and whatever he suggested I readily agreed. I was wondering, too, because where I had been tom-boyish with other admirers; I was completely tame and coy with him. It may be because I trusted him so much and that I was quite sure, even then, that he would not do anything disagreeable to me. My chest was in a constant thump-thumping and I was grateful that he started only to press his question when we were almost through. It was then that I promised him that he would have my answer on my birthday, which was just a few days away.
The following morning when I went to school, I was surprised to see that the fortnightly issue of “The National” was already out. Most of the students in the lobby were all reading their copies. Then before I knew what happened, I was besieged by classmates and friends and they started pumping my hand in congratulations. I didn’t know what it was all about until someone showed a copy of the brand new “Junior National” (for the High School department) before my eyes. The headline read, “Junior Wins Editorship.” Then smaller letters, “Petite Patricia Enrile wins Essay Contest. She’s First Editor-In-Chief.”
I could not believe my eyes. I was so glad I almost cried. Then there was a sea of faces before me, Seniors mostly and Collegiates. They all shook my hand and congratulated me. The bell rang then, the crowd dispersed and, as I was about to go to my room, I saw Mr. Ty approaching. When he saw me he signaled me to wait for him. “Congratulations.” and he shook my hand. “Prepare a nice photo of yours for the next issue.” He instructed when we parted.
My first subject was English and as I entered the room I was met with a loud cheer by everyone. I stopped in my tracks and could not help the tears that came, tears of joy, at my achievement. Mrs. Ferrer, my English instructor led me to her table and she said, “We are proud of you, Patricia, very proud indeed. Keep up your good work, you’ll be somebody someday.”
I could not wait for the noon hour to strike so I could go home to bring my mother the good news. When it finally came, I hurriedly went inside the “National” offices, took several copies of the paper and hurried home. My mother shed tears when I told her. The boarders were very glad, too, and insisted that the occasion called for a celebration. In the afternoon, Siniong came. I knew he was very glad when he heard about it and he, too, offered his congratulations.
The following week was a happy one for me. Letters came from friends, Miss Inoncentes for one, knew about it through the Exchange column of their school organ “The La Union Tab.” Senia also wrote, and my classmates in Bayombong. Mr. Ferdan, instructor in the N.V.H.S. and also librarian wrote that he clipped the page of our paper and had it posted prominently in the library. In this same hectic week also came my birthday. All of a sudden I felt weak. I remembered my promise to Siniong and I still didn’t have my answer. But I had to keep my word so I wrote him a letter. I just told him about my doubts, my misgivings. I didn’t spare myself, I told him how inexperienced I was in love-affairs. On my birthday he came, but we didn’t have a chance to be alone. So I felt a little relieved because I was sure I would go to pieces if he pressed his question further.
The following days were blank ones for me. I even became lax in my studies as all sorts of things came into my mind. First it was Vestre then Siniong. And added to this was our very serious financial condition. I contemplated to tell my mother about Siniong’s revelation of his love but I was also afraid. I didn’t know why. The following Sunday he came again and stayed for lunch. My mother must have noticed something because I could not act natural. The moment I saw him coming, something simply went thump-thump-thump in my chest and my hands and feet went cold. He did better, though. He simply said, “Hello, Pat.” and went to my mother. They went into a pow-wow until it was time for lunch and she had to invite him to dine with us.
Later that afternoon he invited my mother to go to the Luneta. He knew very well that she wanted so much to go there for a breath of sea air as our apartment was rather stuffy and hot. Then he matter-of-factly asked me if I wanted to go along. At first I intended to stay but then I realized that if I refused, my mother might make conclusions. So I went. I noticed Vestre’s envious eyes as we left the house. I knew he was at the window looking at us but I didn’t want to look up, because one of the reasons why I went with Siniong and mother ws that I didn’t want to be left alone in the house since my sister and her husband had gone out earlier.
It was around that time that my mother had to dismiss two boarders because they hadn’t paid for three months. We again looked for a smaller place and a cheaper one, too. We found one at Calle Gastambide which had only one advantage and it is its nearness to my school.
It was in this place that my bro-in-law left my sister for good. He said he was going for a vacation and also to visit his mother. My sister never thought that he would not come back anymore. One week after he left, my sister gave birth to a baby boy, October 22, 1939 to be exact, at the Mary Chiles Hospital. I wrote by brother-in-law about it and we expected him to come running home to his child. Weeks passed but he didn’t show up. Finally at the end of her rope, my sister bundled her son up and went to her husband’s home town. What took place there we never knew, but when she came back a week later, she was in tears and showed us a written agreement entered into by herself and her husband whose contents were to the effect that they were separated with mutual consent. My mother was sorry for the child but we were thankful because we got rid of an ingrate at last.
My birthday was approaching and as it neared I was getting restless because I promised Siniong he would have my answer on my birthday. I told him so when we went to an excursion in Montalban and he tagged along. I’ll never forget the trip. We were having that excursion in connection with our lessons in Biology so that we could gather specimens where there were plenty. We had our class organization sponsor it so we could hold a dance also. Siniong knew about it when my mother and I were discussing what I was to bring along and he arrived at home. He suggested that since we were holding the excursion on a Sunday, he could come along and he said he would take care of the “baon.” We shopped together that afternoon in Quiapo market for some pork chops, eggs and bread. I was glad that my mother didn’t suspect anything yet otherwise she would not have consented to our going together.
I was seeing Montalban for the first time. Seven Meralco buses brought us there and everyone was in high spirits. About noontime, we had gathered all the specimens we needed and the dancing began. The N.U. Band furnished the music. Siniong suggested that we have our lunch first since it was already almost twelve o’clock before we went to the dance hall. We selected a nice slab of white stone near the water’s edge for a table. I was getting nervous because the moment I dreaded most was nearing. I could have objected to our eating alone and could have suggested going with the others but I somehow didn’t. It seemed as though he had me in tow and whatever he suggested I readily agreed. I was wondering, too, because where I had been tom-boyish with other admirers; I was completely tame and coy with him. It may be because I trusted him so much and that I was quite sure, even then, that he would not do anything disagreeable to me. My chest was in a constant thump-thumping and I was grateful that he started only to press his question when we were almost through. It was then that I promised him that he would have my answer on my birthday, which was just a few days away.
The following morning when I went to school, I was surprised to see that the fortnightly issue of “The National” was already out. Most of the students in the lobby were all reading their copies. Then before I knew what happened, I was besieged by classmates and friends and they started pumping my hand in congratulations. I didn’t know what it was all about until someone showed a copy of the brand new “Junior National” (for the High School department) before my eyes. The headline read, “Junior Wins Editorship.” Then smaller letters, “Petite Patricia Enrile wins Essay Contest. She’s First Editor-In-Chief.”
I could not believe my eyes. I was so glad I almost cried. Then there was a sea of faces before me, Seniors mostly and Collegiates. They all shook my hand and congratulated me. The bell rang then, the crowd dispersed and, as I was about to go to my room, I saw Mr. Ty approaching. When he saw me he signaled me to wait for him. “Congratulations.” and he shook my hand. “Prepare a nice photo of yours for the next issue.” He instructed when we parted.
My first subject was English and as I entered the room I was met with a loud cheer by everyone. I stopped in my tracks and could not help the tears that came, tears of joy, at my achievement. Mrs. Ferrer, my English instructor led me to her table and she said, “We are proud of you, Patricia, very proud indeed. Keep up your good work, you’ll be somebody someday.”
I could not wait for the noon hour to strike so I could go home to bring my mother the good news. When it finally came, I hurriedly went inside the “National” offices, took several copies of the paper and hurried home. My mother shed tears when I told her. The boarders were very glad, too, and insisted that the occasion called for a celebration. In the afternoon, Siniong came. I knew he was very glad when he heard about it and he, too, offered his congratulations.
The following week was a happy one for me. Letters came from friends, Miss Inoncentes for one, knew about it through the Exchange column of their school organ “The La Union Tab.” Senia also wrote, and my classmates in Bayombong. Mr. Ferdan, instructor in the N.V.H.S. and also librarian wrote that he clipped the page of our paper and had it posted prominently in the library. In this same hectic week also came my birthday. All of a sudden I felt weak. I remembered my promise to Siniong and I still didn’t have my answer. But I had to keep my word so I wrote him a letter. I just told him about my doubts, my misgivings. I didn’t spare myself, I told him how inexperienced I was in love-affairs. On my birthday he came, but we didn’t have a chance to be alone. So I felt a little relieved because I was sure I would go to pieces if he pressed his question further.
History of My Life - Part E: Bangued Part 2
“History of My Life”
By Jose (Patrocinio) B. Sibayan
1990
E. Bangued, Part 2
The Provincial Governor, Don Virgilio Valera, always wore a white suit, white shoes and white PANAMA or straw hat from Panama. He also wore white hair as there was no dying of hair then. The same is also true with the Presidente (Mayor) Don Bienvenido Valera who was of Spanish ancestry, hence, had white skin like Don Virgilio. Don Quinten Paredes, the Congressman of Abra also wore all white clothes and was also white-skinned like the Valeras. They were taller than the ordinary Abranian and heavier in size. People adored and admired them.
The Police Chief wore khaki uniform with leggings and brass buttons like a P.C. officer. At that time he was my Tiong (Uncle) Binnong Benedito. He looked dignified and imposing. He had his own car. At night he blew his whistle at a certain hour and I heard whistles responding all around the town to show that his policemen were not sleeping. They were posted in the corner streets or strategic places patrolling the town.
The Justice of the Peace, Judge Rivas, was a thin person from another province who also loved to wear white suits and shoes and played tennis. When I sold my bicycle, I bought his tennis racket. I used to shine his shoes and the shoes of other members of his family in their house. He paid me very well.
The Provincial Fiscal, Fiscal Tomeldan, was a very short fat man who also played tennis. He was the father of my tennis partner in PMA, Captain Santiago Tomeldan. He was a very jolly person.
The Provincial Health Officer, Mr. Abecilla, enjoyed eating a lot. He was a very fat person. His son, Manong Gondino, who taught me chess, became a national chess champion.
The Provincial Treasurer, Mr. Chaves, lived in the house of Don Juan Valera, our neighbor across the street. Like the other officials, he also wore a white suit, white shoes, white necktie and used a white handkerchief. He used to arrive wet with sweat every afternoon after playing tennis in long white pants and white shirt and white rubber shoes. He had two sons, Johnny and Willie, of my age. Willie became a Captain like me and was also a radio announcer with his baritone voice. They had a green Dodge car that was kept well polished. Mr. Chaves was tall and lanky. His wife was beautiful.
I guess the reason the officials wore white attire is because of the Americans in the government service who wore all-white apparel and became the models. And so, even the High School teachers like Mr. Silverio Gutierrez and Mr. Honesto Brinyas were all in white.
High school students used a uniform of white shirts and khaki pants for boys and white blouse and khaki skirts for girls during my days in the early Thirties when I was 1st year and 2nd year in the Abra High School.
In my 3rd year in High School I left Bangued and studied in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya. It was there where I changed my name from Patrocinio to Jose. I returned to Bangued with a new name in 1934 and graduated as an Honor Student in 1935 from the Colegio del Sagrado Corazon High School of the Catholic Church.
After my graduation I left Bangued for Kiangan, Ifugao, Mountain Province where I worked as a Public Works Laborer and later on enlisted as a Private in the P.C. there. I visited Bangued when I became a Corporal, P.C. in 1937 during Holy Week. That was the last time I saw my birthplace before World War II. When I visited Bangued in 1945 I saw how badly devastated my home town was.
When I went up the Casamata Hill I could see the Abra River in Calaba across the barren town. Only a few structures like the church tower and municipal buildings did not get leveled to the ground. Not a single tall tree was left standing that I could see. It was caused by the carpet bombing by American planes during the Liberation of the Philippines from Japanese occupation.
When I was assigned as Instructor in the PMA in Baguio City in 1957 I had several chances to visit Bangued. Caimito trees took the place of the tamarind (salomagi), “sanguelas,” and “kamantiris” in our neighborhood. The roads were gradually paved with asphalt. Houses made of wood replaced the once bamboo and silag walls. More GI roofing glistened from house tops when I went up the Victoria Park in 1970. Bangued hads been transformed.
The Victoria Park is one of the most significant improvements in Bangued. I used to run up to the Casamata Hill with Felix Brillantes very early every morning and take a bath with the cool overflow of the tank which is now the swimming pool. When I was there the last time in 1970, I drove up the hill to take a dip in the swimming pool recalling my childhood days as I floated on the cool clear water from Borabor Stream. Then I watched the sun rise from the east with all its beauty and splendor as I used to do in my younger days when life was in its rising stage.
By Jose (Patrocinio) B. Sibayan
1990
E. Bangued, Part 2
The Provincial Governor, Don Virgilio Valera, always wore a white suit, white shoes and white PANAMA or straw hat from Panama. He also wore white hair as there was no dying of hair then. The same is also true with the Presidente (Mayor) Don Bienvenido Valera who was of Spanish ancestry, hence, had white skin like Don Virgilio. Don Quinten Paredes, the Congressman of Abra also wore all white clothes and was also white-skinned like the Valeras. They were taller than the ordinary Abranian and heavier in size. People adored and admired them.
The Police Chief wore khaki uniform with leggings and brass buttons like a P.C. officer. At that time he was my Tiong (Uncle) Binnong Benedito. He looked dignified and imposing. He had his own car. At night he blew his whistle at a certain hour and I heard whistles responding all around the town to show that his policemen were not sleeping. They were posted in the corner streets or strategic places patrolling the town.
The Justice of the Peace, Judge Rivas, was a thin person from another province who also loved to wear white suits and shoes and played tennis. When I sold my bicycle, I bought his tennis racket. I used to shine his shoes and the shoes of other members of his family in their house. He paid me very well.
The Provincial Fiscal, Fiscal Tomeldan, was a very short fat man who also played tennis. He was the father of my tennis partner in PMA, Captain Santiago Tomeldan. He was a very jolly person.
The Provincial Health Officer, Mr. Abecilla, enjoyed eating a lot. He was a very fat person. His son, Manong Gondino, who taught me chess, became a national chess champion.
The Provincial Treasurer, Mr. Chaves, lived in the house of Don Juan Valera, our neighbor across the street. Like the other officials, he also wore a white suit, white shoes, white necktie and used a white handkerchief. He used to arrive wet with sweat every afternoon after playing tennis in long white pants and white shirt and white rubber shoes. He had two sons, Johnny and Willie, of my age. Willie became a Captain like me and was also a radio announcer with his baritone voice. They had a green Dodge car that was kept well polished. Mr. Chaves was tall and lanky. His wife was beautiful.
I guess the reason the officials wore white attire is because of the Americans in the government service who wore all-white apparel and became the models. And so, even the High School teachers like Mr. Silverio Gutierrez and Mr. Honesto Brinyas were all in white.
High school students used a uniform of white shirts and khaki pants for boys and white blouse and khaki skirts for girls during my days in the early Thirties when I was 1st year and 2nd year in the Abra High School.
In my 3rd year in High School I left Bangued and studied in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya. It was there where I changed my name from Patrocinio to Jose. I returned to Bangued with a new name in 1934 and graduated as an Honor Student in 1935 from the Colegio del Sagrado Corazon High School of the Catholic Church.
After my graduation I left Bangued for Kiangan, Ifugao, Mountain Province where I worked as a Public Works Laborer and later on enlisted as a Private in the P.C. there. I visited Bangued when I became a Corporal, P.C. in 1937 during Holy Week. That was the last time I saw my birthplace before World War II. When I visited Bangued in 1945 I saw how badly devastated my home town was.
When I went up the Casamata Hill I could see the Abra River in Calaba across the barren town. Only a few structures like the church tower and municipal buildings did not get leveled to the ground. Not a single tall tree was left standing that I could see. It was caused by the carpet bombing by American planes during the Liberation of the Philippines from Japanese occupation.
When I was assigned as Instructor in the PMA in Baguio City in 1957 I had several chances to visit Bangued. Caimito trees took the place of the tamarind (salomagi), “sanguelas,” and “kamantiris” in our neighborhood. The roads were gradually paved with asphalt. Houses made of wood replaced the once bamboo and silag walls. More GI roofing glistened from house tops when I went up the Victoria Park in 1970. Bangued hads been transformed.
The Victoria Park is one of the most significant improvements in Bangued. I used to run up to the Casamata Hill with Felix Brillantes very early every morning and take a bath with the cool overflow of the tank which is now the swimming pool. When I was there the last time in 1970, I drove up the hill to take a dip in the swimming pool recalling my childhood days as I floated on the cool clear water from Borabor Stream. Then I watched the sun rise from the east with all its beauty and splendor as I used to do in my younger days when life was in its rising stage.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Nanay - Part 2
We went back to Bayombong just in time for me to enroll for the next school year. We had new classmates and new teachers. Among my teachers was Miss Natividad Inocentes who was our Home Economics and English Instructor. We struck such a nice friendship with one another and when later that year she was transferred to the La Union High School, I was heartbroken. I told her so in my letters, which were numerous, and during the Northern Luzon Athletic Meet that year, I grasped the opportunity to attend it so I could see her. The Meet was being held in San Fernando, La Union. Two friends of mine, Visitacion Singuego and Virginia Santos went along. My aunt in Bayombong also joined us as she was visiting her daughter (Manang Pinang) whose husband, Dr. Torralba, was then the Surgeon in the Cadre at Naguilian. He was then recently called to active duty as a 1st Lt. in the Army.
We arrived in San Fernando in the evening and proceeded to the Mission dormitory where our delegates were housed for the duration of the Meet. There we met Miss Inocentes and she took me home with her. She was boarding, together with two other lady teachers, at the very nice residence of the then Major Rosas. The place was a few minutes walk from San Fernando to Naguilian and vice versa. Vising got the measles while we were there and Miss Inocentes took her to the Bethany Hospital. We had to leave her when we left a week later as she could not make the trip yet. We were very sorry to leave her, but had no other choice, the Meet was over.
Before the school year was over, my sister got married to Onofre Aquino from Manaoag, Pangasinan. As the husband was then taking up Law in Manila, my mother asked me if I did not want to study in Manila too. I said if we could afford it, why not? That summer vacation, my mother brought me to Manila and we (my bro-in-law, my sis and I) boarded in a house in San Andres. My mother went back to Bayombong to sell some of our belongings because she had made up her mind to operate a boarding house in the city as business was slack in the province. When she came back, we rented an apartment in Azcarraga and hung the “We Admit Boarders” sign. Manong Augusto Feir volunteered to look for boarders and he did bring some. He also lived with us and my mother made him pay half price only.
The place we occupied in Azcaraga was a large apartment; downstairs was a laundry shop and they had a telephone. One afternoon as I was standing at the door to the shop I saw Siniong approaching. He was scanning the numbers on the doors and I when he saw me he stopped and said he was looking for our place. I brought him upstairs to Mother and they had a nice exchange of newsy tid-bits. We informed him of my intention to enroll at the National University for the next school year and I even showed him my card. He was surprised to see my grades all a row of 90s and 95s. He asked me when I intended to go for enrollment and when I told him, he said he’ll be around to help me. My mother was glad because I had someone to help me and one whom she could trust. When he came on the day I said, I told him I couldn’t enroll because the money we were waiting for hadn’t arrived yet. He said that I would enroll anyway otherwise I would be late. We therefore went to the N.U. and I filled out the necessary papers. When I was through, he brought them to the cashier and paid my fees. I was feeling rather ashamed, but he said that I could pbeay him back when our money arrived. He paid 8.00 pesos all in all. When we were going home, he bought notebooks and paper and folders for me. My gratitude for his goodness was beyond words and I just had to let him know. He said he was doing it because he was very much interested in my welfare – in my finishing school, because I had very good grades. Would I keep them up? I promised him I would.
Schooling in the city was quite different from schooling in the province, I soon found out. I discovered that my classmates just took our lessons for granted, just took things easy. In my case it was different. I was used to knowing my lessons well everyday while at the NVHS and I took real pains to study between chores in the house. My mother had seven male boarders then and we didn’t hire help. We did everything and my sister helped of course. It didn’t take long for me to make good impressions on my instructors as well as my classmates. Soon they didn’t eye me anymore as just another “newcomer.” I liked my English teacher best; she knew what she talked about. As the days went on, I grew to like my Biology teacher also, although in the beginning, I could not seem to like her because she seemed aloof and proud. In one of my letters to Miss Inocentes, (I still wrote her a lot) I mentioned my Biology teacher (Miss A. Garcia) and when she wrote me back she told me that she and Miss Garcia were friends; they were co-graduates from the Tarlac High School. Would I please extend her best regards? I did, and there began our friendship together.
Siniong visited us a lot those days and my mother sort of looked forward to his visits because he always had something for her, sometimes a bag of lanzones, which Mother simply adored, or a bag of pancit. He often dined with us in the evening and one evening he accompanied me to Gandara to buy a new pair of shoes. There was also a time when he asked my mother to help him buy a new “barong Tagalog” and my mother took me along because she said that I had “good taste.”
A shadow seemed to cloud my sunny skies, though. Some of the boarders failed to pay their fees on time and soon the little capital my mother had rapidly disappeared. We were hard-up in cash and soon we were looking for a cheaper apartment. We found one in Calle Vargara and August of that year we moved there. My sister and her husband came along of course and our boarders, except one, tagged along. It was about this time that my sister’s marriage showed signs of disruption. They quarreled very often and they became more bitter everyday. Their behavior affected my life a great deal. Coming home from school tired and hungry, I usually arrived while they were having their quarrels. My nerves were always on edge. Sis was pregnant then and very often had her moods. My mother seemed not to exist to them and they made me even angrier. Even at night they would not let us sleep because we occupied the same room. I tried my best to forget the domestic hardships by delving deeper and deeper in my studies but soon I noticed that I was becoming thinner. It was during this time that the High School Department of the National University issued a call for literary minded students to take part in an essay contest to select prospective staff-members of the school organ. I did not hear about it until the afternoon the contest was being given.
I was feeling unusually morose that afternoon because things at home were not doing so good again and I dressed up to get away from it all. I didn’t have any place to go, so I just woke and walked until I reached school. I was so tired and took a bench at the lobby fronting the quadrangle when my eyes wandered to the Bulletin Board. Then I saw the announcement. It said the contest was being held at 3:00 that afternoon. I glanced at the big clock in the Registrar’s office. It was 10 minutes before three. I got up and proceeded to the Physical Education room where they said the contest was being held.
The room was full of students – most of them seniors. As I entered Mr. Leon O. Ty, who was supervising the contest, looked up and asked if I was participating. I could not back out anymore and I was very much embarrassed when all the students were looking at me. I saw only one Junior like me and he was the president of the Junior Class Organization. Mr. Ty motioned me to a seat which was the only vacant one and then stood up and went to the blackboard. He must have been giving instructions before I went in because without saying anything he wrote: “What I would like to be after Graduation.” After writing it, he said with a wave of the hand, “Go on, develop that in not more than 100 words. I’m giving you 30 minutes.”
I just wrote and wrote the first thing that came into my mind. In ten minutes I submitted my write-up. Mr. Ty was surprised and his look told me so. I felt all eyes on me and I strode out of that room.
Finances at home were at their lowest. We were only able to get by from day to day by my mother’s clever budgeting. We realized even then, that the boarding house business was a losing proposition for us. My mother’s small capital soon was exhausted and our patience with the delinquent boarders was worn so thin. There were only two who paid my mother on time; they were cousins from Sta. Cruz, Ilocos Sur. One of them, Silvestre, soon started giving me attention. At first I didn’t pay any particular notice to his eyeing me when I was not looking at him. Then one afternoon while I was studying my lessons, I discovered a pink, linen envelope inside one of my books. When I opened it, I found it came from Vestre. I was surprised and nervous. It was not because I had not been receiving love letters from boys, as I rated at least one a day, but I was nervous because I realized then that we had to send him away. And he was our best boarder! I also realized then that my peace of mind would be disturbed tremendously by his presence.
I tried to be diplomatic with Vestre. I even told him that I had counted on him as a brother and now he had other intentions. Our finances were no better. I did not wish to add more worries to my mother, so I didn’t tell her about the letter. At about this time Siniong began to act funny whenever he came to our place. I could not make it out until during a dance we had at school. It was logical enough for me to ask him to escort me because I was sure that my mother would not let me go if I didn’t go with people she trusted.
We went to the dance, Siniong and I, but we didn’t stay long as the place was stuffy. After doing my duties as Secretary of the class organization that was giving the dance, we left. We proceeded to the “Selecta” where Siniong said we would have some ice cream and sandwiches before we went home. I was feeling self-conscious as that was my first time to be out with a man at night. Then like a bolt from the blue, Siniong blurted out as we were having ice cream: “Pat, do you know why I am doing all these for you?” It came so unexpectedly and I didn’t know what to say. I did not want to ask him why. I was afraid of his answer. Until the day I die, I’ll never forget this moment and had I known then that this man was to become my husband, I would not have acted so foolishly nervous. I was so nervous I felt a cold chill run up and down my spine. And plus the cold ice cream, I was just a block of cold hands and feet. Thanks to his understanding, he saved the embarrassing moment by saying, “I’m doing all these, Pat, because I love you.” So simply said and so solemnly, that I felt the ice cream stuck in my throat. But if I was embarrassed in the beginning, I was even more embarrassed then. I could not raise my eyes to meet his. I didn’t know what to do. I have very often read those words written to me, but never before have they been said to my face. I must have been red all over because I felt my face become warm and flushed.
Then followed a long silence between us as I absent-mindedly poked at my ice cream. He again broke the silence. “I’m not going to rush you, Pat. I can wait. And besides, I want you to finish school. I am very much interested in that.”
After awhile we left the parlor and walked home. Our place was just a few blocks away. I had wanted to walk so I could regain my composure which was badly damaged. I was that nervous. I didn’t want the folks at home to notice anything and so we walked.
We arrived in San Fernando in the evening and proceeded to the Mission dormitory where our delegates were housed for the duration of the Meet. There we met Miss Inocentes and she took me home with her. She was boarding, together with two other lady teachers, at the very nice residence of the then Major Rosas. The place was a few minutes walk from San Fernando to Naguilian and vice versa. Vising got the measles while we were there and Miss Inocentes took her to the Bethany Hospital. We had to leave her when we left a week later as she could not make the trip yet. We were very sorry to leave her, but had no other choice, the Meet was over.
Before the school year was over, my sister got married to Onofre Aquino from Manaoag, Pangasinan. As the husband was then taking up Law in Manila, my mother asked me if I did not want to study in Manila too. I said if we could afford it, why not? That summer vacation, my mother brought me to Manila and we (my bro-in-law, my sis and I) boarded in a house in San Andres. My mother went back to Bayombong to sell some of our belongings because she had made up her mind to operate a boarding house in the city as business was slack in the province. When she came back, we rented an apartment in Azcarraga and hung the “We Admit Boarders” sign. Manong Augusto Feir volunteered to look for boarders and he did bring some. He also lived with us and my mother made him pay half price only.
The place we occupied in Azcaraga was a large apartment; downstairs was a laundry shop and they had a telephone. One afternoon as I was standing at the door to the shop I saw Siniong approaching. He was scanning the numbers on the doors and I when he saw me he stopped and said he was looking for our place. I brought him upstairs to Mother and they had a nice exchange of newsy tid-bits. We informed him of my intention to enroll at the National University for the next school year and I even showed him my card. He was surprised to see my grades all a row of 90s and 95s. He asked me when I intended to go for enrollment and when I told him, he said he’ll be around to help me. My mother was glad because I had someone to help me and one whom she could trust. When he came on the day I said, I told him I couldn’t enroll because the money we were waiting for hadn’t arrived yet. He said that I would enroll anyway otherwise I would be late. We therefore went to the N.U. and I filled out the necessary papers. When I was through, he brought them to the cashier and paid my fees. I was feeling rather ashamed, but he said that I could pbeay him back when our money arrived. He paid 8.00 pesos all in all. When we were going home, he bought notebooks and paper and folders for me. My gratitude for his goodness was beyond words and I just had to let him know. He said he was doing it because he was very much interested in my welfare – in my finishing school, because I had very good grades. Would I keep them up? I promised him I would.
Schooling in the city was quite different from schooling in the province, I soon found out. I discovered that my classmates just took our lessons for granted, just took things easy. In my case it was different. I was used to knowing my lessons well everyday while at the NVHS and I took real pains to study between chores in the house. My mother had seven male boarders then and we didn’t hire help. We did everything and my sister helped of course. It didn’t take long for me to make good impressions on my instructors as well as my classmates. Soon they didn’t eye me anymore as just another “newcomer.” I liked my English teacher best; she knew what she talked about. As the days went on, I grew to like my Biology teacher also, although in the beginning, I could not seem to like her because she seemed aloof and proud. In one of my letters to Miss Inocentes, (I still wrote her a lot) I mentioned my Biology teacher (Miss A. Garcia) and when she wrote me back she told me that she and Miss Garcia were friends; they were co-graduates from the Tarlac High School. Would I please extend her best regards? I did, and there began our friendship together.
Siniong visited us a lot those days and my mother sort of looked forward to his visits because he always had something for her, sometimes a bag of lanzones, which Mother simply adored, or a bag of pancit. He often dined with us in the evening and one evening he accompanied me to Gandara to buy a new pair of shoes. There was also a time when he asked my mother to help him buy a new “barong Tagalog” and my mother took me along because she said that I had “good taste.”
A shadow seemed to cloud my sunny skies, though. Some of the boarders failed to pay their fees on time and soon the little capital my mother had rapidly disappeared. We were hard-up in cash and soon we were looking for a cheaper apartment. We found one in Calle Vargara and August of that year we moved there. My sister and her husband came along of course and our boarders, except one, tagged along. It was about this time that my sister’s marriage showed signs of disruption. They quarreled very often and they became more bitter everyday. Their behavior affected my life a great deal. Coming home from school tired and hungry, I usually arrived while they were having their quarrels. My nerves were always on edge. Sis was pregnant then and very often had her moods. My mother seemed not to exist to them and they made me even angrier. Even at night they would not let us sleep because we occupied the same room. I tried my best to forget the domestic hardships by delving deeper and deeper in my studies but soon I noticed that I was becoming thinner. It was during this time that the High School Department of the National University issued a call for literary minded students to take part in an essay contest to select prospective staff-members of the school organ. I did not hear about it until the afternoon the contest was being given.
I was feeling unusually morose that afternoon because things at home were not doing so good again and I dressed up to get away from it all. I didn’t have any place to go, so I just woke and walked until I reached school. I was so tired and took a bench at the lobby fronting the quadrangle when my eyes wandered to the Bulletin Board. Then I saw the announcement. It said the contest was being held at 3:00 that afternoon. I glanced at the big clock in the Registrar’s office. It was 10 minutes before three. I got up and proceeded to the Physical Education room where they said the contest was being held.
The room was full of students – most of them seniors. As I entered Mr. Leon O. Ty, who was supervising the contest, looked up and asked if I was participating. I could not back out anymore and I was very much embarrassed when all the students were looking at me. I saw only one Junior like me and he was the president of the Junior Class Organization. Mr. Ty motioned me to a seat which was the only vacant one and then stood up and went to the blackboard. He must have been giving instructions before I went in because without saying anything he wrote: “What I would like to be after Graduation.” After writing it, he said with a wave of the hand, “Go on, develop that in not more than 100 words. I’m giving you 30 minutes.”
I just wrote and wrote the first thing that came into my mind. In ten minutes I submitted my write-up. Mr. Ty was surprised and his look told me so. I felt all eyes on me and I strode out of that room.
Finances at home were at their lowest. We were only able to get by from day to day by my mother’s clever budgeting. We realized even then, that the boarding house business was a losing proposition for us. My mother’s small capital soon was exhausted and our patience with the delinquent boarders was worn so thin. There were only two who paid my mother on time; they were cousins from Sta. Cruz, Ilocos Sur. One of them, Silvestre, soon started giving me attention. At first I didn’t pay any particular notice to his eyeing me when I was not looking at him. Then one afternoon while I was studying my lessons, I discovered a pink, linen envelope inside one of my books. When I opened it, I found it came from Vestre. I was surprised and nervous. It was not because I had not been receiving love letters from boys, as I rated at least one a day, but I was nervous because I realized then that we had to send him away. And he was our best boarder! I also realized then that my peace of mind would be disturbed tremendously by his presence.
I tried to be diplomatic with Vestre. I even told him that I had counted on him as a brother and now he had other intentions. Our finances were no better. I did not wish to add more worries to my mother, so I didn’t tell her about the letter. At about this time Siniong began to act funny whenever he came to our place. I could not make it out until during a dance we had at school. It was logical enough for me to ask him to escort me because I was sure that my mother would not let me go if I didn’t go with people she trusted.
We went to the dance, Siniong and I, but we didn’t stay long as the place was stuffy. After doing my duties as Secretary of the class organization that was giving the dance, we left. We proceeded to the “Selecta” where Siniong said we would have some ice cream and sandwiches before we went home. I was feeling self-conscious as that was my first time to be out with a man at night. Then like a bolt from the blue, Siniong blurted out as we were having ice cream: “Pat, do you know why I am doing all these for you?” It came so unexpectedly and I didn’t know what to say. I did not want to ask him why. I was afraid of his answer. Until the day I die, I’ll never forget this moment and had I known then that this man was to become my husband, I would not have acted so foolishly nervous. I was so nervous I felt a cold chill run up and down my spine. And plus the cold ice cream, I was just a block of cold hands and feet. Thanks to his understanding, he saved the embarrassing moment by saying, “I’m doing all these, Pat, because I love you.” So simply said and so solemnly, that I felt the ice cream stuck in my throat. But if I was embarrassed in the beginning, I was even more embarrassed then. I could not raise my eyes to meet his. I didn’t know what to do. I have very often read those words written to me, but never before have they been said to my face. I must have been red all over because I felt my face become warm and flushed.
Then followed a long silence between us as I absent-mindedly poked at my ice cream. He again broke the silence. “I’m not going to rush you, Pat. I can wait. And besides, I want you to finish school. I am very much interested in that.”
After awhile we left the parlor and walked home. Our place was just a few blocks away. I had wanted to walk so I could regain my composure which was badly damaged. I was that nervous. I didn’t want the folks at home to notice anything and so we walked.
History of My Life - Part D: Bangued
“History of My Life”
By Jose (Patrocinio) B. Sibayan
1990
D. Bangued
1. Biag - Social Life
Social life revolved around religious activities such as baptisms, marriages, birthdays, deaths, fiestas and church going on Sundays and Holidays. The church was, therefore, the hub of social interactions. There friends, enemies, lovers and strangers met on Sundays and Holidays. No doubt the people were peaceful and practically knew one another.
2. Tiosko - Town Plaza
The town plaza was centrally located, surrounded by public buildings. East of the plaza were the market, elementary school building and the municipal building. South of it was the Church and the Conventos of the priests and the nuns and the Catholic schools. West of it was the Constabulary barracks and the Provincial Jail. To the north were the Provincial Building and the Post Office under the house of Governor Virgilio Valera. The plaza was the place for the Provincial Fair during the town fiesta on Feb. 22nd. It was there where political rallies were held and where entertainments like “sarsuela” and “komedia” were played.
3. Tindaan – Market
The market, east of the church building, consisted of a big ACASIA tree in the middle surrounded by a wall so that it had only one entrance facing the church. Meat vendors had elevated benches on the north side. Cloth vendors were located on the south side with benches on the ground. The west side was occupied by pottery vendors. These arcas were shaded with a roof but the middle part was shaded only by the big spreading acasia tree.
The middle was occupied by vegetable and fruit vendors. Fish vendors occupied a part of the northern shaded area. The vendors in the middle displayed their goods inside baskets on the ground where they sat on a stool called “bangkito,” or squatted in front of their goods. Every vendor was busy driving away flies that swarmed the market. The whole market area was paved with small river stones except the shaded or roofed areas which were surfaced with clay.
At that time women did not wear panties and so the women squatting in front of their baskets of goods had to fold their “pandiling” or long skirt between their legs. The market had no toilet. People had to go to one corner to relieve themselves. Aside from the flies, dust would fly in clouds when a gust of wind would blow inside.
When the people went home from the market at noon time, I used to pass inside the market on my way to school after lunch to search for fallen coins. Often times I picked up a centavo here and there or a nickel in the place where they sell clothes and meat. Passing bare footed in the area where salt and salted fish or “bagoong” is sold makes the feet feel funny as the salted dust enters between the toes and makes it watery. But a centavo or two more than compensated for the discomfort. Anyway, my daily allowance was only one centavo, or sometimes none at all, to buy a cake during recess.
The marketplace was eventually transferred in the later part of the Thirties to Konsiliman.
4. Stores
The KAINSIKAN or Chinatown was along the street west of the churchyard going down the slope near the creek. Both sides starting with the store of my Godfather, Bernardino Torrijos, on the left or south and the store of the Bridlantes family on the right or north, down to the Navarros and Valeras are stores selling groceries, clothes, etc. Felix Brllantes was my classmate. He married Cleopatra Bilgera, another classmate and established the biggest store and hotel building in the heart of Lucena City after the war. His Chinese father wore a big jade bracelet.
Also east of the market along the road were two Chinese stores selling groceries and other goods from Vigan. There was also one Chinese store north of the plaza near the street corner. Another Chinese sold groceries and other sari-sari items in the Store of Don Ciano south of the market across from the convent. Later on a Torrijos building and big department store was built south of the market across from the church.
Another Torrijos store was located along the street going to the High School near the Banez Pharmacy. It was owned by the father of Cecilia Torrijos, my former classmate, one of the beauties of Bangued as she had a light complexion and a beautiful smile.
A story is told about the Chinese, named Katang, who was accused of impregnating his young maid and he answered: “PONGEL, PONGEL, SINO TARAKEN MANOK, HINDI SIDA ILOK?” (“Talk, talk, who raises chickens that does not eat eggs?”)
There was a Chinese store under the house of Don Ciano Barcena owned by “SODAK KABKAB.” He was a dirty Chinese who was always dozing. He kept his money inside a rusty cracker can near his bars of soap. He also sold wild honey which I liked to eat.
5. Sastres – Tailors
The sastres, or tailors, were few and mostly located east of the town. They were Tata Anding Bandayrel, my uncle, and Manong Tinong Valencia. Along the same street further north was a tailor, not native to Bangued, who had a beautiful daughter whose family name was Reparial. He lived in the neighborhood of my classmates, Margarita Bersalona and Leo Bernandes. At that time only those public employees and teachers and well-to-do people had tailored clothes. To show that we were public school H.S. students, we were required to wear khaki pants in school as a part of our uniform with white shirts. I had my pants ordered by installment payments by my parents although it cost only $1. But $1 was the equivalent of four day’s minimum pay then.
Nana Ulli Aparri was a famous tailor for boys and ladies clothes. She was my mother’s best friend and later on became my mother-in-law. She also lived in the east near the house of Tata Kinio Basuego, our town “herbolerio.”
6. Sapateros – Shoemakers
The shoemakers were also few. They lived west and north of the town. Down the road of the KAINSIKAN was Mariano Tuazon who later on became a Sheriff and owner of the first movie house in Bangued. He had a very intelligent son, Ham, who was also my classmate in Grade 1 and got promoted ahead of me. Another shoemaker, Mr. Viado, was the father of my classmate, Roman, another intelligent student. In the north going towards Tayum was LAKIEN, who wore a man’s coat and a woman’s shirt. I didn’t know if she was a man or a woman, because she spoke like a woman but had a beard like a man. He/She was also a shoemaker. She was called ILLIANG also.
But there was only one slipper-maker in town, my father Florencio Sibayan. He had the reputation of making slippers that lasted a “life-time.” I guess this is very true because when they dug up his bones they found out that his slippers did not decay, according to my step-mother.
7. Tinapay – Bakery
The bakery of Tata Andong and Nana Dora Bayabos was the only bakery up to the Thirties when the Venus Bakery in the west was opened. The Bayabos Bakery was along the street in the east near the tailors. Hence, every morning people in town trekked to the bakery to buy bread for breakfast. The bakery also sold lechon at noontime once a week. The bread dough and bread mould were all made by hand. I saw Nana Dora preparing the dough until late at night and I saw Tata Andong baking the bread very early in the morning. But their homemade bread was very tasty and we ate them with coffee minus butter. To sandwich condensed milk in their warm bread was my favorite delight! As a matter of fact my late father’s last wish before he died, according to Pat, my wife, was bread sandwiched with condensed milk, which he got as his last meal. No doubt my children wanted to eat bread with condensed milk or ice cream!
8. Parmacia – Pharmacy
The pharmacy in Bangued did not exist until the early Thirties. It was owned by Major Urbano Banez with his daughter, Lita, as the pharmacist. It was there where we could buy condensed milk, toothpaste and leeches (alisnatek) for reducing blood pressure. Later on the Valera Pharmacy was opened in the east with Manang Conching Valera, later on Mrs. Purugganan, as pharmacist. It was located in the store of Don Bienvenido Valera, Ex-Mayor, and got burned with a lot of pharmaceutical items stored in their ground floor. The smell of burned medicine was unusual. Our house almost got burned, but by the grace of God, the fire was not fanned by the wind towards our bamboo house. There was also a bamboo warehouse containing cans of petroleum and gasoline between our house and the burning house. It was miraculously spared by the wind turning the flames to the opposite direction! I saw my father perform a super-human feat by picking up our foot-pedaled Singer sewing machine and running away with it to a safe place. It took two people to carry it back later!
9. Doktor – Doctors
Doctors were seldom consulted except in times of grave or serious illness by the rich. Our “doctor” was Teta Kinio Basuego who had a cure-all medicine of herbs and prayers. The only doctor I knew as a child was Dr. Romas, father of my classmate Clementine, a very intelligent student. They lived in the west, while Dr. Trullence lived east of the Long (Elementary) Building. Dr. Purugganen lived in the north towards Tayum.
10. Dentista – Dentists
The dentist that I knew was Tata Siding, who lived across the stream near Pagpartian. He drilled and extracted teeth without anesthesia then. I hated to go near him! Another dentist who came to town later was Major Soliver of the P.C. He was a very imposing figure in uniform. Nena, his daughter, become my camadre later on when I became a god-father of their youngest son in Quezon City.
11. Politikos – Politicians
Politicians were looked upon with respect by the people and with awe by the children as they rode around town and were surrounded by their constituents; and as they delivered fiery speeches in the town plaza after a brass band concert. There were only two rival parties then: the Valera faction and the Paredes faction. Don Virgilio Valera was then the Governor while Don Quintin Paredes was the Congressman. The town Presidente (Mayor) was Don Bienvenido Valera. I used to ride the Valera truck carrying their streamers shouting with other children to “Vote for Valera!” then came the eating before elections where voters and non-voters, even children, flocked for the tasty lechon, chicken adobo, suman and pancit. My father was a Valera voter because Don Benido was our next-door-neighbor.
12. Opiciales – Government Officials
Government officials held their positions with pomp and dignity; wearing coat and tie to office with leather shoes. Captain Galineto was the Provincial Commander, P.C., while Lt. Eufemio was the C.O., P.C. How I envied them in uniform, especially in church with their white uniforms! They attracted great attention as the sentinel announced their arrival with a rifle-clicking salute!
By Jose (Patrocinio) B. Sibayan
1990
D. Bangued
1. Biag - Social Life
Social life revolved around religious activities such as baptisms, marriages, birthdays, deaths, fiestas and church going on Sundays and Holidays. The church was, therefore, the hub of social interactions. There friends, enemies, lovers and strangers met on Sundays and Holidays. No doubt the people were peaceful and practically knew one another.
2. Tiosko - Town Plaza
The town plaza was centrally located, surrounded by public buildings. East of the plaza were the market, elementary school building and the municipal building. South of it was the Church and the Conventos of the priests and the nuns and the Catholic schools. West of it was the Constabulary barracks and the Provincial Jail. To the north were the Provincial Building and the Post Office under the house of Governor Virgilio Valera. The plaza was the place for the Provincial Fair during the town fiesta on Feb. 22nd. It was there where political rallies were held and where entertainments like “sarsuela” and “komedia” were played.
3. Tindaan – Market
The market, east of the church building, consisted of a big ACASIA tree in the middle surrounded by a wall so that it had only one entrance facing the church. Meat vendors had elevated benches on the north side. Cloth vendors were located on the south side with benches on the ground. The west side was occupied by pottery vendors. These arcas were shaded with a roof but the middle part was shaded only by the big spreading acasia tree.
The middle was occupied by vegetable and fruit vendors. Fish vendors occupied a part of the northern shaded area. The vendors in the middle displayed their goods inside baskets on the ground where they sat on a stool called “bangkito,” or squatted in front of their goods. Every vendor was busy driving away flies that swarmed the market. The whole market area was paved with small river stones except the shaded or roofed areas which were surfaced with clay.
At that time women did not wear panties and so the women squatting in front of their baskets of goods had to fold their “pandiling” or long skirt between their legs. The market had no toilet. People had to go to one corner to relieve themselves. Aside from the flies, dust would fly in clouds when a gust of wind would blow inside.
When the people went home from the market at noon time, I used to pass inside the market on my way to school after lunch to search for fallen coins. Often times I picked up a centavo here and there or a nickel in the place where they sell clothes and meat. Passing bare footed in the area where salt and salted fish or “bagoong” is sold makes the feet feel funny as the salted dust enters between the toes and makes it watery. But a centavo or two more than compensated for the discomfort. Anyway, my daily allowance was only one centavo, or sometimes none at all, to buy a cake during recess.
The marketplace was eventually transferred in the later part of the Thirties to Konsiliman.
4. Stores
The KAINSIKAN or Chinatown was along the street west of the churchyard going down the slope near the creek. Both sides starting with the store of my Godfather, Bernardino Torrijos, on the left or south and the store of the Bridlantes family on the right or north, down to the Navarros and Valeras are stores selling groceries, clothes, etc. Felix Brllantes was my classmate. He married Cleopatra Bilgera, another classmate and established the biggest store and hotel building in the heart of Lucena City after the war. His Chinese father wore a big jade bracelet.
Also east of the market along the road were two Chinese stores selling groceries and other goods from Vigan. There was also one Chinese store north of the plaza near the street corner. Another Chinese sold groceries and other sari-sari items in the Store of Don Ciano south of the market across from the convent. Later on a Torrijos building and big department store was built south of the market across from the church.
Another Torrijos store was located along the street going to the High School near the Banez Pharmacy. It was owned by the father of Cecilia Torrijos, my former classmate, one of the beauties of Bangued as she had a light complexion and a beautiful smile.
A story is told about the Chinese, named Katang, who was accused of impregnating his young maid and he answered: “PONGEL, PONGEL, SINO TARAKEN MANOK, HINDI SIDA ILOK?” (“Talk, talk, who raises chickens that does not eat eggs?”)
There was a Chinese store under the house of Don Ciano Barcena owned by “SODAK KABKAB.” He was a dirty Chinese who was always dozing. He kept his money inside a rusty cracker can near his bars of soap. He also sold wild honey which I liked to eat.
5. Sastres – Tailors
The sastres, or tailors, were few and mostly located east of the town. They were Tata Anding Bandayrel, my uncle, and Manong Tinong Valencia. Along the same street further north was a tailor, not native to Bangued, who had a beautiful daughter whose family name was Reparial. He lived in the neighborhood of my classmates, Margarita Bersalona and Leo Bernandes. At that time only those public employees and teachers and well-to-do people had tailored clothes. To show that we were public school H.S. students, we were required to wear khaki pants in school as a part of our uniform with white shirts. I had my pants ordered by installment payments by my parents although it cost only $1. But $1 was the equivalent of four day’s minimum pay then.
Nana Ulli Aparri was a famous tailor for boys and ladies clothes. She was my mother’s best friend and later on became my mother-in-law. She also lived in the east near the house of Tata Kinio Basuego, our town “herbolerio.”
6. Sapateros – Shoemakers
The shoemakers were also few. They lived west and north of the town. Down the road of the KAINSIKAN was Mariano Tuazon who later on became a Sheriff and owner of the first movie house in Bangued. He had a very intelligent son, Ham, who was also my classmate in Grade 1 and got promoted ahead of me. Another shoemaker, Mr. Viado, was the father of my classmate, Roman, another intelligent student. In the north going towards Tayum was LAKIEN, who wore a man’s coat and a woman’s shirt. I didn’t know if she was a man or a woman, because she spoke like a woman but had a beard like a man. He/She was also a shoemaker. She was called ILLIANG also.
But there was only one slipper-maker in town, my father Florencio Sibayan. He had the reputation of making slippers that lasted a “life-time.” I guess this is very true because when they dug up his bones they found out that his slippers did not decay, according to my step-mother.
7. Tinapay – Bakery
The bakery of Tata Andong and Nana Dora Bayabos was the only bakery up to the Thirties when the Venus Bakery in the west was opened. The Bayabos Bakery was along the street in the east near the tailors. Hence, every morning people in town trekked to the bakery to buy bread for breakfast. The bakery also sold lechon at noontime once a week. The bread dough and bread mould were all made by hand. I saw Nana Dora preparing the dough until late at night and I saw Tata Andong baking the bread very early in the morning. But their homemade bread was very tasty and we ate them with coffee minus butter. To sandwich condensed milk in their warm bread was my favorite delight! As a matter of fact my late father’s last wish before he died, according to Pat, my wife, was bread sandwiched with condensed milk, which he got as his last meal. No doubt my children wanted to eat bread with condensed milk or ice cream!
8. Parmacia – Pharmacy
The pharmacy in Bangued did not exist until the early Thirties. It was owned by Major Urbano Banez with his daughter, Lita, as the pharmacist. It was there where we could buy condensed milk, toothpaste and leeches (alisnatek) for reducing blood pressure. Later on the Valera Pharmacy was opened in the east with Manang Conching Valera, later on Mrs. Purugganan, as pharmacist. It was located in the store of Don Bienvenido Valera, Ex-Mayor, and got burned with a lot of pharmaceutical items stored in their ground floor. The smell of burned medicine was unusual. Our house almost got burned, but by the grace of God, the fire was not fanned by the wind towards our bamboo house. There was also a bamboo warehouse containing cans of petroleum and gasoline between our house and the burning house. It was miraculously spared by the wind turning the flames to the opposite direction! I saw my father perform a super-human feat by picking up our foot-pedaled Singer sewing machine and running away with it to a safe place. It took two people to carry it back later!
9. Doktor – Doctors
Doctors were seldom consulted except in times of grave or serious illness by the rich. Our “doctor” was Teta Kinio Basuego who had a cure-all medicine of herbs and prayers. The only doctor I knew as a child was Dr. Romas, father of my classmate Clementine, a very intelligent student. They lived in the west, while Dr. Trullence lived east of the Long (Elementary) Building. Dr. Purugganen lived in the north towards Tayum.
10. Dentista – Dentists
The dentist that I knew was Tata Siding, who lived across the stream near Pagpartian. He drilled and extracted teeth without anesthesia then. I hated to go near him! Another dentist who came to town later was Major Soliver of the P.C. He was a very imposing figure in uniform. Nena, his daughter, become my camadre later on when I became a god-father of their youngest son in Quezon City.
11. Politikos – Politicians
Politicians were looked upon with respect by the people and with awe by the children as they rode around town and were surrounded by their constituents; and as they delivered fiery speeches in the town plaza after a brass band concert. There were only two rival parties then: the Valera faction and the Paredes faction. Don Virgilio Valera was then the Governor while Don Quintin Paredes was the Congressman. The town Presidente (Mayor) was Don Bienvenido Valera. I used to ride the Valera truck carrying their streamers shouting with other children to “Vote for Valera!” then came the eating before elections where voters and non-voters, even children, flocked for the tasty lechon, chicken adobo, suman and pancit. My father was a Valera voter because Don Benido was our next-door-neighbor.
12. Opiciales – Government Officials
Government officials held their positions with pomp and dignity; wearing coat and tie to office with leather shoes. Captain Galineto was the Provincial Commander, P.C., while Lt. Eufemio was the C.O., P.C. How I envied them in uniform, especially in church with their white uniforms! They attracted great attention as the sentinel announced their arrival with a rifle-clicking salute!
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Nanay - Part 1
“Nanay”
By Patricia Enrile Sibayan
“Of all the music that reached farthest into Heaven,
It is the beating of a loving heart.”
- Jose B. Sibayan
Pat, my lovely darling, sublimated her personal ambitions into the caring of her family. She sacrificed her life for the love of her children and her husband. “Nanay” is truly a saint!
- Jose B. Sibayan
This story of my life was written by Nanay – Patricia Enrile Sibayan by hand. I just typed what she wrote with no corrections, word for word. This book is being sent to Tatay, Jose B. Sibayan Sr. and to all my brothers and sisters with lots of love in memory of our loving and dearest Nanay.
- Jojo Sibayan Lontok, December 10, 1985
I have just given birth to my sixth child, a bouncing baby boy at the “Clinica Lopez” and the urge to write the story of my life is so strong that I had to begin doing just that. My husband and I have named the new baby “Roberto” which was suggested by our oldest son, Tony, and we have nicknamed him “Bobby.”
Six children: Antonio 10, Liberty 8, Arsenia 6, Josefina 4, Ernesto 2, and Bobby, the new arrival. Watching our children has been instrumental in inspiring whatever dormant writing ability has been left in me and forced me to look back through the years to see myself just a child again and as carefree as any other child in the neighborhood.
I was born in the small town of Bangued, province of Abra, in northern Luzon. About my birth, I could not say much except that I came into this world, the youngest, among three love-children. I never knew the loving care of a father because he left us just a little after I was born, to marry another woman. I was too young then but relatives tell me how heart-broken my mother was and how she almost died. What made it most painful for her was maybe because our father didn’t bother to go to another town but married a neighbor who was supposed to be rich, and stayed right there in Bangued where my mother could meet them often times. It must have been terrible for my mother, but she had a stout heart and after a year or so, she began to forget him. Our oldest, a boy, died before I was born, that left two girls for my mother to take care of. My sister was four years my senior.
After what I call my mother’s tragedy, she became sickly and, added to her poor health; she still had to earn money for our upkeep. She was a seamstress and catered to the more solidly founded families of the locality. During months when her sewing was not so lucrative, she went from one barrio another, selling all sorts of household necessities. When I was about a year old an aunt of mine, the oldest, took me in tow because she took pity on my mother who was over burdened by the heavy responsibility of earning a living and raising two daughters. Good for me, it proved to be because my aunt did not have children, although she had been married for quite a time then.
My childhood days were just like any other girl’s. The only difference was my lack of some things that other children had because, although my aunt and uncle gave me all they could, they could not seem to give me enough, because they too were poor. Even my uncle tried to give me a father’s loving care and for that I am forever thankful. The only shadow that blighted my childhood days in their care was the fact that theirs was not a happy marriage. Individually, they were very good to me, but lucky was a day that would pass without a quarrel between them. There were nights when I would lie whimpering in our bamboo “papag” where I slept while I listened to their quarrels. Sometimes they would become so violent in their language that I would wish to run away and hide myself somewhere. One such time, I really did run away, to sit under our big guava tree which was quite a distance from the house. It was raining cats and dogs that night and very windy too. I was just preparing to go to sleep when all of a sudden I sensed that my uncle and aunt were quarreling. They were in the porch of the house. As the rain grew stronger so their voices rose higher until they were so furious with one another. When I could bear it no longer, I silently crept out of the house and proceeded to the back of our spacious backyard and sat under the guava tree.
I must have fallen asleep because I was roughly awakened by someone shaking my shoulder. When I opened my eyes I saw my aunt with a lantern in her hand. I stiffly got up and didn’t say a word. Neither did she, but I saw that she had been crying. The next morning I was down with a very high fever which lasted for four days. Most of the time I didn’t know what was happening around me and I had all sorts of dreadful dreams. When I got better, I was very thankful that my uncle and aunt seemed to be at peace with each other and no one could imagine how much I prayed to God that their peace would last.
I was thirteen years old when I finished the seventh grade as “First Honorable Mention.” I had been a candidate for valedictorian but I got sick for more than a month before the final exams and that proved to my disadvantage. My rating was 89%; the valedictorian and salutatorian rated 91% and 90% respectively. At the opening of the next school year my aunt refused to let me enter high school. I was disappointed beyond words. I convinced her in my own childish ways, but she would not give in. My mother heard about it and she approached my aunt about it and even promised that she would pay all my expenses. My aunt did not consent either and they quarreled. The only reason my aunt didn’t want me to go to high school was because she didn’t want me to have a chance to be followed by boys. To her way of thinking, I was just at the age when things like love-affairs were most dangerous. And she opined that going to high school was a means of making boys and girls meet and fall in love. I was dumb-founded, then, by her opinion, at that time I didn’t even know yet that such a thing as love existed between strangers. But no amount of persuasion would budge her.
I had to give up school that year and the next. I was morose and sad, especially when my former classmates would drop in to say hello. My heart was broken, I wanted to go to high school so much that after the second year of my non-schooling, I again began to convince my aunt to let me go back to school. Like the previous years, she refused. Then I made my own plans. I consulted mother and she suggested that since they were not in good terms with my aunt, we better move to another province. She planned to sell our house and all belongings then move to Bayombong, N. Vizcaya where a younger sister and her family were residing. I wrote to that aunt of mine and did not spare any details. I told her that I wanted very much to go to school and that I intended to leave my older aunt because she didn’t want us to go to their place and live with them and they even assured me that they’ll help mother see me through high school. My morale rose to a new high but was marred only by the thought of leaving my aunt. She was short-minded and old-fashioned in a lot of things, but I loved her too, like a mother.
So it came to pass that on August 1936, after spending a restless and tearful day, I sneaked from my aunt’s house and hid in a relative’s house to wait for the morning so I could take the first bus out of Bangued. My mother and sister were supposed to be on the bus and we would then proceed to Bayombong. Our plans were carried out smoothly but I could not sleep that night and was always thinking of my aunt. Several people came to the house where I was hiding and told the owners how I disappeared and how furious my aunt was. She also asked the help of the municipal police to locate me, but a cousin of mine, who was a member of the police force, knew of my plans. Instead of helping them locate me, he led them off to another section of town. I am not going to elaborate on my escape from the place of my birth because I don’t want to open old wounds. Suffice it to say that my mother, sister and I made it with not so much trouble and as the truck rumbled through the dusty roads to Bayombong, I was thanking my lucky stars for giving me a chance once more to go back to school.
I spent two years (first and second years) in the Nueva Vizcaya High School. My cousin-in-law, Dr. Sotero Torralba, was the one who enrolled me and with no difficulty. Right from the start, I seemed to strike a neat friendship with both my teachers and class mates. In no time, I was already a student leader. I grew to like my English 1 teacher (Miss Remedious Vergara) so much and after a while we were good friends. Our intimacy was such that she trusted me so much that she even made me correct themes (formal and informal) of her Second year students and left the grading of same at my discretion. I participated in all kinds of extra-curricular activities and was president of our class and also class representative to the Student Council. I took the Home Economics course and I made our department popular in the campus by my obtaining the highest ratings in departmental tests. That year I was also voted the sponsor of Company C of the NVHS Cadet Corps.
Summer vacation of that year, my mother took my sister and me for a sojourn to Manila. My sister had finished high school the previous year and had an eye on entering the Philippine Normal School. She made good, too, in the entrance exams, but through some twist of fate, she was not able to enter said school. That summer she intended to take up a secretarial course. We stayed in the house of Prof. Procopio Borromeo and his mother, who was my mother’s cousin, but later on we moved to Nana Sayon’s on Zobel Street. She was also a cousin of my mother’s and her husbnd, Tata Dolfo, was then a 1st Lt. in the Army.
That summer vacation was sort of memorable to me because it was during that time that I danced for the first time. It happened this way. Not far from Zobel Street was a boarding house which was managed by a childhood friend of my mother’s. All her boarders were male students and it happened that a friend of ours from Bayombong, (Asterio Saquing) was one of them. We were surprised when one afternoon, he visited us and brought along (Manong) Siniong (I called him that then.) He was the son of my mother’s best friend and second cousin in Bangued and my mother was so overjoyed at seeing him. When he left Bangued I was still a small tot and when I came out, he didn’t recognize me. We asked them to come again, which they did quite often, and on Siniong’s birthday (May 8th) he invited my sister and me to join him to a pilgrimage to Antipolo. To make a foursome, he asked Asterio to come along. It was there in Antipolo that I danced for the first time – with Asterio as instructor.
By Patricia Enrile Sibayan
“Of all the music that reached farthest into Heaven,
It is the beating of a loving heart.”
- Jose B. Sibayan
Pat, my lovely darling, sublimated her personal ambitions into the caring of her family. She sacrificed her life for the love of her children and her husband. “Nanay” is truly a saint!
- Jose B. Sibayan
This story of my life was written by Nanay – Patricia Enrile Sibayan by hand. I just typed what she wrote with no corrections, word for word. This book is being sent to Tatay, Jose B. Sibayan Sr. and to all my brothers and sisters with lots of love in memory of our loving and dearest Nanay.
- Jojo Sibayan Lontok, December 10, 1985
I have just given birth to my sixth child, a bouncing baby boy at the “Clinica Lopez” and the urge to write the story of my life is so strong that I had to begin doing just that. My husband and I have named the new baby “Roberto” which was suggested by our oldest son, Tony, and we have nicknamed him “Bobby.”
Six children: Antonio 10, Liberty 8, Arsenia 6, Josefina 4, Ernesto 2, and Bobby, the new arrival. Watching our children has been instrumental in inspiring whatever dormant writing ability has been left in me and forced me to look back through the years to see myself just a child again and as carefree as any other child in the neighborhood.
I was born in the small town of Bangued, province of Abra, in northern Luzon. About my birth, I could not say much except that I came into this world, the youngest, among three love-children. I never knew the loving care of a father because he left us just a little after I was born, to marry another woman. I was too young then but relatives tell me how heart-broken my mother was and how she almost died. What made it most painful for her was maybe because our father didn’t bother to go to another town but married a neighbor who was supposed to be rich, and stayed right there in Bangued where my mother could meet them often times. It must have been terrible for my mother, but she had a stout heart and after a year or so, she began to forget him. Our oldest, a boy, died before I was born, that left two girls for my mother to take care of. My sister was four years my senior.
After what I call my mother’s tragedy, she became sickly and, added to her poor health; she still had to earn money for our upkeep. She was a seamstress and catered to the more solidly founded families of the locality. During months when her sewing was not so lucrative, she went from one barrio another, selling all sorts of household necessities. When I was about a year old an aunt of mine, the oldest, took me in tow because she took pity on my mother who was over burdened by the heavy responsibility of earning a living and raising two daughters. Good for me, it proved to be because my aunt did not have children, although she had been married for quite a time then.
My childhood days were just like any other girl’s. The only difference was my lack of some things that other children had because, although my aunt and uncle gave me all they could, they could not seem to give me enough, because they too were poor. Even my uncle tried to give me a father’s loving care and for that I am forever thankful. The only shadow that blighted my childhood days in their care was the fact that theirs was not a happy marriage. Individually, they were very good to me, but lucky was a day that would pass without a quarrel between them. There were nights when I would lie whimpering in our bamboo “papag” where I slept while I listened to their quarrels. Sometimes they would become so violent in their language that I would wish to run away and hide myself somewhere. One such time, I really did run away, to sit under our big guava tree which was quite a distance from the house. It was raining cats and dogs that night and very windy too. I was just preparing to go to sleep when all of a sudden I sensed that my uncle and aunt were quarreling. They were in the porch of the house. As the rain grew stronger so their voices rose higher until they were so furious with one another. When I could bear it no longer, I silently crept out of the house and proceeded to the back of our spacious backyard and sat under the guava tree.
I must have fallen asleep because I was roughly awakened by someone shaking my shoulder. When I opened my eyes I saw my aunt with a lantern in her hand. I stiffly got up and didn’t say a word. Neither did she, but I saw that she had been crying. The next morning I was down with a very high fever which lasted for four days. Most of the time I didn’t know what was happening around me and I had all sorts of dreadful dreams. When I got better, I was very thankful that my uncle and aunt seemed to be at peace with each other and no one could imagine how much I prayed to God that their peace would last.
I was thirteen years old when I finished the seventh grade as “First Honorable Mention.” I had been a candidate for valedictorian but I got sick for more than a month before the final exams and that proved to my disadvantage. My rating was 89%; the valedictorian and salutatorian rated 91% and 90% respectively. At the opening of the next school year my aunt refused to let me enter high school. I was disappointed beyond words. I convinced her in my own childish ways, but she would not give in. My mother heard about it and she approached my aunt about it and even promised that she would pay all my expenses. My aunt did not consent either and they quarreled. The only reason my aunt didn’t want me to go to high school was because she didn’t want me to have a chance to be followed by boys. To her way of thinking, I was just at the age when things like love-affairs were most dangerous. And she opined that going to high school was a means of making boys and girls meet and fall in love. I was dumb-founded, then, by her opinion, at that time I didn’t even know yet that such a thing as love existed between strangers. But no amount of persuasion would budge her.
I had to give up school that year and the next. I was morose and sad, especially when my former classmates would drop in to say hello. My heart was broken, I wanted to go to high school so much that after the second year of my non-schooling, I again began to convince my aunt to let me go back to school. Like the previous years, she refused. Then I made my own plans. I consulted mother and she suggested that since they were not in good terms with my aunt, we better move to another province. She planned to sell our house and all belongings then move to Bayombong, N. Vizcaya where a younger sister and her family were residing. I wrote to that aunt of mine and did not spare any details. I told her that I wanted very much to go to school and that I intended to leave my older aunt because she didn’t want us to go to their place and live with them and they even assured me that they’ll help mother see me through high school. My morale rose to a new high but was marred only by the thought of leaving my aunt. She was short-minded and old-fashioned in a lot of things, but I loved her too, like a mother.
So it came to pass that on August 1936, after spending a restless and tearful day, I sneaked from my aunt’s house and hid in a relative’s house to wait for the morning so I could take the first bus out of Bangued. My mother and sister were supposed to be on the bus and we would then proceed to Bayombong. Our plans were carried out smoothly but I could not sleep that night and was always thinking of my aunt. Several people came to the house where I was hiding and told the owners how I disappeared and how furious my aunt was. She also asked the help of the municipal police to locate me, but a cousin of mine, who was a member of the police force, knew of my plans. Instead of helping them locate me, he led them off to another section of town. I am not going to elaborate on my escape from the place of my birth because I don’t want to open old wounds. Suffice it to say that my mother, sister and I made it with not so much trouble and as the truck rumbled through the dusty roads to Bayombong, I was thanking my lucky stars for giving me a chance once more to go back to school.
I spent two years (first and second years) in the Nueva Vizcaya High School. My cousin-in-law, Dr. Sotero Torralba, was the one who enrolled me and with no difficulty. Right from the start, I seemed to strike a neat friendship with both my teachers and class mates. In no time, I was already a student leader. I grew to like my English 1 teacher (Miss Remedious Vergara) so much and after a while we were good friends. Our intimacy was such that she trusted me so much that she even made me correct themes (formal and informal) of her Second year students and left the grading of same at my discretion. I participated in all kinds of extra-curricular activities and was president of our class and also class representative to the Student Council. I took the Home Economics course and I made our department popular in the campus by my obtaining the highest ratings in departmental tests. That year I was also voted the sponsor of Company C of the NVHS Cadet Corps.
Summer vacation of that year, my mother took my sister and me for a sojourn to Manila. My sister had finished high school the previous year and had an eye on entering the Philippine Normal School. She made good, too, in the entrance exams, but through some twist of fate, she was not able to enter said school. That summer she intended to take up a secretarial course. We stayed in the house of Prof. Procopio Borromeo and his mother, who was my mother’s cousin, but later on we moved to Nana Sayon’s on Zobel Street. She was also a cousin of my mother’s and her husbnd, Tata Dolfo, was then a 1st Lt. in the Army.
That summer vacation was sort of memorable to me because it was during that time that I danced for the first time. It happened this way. Not far from Zobel Street was a boarding house which was managed by a childhood friend of my mother’s. All her boarders were male students and it happened that a friend of ours from Bayombong, (Asterio Saquing) was one of them. We were surprised when one afternoon, he visited us and brought along (Manong) Siniong (I called him that then.) He was the son of my mother’s best friend and second cousin in Bangued and my mother was so overjoyed at seeing him. When he left Bangued I was still a small tot and when I came out, he didn’t recognize me. We asked them to come again, which they did quite often, and on Siniong’s birthday (May 8th) he invited my sister and me to join him to a pilgrimage to Antipolo. To make a foursome, he asked Asterio to come along. It was there in Antipolo that I danced for the first time – with Asterio as instructor.
A Note From the Transcriber
Ok, that last entry was pretty harrowing! I had no idea what I was getting into when I typed it up. Let me tell you a little bit about my process. I have not read the "History of My Life" that Lolo wrote. I'm just typing it up as I read it and 90% of the time I'm in a public place as I'm typing.
Tuesday, as I typed up the famous "sheted" line, I was sitting in a Barnes & Noble failing to control my laughter. Today, I typed in a Starbucks and, once more, totally failed to hide my grimacing and exclamations of surprise at the gory details of provinical life in the 1920's Philippines!
The bonus for you guys is that I'm as eager to read this stuff as you are, so I'm getting it out at a pretty quick rate since I want to see what happens too! I've glanced at some of the future chapters and he has stories about his time in high school, talks about his mother's death quite extensively, and even gets into the Miss Red Feather contest in 1970! I'm looking forward to getting to those parts.
However, I also have Lola's memoir that I want to transcribe in parallel with Lolo's story. I did read that years ago and it'll be interesting to go through it again. It isn't as "encyclopedic" as Lolo's memoir, it feels more like a novel. I've got the bug, so I'm going to start it tonight and post it once I'm at a natural stopping point.
As an aside, I have no editor for this thing. If you notice any spelling or grammatical errors, please let me know so that I can correct them. Also my grasp of Ilocano and Tagalog is shaky at best. My father has helpfully pointed out that I've misspelled some things. Please let me know so that I can correct them. Thanks!
Tuesday, as I typed up the famous "sheted" line, I was sitting in a Barnes & Noble failing to control my laughter. Today, I typed in a Starbucks and, once more, totally failed to hide my grimacing and exclamations of surprise at the gory details of provinical life in the 1920's Philippines!
The bonus for you guys is that I'm as eager to read this stuff as you are, so I'm getting it out at a pretty quick rate since I want to see what happens too! I've glanced at some of the future chapters and he has stories about his time in high school, talks about his mother's death quite extensively, and even gets into the Miss Red Feather contest in 1970! I'm looking forward to getting to those parts.
However, I also have Lola's memoir that I want to transcribe in parallel with Lolo's story. I did read that years ago and it'll be interesting to go through it again. It isn't as "encyclopedic" as Lolo's memoir, it feels more like a novel. I've got the bug, so I'm going to start it tonight and post it once I'm at a natural stopping point.
As an aside, I have no editor for this thing. If you notice any spelling or grammatical errors, please let me know so that I can correct them. Also my grasp of Ilocano and Tagalog is shaky at best. My father has helpfully pointed out that I've misspelled some things. Please let me know so that I can correct them. Thanks!
History of My Life - Part C: Sanitation
Editor's Warning!
If you're uncomfortable hearing about sanitary conditions in a Third World country in the 1920's do not continue reading! My grandfather goes into pretty graphic detail here: disease, parasites, toilet habits, the whole 9 yards. I would not recommend reading this anywhere around mealtime. It does get better towards the end when running water, culverts, and sanitary methods are introduced.
“History of My Life”
by Jose (Patrocinio) B. Sibayan
1990
C. Sanitation
Health conditions during the early Twenties were very poor and unhealthy. Toilet was not a usual part of a house, much less bathrooms. A house was usually elevated several feet above the ground to accommodate the pigs, dogs and chickens to scratch and pick up the scrap food dropped down between the bamboo-slat floors. We moved our bowels under the trees or along the road into the canal. We used bamboo sticks or corn cobs to wipe our anus. Pigs were always around ready to gobble up the human waste.
1. Toilet and Bath
At the time we went to fetch water from the nearest water well, we also had the urge to move our bowels first before taking a bath. While taking a bath, we also washed our clothes and dried them under the sun.
Later on, during the late Twenties an ANTIPOLO system of toilets was compulsory for every home. It consisted of digging a deep pit to be covered at all times when not in use. An ordinance was passed warning pig or animal owners to tie up or keep their animals from roaming around the streets. When the water system of Bangued was installed, homes had a part of the home called BANGSAL where you could take a bath. The Antipolo was dug at the furthest corner of the property, connected with a bamboo bridge or a pathway in the yard. Flies usually swarmed around as the toilet pit got filled with worms or maggots. Homes had no screens, and so the flies crawled and swarmed everywhere.
2. Sickness – Dysentery
Intestinal diseases were prevalent and caused a lot of deaths, especially in infants and children. I was in Lagangilang one day watching a procession of coffins brought to the cemetery. They had a dysentery epidemic there. The source of drinking water was the Abra River. We had a houseboy around my age, Valentin by name, who suffered stomach ache one night and suddenly died.
3. PTB - Pulmonary Tuberculosis
I saw people sick of PTB spitting out of their window while the flies swarmed around and chickens picking up the bloody mucous. But we did not know any better. I had not seen germs through a microscope at that time. Education later brought about better sanitation in town.
4. Mosquitoes and Bed Bugs
We slept as a family under a large mosquito net. When we woke up, we would kill the blood-filled mosquitoes trapped inside the net. We also had a lot of bed us that hide inside the pillows, blankets and mosquito net ends. And so every waking day was a bloody day!
5. Mites
Inside the yard were lots of fleas and ants. There was even a belief that red ants going inside the house is a sign of good luck. Inside the chicken coop under the house were tiny white mites called OLMOG. They also sucked blood and caused a lot of itch!
6. Lice
During my childhood days everyone, especially women, had lice. The common pastime of women was to sit on the ladder and remove each other’s lice while they chatted or gossiped or told old housewives tales!
7. Panateng - Colds & Coughs
Around the month of December or during the rainy season, colds were an ordinary experience for everybody. The already greenish mucous of some kids could be seen slowly coming down their nose until they inhale it back again instead of wiping it away. That is why we have a riddle that says: “NO OMOLOG AGALALADOD, NO OMOLI GOLPE! And we have a joke: INTAN AGNATNATENG; - ALIS PANTENG. Nobody covered their mouth wile coughing then or even sneezing. We induced sneezing by pricking the nose to relieve the congestion. I used to locate my father in the plaza among the crowd by tracing his successive SAY-A or short coughs.
8. Kamata – Sore Eyes
During summer we developed sore eyes as a matter of course, like a part of life. We have a joke: INTAN IDIAY CASAMATTA; - ALIS KAMATA. The flies helped the spread of sore eyes too as they flew from one person’s eye to another like bees from flower to flower. The only remedy we had was fresh milk from a mother’s breast or AGUA BORICADA. Sometimes a whole class of school children had sore eyes because no isolation was enforced. Kids who had sore eyes even chased others to touch their fingers on their classmate’s eyes to infect them too.
9. Daringu – Ngo – Nosebleed
Nose bleeds were common during dry season. Our remedy was to raise the opposite arm and press the bleeding nose, or soak our head with water. It was a general belief that anybody getting sick was because of bad air hitting them, called DAKES NGA ANGIN. There was some truth to it because of the polluted air full of viruses and germs.
10. Gadnil – Skin Diseases
Skin diseases were very common on account of the fleas, mosquitoes, bed bugs, ants, mites, etc. that caused infections. Scratching with dirty finger nails was common among uneducated children and people like us then. Hence our legs, arms and other parts of our body were afflicted with sores. We had no medicine available so we resorted to having our sores, especially on our legs, licked by our dogs until the scabs were removed, thereby leaving scars or PIGLAT on our legs. We just took it for granted that those sores or skin diseases would eventually dry up or heal without putting any medicine on them because we did not know any better. We had no dispensary to go to and our schools had no nurse or anybody to look after our diseases. I had a sad experience of being unkindly whipped by my Grade Two teacher on my leg because I could not go by the beat of the music when we were being taught to dance for a program. She hit one of my leg sores and it started bleeding. I cried, ran home and didn’t want to go back to school anymore. I went back to school, but I no longer wanted to be a participant in the dances.
11. Sakit Ti Chan – Stomach Aches
Stomach aches were experienced frequently by children because of eating fly-ridden food or eating with dirty hands or drinking polluted water. The common remedies were placing hot ashes wrapped with a piece of cloth on the stomach. We had no hot-water bags then. If that didn’t work, they roasted either santol, guava, or “sarguelas,” whatever is the suspected “culprit” until it is burned black into charcoal. Then it was placed into a cup of water to be used as “aqua-tiempo” or a drinking potion. It worked!
12. Pokga & Labatiba – Fever
Fever or “GORIGOR” occurred now and then due to overexposure to rain, or heat, or infection, or contagious disease. The usual remedy is purgative with ACETE DE CASTOR in the morning; sweating with lots of blankets the whole day and an enema or LABATIBA in the late afternoon. Usually the fever is gone the following day. On the third day good food consisting of chicken soup and soft-boiled rice (LUGAO) is served to the recuperating patient. Then a chicken is roasted wrapped with banana leaves served with rice.
13. Agas – Cuts
Cuts or “SUGAT” are usually infected because of the unsanitary conditions and ignorance in treating wounds properly. I cut my left thumb almost in half when I was about five years old. The only remedy was petroleum or GAS from our oil pump and the wound was wrapped with a piece of cloth taken from our dish towel or NISNIS that remained unwashed for several days. The infected wound lasted many months and I still have the scar up to this date. Sometimes, if we get hurt while playing we ran to a nearby fence to get a leaf of TAWATAWA to let its sap drop into our wound. If the blood is flowing we would wash it with our saliva by sucking the blood. If the wound is on our foot or leg, we washed the blood by urinating on it. If there is a “mabungay” tree, we got its leaves, pounded them into a poultice and applied it on the wound.
14. Bollo – Sprains or Disclocations
Sprains and dislocations were usually treated by a local MANGILOT or masseur like Tata Kinio Busuego, our neighbor. He had coconut oil for massaging the part of the body affected. If a splint is needed, he would get a branch of TAWATAWA, skin it and use the bark to wrap around the elbow or leg after giving the broken limb a good massage accompanied by the anguish and shouts of pain by the patient. I saw how my brother was treated following his fall from a fence he climbed and broke his left elbow. His arm was never restored to its original shape and he had a crooked arm called in Ilocano “Singkol” or KUMANG in Tagalog.
15. Ngipen – Toothaches
Toothaches usually ended up with a pulled tooth by means of a string or pliers without anesthesia. If the tooth had a hole in it, salt or tobacco was inserted to deaden the pain. I had an aching molar with a swollen gum and could no longer stand the pain when I was about 11 years old. My cousin, T-Sgt. Crisanto Bravo, a PRACTICANTE of the Dental Service, P.C., extracted it without anesthesia and I almost collapsed with pain. I had a tooth that had a hole in it and a local dentist, Tata Sidong, drilled it without anesthesia and I was yelling and struggling with pain! Thanks to anesthesia!
16. Sakit Ti Olo – Headaches
Headaches were treated, before aspirin became available, by hand massage or soaking it with cold water. Banana leaf was wrapped around the head to absorb the heat. Handkerchiefs were tied around the head to deaden the pain. Tender leaf of TAWATAWA or ACHLETE also served the purpose if tender leaves of banana were not available. A friend of my grandfather who used to read the PASSION with him died of swallowing a bottle of CAFIASPIRINA just because he thought that relief from headache can be done instantly – and it did! People then were ignorant about medicine. Maybe that is why GAMOT or Ilocano for poison is the Tagalog word for medicine? The Tagalogs were closer to civilization than the Ilocanos in the north of the Philippines far from Manila.
17. Sakit Ti Karabokob – Tonsilitis
Tonsilitis was treated by gargling with salt water or strong vinegar or both. These were the only available remedies for tonsillitis when I was a child. I had to endure the pain as a “part of growing” and prayed that it would soon be over. It was accompanied by high fever and swelling and the inability to swallow anything. Sometimes a hot towel compress was applied to the throat to relieve the pain and reduce the swelling.
18. Dogol – Boil
Boils caused an ugly scar and was a very painful disease. My uncle, Antonio Bravo (Lt. P.C.) had a boil scar as big as a 50 cent coin on his right temple and so did the cousin of Pat, Manong Picoy. I had mine on my right upper leg joint, or groin, and what a throbbing pain it gave me. The scar is still there. It was made to burst with an application of Malunggay leaves pounded into a paste and applied on top of the boil. I was immobilized for the duration of my Christmas vacation. My mother sat at my bedside comforting my while I agonized.
19. Bobon – Water
Water was either from the rain or ground well during my childhood days. We gathered rain water for drinking and hauled by means of bamboo called BAYENGYEN water from the well for cooking and washing purposes. During the time we were at the well, we would wash our clothes and take a bath. The water well we drew our water from was near the stream that passed near the PAGPARTIAN down a trail strewn with “camachili” thorns and bamboo thorns that pricked our bare feet. Infection eventually followed and so I had to walk on my hell or on my toe, limping until the infection is healed by itself after a long time.
20. Casamata Water Reservoir – Gripo
The greatest thing that happened in Bangued during my childhood days was the digging of the reservoir in Casamata hill. After school hours I was there picking up pieces of limestone to be polished into marbles. Then the clean fresh water was piped into the houses and brought better health, comfort, and cleanliness to us. Taking a bath directly under the faucet was a very enjoyable experience. Drinking with cupped hands directly from the faucet was a very refreshing treat. Gone were the pricked feet, the swollen shoulders, the BAYENGYENG and the laborious drawing of water from the well. What a relief! Gone too were the frequent stomach disorders and loose bowel movements and infections and bad body odor and unsanitary kitchen and toilet!
21. Kalsada – Canals and Culverts
Canals and culverts were unknown until the streets were paved with Abra River stones followed by canals for drainage purposes. Culverts or IMBORNAL were also built on road intersections. The water puddles on the roads were dried up easily and dumping of garbage in the road holes stopped. The “Imbornal” became a place for meetings of neighbors and young boys to sit down to tell stories or gossip about others or to brag about one’s adventures or watch girls walking home from school. Pigs were no longer allowed to roam on the streets. Men played SIPA on road intersections and children played hide and seek by going inside the culverts or “Imbornal.” The town looked better after those muddy road holes were covered by stones. But a ride in a Caromata over those stony roads was just a terribly earth-shaking experience! Walking on those fist-sized stones to school during hot summer days was like hell! But everything was a part of life and we did not know any better.
22. Electricidad
Electricity was another improvement in the sleepy valley of Bangued. Previous to the Banez Electric Plant, only the Church Convent had electric lights. The priests and nuns enjoyed all the comforts of a modern life with their electric generator. With the electrification of Bangued around the early Thirties, we could study and read our lessons at home better instead of using the flickering gas lamps. We only used the current for lighting purposes because it was only available at night time. But my classmate and best friend, Tony Banez and his family, had all the comforts of a refrigerator, electric range and even movies at home. He used to give me apples and grapes from their refrigerator. With electric lights at road intersections, the men played SIPA and had cock-fighting even at night. Children did not have to wait for the moon-light to play at night.
I remember when there was no street light and we had to carry a PAROL or kerosene lamp to walk in the streets at night. Then big kerosene lamps were installed on lamp posts at street corners. I remember when I short circuited our line by putting a coin inside our electric bulb socket. It caused a big commotion because people were busy preparing for the procession of Holy Friday. They never traced who did it. With the Electric Plant we no longer bought ice from Vigan because an Ice Plant was built also. Ice cream and halo halo became cheaper. Thanks to Don Urbano Banez.
23. Kanen – Food
Food consisted of daily rice, fish sauce or caviar called “patis” or “bag-goong”, “dinaguan” or blood pudding, “chicharon” or fried crispy pig skin and “dineng-deng” or soup consisting of vegetables with a bit of fish or meat. In the morning people who had money went to the PAGPARTIAN or slaughterhouse near SINAPINGAN to buy LUMO-LUMO consisting of pig entrails with a piece of coagulated blood and a small piece of meat called LUMO or tender loin. This is cooked with a spice called KUTCHAY that makes the soup smell appetizing. The richer people can buy cow’s meat and more expensive pieces of meat in the PAGPARTIAN before the vendors transferred their meat to the TINDAAN or market east of the Catholic Church.
During the town fiesta or on weddings or birthdays we had INASAR or LECHON or roasted pig. The piglets were usually roasted inside the oven of the Bayabas Bakery in the eastern part of the town.
On Sundays, when a cow is butchered, people who can afford it usually cooked PUCHERO, a soup with potatoes, bananas, cabbage, and cow’s meat with fat on it.
We had “adobo” or fried pork with a lot of spices, and LONGANISA or sausage, homemade. But during my childhood days we had a neighbor who had three children and their food consisted of only rice and “bagong” or BAGGOONG in which they dipped the rice molded into a ball with their hands. One of them sat in front of their yard along the street asking alms from passersby. The other went about town asking alms with the help of one of our neighbor’s children. The father’s name was Gorio, and his wife was Ineza.
If you're uncomfortable hearing about sanitary conditions in a Third World country in the 1920's do not continue reading! My grandfather goes into pretty graphic detail here: disease, parasites, toilet habits, the whole 9 yards. I would not recommend reading this anywhere around mealtime. It does get better towards the end when running water, culverts, and sanitary methods are introduced.
“History of My Life”
by Jose (Patrocinio) B. Sibayan
1990
C. Sanitation
Health conditions during the early Twenties were very poor and unhealthy. Toilet was not a usual part of a house, much less bathrooms. A house was usually elevated several feet above the ground to accommodate the pigs, dogs and chickens to scratch and pick up the scrap food dropped down between the bamboo-slat floors. We moved our bowels under the trees or along the road into the canal. We used bamboo sticks or corn cobs to wipe our anus. Pigs were always around ready to gobble up the human waste.
1. Toilet and Bath
At the time we went to fetch water from the nearest water well, we also had the urge to move our bowels first before taking a bath. While taking a bath, we also washed our clothes and dried them under the sun.
Later on, during the late Twenties an ANTIPOLO system of toilets was compulsory for every home. It consisted of digging a deep pit to be covered at all times when not in use. An ordinance was passed warning pig or animal owners to tie up or keep their animals from roaming around the streets. When the water system of Bangued was installed, homes had a part of the home called BANGSAL where you could take a bath. The Antipolo was dug at the furthest corner of the property, connected with a bamboo bridge or a pathway in the yard. Flies usually swarmed around as the toilet pit got filled with worms or maggots. Homes had no screens, and so the flies crawled and swarmed everywhere.
2. Sickness – Dysentery
Intestinal diseases were prevalent and caused a lot of deaths, especially in infants and children. I was in Lagangilang one day watching a procession of coffins brought to the cemetery. They had a dysentery epidemic there. The source of drinking water was the Abra River. We had a houseboy around my age, Valentin by name, who suffered stomach ache one night and suddenly died.
3. PTB - Pulmonary Tuberculosis
I saw people sick of PTB spitting out of their window while the flies swarmed around and chickens picking up the bloody mucous. But we did not know any better. I had not seen germs through a microscope at that time. Education later brought about better sanitation in town.
4. Mosquitoes and Bed Bugs
We slept as a family under a large mosquito net. When we woke up, we would kill the blood-filled mosquitoes trapped inside the net. We also had a lot of bed us that hide inside the pillows, blankets and mosquito net ends. And so every waking day was a bloody day!
5. Mites
Inside the yard were lots of fleas and ants. There was even a belief that red ants going inside the house is a sign of good luck. Inside the chicken coop under the house were tiny white mites called OLMOG. They also sucked blood and caused a lot of itch!
6. Lice
During my childhood days everyone, especially women, had lice. The common pastime of women was to sit on the ladder and remove each other’s lice while they chatted or gossiped or told old housewives tales!
7. Panateng - Colds & Coughs
Around the month of December or during the rainy season, colds were an ordinary experience for everybody. The already greenish mucous of some kids could be seen slowly coming down their nose until they inhale it back again instead of wiping it away. That is why we have a riddle that says: “NO OMOLOG AGALALADOD, NO OMOLI GOLPE! And we have a joke: INTAN AGNATNATENG; - ALIS PANTENG. Nobody covered their mouth wile coughing then or even sneezing. We induced sneezing by pricking the nose to relieve the congestion. I used to locate my father in the plaza among the crowd by tracing his successive SAY-A or short coughs.
8. Kamata – Sore Eyes
During summer we developed sore eyes as a matter of course, like a part of life. We have a joke: INTAN IDIAY CASAMATTA; - ALIS KAMATA. The flies helped the spread of sore eyes too as they flew from one person’s eye to another like bees from flower to flower. The only remedy we had was fresh milk from a mother’s breast or AGUA BORICADA. Sometimes a whole class of school children had sore eyes because no isolation was enforced. Kids who had sore eyes even chased others to touch their fingers on their classmate’s eyes to infect them too.
9. Daringu – Ngo – Nosebleed
Nose bleeds were common during dry season. Our remedy was to raise the opposite arm and press the bleeding nose, or soak our head with water. It was a general belief that anybody getting sick was because of bad air hitting them, called DAKES NGA ANGIN. There was some truth to it because of the polluted air full of viruses and germs.
10. Gadnil – Skin Diseases
Skin diseases were very common on account of the fleas, mosquitoes, bed bugs, ants, mites, etc. that caused infections. Scratching with dirty finger nails was common among uneducated children and people like us then. Hence our legs, arms and other parts of our body were afflicted with sores. We had no medicine available so we resorted to having our sores, especially on our legs, licked by our dogs until the scabs were removed, thereby leaving scars or PIGLAT on our legs. We just took it for granted that those sores or skin diseases would eventually dry up or heal without putting any medicine on them because we did not know any better. We had no dispensary to go to and our schools had no nurse or anybody to look after our diseases. I had a sad experience of being unkindly whipped by my Grade Two teacher on my leg because I could not go by the beat of the music when we were being taught to dance for a program. She hit one of my leg sores and it started bleeding. I cried, ran home and didn’t want to go back to school anymore. I went back to school, but I no longer wanted to be a participant in the dances.
11. Sakit Ti Chan – Stomach Aches
Stomach aches were experienced frequently by children because of eating fly-ridden food or eating with dirty hands or drinking polluted water. The common remedies were placing hot ashes wrapped with a piece of cloth on the stomach. We had no hot-water bags then. If that didn’t work, they roasted either santol, guava, or “sarguelas,” whatever is the suspected “culprit” until it is burned black into charcoal. Then it was placed into a cup of water to be used as “aqua-tiempo” or a drinking potion. It worked!
12. Pokga & Labatiba – Fever
Fever or “GORIGOR” occurred now and then due to overexposure to rain, or heat, or infection, or contagious disease. The usual remedy is purgative with ACETE DE CASTOR in the morning; sweating with lots of blankets the whole day and an enema or LABATIBA in the late afternoon. Usually the fever is gone the following day. On the third day good food consisting of chicken soup and soft-boiled rice (LUGAO) is served to the recuperating patient. Then a chicken is roasted wrapped with banana leaves served with rice.
13. Agas – Cuts
Cuts or “SUGAT” are usually infected because of the unsanitary conditions and ignorance in treating wounds properly. I cut my left thumb almost in half when I was about five years old. The only remedy was petroleum or GAS from our oil pump and the wound was wrapped with a piece of cloth taken from our dish towel or NISNIS that remained unwashed for several days. The infected wound lasted many months and I still have the scar up to this date. Sometimes, if we get hurt while playing we ran to a nearby fence to get a leaf of TAWATAWA to let its sap drop into our wound. If the blood is flowing we would wash it with our saliva by sucking the blood. If the wound is on our foot or leg, we washed the blood by urinating on it. If there is a “mabungay” tree, we got its leaves, pounded them into a poultice and applied it on the wound.
14. Bollo – Sprains or Disclocations
Sprains and dislocations were usually treated by a local MANGILOT or masseur like Tata Kinio Busuego, our neighbor. He had coconut oil for massaging the part of the body affected. If a splint is needed, he would get a branch of TAWATAWA, skin it and use the bark to wrap around the elbow or leg after giving the broken limb a good massage accompanied by the anguish and shouts of pain by the patient. I saw how my brother was treated following his fall from a fence he climbed and broke his left elbow. His arm was never restored to its original shape and he had a crooked arm called in Ilocano “Singkol” or KUMANG in Tagalog.
15. Ngipen – Toothaches
Toothaches usually ended up with a pulled tooth by means of a string or pliers without anesthesia. If the tooth had a hole in it, salt or tobacco was inserted to deaden the pain. I had an aching molar with a swollen gum and could no longer stand the pain when I was about 11 years old. My cousin, T-Sgt. Crisanto Bravo, a PRACTICANTE of the Dental Service, P.C., extracted it without anesthesia and I almost collapsed with pain. I had a tooth that had a hole in it and a local dentist, Tata Sidong, drilled it without anesthesia and I was yelling and struggling with pain! Thanks to anesthesia!
16. Sakit Ti Olo – Headaches
Headaches were treated, before aspirin became available, by hand massage or soaking it with cold water. Banana leaf was wrapped around the head to absorb the heat. Handkerchiefs were tied around the head to deaden the pain. Tender leaf of TAWATAWA or ACHLETE also served the purpose if tender leaves of banana were not available. A friend of my grandfather who used to read the PASSION with him died of swallowing a bottle of CAFIASPIRINA just because he thought that relief from headache can be done instantly – and it did! People then were ignorant about medicine. Maybe that is why GAMOT or Ilocano for poison is the Tagalog word for medicine? The Tagalogs were closer to civilization than the Ilocanos in the north of the Philippines far from Manila.
17. Sakit Ti Karabokob – Tonsilitis
Tonsilitis was treated by gargling with salt water or strong vinegar or both. These were the only available remedies for tonsillitis when I was a child. I had to endure the pain as a “part of growing” and prayed that it would soon be over. It was accompanied by high fever and swelling and the inability to swallow anything. Sometimes a hot towel compress was applied to the throat to relieve the pain and reduce the swelling.
18. Dogol – Boil
Boils caused an ugly scar and was a very painful disease. My uncle, Antonio Bravo (Lt. P.C.) had a boil scar as big as a 50 cent coin on his right temple and so did the cousin of Pat, Manong Picoy. I had mine on my right upper leg joint, or groin, and what a throbbing pain it gave me. The scar is still there. It was made to burst with an application of Malunggay leaves pounded into a paste and applied on top of the boil. I was immobilized for the duration of my Christmas vacation. My mother sat at my bedside comforting my while I agonized.
19. Bobon – Water
Water was either from the rain or ground well during my childhood days. We gathered rain water for drinking and hauled by means of bamboo called BAYENGYEN water from the well for cooking and washing purposes. During the time we were at the well, we would wash our clothes and take a bath. The water well we drew our water from was near the stream that passed near the PAGPARTIAN down a trail strewn with “camachili” thorns and bamboo thorns that pricked our bare feet. Infection eventually followed and so I had to walk on my hell or on my toe, limping until the infection is healed by itself after a long time.
20. Casamata Water Reservoir – Gripo
The greatest thing that happened in Bangued during my childhood days was the digging of the reservoir in Casamata hill. After school hours I was there picking up pieces of limestone to be polished into marbles. Then the clean fresh water was piped into the houses and brought better health, comfort, and cleanliness to us. Taking a bath directly under the faucet was a very enjoyable experience. Drinking with cupped hands directly from the faucet was a very refreshing treat. Gone were the pricked feet, the swollen shoulders, the BAYENGYENG and the laborious drawing of water from the well. What a relief! Gone too were the frequent stomach disorders and loose bowel movements and infections and bad body odor and unsanitary kitchen and toilet!
21. Kalsada – Canals and Culverts
Canals and culverts were unknown until the streets were paved with Abra River stones followed by canals for drainage purposes. Culverts or IMBORNAL were also built on road intersections. The water puddles on the roads were dried up easily and dumping of garbage in the road holes stopped. The “Imbornal” became a place for meetings of neighbors and young boys to sit down to tell stories or gossip about others or to brag about one’s adventures or watch girls walking home from school. Pigs were no longer allowed to roam on the streets. Men played SIPA on road intersections and children played hide and seek by going inside the culverts or “Imbornal.” The town looked better after those muddy road holes were covered by stones. But a ride in a Caromata over those stony roads was just a terribly earth-shaking experience! Walking on those fist-sized stones to school during hot summer days was like hell! But everything was a part of life and we did not know any better.
22. Electricidad
Electricity was another improvement in the sleepy valley of Bangued. Previous to the Banez Electric Plant, only the Church Convent had electric lights. The priests and nuns enjoyed all the comforts of a modern life with their electric generator. With the electrification of Bangued around the early Thirties, we could study and read our lessons at home better instead of using the flickering gas lamps. We only used the current for lighting purposes because it was only available at night time. But my classmate and best friend, Tony Banez and his family, had all the comforts of a refrigerator, electric range and even movies at home. He used to give me apples and grapes from their refrigerator. With electric lights at road intersections, the men played SIPA and had cock-fighting even at night. Children did not have to wait for the moon-light to play at night.
I remember when there was no street light and we had to carry a PAROL or kerosene lamp to walk in the streets at night. Then big kerosene lamps were installed on lamp posts at street corners. I remember when I short circuited our line by putting a coin inside our electric bulb socket. It caused a big commotion because people were busy preparing for the procession of Holy Friday. They never traced who did it. With the Electric Plant we no longer bought ice from Vigan because an Ice Plant was built also. Ice cream and halo halo became cheaper. Thanks to Don Urbano Banez.
23. Kanen – Food
Food consisted of daily rice, fish sauce or caviar called “patis” or “bag-goong”, “dinaguan” or blood pudding, “chicharon” or fried crispy pig skin and “dineng-deng” or soup consisting of vegetables with a bit of fish or meat. In the morning people who had money went to the PAGPARTIAN or slaughterhouse near SINAPINGAN to buy LUMO-LUMO consisting of pig entrails with a piece of coagulated blood and a small piece of meat called LUMO or tender loin. This is cooked with a spice called KUTCHAY that makes the soup smell appetizing. The richer people can buy cow’s meat and more expensive pieces of meat in the PAGPARTIAN before the vendors transferred their meat to the TINDAAN or market east of the Catholic Church.
During the town fiesta or on weddings or birthdays we had INASAR or LECHON or roasted pig. The piglets were usually roasted inside the oven of the Bayabas Bakery in the eastern part of the town.
On Sundays, when a cow is butchered, people who can afford it usually cooked PUCHERO, a soup with potatoes, bananas, cabbage, and cow’s meat with fat on it.
We had “adobo” or fried pork with a lot of spices, and LONGANISA or sausage, homemade. But during my childhood days we had a neighbor who had three children and their food consisted of only rice and “bagong” or BAGGOONG in which they dipped the rice molded into a ball with their hands. One of them sat in front of their yard along the street asking alms from passersby. The other went about town asking alms with the help of one of our neighbor’s children. The father’s name was Gorio, and his wife was Ineza.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
History of My Life - Part B: Social Life
“History of My Life”
by Jose (Patrocinio) B. Sibayan
1990
B. Social
1. KOMEDIA
Komedia or “moro-moro” was then the BIG town entertainment. It took several weeks to prepare the actors, the stage, the PALCOs (grandstands), the clothes and props before the show went public. Most “comediantes” (actors) and “comedianteas” (actresses) were from the East side (TAGA DAYDAYA) of the town. Fina’s grandpa, Don Juan Valera (Angcuan Bai) was a script writer. Nana Maria Bosuego was the PONTADOR or prompter, Tata Lucas was the BOLBOLAGAO or clown, Tata Elias as the “emperador,” Tata Herman was the “Ari,” Manong Selmo was the “principe,” Manang Iyang was the princesa and young boys, including Isus Karasua and Gambal Tayab were soldiers. The show lasted three nights, usually held during Christmas vacation. We brought blankets to wrap ourselves in the cold open plaza. Our throats were hoarse with shouting or laughing. It was a colorful show.
2. Washington Day
Washington Day was the Town Fiesta on February 22nd of each year. The plaza was converted into a Provincial or Agricultural Fair where all sorts of local agricultural products were displayed and sold. Each town had a booth. There was a parade of school students and town representatives with beauty queens riding decorated floats. Kids, including myself, used home-made MASKARA or masks and threw confetti (KOMPITIS) on ladies’ hair. The best exhibits were awarded prizes. Lots of gambling tables were scattered around the plaza brought by out-of-town operators where dice, cards, etc were played. Athletic competitions such as volley ball, indoor baseball, tennis, horse racing, bicycle racing and Juego de Anilio. A game where you picked a hanging ring with a prize marked on an attached string with a pointed stick while riding a horse or a bicycle.
In the kiosks of the plaza were dances or programs for the entertainment of the crowd. This was the occasion to meet and see people from other towns like San Jose, Lagangilang, Villavisiosa, Dolores, San Juan, Bucay, etc wearing their native costumes. At that time, when I was a young boy, many people from distant towns were still non-Christians. They were almost naked, dressed with just g-strings and tapis, barefooted and all chewing MAMA.
The town fair lasted several days until all the exhibits were sold, given away, or exchanged for lack of money. People dressed their very best. We dressed in SEDA WASHINGTON, or Washington silk. Nana Alli, Pat’s mother, sewed our clothes for the town fiesta.
3. Cine
As early as 1923, when I was about five years old, we already had moving pictures called CINE HAWAII in Bangued. I used to ride the truck carrying the placards around the town beating a drum to attract the people. Small kids tried to clamber inside the truck but were shocked by electric current which ran in the metal parts of the truck. The movies were shown inside the store of Don Ciano Barcena just across from the convent. The movies were intended to attract attention to enlist workers for the sugar plantations in Hawaii.
Some silent movie scenes depicted the terrible earthquake in Japan. The movie crews were from Vigan. They boarded in our houses during their stay in Bangued. Later on, because of the big crowds, the show was held in the town plaza. Only ticketed movies were shown in the Store of Don Ciano. Later, movies were shown in the CINE TUAZON, a GI warehouse-like building near the creek on the road down to west side of the plaza.
The rooms in the store were rented to the FARMACIA VALERA and to a Chinese family that sold groceries from Vigan. The pharmacy was run by Manang Conchang Valera, later on Mrs. Purruganan. The Chinese store was run by the Chua family.
4. Store
The Store of Don Ciano was the meeting place of kids for playing games like TOUCHING, PIKO, KARA y KROS, rope jumping, etc. on it’s cemented sidewalk. All kinds of bets like TARKAS, BITTAOG, LASTIKO, coins, pictures of movie stars, etc. were used in the gambling games. It was the only cement playground where small children can play without soiling themselves. I just loved to read the comics in the Manila Tribune of the pharmacy instead of gambling or playing.
5. Kalsada
Roads were dusty and muddy. Only carabao sleds or cow-drawn carts could use them. Later on, during the administration of town mayor PRESIDENTE Bienvenido Valera, some streets became paved with stones from the Abra River. Then the road in front of the church down to the Caramanta Hill was paved with asphalt. During the road construction we loved to ride on the back of the steam roller, notwithstanding stepping on live coals falling down from the roller burner. Our feet got burned as we were all barefoot.
As late as 1932-33, when I was 2nd year H.S., I walked on the stone-paved road to the Abra High School near the cemetery. Roads connecting Bangued and Vigan via Narvacan were stony and dusty. As the trucks and buses tried to race against each other, passengers cheered the driver to run faster out of excitement from covering their faces with handkerchiefs as they all got covered with dust. At the Tangadan, especially that part which abruptly inclines toward Narvacan, everybody, except women with kids, had to get down to help push the truck up the stony, dusty road until it reached the top of the mountain. It took half a day to negotiate the trip between Vigan and Bangued because of the ferry at the site where the Quirino Bridge was later built across the Abra River.
Passengers had to bring BALON covered with banana leaves to be eaten on the way at the water fountain in Tangadan. At that water spot, outgoing and incoming vehicles stopped to put water in their radiators and refill their water cans while the passengers ate their BALON or meals and drank the cool refreshing water from the forest spring.
6. Balsa
Transportation in the early Twenties was by means of horseback, animal-drawn sled or cart, and bamboo raft down the Abra River. It took one day, from 6 to 6, to negotiate the distance between Bangued and Vigan. At daybreak, carts ferried passengers from Bangued to Nagtalabongan, where the passenger bamboo rafts were waiting. At the mouth of the Abra River in Vigan, cow-drawn carts and KILES (horse-drawn carriages) were waiting for passengers from the rafts. I saw the Quirino Bridge and the roads from both sides under construction. The people up there, seen from the Abra River, were as tiny as flies on the top-side of the high mountain. Later on, after the road between Bangued and Vigan was paved with asphalt, it took only a one hour trip, minus dust and rattled bones!
The trip by cart to Tagangilang from Bangued took more than a half-day’s time, from 6 to 12. After the bumpy ride, although the bamboo floor had hay matting, one’s body seemed like “longboy” shaken between two plates!
Those who had cars in the early days were Don Juan Valera, a dodge sedan driven by Manong Isong Bolante. Tata Binnong Benedito, Chief of Police, had a STUTZ, and later on had a Fargo bus. Tata Pepe Lizardo, foreman, had a STAR. Don Quentin Paredes had a BUICK. Don Julio Barbon, Don Virgilio Valera and Bernardino Torrijos had a Ford with a STARTER instead of a MANIKETA or crank to start the engine running. Tata Binnong also had a KILES or horse-drawn carriage driven by Alip for ferrying school teachers.
Manang Conchang Valera (mother of Fina) had a DURANT sports car with a rumble seat in the back in place of a baggage compartment. She was the only woman driver in Abra at that time in the early Thirties. I was her chaperon everywhere she went. At that time, ladies going out without a chaperone wee eyed with suspicion and out of place. Several “crazy,” “sick,” and envious people intentionally placed nails to puncture tires! To patch up and replace a tire then was a very hard job, taking almost half a day’s work!
The profession of a DRIVER then was an envied job as they drew good salaries and went places. The earliest bus drivers of Bangued were Angel Benas, Alip Benas, Milis Benes, Tata Castor Balobar and Meno Favorito of DARDAYA and SINAPANGAN. When they arrived from far away places like Manila, they had lots of unusual tales to tell eager youngsters who just loved to hear their unending, exciting experiences. I was one of them. I loved adventure!
Those who owned passenger buses were considered rich and were popular. They were the Beneditos, the Valeras, and the Favoritos. Their family names were painted in BIG letters on the sides of their buses.
A regular daily trip to Manila was made by the NORLUTRAN bus company. It’s arrival at night was met with lots of kids trying to help the passengers with their baggage or get their newspapers at the post office.
7. First Radio
Communication was by means of telephone, telegraph and mail. The telephones connected only to the Municipal town buildings. The telegraphs connected only to Provincial and City Post Offices. Mail, in the early days outside of Bangued, was delivered by horse back or by bamboo rafts to Pidigan, San Quentin and Vigan. Later on, when roads were opened, mail was carried by passenger buses.
The first one to own a radio receiving set in Bangued for public display was the P.C. Barracks, which was then west of the Plaza. Every night we went to hear the Ilocano Night Program. Then the Torrijo’s store near the church also had a radio for public hearing. The sound was distorted by lots of static!
8. Social Organizations
Clubs were organized for social and recreational purposes, such as the ANARAAR and the BARANGAY clubs. The former was organized by the men while the latter was organized by the ladies of Bangued. Most social activities, like dances, were held in the house of Don Juan Valera because it had a large dance hall, elegant dining room, good toilet and bath facilities, and a TOWER for entertainment purposes overlooking a large part of the town. The Bayguen Band provided the music. Ice for ice cream making came from Vigan. VIPs from Manila were always entertained with a dance party in the house of Tata Ancuan Bai (Don Juan Valera.)
The prominent ladies were Conchang Valera (Fina’s mother and only daughter of Don Juan), Alice Landeta Belisario, Nena and Lita Banes, the Vasquez sisters, Mg. Demi Colet, Mg. Trining Bravo, Mg. Soledad and Lourdes Valera, the de Leon Sisters (white cover) and later on the Valera Sisters (Mary and Pitang). The prominent men were the Valera brothers: Meling, Pacoy, Teling and Roding. Also well known were the Baula Brothers, Leocadio Talin, the Paredeses, Purugganans, Banes family, and the Torrijos brothers. Often times we had LINOBIAN parties too. Our favorite drink was SARSPARILLA.
9. Social Status Symbols
Social status symbols then were a PIANO, a CAR, a lot of servants, a BIG HOUSE and, of course, owning land. Government employees who received salaries belonged to the upper classes, together with large land owners. The middle classes were the artisans like carpenters, black smiths, shoe makers, merchants and tailors. The lower classes were the farmers, servants and beggars. The influence of Spanish culture was very strong. The priests and white people were looked upon with reverence, respect and adoration.
10. School Teachers
School teachers were looked upon with respect by the parents and with fear by their students. It was a part of their anatomy to hold a stick while teaching as a symbol of authority. They didn’t hesitate to apply it on the “seat” of learning for minor mischief or mistakes. Miss Ana Valera, our music teacher, related to us the story of one of her pupils who dumped the bamboo water carrier on the road and ran away as they were about to meet on the street. But a good and kind school teacher, Miss Fe Benito, at noon sang a lullaby for her students to take a nap in school.
In the market the vendors addressed every respectable person by the name of MESTRO or MESTRA. But the same words were also used with a different intonation and meaning for persons interfering in somebody’s business, especially their children or friends. Teachers were very well dressed; using high heels on dusty, stony roads and coat and tie in very hot weather, imitating the Americans.
11. School Children
School children from the West, South, East and North got integrated in the LONG BUILDING during the Primary grades and in the GABALDON BUILDING during the Elementary grades. Thus the sectionalism was more or less minimized. During my primary grades, most school children went to school barefooted, using KALSONCILLO, or drawers, and a KAMISETA, or underwear of cotton clothing. Girls didn’t wear panties then, including school teachers. Many young boys urinated or sheted in their drawers because often times the strings around the waistline got entangled and could not be untied in time before the personal necessity explodes!
by Jose (Patrocinio) B. Sibayan
1990
B. Social
1. KOMEDIA
Komedia or “moro-moro” was then the BIG town entertainment. It took several weeks to prepare the actors, the stage, the PALCOs (grandstands), the clothes and props before the show went public. Most “comediantes” (actors) and “comedianteas” (actresses) were from the East side (TAGA DAYDAYA) of the town. Fina’s grandpa, Don Juan Valera (Angcuan Bai) was a script writer. Nana Maria Bosuego was the PONTADOR or prompter, Tata Lucas was the BOLBOLAGAO or clown, Tata Elias as the “emperador,” Tata Herman was the “Ari,” Manong Selmo was the “principe,” Manang Iyang was the princesa and young boys, including Isus Karasua and Gambal Tayab were soldiers. The show lasted three nights, usually held during Christmas vacation. We brought blankets to wrap ourselves in the cold open plaza. Our throats were hoarse with shouting or laughing. It was a colorful show.
2. Washington Day
Washington Day was the Town Fiesta on February 22nd of each year. The plaza was converted into a Provincial or Agricultural Fair where all sorts of local agricultural products were displayed and sold. Each town had a booth. There was a parade of school students and town representatives with beauty queens riding decorated floats. Kids, including myself, used home-made MASKARA or masks and threw confetti (KOMPITIS) on ladies’ hair. The best exhibits were awarded prizes. Lots of gambling tables were scattered around the plaza brought by out-of-town operators where dice, cards, etc were played. Athletic competitions such as volley ball, indoor baseball, tennis, horse racing, bicycle racing and Juego de Anilio. A game where you picked a hanging ring with a prize marked on an attached string with a pointed stick while riding a horse or a bicycle.
In the kiosks of the plaza were dances or programs for the entertainment of the crowd. This was the occasion to meet and see people from other towns like San Jose, Lagangilang, Villavisiosa, Dolores, San Juan, Bucay, etc wearing their native costumes. At that time, when I was a young boy, many people from distant towns were still non-Christians. They were almost naked, dressed with just g-strings and tapis, barefooted and all chewing MAMA.
The town fair lasted several days until all the exhibits were sold, given away, or exchanged for lack of money. People dressed their very best. We dressed in SEDA WASHINGTON, or Washington silk. Nana Alli, Pat’s mother, sewed our clothes for the town fiesta.
3. Cine
As early as 1923, when I was about five years old, we already had moving pictures called CINE HAWAII in Bangued. I used to ride the truck carrying the placards around the town beating a drum to attract the people. Small kids tried to clamber inside the truck but were shocked by electric current which ran in the metal parts of the truck. The movies were shown inside the store of Don Ciano Barcena just across from the convent. The movies were intended to attract attention to enlist workers for the sugar plantations in Hawaii.
Some silent movie scenes depicted the terrible earthquake in Japan. The movie crews were from Vigan. They boarded in our houses during their stay in Bangued. Later on, because of the big crowds, the show was held in the town plaza. Only ticketed movies were shown in the Store of Don Ciano. Later, movies were shown in the CINE TUAZON, a GI warehouse-like building near the creek on the road down to west side of the plaza.
The rooms in the store were rented to the FARMACIA VALERA and to a Chinese family that sold groceries from Vigan. The pharmacy was run by Manang Conchang Valera, later on Mrs. Purruganan. The Chinese store was run by the Chua family.
4. Store
The Store of Don Ciano was the meeting place of kids for playing games like TOUCHING, PIKO, KARA y KROS, rope jumping, etc. on it’s cemented sidewalk. All kinds of bets like TARKAS, BITTAOG, LASTIKO, coins, pictures of movie stars, etc. were used in the gambling games. It was the only cement playground where small children can play without soiling themselves. I just loved to read the comics in the Manila Tribune of the pharmacy instead of gambling or playing.
5. Kalsada
Roads were dusty and muddy. Only carabao sleds or cow-drawn carts could use them. Later on, during the administration of town mayor PRESIDENTE Bienvenido Valera, some streets became paved with stones from the Abra River. Then the road in front of the church down to the Caramanta Hill was paved with asphalt. During the road construction we loved to ride on the back of the steam roller, notwithstanding stepping on live coals falling down from the roller burner. Our feet got burned as we were all barefoot.
As late as 1932-33, when I was 2nd year H.S., I walked on the stone-paved road to the Abra High School near the cemetery. Roads connecting Bangued and Vigan via Narvacan were stony and dusty. As the trucks and buses tried to race against each other, passengers cheered the driver to run faster out of excitement from covering their faces with handkerchiefs as they all got covered with dust. At the Tangadan, especially that part which abruptly inclines toward Narvacan, everybody, except women with kids, had to get down to help push the truck up the stony, dusty road until it reached the top of the mountain. It took half a day to negotiate the trip between Vigan and Bangued because of the ferry at the site where the Quirino Bridge was later built across the Abra River.
Passengers had to bring BALON covered with banana leaves to be eaten on the way at the water fountain in Tangadan. At that water spot, outgoing and incoming vehicles stopped to put water in their radiators and refill their water cans while the passengers ate their BALON or meals and drank the cool refreshing water from the forest spring.
6. Balsa
Transportation in the early Twenties was by means of horseback, animal-drawn sled or cart, and bamboo raft down the Abra River. It took one day, from 6 to 6, to negotiate the distance between Bangued and Vigan. At daybreak, carts ferried passengers from Bangued to Nagtalabongan, where the passenger bamboo rafts were waiting. At the mouth of the Abra River in Vigan, cow-drawn carts and KILES (horse-drawn carriages) were waiting for passengers from the rafts. I saw the Quirino Bridge and the roads from both sides under construction. The people up there, seen from the Abra River, were as tiny as flies on the top-side of the high mountain. Later on, after the road between Bangued and Vigan was paved with asphalt, it took only a one hour trip, minus dust and rattled bones!
The trip by cart to Tagangilang from Bangued took more than a half-day’s time, from 6 to 12. After the bumpy ride, although the bamboo floor had hay matting, one’s body seemed like “longboy” shaken between two plates!
Those who had cars in the early days were Don Juan Valera, a dodge sedan driven by Manong Isong Bolante. Tata Binnong Benedito, Chief of Police, had a STUTZ, and later on had a Fargo bus. Tata Pepe Lizardo, foreman, had a STAR. Don Quentin Paredes had a BUICK. Don Julio Barbon, Don Virgilio Valera and Bernardino Torrijos had a Ford with a STARTER instead of a MANIKETA or crank to start the engine running. Tata Binnong also had a KILES or horse-drawn carriage driven by Alip for ferrying school teachers.
Manang Conchang Valera (mother of Fina) had a DURANT sports car with a rumble seat in the back in place of a baggage compartment. She was the only woman driver in Abra at that time in the early Thirties. I was her chaperon everywhere she went. At that time, ladies going out without a chaperone wee eyed with suspicion and out of place. Several “crazy,” “sick,” and envious people intentionally placed nails to puncture tires! To patch up and replace a tire then was a very hard job, taking almost half a day’s work!
The profession of a DRIVER then was an envied job as they drew good salaries and went places. The earliest bus drivers of Bangued were Angel Benas, Alip Benas, Milis Benes, Tata Castor Balobar and Meno Favorito of DARDAYA and SINAPANGAN. When they arrived from far away places like Manila, they had lots of unusual tales to tell eager youngsters who just loved to hear their unending, exciting experiences. I was one of them. I loved adventure!
Those who owned passenger buses were considered rich and were popular. They were the Beneditos, the Valeras, and the Favoritos. Their family names were painted in BIG letters on the sides of their buses.
A regular daily trip to Manila was made by the NORLUTRAN bus company. It’s arrival at night was met with lots of kids trying to help the passengers with their baggage or get their newspapers at the post office.
7. First Radio
Communication was by means of telephone, telegraph and mail. The telephones connected only to the Municipal town buildings. The telegraphs connected only to Provincial and City Post Offices. Mail, in the early days outside of Bangued, was delivered by horse back or by bamboo rafts to Pidigan, San Quentin and Vigan. Later on, when roads were opened, mail was carried by passenger buses.
The first one to own a radio receiving set in Bangued for public display was the P.C. Barracks, which was then west of the Plaza. Every night we went to hear the Ilocano Night Program. Then the Torrijo’s store near the church also had a radio for public hearing. The sound was distorted by lots of static!
8. Social Organizations
Clubs were organized for social and recreational purposes, such as the ANARAAR and the BARANGAY clubs. The former was organized by the men while the latter was organized by the ladies of Bangued. Most social activities, like dances, were held in the house of Don Juan Valera because it had a large dance hall, elegant dining room, good toilet and bath facilities, and a TOWER for entertainment purposes overlooking a large part of the town. The Bayguen Band provided the music. Ice for ice cream making came from Vigan. VIPs from Manila were always entertained with a dance party in the house of Tata Ancuan Bai (Don Juan Valera.)
The prominent ladies were Conchang Valera (Fina’s mother and only daughter of Don Juan), Alice Landeta Belisario, Nena and Lita Banes, the Vasquez sisters, Mg. Demi Colet, Mg. Trining Bravo, Mg. Soledad and Lourdes Valera, the de Leon Sisters (white cover) and later on the Valera Sisters (Mary and Pitang). The prominent men were the Valera brothers: Meling, Pacoy, Teling and Roding. Also well known were the Baula Brothers, Leocadio Talin, the Paredeses, Purugganans, Banes family, and the Torrijos brothers. Often times we had LINOBIAN parties too. Our favorite drink was SARSPARILLA.
9. Social Status Symbols
Social status symbols then were a PIANO, a CAR, a lot of servants, a BIG HOUSE and, of course, owning land. Government employees who received salaries belonged to the upper classes, together with large land owners. The middle classes were the artisans like carpenters, black smiths, shoe makers, merchants and tailors. The lower classes were the farmers, servants and beggars. The influence of Spanish culture was very strong. The priests and white people were looked upon with reverence, respect and adoration.
10. School Teachers
School teachers were looked upon with respect by the parents and with fear by their students. It was a part of their anatomy to hold a stick while teaching as a symbol of authority. They didn’t hesitate to apply it on the “seat” of learning for minor mischief or mistakes. Miss Ana Valera, our music teacher, related to us the story of one of her pupils who dumped the bamboo water carrier on the road and ran away as they were about to meet on the street. But a good and kind school teacher, Miss Fe Benito, at noon sang a lullaby for her students to take a nap in school.
In the market the vendors addressed every respectable person by the name of MESTRO or MESTRA. But the same words were also used with a different intonation and meaning for persons interfering in somebody’s business, especially their children or friends. Teachers were very well dressed; using high heels on dusty, stony roads and coat and tie in very hot weather, imitating the Americans.
11. School Children
School children from the West, South, East and North got integrated in the LONG BUILDING during the Primary grades and in the GABALDON BUILDING during the Elementary grades. Thus the sectionalism was more or less minimized. During my primary grades, most school children went to school barefooted, using KALSONCILLO, or drawers, and a KAMISETA, or underwear of cotton clothing. Girls didn’t wear panties then, including school teachers. Many young boys urinated or sheted in their drawers because often times the strings around the waistline got entangled and could not be untied in time before the personal necessity explodes!
Monday, June 16, 2008
History of My Life - Part A: Family and Religion
“History of My Life”
by Jose (Patrocinio) B. Sibayan
1990
A. Family & Religion
1. Birth
Bangued, Abra is my birthplace. My parents were Florencio Sibayan and Victoriana Bravo. I was baptized Patrocinio in an Aglipayan Church in 1918 and again baptized Jose in a Catholic Church in 1920 when my brother, Felix, was born. We were baptized together. My godmother was Nana Titing Lizardo and my brother’s godfather was Quirino Lizardo, son of Nana Titing.
2. Name
I used the name Patrocinio (Siniong) from grade 1 up to 2nd year high school in Bangued. When I enrolled in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya for 3rd year H.S., I changed my name to Jose. Patrocinio is a girl’s name.
3. Priest
The priest who baptized me was Padre Doro, the founder of the Christ the King Seminary. He was killed by the Japanese in Kamuning, Quezon City while defending his nuns from being abused by soldiers. I remember him saying in the pulpit, “Agbabawi cayo iti basbasolyo!” Father Lawrence Leisring was Principal Teacher, CSC.
4. Church
The church bells served as the clock of the town, rang at different hours to rouse us from bed; to take our noon meals, and recite Angelus Prayers before taking our supper. It was the only place where to meet other people on Sundays or Fiestas regularly. In short, it was the focal point of town activity then. (1918+)
5. Parents
My mother taught me how to pray and my father taught me how to read the CARTILLA or Spanish alphabet. They took us to religious services.
6. Relatives
My father’s parents are Eleuterio and Dominga of Vigan, Ilocos Sur. Mother’s parents are Gavino Bravo and Lucretia Bandayrel of Bangued.
7. Neighbors
Don Ciano Barcena, Don Benito Valera, Don Juan Valera, Tata Tomas Balleras and Anicito Lozo (Photographer)
8. Church Yard as Cemetery
As a little boy I was scared to go to the church alone because the church yard was a burial ground with the tombstones sticking outside of the ground. Later on another burial place was located outside of town and the church yard was converted into playgrounds. The bones of the dead were dug up and placed inside the walls of the church or buried under the floors. That of my grandma, Lucretia Bandayrel Bravo, was at the front row of benches under a marble slab.
9. Statues of Saints
The statues inside the church were all white except the devil under the foot of the angel whose hand was upraised with a spear directed towards the black-winged devil that had a horn. The statues were paraded around town during the procession on Holy Week. The most beautiful and expressive looking statue was that of St. Magdalene, owned by Fina’s family, Don Juan Valera y familia. All of the statues were wearing sad faces except that of Jesus on his resurrection. At first the statues were lighted with candles, then with carbide lamps, then by electric bulbs. All of them were owned by rich families or church-owned.
10. Procession or Libot
The religious processions during Holy Weeks are always looked up to as great occasions for displaying fervent belief in God and for venerating Jesus Christ and the Saints. It was a very colorful display of everybody’s best. The houses are brushed up, the roads are sprinkled, and arches (ARCO) are built with lots of fruits hanging and with an altar for saying the LECCIO. These arcos are erected by neighborhood efforts and are all around the procession routes. Eats and drinks and snacks are available for everyone in these arcos. When I was a kid the snacks consisted of rolled tobacco, MAMA and BASI. The roads were then dusty and paved with stones from the Abra River. Everybody had a candle and sang religious songs or recited the rosary along the way. Houses were lighted along the way. The hardest part of the procession was when we went up the CALVARY at PAGPARTIAN after passing SINAPANGAN. The APO ANGOSTIA of TATA BENID consisting of a big cross with Virgin’s rosary and Jesus Christ was mounted on a CARRO or carriage drawn by men. It was the heaviest set of statues. We kids were underneath trying to push the carriage uphill. It was our sort of PENITENCIA during Holy Friday.
11. Easter Sunday
DOMINGO SABET or Easter Sunday was an occasion for great rejoicing after a week long of abstinence and religious mourning. We woke up early before sunrise to go to church and then proceed to the place where the SON and MOTHER were scheduled to meet at dawn. A small girl dressed like an angel was placed inside a GALONG GALONG or baby swing and hoisted by pulleys up an ARCO waiting for the statue of the Virgin to pass for her to pull up the black veil to reveal the presence of Jesus resurrected In front of her. This event was held either in front of the BAULA family with Manang Ines singing the RESURECSIT song. ALLELUIA!
12. Priests & Nuns
The Catholic priests and nuns in Bangued were mostly Americans and Europeans. Father Teodoro Batenburch, the founder of Christ the King Seminary, was the CURA who baptized me and my brother. He was a German. Father Lawrence Leissing, a Priest of the Pink Sisters Convent in Baguio, was our Principal Teacher of the Colegio del Sagrado Corazon, H.S. He was American. I learned that most nuns then were Belgians. They spoke English and learned to speak Ilocano and preach in Ilocano. I still remember them saying in the pulpit, “AGPAPAWI KAYO TI PAS-PASOLYO.” They should be honored as pioneers in civilizing and educating the people of Abra as missionaries of LOVE. The head nun was Madre Lagondisa. They cooked and laundered and fixed the altar for the priests.
13. Catechism
During summer vacation, we attended a school for children held by volunteer teachers like Manang Ipang Bayabos and Manang Tacion Bayabos for “cathetismo.” We were taught about good behaviors, how to pray, prepare for communion, and how to go to confession. Every time we attended the course we were given “estampita” or religious cards. At the end of the course, we took our first communion followed by a sort of party at the church premise where program were held and food and drinks served. We can exchange our collection of estampitas for some toys. The two Bayobos teachers later on became nuns. We, their students, became “sacristans” or acolytes.
14. Daton
The month of May is a month of DATON or offering flowers in church for the Virgin Mary done by girls during the mass, and also by small boys. We went around the town asking for flowers to be offered to the Virgin Mother. There were lots of flower-growers in Bangued, including my mother who grew roses, camia, sosal, and kayanga. The flowers were arranged into beautiful bouquets and placed in flower baskets or vases. They were received at the communion rails by the nuns who arranged them at the foot of the statue of the Virgin.
15. Church Ceremonies
Weddings, baptisms and burials were the subject of rituals depending on the affluence of the parties concerned. The richer or bigger offerings, the more elaborate the ceremonies including the ringing of bells, etc. Our lives were church-oriented from birth to death. Praise the Lord. Everyone passing in front of the church building bowed, made the sign of the cross, and removed their hats or anything on their heads like LABBA (baskets) for men and women respectively before bowing. People then were religiously conscious and spiritual. Their ambition was to ENTER HEAVEN when they die. (I saw my mother get up from bed, face the crucifix, make the sign of the cross, get up from her kneeling position, get back in bed, and die. She was sick of PTB and was bed-ridden for several months when she suddenly got up unassisted.) PRAISE THE LORD! During Christmas the statue of baby Jesus was displayed for kissing and offerings. On All Souls Day, the priest was asked to bless the graves and sprinkle holy water for a fee.
by Jose (Patrocinio) B. Sibayan
1990
A. Family & Religion
1. Birth
Bangued, Abra is my birthplace. My parents were Florencio Sibayan and Victoriana Bravo. I was baptized Patrocinio in an Aglipayan Church in 1918 and again baptized Jose in a Catholic Church in 1920 when my brother, Felix, was born. We were baptized together. My godmother was Nana Titing Lizardo and my brother’s godfather was Quirino Lizardo, son of Nana Titing.
2. Name
I used the name Patrocinio (Siniong) from grade 1 up to 2nd year high school in Bangued. When I enrolled in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya for 3rd year H.S., I changed my name to Jose. Patrocinio is a girl’s name.
3. Priest
The priest who baptized me was Padre Doro, the founder of the Christ the King Seminary. He was killed by the Japanese in Kamuning, Quezon City while defending his nuns from being abused by soldiers. I remember him saying in the pulpit, “Agbabawi cayo iti basbasolyo!” Father Lawrence Leisring was Principal Teacher, CSC.
4. Church
The church bells served as the clock of the town, rang at different hours to rouse us from bed; to take our noon meals, and recite Angelus Prayers before taking our supper. It was the only place where to meet other people on Sundays or Fiestas regularly. In short, it was the focal point of town activity then. (1918+)
5. Parents
My mother taught me how to pray and my father taught me how to read the CARTILLA or Spanish alphabet. They took us to religious services.
6. Relatives
My father’s parents are Eleuterio and Dominga of Vigan, Ilocos Sur. Mother’s parents are Gavino Bravo and Lucretia Bandayrel of Bangued.
7. Neighbors
Don Ciano Barcena, Don Benito Valera, Don Juan Valera, Tata Tomas Balleras and Anicito Lozo (Photographer)
8. Church Yard as Cemetery
As a little boy I was scared to go to the church alone because the church yard was a burial ground with the tombstones sticking outside of the ground. Later on another burial place was located outside of town and the church yard was converted into playgrounds. The bones of the dead were dug up and placed inside the walls of the church or buried under the floors. That of my grandma, Lucretia Bandayrel Bravo, was at the front row of benches under a marble slab.
9. Statues of Saints
The statues inside the church were all white except the devil under the foot of the angel whose hand was upraised with a spear directed towards the black-winged devil that had a horn. The statues were paraded around town during the procession on Holy Week. The most beautiful and expressive looking statue was that of St. Magdalene, owned by Fina’s family, Don Juan Valera y familia. All of the statues were wearing sad faces except that of Jesus on his resurrection. At first the statues were lighted with candles, then with carbide lamps, then by electric bulbs. All of them were owned by rich families or church-owned.
10. Procession or Libot
The religious processions during Holy Weeks are always looked up to as great occasions for displaying fervent belief in God and for venerating Jesus Christ and the Saints. It was a very colorful display of everybody’s best. The houses are brushed up, the roads are sprinkled, and arches (ARCO) are built with lots of fruits hanging and with an altar for saying the LECCIO. These arcos are erected by neighborhood efforts and are all around the procession routes. Eats and drinks and snacks are available for everyone in these arcos. When I was a kid the snacks consisted of rolled tobacco, MAMA and BASI. The roads were then dusty and paved with stones from the Abra River. Everybody had a candle and sang religious songs or recited the rosary along the way. Houses were lighted along the way. The hardest part of the procession was when we went up the CALVARY at PAGPARTIAN after passing SINAPANGAN. The APO ANGOSTIA of TATA BENID consisting of a big cross with Virgin’s rosary and Jesus Christ was mounted on a CARRO or carriage drawn by men. It was the heaviest set of statues. We kids were underneath trying to push the carriage uphill. It was our sort of PENITENCIA during Holy Friday.
11. Easter Sunday
DOMINGO SABET or Easter Sunday was an occasion for great rejoicing after a week long of abstinence and religious mourning. We woke up early before sunrise to go to church and then proceed to the place where the SON and MOTHER were scheduled to meet at dawn. A small girl dressed like an angel was placed inside a GALONG GALONG or baby swing and hoisted by pulleys up an ARCO waiting for the statue of the Virgin to pass for her to pull up the black veil to reveal the presence of Jesus resurrected In front of her. This event was held either in front of the BAULA family with Manang Ines singing the RESURECSIT song. ALLELUIA!
12. Priests & Nuns
The Catholic priests and nuns in Bangued were mostly Americans and Europeans. Father Teodoro Batenburch, the founder of Christ the King Seminary, was the CURA who baptized me and my brother. He was a German. Father Lawrence Leissing, a Priest of the Pink Sisters Convent in Baguio, was our Principal Teacher of the Colegio del Sagrado Corazon, H.S. He was American. I learned that most nuns then were Belgians. They spoke English and learned to speak Ilocano and preach in Ilocano. I still remember them saying in the pulpit, “AGPAPAWI KAYO TI PAS-PASOLYO.” They should be honored as pioneers in civilizing and educating the people of Abra as missionaries of LOVE. The head nun was Madre Lagondisa. They cooked and laundered and fixed the altar for the priests.
13. Catechism
During summer vacation, we attended a school for children held by volunteer teachers like Manang Ipang Bayabos and Manang Tacion Bayabos for “cathetismo.” We were taught about good behaviors, how to pray, prepare for communion, and how to go to confession. Every time we attended the course we were given “estampita” or religious cards. At the end of the course, we took our first communion followed by a sort of party at the church premise where program were held and food and drinks served. We can exchange our collection of estampitas for some toys. The two Bayobos teachers later on became nuns. We, their students, became “sacristans” or acolytes.
14. Daton
The month of May is a month of DATON or offering flowers in church for the Virgin Mary done by girls during the mass, and also by small boys. We went around the town asking for flowers to be offered to the Virgin Mother. There were lots of flower-growers in Bangued, including my mother who grew roses, camia, sosal, and kayanga. The flowers were arranged into beautiful bouquets and placed in flower baskets or vases. They were received at the communion rails by the nuns who arranged them at the foot of the statue of the Virgin.
15. Church Ceremonies
Weddings, baptisms and burials were the subject of rituals depending on the affluence of the parties concerned. The richer or bigger offerings, the more elaborate the ceremonies including the ringing of bells, etc. Our lives were church-oriented from birth to death. Praise the Lord. Everyone passing in front of the church building bowed, made the sign of the cross, and removed their hats or anything on their heads like LABBA (baskets) for men and women respectively before bowing. People then were religiously conscious and spiritual. Their ambition was to ENTER HEAVEN when they die. (I saw my mother get up from bed, face the crucifix, make the sign of the cross, get up from her kneeling position, get back in bed, and die. She was sick of PTB and was bed-ridden for several months when she suddenly got up unassisted.) PRAISE THE LORD! During Christmas the statue of baby Jesus was displayed for kissing and offerings. On All Souls Day, the priest was asked to bless the graves and sprinkle holy water for a fee.
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